Business Education

Course content

There are two possible specializations in the degree program, both of which enable graduates to start teacher training. In Specialization I, graduates take modules in business studies in addition to courses in business education. Depending on the business studies modules that they choose, they may also develop a profile that makes them suitable for careers in industry as well as education.

Specialization II combines content from the fields of business education and business studies with a second subject. At FAU students may choose from the following second subjects: English, French, Spanish, German, civic education, Protestant religious education, information systems, mathematics, sports; special education and Business German, which focuses on teaching German as a second language.

Competencies

During the degree program students develop a profile of transferable skills that includes:

• the ability to plan, carry out, evaluate and reflect theoretically on lessons
• the ability to reflect on institutional conditions and discussions on educational policy in the field of vocational education and training
• the ability to prepare for and conduct empirical research in the context of business education
• the ability to develop strategies for solving current problems in business education
• advanced subject knowledge
• advanced skills in their chosen second subject

In addition to increasing their knowledge, the degree program aims to promote students’ personal development. Students should be able to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, and to plan, pursue and evaluate their own personal development (including possible career paths). They recognize the rights of individuals and institutions, are committed to adhering to ethical and moral standards in their work in the field of business education, and are able to reflect upon the moral implications of their professional conduct.

Career opportunities

The Master’s degree program combines content from the fields of business studies, business education, and the humanities and social sciences to create an integrative profile. Students may choose one of two specializations. Career opportunities are available to students of both specializations in some areas, while other areas are more suited to a specific specialization. There are four areas for which graduates of the Master’s degree program are particularly well prepared:

• Area I (Specialization I and II): teaching in vocational schools in the area of ‘business and administration’, in particular in the following German school types: Berufsschule, Berufsfachschule, Wirtschaftsschule, Fachschule, Fachakademie, berufliche Oberschule. This area also includes managerial positions in schools, education administration and educational policy. A State Examination must normally be passed in order to teach at schools in Germany. According to Article 6 (1) of the Bavarian Act on Teacher Training (Bayerisches Lehrerbildungsgesetz, BayLBG), Master’s degrees in business education are equivalent to the First State Examination (Erste Staatsprüfung) in teaching for vocational schools on the condition that graduates can also submit proof of a one-year internship or completed vocational training. The Bavarian State Ministry of Education, Science and the Arts expects demand for business education specialists to continue to increase in the future. Regardless of the budget situation, new teachers will continue to be required at state schools, in particular due to the fact that especially large numbers of teachers will be due to retire in the coming years. The three chairs of business education in Bavaria are only just able to meet current demand.
• Area II (Specialization I especially): careers as educational specialists at companies or non-governmental organizations with tasks related to training, human resources development, human resources management and knowledge management. This area also includes positions in public law institutions and associations that require expertise in business education, such as in general or business education policy.
• Area III (Specialization I especially): careers in business at companies that require a large among of educational expertise, such as at companies who produce highly complex products.
• Area IV (Specialization I and II): careers in business education research at universities, national, regional and local government institutions, and private institutes that specialize in business education research and development.

The Master’s degree program has a particularly strong focus on Area I, while the Bachelor’s degree program in Business Studies with a specialization in Business Education focuses on Area II. The Master’s degree program in Business Education includes compulsory teaching placements at vocational schools. Students are prepared for the content and organization of this practical phase at the University. The requirements for the practical phase are clearly regulated and include observation, as well as developing, implementing and reflecting upon their own solutions. Students’ performance in this practical phase is evaluated in collaboration with teachers. The School of Business and Economics regularly exchanges information with the schools that host students on teaching placements. This close collaboration is based on a long tradition. Nuremberg is the largest and oldest of the three locations in Bavaria offering training in business education (the other two being Bamberg and Munich) and is one of the most important locations in the country in this field.

Target group

The degree program is aimed at graduates with a Bachelor’s degree in business studies or an equivalent university degree. The degree program in which the previous degree was obtained must be equivalent to the Bachelor’s degree program governed by the examination regulations for Bachelor’s degree programs at the School of Business and Economics at FAU. If an applicant’s previous degree is not fully equivalent, the Admissions Committee may admit them with conditions, the fulfilment of which must be proven within one year of starting the Master’s degree program. The Master’s degree program is not open to students with a Diplom degree in the same subject.