This degree program is a university degree program under the auspices of Leipzig University, can lead to civil servant status and offers future security. Start your career as a teacher and become part of an inclusive, diverse educational landscape.
At the start of your studies, you will automatically begin the teacher training program for secondary schools. In Saxony, secondary schools comprise grades 5 to 10. Shortly after starting your studies, you will have the opportunity to expand your studies in a targeted manner: with an additional subject, the special focus on LEARNING, in the "2-in-1 degree program" , you will also acquire the qualification to teach at special schools. Special schools are inclusive schools attended by children with special educational needs. If you choose this path, you will attend specific classes / courses on inclusion and special educational needs from the third semester onwards.
The extended degree program opens many doors for you to support pupils individually!
A cooperation between Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and Leipzig University
In the teacher training course, you will combine subject-specific and didactic content in two chosen subjects - mathematics, German, biology or WTH/S (economics, technology, household, social affairs) - with educational science, special education and practical school components. Particularly noteworthy is the content of the highly sought-after special focus on LEARNING, which will help you to provide individual support for children and young people with special learning needs.
Dare to choose science subjects such as mathematics or biology in addition to German and WTH/S! The focus is also on didactics and how you can make these subjects understandable and accessible to all pupils in inclusive lessons.
You will gain practical experience at schools in extensive practical school studies, which will provide you with valuable insights into everyday working life and optimally prepare you for your teaching career. (Further information: Becoming a teacher in Saxony)
You will complete your studies with the First State Examination and are thus ideally prepared for the preparatory service (formerly: traineeship) and subsequent practical experience.
| Faculty | Social Sciences |
| Location | Görlitz and Zittau |
| Degree | First state examination |
| Standard period of study | 9 semesters (pure secondary school teaching degree) or 10 semesters (2-in-1 course: 2 subjects plus specialization in LEARNING) |
| ECTS points | 270 (if specialization in LEARNING is chosen: additional 50 credits) |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Enrolment for the | winter semester |
| Admission restriction | Open admission (without NC) |
| Admission requirements | General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) or a professional qualification that enables you to apply to study at a university; phoniatric certificate (= medical assessment of voice, speech and language) |
| Compulsory pre-study work placement | for enrolment in the subject WTH/S (economics, technology, household/social affairs): a relevant industrial placement of at least two weeks; for enrolment in the advanced teacher training subject special educational focus LEARNING: a four-week social placement in a children's, youth or social institution |
In educational science, you will deal with fundamental questions of education, upbringing and socialization and gain insights into the requirements of the teaching profession. You will learn how lessons can be planned, designed and reflected upon - including under inclusive conditions and with digital media.
At the same time, you will deal with the development of children and young people, diagnostics, support and counseling as well as key findings from learning and teaching research. Practical school studies enable you to gain your own experience in everyday school life at an early stage and to link theoretical content with practice.
In German, you will explore the German language and literature in all its breadth - from linguistic structures and literary history to current forms of language use. You will develop a sound understanding of how language works, how texts are created and how they can be read, analyzed and interpreted.
Building on this, you will learn how German lessons can be designed: from promoting reading and writing skills and dealing with literature to linguistic and media-based learning. Multilingualism and German as a second language also play an important role.
In mathematics, you will build up a sound understanding of key mathematical content - from algebra and analysis to stochastics, geometry and numerics. You will learn to understand mathematical relationships, to argue in a structured way and to present solutions in an understandable way.
Another focus is on teaching mathematical content in the classroom: you develop task formats, design learning environments for heterogeneous learning groups and use digital tools specifically to support learning processes.
Practical phases during your studies give you the opportunity to accompany mathematical learning processes in a school context and to reflect on and further develop your own teaching approaches.
In biology, you will explore the diversity of life - from cells and genes to animals and plants, ecosystems and climate change. You will gain insights into physiological, neurobiological and ecological relationships and learn how to systematically investigate biological phenomena.
One focus is on designing lessons: you will develop experiments, working methods and learning environments that involve all students. In practical exercises and practical school studies, you will test methods and concepts directly in everyday school life.
In this way, you will combine subject-specific knowledge with subject-specific didactic skills and prepare yourself for biology lessons in a practical way.
In WTH/S, you will deal with key areas of everyday life - from nutrition and consumption to technology, business and work. You will acquire basic knowledge and try out practical approaches, for example in the kitchen, workshop or in experimental work.
Another focus is on planning and designing lessons that take different learning requirements into account. You will develop and test your own teaching ideas in practical school studies.
With a focus on learning, you will deal with the causes and manifestations of learning difficulties and develop ways to provide targeted support for learning processes. You will acquire knowledge in diagnostics, support planning and inclusive teaching concepts and learn how to design lessons in such a way that all pupils can participate in the best possible way.
You will also reflect on the social and pedagogical framework conditions of inclusive schools and combine theoretical knowledge with practical approaches for supporting learners with special needs.
Practical school studies are a central, practical component of your teacher training course: you gain teaching experience directly in schools and combine knowledge from your subjects and educational science with real educational practice.
You will go through various phases during the course of your studies: The first observations and your own teaching experiments take place during the semester (SPS II/III), before you plan and carry out lessons independently in longer block internships (SPS IV/V) during the lecture-free period.
The internships build on each other and support you in expanding your teaching skills step by step - from observation and planning to designing and reflecting on your own lessons.
Selection of two core areas (according to 80 LP)
Further areas of study
In the 3rd semester, the following additional subject can also be taken
Teacher in a secondary school
After studying to become a teacher in Saxony, you will complete your preparatory service (formerly known as Referendariat). This is where you deepen your knowledge in school practice - the next step on the path to teaching. And after that? Then you will work as a teacher at a secondary school, where you will accompany children and young people during an important phase of their development. You will impart knowledge, promote individual strengths and support social learning processes. The day-to-day work is varied: from exciting lessons to designing joint projects, the job offers many opportunities to work creatively and responsibly. Anyone who enjoys working with young people and is interested in educational challenges will find a fulfilling and future-proof job here.
Teacher at a special school
Working as a teacher at special schools opens up a varied and responsible field of activity that goes beyond traditional teaching. The focus here is not only on teaching subject-specific content, but above all on providing individual support and guidance to young people with different learning and life circumstances. With pedagogical sensitivity, creative approaches and interdisciplinary cooperation, you will design educational pathways that go far beyond standardized curricula.
You will find even more opportunities with us in other related degree programs.
Not sure yet? If you have any questions, contact our student advisory service. We are here to help you choose your degree program.
Study at a glance
Starting your studies & application
Faculty
You apply via the portal of the University of Leipzig for the teaching degree program for secondary schools with special education in Zittau/Görlitz. After receiving the provisional enrolment certificate, you also enrol at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences via the application portal.
In the teaching degree program in the secondary school teaching variant, you will study two subjects, educational sciences including inclusion didactics components and complete at least five school internships in 9 semesters. In the teacher training course for secondary schools with special education, a third subject is added from the third semester: special educational focus on learning with an additional internship, so that your studies are extended by one semester to a total of 10 semesters for this additional, highly sought-after qualification.
The semester fee is currently € 332.13 (winter semester 2025/26), which includes the Germany semester ticket.
Note: The amount may change in the future - the current status in the application portal is decisive.
You can choose from:
You choose two of these - any combination is possible. From the 3rd semester onwards, you can take the supplementary subject specializing in learning. Further subjects and specializations are planned.
Yes, as long as the content and scope are comparable. For this you need:
Submit an application to the Examination Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences (HSZG):
Application form (PDF)
Contact: pruefungsamt_GR(at)hszg.de | Tel.: +49 3583 612-4351
The teacher training course is a university course. You need a general or subject-linked university entrance qualification.
Admission with a Fachabitur is only possible in justified exceptional cases. Such cases will be examined individually.
You can find all information about the phoniatric assessment here:
https://www.zls.uni-leipzig.de/studium-beratung/ergaenzungsstudien/koerper-stimme-kommunikation-ksk/sprecherziehung/phoniatrisches-gutachten
Maximum 2 years. It is not a problem if you have it done after you have received your provisional enrolment and submit it later - it is subject to a fee and is not covered by health insurance. Further information: https://www.uni-leipzig.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/bewerbung/spezielle-zugangsvoraussetzungen#c105129
Yes. You need a four-week social internship (e.g. in children's, youth or social institutions) for the subject "Specialization in Learning".
The supplementary subject only starts in the 3rd semester, so you have time until then to gain the 4 weeks of practical experience.
No. It can be split and completed in different facilities. The only important thing is: a total of 20 working days (Mon-Fri) of 8 hours each.
Unfortunately, a voluntary social year (FSJ) cannot be counted as an internship.
To enrol in the subject WTH/S, you must provide proof of a two-week internship in a WTH/S-related field. This internship must have been completed after obtaining your university entrance qualification. Possible areas are, for example: Wood and metal processing, construction, technology/electronics, horticulture and agriculture, gastronomy or another craft/technical field related to WTH/S.
In addition, you must provide proof of a further compulsory internship of at least two months in a WTH/S-related field for your registration for the first state examination (which takes place in the 9th or 10th semester).
Maximum 2 years before the start of studies.
Step 1: First of all, you apply via the Leipzig University application portal for the teacher training course for secondary schools with special needs education at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.
Tip: The easiest way to find the teaching degree program at the Zittau/Görlitz location is to enter "Staatsexamen Lehramt an Oberschulen HS Zittau-Görlitz" in the search criteria for the degree type in the application portal. You will then only be shown the teaching subjects that can be studied in Görlitz and Zittau.
Step 2: As soon as you have received your provisional enrolment certificate from the University of Leipzig, you also register in the application portal of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for the teaching degree program for secondary schools with special education.
As soon as you have successfully applied to Leipzig University and Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, you will receive your dual enrollment - and thus access to both universities.
We now also offer our student advisory service via WhatsApp. Just send us a message to: +49 173 2086748
Studying with us is different. Above all, it's better. Why? We have a family atmosphere. There are small study groups and the lecturers are always there for you. There is a close connection to practice in all degree courses. And finding affordable accommodation is no problem here.
There are many other reasons, such as university sports or the student representatives, clubs and societies. Campus life in Zittau and Görlitz, the wild east, is unique.
