Master of Education - Russian for grammar schools
Master of Education - Russian for grammar schools
This Master's programme prepares students for a future academic appointment as a teacher of the subject Russian at grammar schools. The subject of Russian is studied, taking into account didactic and regional studies components in the examination areas of Russian linguistics and Russian literature as well as language practice.
It teaches in-depth linguistic and literary skills as well as language and subject didactics in the Slavic subject areas and explicitly includes multilingual areas outside Russia (Ukraine, Belarus). Vocational elements are also included. Educational and specialised language skills are deepened in the practical language courses. Practical training takes place in a 7-week practical block at schools. In the specialised internship, students get to know the school culture and plan lessons independently. In addition to corresponding learning activities in the academic courses, research-based learning can be implemented in the research and development internship of the practical block in the subject. It is possible to write a final thesis with a final colloquium.
Programme structure and content
The Master of Education (Gymnasium) programme, worth 120 credit points, is divided into the study of two teaching subjects worth 30 credit points each, modules from the field of educational sciences worth 18 credit points, training modules worth fifteen credit points and the Master's thesis module worth 27 credit points.
The 30 CP that you acquire in the 4 semesters of your degree programme in the subject of Russian are made up as follows:
- 1 module in linguistics (contact and variety linguistics or system linguistics, 9 CP)
- 1 module in Literary Studies (History of Slavic Literatures or Literary Theory and Criticism, 9 CP)
- 2 practical language modules in the field of Russian (6 CP each)
Special requirements
Students studying for a Master of Education (Teaching Qualification for Grammar Schools - Russian) must demonstrate knowledge of the target language in accordance with level C 1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages by the end of the Master's programme. The recommended entry level for the Master's programme is therefore B 2, but at least B 1. Missing knowledge can be studied at a later stage. A total of 12 CP can be credited in the area of language practice.
Students with the Master of Education (Gymnasium) programme objective must demonstrate knowledge of two other foreign languages by the time they register for their Master's thesis.
Co-operative study programme (home university Bremen)
For information on the programme structure for students of the M.Ed. Gymnasium Russian with a home university in Bremen, please see the page on cooperative studies in Bremen.
Study-related stay abroad
Before registering for the Master's thesis, a three-month study-related stay in Russia or Belarus (language course, internship, study programme, etc.) is also mandatory, or in other CIS countries by arrangement. An exemption from the stay abroad is possible upon justified proposal. The examining board decides on the recognition of the relevance of the study programme and the exemption on the recommendation of the subject. The stay abroad is planned for the third semester. Adequate study and examination achievements abroad can be recognised in the specialised and practical language areas after consultation with the responsible lecturers. If the second subject is also a foreign philology subject, proof of a stay abroad is only required in one of the two subjects.
News about your stay abroad
Suspension of the compulsory period of study abroad for students on the M.Ed in Russian programme
In response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Presidential Board of the University of Oldenburg decided on 1 March 2022 to suspend the University’s research and teaching co-operations with institutions in the Russian Federation. This is a decision which the Institute of Slavic Studies expressly supports.
However, this means that, until further notice, you will no longer be able to undertake stays abroad in the Russian Federation. Due to the security situation, stays in the Republic of Belarus and, of course, in Ukraine are also impossible.
Against this background, a proposal from the Institute of Slavic Studies to suspend the compulsory period of study abroad, as stipulated in the Lower Saxony Master’s Degree Regulations (Nds. MasterVOLehr), for all affected students on the M.Ed. Russian (Gymnasium) programme has been approved.
!However, so-called compensatory work must be completed in place of the study period abroad!
What counts as a compensatory activity?
- Alternative activities such as an intercultural portfolio (e.g. work in cultural institutions, NGOs or companies with a Russian-language focus);
- online language or further training courses (e.g. here: https://www.russisches-sprachseminar.de/; www.perelingua.eu, amongst others)
- Where applicable, a semester abroad in Poland, Estonia or Lithuania, during which you can attend Russian language courses or courses in Russian studies offered there (see the programmes and advice provided by the International Office). Please note, for example, the recently established Erasmus co-operation with Tallinn (Estonia). Please note – only language courses actually attended, or specialised courses taught in Russian, will be recognised!
- Alternative activities in the area of supporting refugees from Ukraine (e.g. participation in the University of Oldenburg’s Buddy Programme (https://uol.de/buddy; assisting in schools and educational institutions) or taking part in the training programme for intercultural mentors (https://uol.de/internationalisierung-zu-hause/orientierungplus/interkultureller-begleiterin) and supporting Russian-speaking students.
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What is the required scope of the compensation work?
The compensation work should total at least 360 hours. This corresponds roughly to a 3-month stay abroad, calculated on the basis of 6 hours per working day. You are welcome to do more than this!
What exactly do I need to do to ensure the compensatory work is recognised?
- Agreement and confirmation: In order for compensation work to be recognised, it must be discussed in advance with representatives of the Institute of Slavic Studies. Please contact us well in advance! Activities that you have not notified us of beforehand may be rejected for compensation purposes.
- Implementation and documentation: Document your activities as precisely as possible in terms of the number of hours, the institutions involved, etc. Where possible, obtain certificates for everything.
- Evidence and proposal: Once you have completed the required total number of hours of alternative work, submit an informal proposal for the recognition of these compensatory activities in lieu of the compulsory period abroad. In the proposal, briefly list the compensatory work you have carried out. Address the proposal to the examining board of FK III for the M.Ed. Gymnasium (Russian) via the Institute of Slavic Studies. Enclose all evidence of the compensatory work you have completed with the proposal and submit it to the Slavic Studies Office. If you need help drafting the proposal, please do not hesitate to contact us!
The suspension applies to MEd students, but I’m still on my BA – what should I do?
Our current recommendation (as of April 2023) is that, where possible, you should start ‘accumulating’ potential compensatory credits whilst still on your BA programme. Ultimately, we can hardly predict how the situation will develop over the next few years. However, it is more likely that – even if the war itself were to end – a period of study abroad in a Russian-speaking country will still not be possible given the current political climate. Should the situation take a turn for the better, there will certainly be transitional arrangements for students.