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Teacher Training at the Private University of Education, Diocese of Linz

Your decision to train as a teacher is the gateway to a profession involving responsibility, creativity and a multiplicity of challenges.

Not only will the core task of a teacher – teaching and educating your charges – make demands on you, you will also be expected to help shape society and to transmit humanities-oriented values based on a Christian view of humanity to provide orientation in a rapidly changing world.

Training Courses

Each QTS course starts with a four-week induction phase designed to provide new students with information and orientation relating to their future professional activities. The focus is on gaining an understanding of course-specific pedagogical and methodological issues and on classroom experience.
The QTS courses comprise human sciences, subject studies, subject-specific methodologies and school experience.
All training courses are delivered as lectures, seminars, practical classes, with continuous school experience.
E-learning, discussion-based classes and tutorials complement the regular teaching programmes.  


RE Training Courses

Centre of competence for Religion, Spirituality and Value Education as well as Interreligious-Intercultural Learning in primary and secondary school.

In accordance with our motto 'Gaining insight into religion/s - developing spirituality - living in fulfilling relationships', we work on the methodological implementation of the new curricula for RE teachers in a university environment. Academic examination of questions concerning intergenerational fostering of faith with children and young people, as well as research into the spirituality of children and into interreligious/intercultural learning underpin our teaching. As co-founders of the Linz Forum for RE Pedagogy, we focus on questions of the societal importance of religious education, and we regularly organise day-seminars and discussion forums. 

Practical Classroom Training

Practical classroom training (PPS) constitutes the core of QTS (new) training. Its distinctive characteristic is the link between theory and practical application.

It provides the chance to develop professional competencies in concrete classroom situations, to plan and deliver lessons, to observe and reflect.

Course completion

On successful completion of the course, the internationally recognised degree of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) is conferred. Subsequently, there is the option of obtaining a PhD.


International

To encourage student and teacher mobility, the Private University of Education, Diocese of Linz co-operates with 57 universities and related institutions in 33 European countries, and it also co-operates with universities in Asia and Africa.

Within the framework of the EU Erasmus Programme, students are offered the chance to study for up to 12 months at one of these universities.

Any qualifications gained abroad are recognised is part of the course in Linz. The Private University of Education, Diocese of Linz also hosts foreign students who are studying in Linz for one or two semesters. In addition to the exchange of teachers, we organise congresses and cooperate in international projects.


Research

The Institute of Research and Development serves as a centre open to all students and teachers involved in research and development projects. It provides a forum for participation in academic discourse on a multiplicity of issues relating to life and development of children and individuals involved in educational activities. Its aims include: promoting an academic and scholarly approach to teacher training, involving students in work on current research into the development of school and classroom practices, and supporting research and development projects.

In-service training / Supplementary teacher training

Education is the key to resolving a multiplicity of school-related and societal problems encountered in our complex and frequently inconsistent world. Our philosophy of education is based on a humanities-oriented Christian perception of the world.

We view education and training not so much as processes ending simultaneously with completion of the training course but rather as a life-long task. In this, we attach particular importance to the acquisition of pedagogical and domain-specific competencies, to methodological aptitudes and skills, to personality development and to increasing awareness of the global challenges impacting on society.

Our in-service and supplementary training institutes offer a tried and tested range of innovative courses at an academic level. These are aimed at all teachers, irrespective of schools or subjects, at kindergarten teachers, teachers in after-school care institutions and at people in pastoral jobs.

We regard the course participants as competent partners, and our aim is to provide effective and constructive support grounded in professional experience and informed by research. We place particular emphasis not only on communicative learning processes during contact classes but also on E-learning, with students scheduling their work individually.