Modularisation
Within the programmes of studies, courses (lectures, seminars etc) are grouped together to form themed modules. These module components require students to attend regularly, to study actively and - either at the end of each component course or at the end of each module - to pass final exams.
Students are expected to
- familiarise themselves with the essentials of their 1 to 3 school subjects and the research methods used within these fields,
- gain knowledge of fundamental theories and concepts in teaching and learning (subject-specific teaching methods, teaching psychology, pedagogy),
- learn the information and approaches required to think about school, teaching and the parties involved (pedagogy, sociology, politics, teaching methods)
The aim here is to give students the foundations they need to practise their chosen profession and the motivation and capacity to organise their own life-long learning.
Teacher-training degrees in Hesse have been organised in modules since winter semester 2005/06, both for administration purposes and in terms of content. The intention is to ensure that the contents and requirements of teacher-training programmes can be compared and assessed and are of equally high quality.
The ordinary degree programme is based on continuous assessment, with exams taken either at the end of each module or at the end of each of the courses within a module. Each module consists of a number of courses which are both chronologically and thematically coordinated and can be run by one department or on an interdisciplinary basis.
The university's study regulations establish certain compulsory modules as well as elective modules. The former serve to teach students the fundamental skills of their chosen subjects. Elective modules allow students to choose their own areas of focus and to specialise in particular skills. Each module assumes a certain workload from students, with a ratio of course attendance to independent study of 1:2.
Each of the modules making up a degree programme has a list of teaching aims which shows what skills students are intended to have gained by the end of it. These skills are tested at the end of every module. Every student who takes a particular module must therefore be examined at the end of either each course or each module in order to prove that the requisite skills have indeed been acquired.
Module exams results are recorded in term of both grades and credit points. Credit points are a quantitative measure of students' assumed workload for the module. A grade is also given.