Your decision to become a teacher is a decision to follow a career in the responsible, challenging and creative world of education. The basic job  of a teacher (instructing and educating the young people entrusted to your care) will be by no means your only challenge. You will also play a part in influencing social change, as well as imparting humanistic-Christian values in a world which is rapidly changing.

 

Your Course of Study

Your course of initial teacher training begins with a four-week introductory phase designed to help you orientate yourself  and to provide you with information about your future career. The focus in the first four weeks is on the pedagogical and didactic challenges facing you in your chosen field, as well as an introduction to school experience.

 

Your course of initial teacher training includes: human sciences, subject studies, methodology and school experience. Whichever course you choose, you will be attending lectures, seminars, practical lessons and school experience throughout your training.

Contact hours will be complemented by self-study, E-learning, blended learning, tutorials)

 

Initial Teacher Training for RE in Primary and Lower Secondary Schools

The course of initial teacher training for RE follows the same design as for other subjects and lasts 6 semesters, after which you will be qualified to teach RE in primary and lower secondary schools and one-year vocational colleges.

 

Besides human science course components, great importance is attached to the acquisition of a thorough grounding in theology, which will be developed and extended continuously in combination with school experience.

 

You may complete the 6-semester course by regular attendance, but there is also the option of pursuing a course while working full time, or by a combination of both. In both the latter cases your course will last longer than the usual 6 semesters.

 

School Experience

School experience is the place where theory and practice are combined. Cooperation, reflection and interdisciplinary skills will provide the student with a global view of the school system and future pedagogical challenges.

  

Completion of Studies

On completing their studies students are awarded the internationally recognised degree of Bachelor of Education. Following this, students may progress to Master’s degree courses.

 

International Activities

To encourage student and teacher mobility the Private University College of Education of the Diocese of Linz cooperates with over 45 universities and colleges in 25 countries all over Europe. In addition, the Private University College of Education of the Diocese of Linz has recently established links with universities in Asia and Africa. Our students have the opportunity to spend one or two semesters at one of our partner universities as part of the EU’s  “Life-long Learning”scheme. Courses completed abroad are counted in full towards the student’s studies at the college in Linz, enabling the student to complete their course within 6 semesters. Our college also welcomes guests from abroad wishing to study here for one or more semesters. Further international activities include teacher mobility, conferences and cooperation in international projects.

 

Research

The Research Department is a centre for all students and teachers involved in research and development projects.

 

Participants have the opportunity to take part in academic discussion of the many questions on the subject of what conditions are necessary to allow children and people working in the field of education to develop to their full potential.

 

Our aims include: promoting an academic approach to work in teacher training, involving students in work on current research questions in the field of educational development, and support for research and development projects.

  

In-Service Training / Supplementary Teacher Training

Education and training are the keys to resolving many of the problems in schools and in society in our complex and often contradictory world.

 

Our philosophy of education is based on a humanistic-Christian world view.

 

Our department sees education and training not as a process which comes to an end on completion of initial teacher training, but as a life-long task. We place particular importance on the acquisition of  pedagogical and didactic competencies, the strengthening of one’s own character as well as an awareness of the challenges facing society the world over.

Our department offers a tried and tested, innovative range of courses at an academic level, for teachers of all school types and subjects, for kindergarten teachers, teachers at after-school care institutions and for people employed in associated occupations.

 

We like to see our course participants as partners. Our aim therefore is to provide academic courses which nevertheless have a sound basis in work experience and everday life.

 

 

To this end, we place particular emphasis not only on the communicative learning process in contact lessons, but also, where appropriate, the use of E-learning to enable students to work wherever they want to, and in their own time.