History for teaching degree programs
Degree
State Examination
Semester fee
71
Euro
Start of the program
Winter semester
Standard length of the program
9
Semester
Place of study
Eichstätt
Part-time studies possible
No
Overview
Studying History at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU) is not about simply learning dates off by heart or holding on to romantic views of the past. Based on modern theories of history, cultural studies and social sciences as well as based on practical work with sources, students rather learn to understand history as a construct of human conceptions of the past that is bound to time, space and culture. In this way, they form a differentiated judgment, for example as regards questions of memory culture, identity formation and historical politics. The opportunity to spend a semester abroad at one of the KU’s many partner universities, participate in international programs, workshops, and conferences and courses for this specific professional field will allow you to broaden your horizons and lay the foundations for your future career.
The program in detail
The subject History can be studied as a main subject or as a supplementary subject for elementary school or secondary school (Mittelschule, Realschule, Gymnasium) and as a didactics subject for elementary and secondary school teaching. The first state examination concludes this program.
Structure
The History teacher training program consists of modules in subject didactics and subject science. Subject didactics provides you with a theory-based foundation for studying history and your future role as a history teacher. The Chair of Theory and Didactics of History is particularly responsible for this. The modules to be completed in the subject area are primarily located at the Chair of Ancient History, the Chair of Medieval History, the Professorship of Early Modern and Comparative Regional History and the Chair of Modern and Contemporary History. However, it is also possible to complete modules at the Professorship of Latin American History and the Professorship of Economic and Social History as part of the teacher training program.
In the first semesters of your studies, you will acquire the basic methodological and theoretical knowledge of the subject within the framework of basic modules as well as in introductory events of the respective disciplines on the different epochs. In addition, you will learn or test further methodological skills in specialization modules. In practical, project and teaching student research modules, you will deal with the reception of history or engage in occupation-specific activities.
Program structure
The subject can be chosen in all teaching degree programs at the KU; for the teaching profession at secondary schools (Realschule (LA RS) or Gymnasium), it can be combined with the subjects German or English; in the teaching program for Gymnasium (LA GY) also with Latin or French.
The program structures of the individual school types can be found on the website of the Center for Teacher Education.
Facilities
The well-stocked University Library not only provides you with scientific literature, but also enriches the courses with its historical holdings. The work with sources is therefore not limited to the analysis of illustrations and editions. Manuscripts and old prints can be analyzed and experienced in their original form on-site. In addition, the History department has numerous contacts in the field of applied history/public history, which add practical experience to the teaching practice. The KU also provides media equipment for the creation of own digital history teaching formats within the framework of practical courses.
Rankings and assessments
KU students and alumni have voted for their University to be Germany's most popular university in the 2024 ranking of the online portal StudyCheck. This is the third time in a row, as KU was also voted the most popular university in 2021 and 2022. The ranking was based on over 78,000 evaluations for more than 500 higher education institutions and universities. 97 percent of students questioned for the ranking would recommend studying at the KU to others.
"There is no better praise for a university than almost 100 percent of students and alumni agreeing: I can only recommend studying at the KU! That is why we are very pleased with the ranking’s outcome, because it expresses the high level of satisfaction of our students," says KU President Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien.
The program in awards and rankings
The History department at the KU attached great importance to the quality of its teaching practice. KU lecturers of History are regularly among the prize winners for good and innovative teaching. Information on the prizewinners can be found on the University awards website.
Abroad
The History department at the KU has numerous international partnerships with history institutes (e.g. Milan, São Paulo, St. Petersburg), which are an additional benefit to your studies. The open structure of the Eichstätt History degree program allows you to study abroad for one or two semesters. Before you start your journey, you will agree with your respective department speakers which courses you will take at your destination university. In this way, you ensure that your academic achievements will be recognized and you can continue your studies in Eichstätt seamlessly afterwards – enriched by important international experience.
The KU maintains a partnership network with around 300 universities worldwide. The KU International Office supports students in the planning phase and provides information on different financing possibilities for stays abroad.
Practical connection
The training to become a historian that is offered here in Eichstätt is extremely practice-oriented. By means of research-based learning, you will deepen the skills you have acquired so far in independent scientific work, to a large extent in complex approaches to unedited sources. You will directly benefit from the research strength of our subject area with a large number of third-party funded research projects.
In specific learning formats, you will also practice occupational activities with a professional focus that you will be confronted with outside University. You will prepare exhibitions, plan series of events or create digital formats for teaching history. In addition, regular field trips take you to historical sites, important memorials and museums, and to important artifacts.
You will gain further practical experience as part of the required internships of the teacher training program. In your course of study, it is also possible to include the internship that is required in the context of the teaching degree program or an additional voluntary internship at any time: Whether in a historically relevant institution, e.g. in a museum, archive, municipal cultural office, research institute or newspaper editorial office. For individual advice and support in finding an internship and financing possibilities, the KU Career Service and the International Internship Service are happy to help.
Career opportunities and professional fields
In addition to qualifying you to become a teacher, the history degree program will provide you with other skills that are in demand on the job market: You can collect information quickly, evaluate it critically, process it and communicate it in a comprehensible way. This opens up opportunities in many professional fields: typically, in history-related institutions such as archives, museums, memorials, but also in other sectors where language and text are used, such as publishing houses, advertising agencies or in the journalistic field.
The KU
Campus
Short distances on campus at the KU save time and avoid stress. The KU is a campus University with modern facilities. The buildings on campus are located close to the Eichstätt old town. Although the University and its campus has grown, it is still characterized by short distances: In Eichstätt, everything can be reached within ten minutes’ walking distance. On campus, green spaces such as the Hofgarten are the perfect places to relax. The garden of the Kapuzinerkloster is also used by different student initiatives for their projects. The canteen is located at the heart of the Eichstätt campus and has a sun deck and cafeteria that leave nothing to be desired.
What sets the KU apart
Studying at the KU is more than just acquiring specialist knowledge. We broaden our horizons together and take on responsibility in and beyond the individual degree programs. The KU has a particular focus on topics such as personal development, sustainability, social skills and social commitment.
It offers its students the possibility to study and work in a welcoming atmosphere and benefit from outstanding support and comprehensive service offers, a well-stocked library, a broad range of sports and leisure activities and a large global network of approx. 300 partner universities. Our team at the International Office helps you to plan your semester abroad and the KU Career Service provides comprehensive advice and support for embarking on your professional career.
Do I have to be Catholic in order to study at the KU? Do I have to deal with Catholic contents during my studies?
No, the KU is open to students of all faiths and beliefs.
At the KU, just as at all state universities, there is freedom of research and teaching. This means that our degree programs focus on the subjects for which you have enrolled – free from external influences.
As a student at our University, you will notice what our understanding of being a Catholic University means for us in one thing in particular: The University’s focus is on the individual person. The talents and potential of all those who teach, study, work and carry out research at the KU form our most important foundation – regardless of their religion or beliefs, nationality, ethical, cultural or social background, disabilities, gender, sexual orientation or age.
This is why we promote your best possible academic education through personal support and an ideal staff-to-student ratio. At the same time, the KU is more than just a place for earning your degree: We attach particular importance to imparting social skills and advancing our students’ sense and value orientation in addition to providing them with a high level of academic and methodical qualification.
Our aspiration for our University is to build bridges between science and society and to make knowledge available for society as well as to integrate impulses from outside the University into our research and teaching practice. We aim to make a valuable contribution to social coexistence, to the free democratic basic order and to preserving creation.
Isn’t Eichstätt quite small for a university town?
With a population of around 15,000, it is probably the smallest university town in Europe. For our students, this means living and learning in a friendly and informal atmosphere. Whether it is on the way to a lecture in the morning, at the canteen for lunch or in the pub in the evening, you will often come across people you know. It is easy to meet people in Eichstätt! By the way, the KU’s “living room” is the Theke, a bar run by students for students. Here, people meet for parties, jam sessions, karaoke evenings or a cozy round of table football.
A small town also means short distances: The library, the swimming pool, the cinema or the supermarket – everything can be reached in a few minutes on foot or by bike. The town is located right in the heart of the Altmühltal natural park – a real paradise for climbers, canoeists, hikers and cyclists just around the corner.
Should you still reach a point when you feel too cooped in, you can breathe big city air easily near Eichstätt. Ingolstadt with its 135,000 inhabitants is only a few kilometers away and offers a variety of shopping and nightlife options.
Campus
![[Translate to Englisch:] Biergarten](/fileadmin/22/Studiengaenge/Bilder_fuer_Studiengangwebseiten/Biergarten.jpg)
Eichstätt and the surrounding Altmühltal natural park are not only a popular destination for culture enthusiasts and nature lovers, but also for cyclists, climbers, canoeists and fossil collectors. Located between Munich and Nuremberg, the city impresses with its Baroque setting and southern flair combined with modern and prizewinning architecture as well as a broad variety of cultural offerings and leisure activities.
The Baroque park at the heart of the campus and the nearby banks of the Altmühltal river are the KU’s “green living room”. Another big advantage: all University facilities are just a short walk away from each other.
Advisory Service
Some offers and study conditions are different for international students – our International Office is happy to provide help and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team. We are happy to accompany you on your way to the KU and hope that we can welcome you in person soon!
David
Guevara
Coordinator Welcome Services and International Campus
Building
Domplatz 8
|
Room: DP8-203 | Campus Eichstätt
Enrollment
Requirements
Requirements
General university entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife)
Teaching program for Gymnasium: Sound knowledge of latin
Teaching program for Gymnasium: Sound knowledge of latin
Enrollment period winter semester
Feb 12
-
Oct 04
Admission restriction
No
Selection procedure
No
The application process for international applicants is now completely digital. You can register online in our application portal and carry out and submit your application. After you have carried out the application and uploaded your documents, you do not need to send your documents to us again by post. You do have to submit certified true copies only if you are admitted at the time of enrollment.
Depending on the course of study, you may be asked for information on internships, professional experience, etc. Please upload the relevant documents in the upload area for all the information you provide, even if these are not mandatory fields!
Before you start the application process, please read the additional information on this page, in particular the information on the respective (German) language requirements and university entrance qualifications.