Program Overview

University Program Details

The requirements for a subject teacher are defined in the decree on the qualifications of educational staff (Decree 986/1998, amendment 865/2005, Section 10). According to this decree, a subject teacher must have a higher university degree that includes pedagogical studies for teachers (60 credits) and, in addition, studies in the subject to be taught.

Qualifications for Subject Teachers

For primary education, the subject teacher must have at least 60 credits in the subject to be taught, which includes basic and subject studies. For upper secondary school, the subject teacher must have at least 120 credits in one of the subjects to be taught, including basic, subject, and advanced studies in the major subject or an equivalent entity. In other subjects to be taught, the teacher must have at least 60 credits in basic and subject studies.

Program Structure

The University of Turku offers degree programs that lead directly to qualifications as a subject teacher. These programs include the craft subject teacher degree program at the Faculty of Education in Rauma and the mathematics, physics, or chemistry subject teacher and class teacher education at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Students in these programs can also study other subjects as minor subjects.

Studying as a Subject Teacher

Students in class teacher and special teacher education programs can also work as subject teachers after completing their studies by taking minor subjects in the subjects to be taught. The University of Turku (and 鶴o Akademi) offers humanistic, mathematical, natural scientific, social scientific, and other non-educational subjects, and students can complete pedagogical studies (Turku) as part of their degree, as a minor subject.

Admission Criteria

Admission to pedagogical studies requires a separate application, including an assessment of suitability. Students can apply to study the subject they wish to teach (especially if they want to teach in upper secondary school) or study educational sciences if they aim to become an adult education teacher. As a minor subject, students can also study other subjects to be taught.

Program Options

Those who have already completed a master's degree can apply for separate pedagogical studies (Turku), regardless of the university where they completed their degree. Pedagogical studies are offered with different content emphases for different student groups. The subjects for which one can obtain qualifications depend on the completed or to-be-completed subjects and other studies.

Studying Subject Teacher Education

Subject teacher education can be completed at open universities and as separate studies at universities (the offer varies by institution).