Cosima Quirl is in the 3rd semester of her educational science degree. She is pursuing the Master of Arts (2-subject programme) degree. Cosima’s second subject is philosophy.
What made you choose this degree programme?
I opted to study educational science, because I have always been interested in education, culture and learning. I had ruled out getting a teaching degree from the outset, because working as a teacher was out of the question.
In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?
I expected I’d have to get through a lot of reading in my degree course. And I was proved right. Still, I was surprised by how wide-ranging the discipline is, how many research fields it encompasses – and how diverse the individual areas of educational science truly are.
Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?
The thing I enjoy most is learning new things all the time that are relevant to my everyday life. I also like the fact that educational science offers a combination of several discipline; for example, I came across history, sociology and psychology in my degree course, to name but a few.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
Opening up my mind to new things and assuming many different perspectives can be very challenging. Reading many complicated texts and academic debates is not easy, either, but these things do encourage critical thinking and reflection.
What would you like to become after completing your degree?
This is a question to which I have given many different answers, as educational science opens up so many options. I have encountered many interesting potential professions in my degree course. At present, I could imagine working in the field of cultural pedagogy.
Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?
My advice is: be open-minded and just do it, because even if educational science appears to offer only the one option, namely a teaching career, it’s definitely worth reading up on other options. People who enjoy studying a humanity and to work in a research-focused and interdisciplinary manner will find that educational science provides a good anchoring point from which they can proceed in different directions.
Jana Lena Jünger is in the 3rd semester of her educational science degree. She is pursuing the Bachelor of Arts (2-subject programme) degree. Jana’s second subject is history.
What made you choose this degree programme?
I’d initially studied history and English studies and soon realised that I felt more at home in the humanities than in philology. In the sixth form, I did advanced educational science, and I had a rough idea of what to expect in the degree course. I have never regretted switching my degree course and I’d definitely do it again. I fully endorse the educational science degree course.
In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?
I’d approached the degree course with the expectation that I’d have to get through a lot of study material. This expectation has been very much fulfilled. The degree course requires a lot of work, and you have to deliver performance in any given semester. This concept introduces a continuity of sorts into the degree course, which is something I appreciate a lot for the most part.
However, I had initially assumed that as students we’d have more “liberties”. My expectation of freedom has not been met, unfortunately, because the degree course is structured very much like school. This has both advantages and disadvantages.
Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?
I find it endlessly fascinating how diverse the degree course is. Personally, I like the fact that we gain an insight into various research areas of educational science via different fields of work and that we are able to choose, to a certain extent, which areas we wish to focus on.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
One of the greatest challenges for me has been to keep pace with all my courses. There is a lot of reading to get through in this degree course. It’s not uncommon that we have to prepare long and, for the most part, complicated texts for several seminars from one week to the next. After all, I – along with most of my fellow students – don’t want to be merely physically present in a seminar without participating in it. And in order to be able to participate in class, you have to be prepared – and occasionally you won't be able to live up to your own standards and perhaps even lose some sleep.
What would you like to become after completing your degree?
I can’t really answer this question. I’d enrolled in the degree course with the idea of qualifying as a teacher. However, now I could picture myself working in an entirely different field. I might perhaps have the opportunity to work as a researcher after my Master’s degree – either at a university or at a third-party institute. Educational science (as well as my second subject) open up a broad range of professional options. This renders the discipline even more unique and interesting in my eyes.
Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?
I’d recommend the course to anyone who is willing to invest a lot of time and effort into their degree course, regardless if they want to qualify as a teacher or if their wish to, for example, work in adult education. People who don’t like to read a lot, however, should consider in advance if they are willing to struggle through. Anyone who likes to learn new things (sometimes by heart) and who would like to understand and expand on theories from different eras and perspectives will enjoy the educational science degree course a lot!
Rebecca Krebs is in the 2nd semester of her educational science degree. She is pursuing the Master of Arts (1-subject programme) degree.
What made you choose this degree programme?
I have always been interested in learning and education. Prior to enrolling in educational science, I’d studied rehabilitation education for a year. In the process, I realised that I could diversify my competencies in this field – and that I wanted to learn a lot more about it. Consequently, I decided to switch to educational science.
In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?
I’d expected the degree to focus on early-childhood education and development. However, this is not what happens at all. In hindsight, I’m very happy that this assumption proved to be wrong. My expectation that the degree course requires a lot of reading and a lot of work, on the other hand, has been fulfilled. But this can be a lot of fun and teaches you how to work independently.
Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?
Reading academic texts and grappling with them, followed by subsequent discussions in seminars. I enjoy the combination of independent learning, familiarising myself with the research subjects and methods, and the exchange with lecturers and my fellow students. The process can be very productive and inspiring.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
It occasionally takes all the discipline you have to do all the assigned reading, including the complicated texts. It often takes a lot of stamina, diligence and effort. But it’s worth it
What would you like to become after completing your degree?
I hope to stay at university after graduation in order to continue researching and teaching. I’d like to broaden and expand my knowledge and share it with others.
Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?
My advice is: get all the information you can, take the plunge and keep an open mind. Educational science is so much more than merely an alternative to psychology, an option to enter the teaching profession or a way to “work with kids”. The discipline provides the means and tools to explore many fascinating fields, with which you can only truly familiarise yourself if you study them in-depth. It’s definitely worth it!
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