Values and Norms (M.Ed.)

Course description

The degree programme forms a continuation of the 2-subject Bachelor's degree programme "Values and Norms". Its objective is to train teachers for the secondary school subject "Values and Norms" which has been introduced in Lower Saxony. As in the Bachelor's degree programme, the specialised academic part consists of courses and lectures in the subjects of philosophy, religious studies and social sciences (sociology and political science). This degree programme gives students an understanding of theoretical approaches to normative or applied ethics, the religious justification of standards and the functions of normative orders in society and politics. In the specialisation area of this Master's degree programme, students must complete only one compulsory module "Practical Philosophy" and one elective-compulsory module in religious studies or sociology or political science. A correspondingly greater weighting is placed on the specialised didactic and educational science aspects of this course of studies.

Course Structure

This specialised degree programme includes one module in practical philosophy (7 credits, compulsory), one module in religious studies or sociology or political science (7 credits, elective-compulsory), one didactic module (7 credits, compulsory) and a practice module with a school internship (8 credits, compulsory). Additionally, there is the other teaching subject with a further 29 credits and the educational science components comprising 36 credits. The Master's thesis is written in one of the two teaching subjects.

Research foci

The subject “Values and Norms” is not a scientific discipline with its own research, but combines the subjects of philosophy, religious studies, political science and sociology. The specialised subjects and research foci represented in Göttingen are listed with the information on these subjects.

Combination of subjects

The subject Values and Norms is not an academic discipline with its own research, but in Göttingen a combination primarily of the subjects Philosophy including Philosophy Didactics and Religious Studies, supplemented by electives from Sociology, Political Science (especially Democratic Theory) and Ethnology. You can find more information on the subject areas and research specialisations on the pages for these subjects. For the Values and Norms degree programme, the most interesting projects are those relating to ethics and related areas. In Philosophy, these are research specialisations in Theoretical and Applied Ethics, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Education and Philosophy Didactics.

Language recommendation

A good knowledge of English, which enables students to read specialised academic texts, is essential.

English language skills necessary for reading scholarly texts

Professional field

Teaching at secondary schools