Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in Biology

The upper-secondary teacher-training follow-up Master's study programme of Biology, double-subject is a follow-up of the Bachelor's study programme of Biology. Graduates will become fully qualified teachers of biology at secondary schools. The goal of the study is to deepen their knowledge of specific biological disciplines. Each student chooses courses according to their interests and relevant to the topic of their Master's thesis. Specific courses of pedagogy and didactics of biology together with several practical training courses at secondary schools prepare students for their career as biology teachers at upper secondary schools.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• apply a general knowledge of the principles and mechanisms underlying biology and ecology
• apply the scientific knowledge of biology in the secondary school practice
• provide students of secondary schools with a comprehensible explanation of natural phenomena and their principles
• teach students how to put the acquired theoretical knowledge into practice
• raise students awareness of healthy life style, protection of the environment to  the benefit

The graduates of this study programme will be qualified to teach biology, ecology and nature conservation at secondary schools, in particular at grammar schools. Moreover, they will be able to work as specialists in different educational and ecological centres, zoos and botanical gardens.

• Secondary school teacher

Practical training 1 – three weeks of biology teaching. The training should take place in September, before the beginning of the first semester. Practical training 2 - teaching of biology under supervision of an experienced pedagogue with 10 lessons of observations, 10 lessons of teaching and 10 lessons of assistant work for the host school.

There are two general headings to choose from:

1. Research work

For example, floristic or faunistic research of a selected area in the Czech Republic, or a partial topic from the fields and specialisations guaranteed by the ÚBZ and ÚEB. The scope and depth of problem solving is usually lower than in the case of specialist studies. The didactic part of the thesis is a compulsory part, in which it should be declared how the author (and the future teacher) can use the results of the thesis in teaching at secondary school.

2. Didactic thesis

Topics are listed on the website of the IEB and the IEB by mutual agreement of the teacher or lecturer of a particular educational institution and the student. The topic must be consulted by the supervisor of studies for education. The thesis supervisor is always an academic staff member of the Faculty of Education and the secondary school teacher or lecturer is the consultant.

The minimum scope of the thesis is set by the supervisor in the assignment. Students who prepare a thesis in biology, in agreement with the thesis supervisor, enrol in a field seminar according to the focus of their thesis.

After a successful completion of the Master's study programme (and satisfying the admission requirements), graduates can continue their studies in the doctoral programme.