Centre for Teacher Education

Welcome to the homepage of the Centre for Teacher Education (CTE) in Heidelberg!

Centres for Teacher Education at universities in Baden-Württemberg enable students wishing to become teachers at Gymnasien or vocational schools to obtain professional advice throughout the duration of their studies.

Please note that the CTE itself is not an educational institution training prospective teachers but provides an advisory service to students.

How is the training for future Gymnasium teachers structured?

Those studying to become teachers at Gymnasien are educated at state universities. Their academic studies are divided into basic (Grundstudium) and advanced studies (Hauptstudium) generally consisting of two subjects and additional pedagogic studies. The standard duration for teacher training is ten semesters. It is completed with the first state examination, which is followed by a mandatory 18-month traineeship (Referendariat).

In Baden-Württemberg future primary and secondary school teachers are educated at Teacher Training Colleges (Pädagogische Hochschulen). If you have any questions concerning teacher training for primary (Grundschule) and secondary school (Realschule) teachers, please contact the Teacher Training College in Heidelberg (Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg) directly.

If you have questions about training for Gymnasium teachers at Heidelberg University, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to provide you with comprehensive information and assist you in organising your studies.

CTE's Responsibilities

• Counselling of students aiming to become teachers at Gymnasien
• Helping students organise their individual course for both basic (Grundstudium) and advanced studies (Hauptstudium)
• Providing advice to departments offering teacher training
• Organising information days and events on teacher training
• Establishing contacts with other counselling institutions both within and outside the university, such as the Department of Didactics and Teacher Training (Seminar für Didaktik und Lehrerbildung)

The CTE does not compete with other counselling institutions, but aims at linking all aspects concerning teacher training.

Help and advice

There are two options to obtain advice at the CTE in Heidelberg:

1. Brief advice (meeting of 10 minutes - only during lecture period; no registration necessary):
   Tuesday 10:00 - 12:00 a.m.
2. Detailed advice (meeting of about 30 minutes - by appointment only):
   Please register beforehand over the phone at +49 (0)6221 545454.

CTE Communication

If you wish to receive regular updates on upcoming events and further information regarding teacher training, you are welcome to subscribe to the CTE Mailing List, to RSS Feed or alternatively visit the CTE Weblog.