Basic Ethical-Philosophical Studies (EPG) in the Curriculum of Teachers' Studies in Baden-Württemberg

A new component in teacher training

As of March 13, 2001 the State of Baden-Württemberg introduced with its renewed scientific examination regulations (cf. WPO, annex C) Basic Ethical-Philosophical Studies as part of the curriculum for teacher training at Grammar Schools.

Ethical questions in both the sciences and humanities and in school subjects

The EPG is supposed to impart the basic ethical literacy necessary to enable teachers to recognise ethical matters in the context of both the sciences and humanities and subjects respectively, and to both reflect on them and respond to them in close collaboration with religion teachers and ethics instructors.

University - State Seminary for Teaching - School

As part of the study curriculum at university the EPG comprises two classes at 2 hours per week each:

  • one course covering basic ethical-philosophical questions (EPG 1) which needs to work as an interdisciplinary introduction towards ethics
  • one course dealing with either subject-specific or professional ethical questions (EPG 2) which covers the ethical issues of specific subjects or subject groups in-depth.

The classes are mandatory for all students of teachers' studies and relevant for examination.

In the preparatory phase of teacher training ethical questions are being covered in each subject respectively and also implemented into teaching practice.

Information provided by the Interdepartmental Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW) at the University of Tübingen

The following pages provided by the Department School and Education of the IZEW may supply you with various materials and information on the Basic Ethical-Philosophical Studies (EPG). The department has decicisively contributed to the conceptualisation, inception and establishment of the EPG. These pages were compiled by:

  • the statewide academic Supplementary Programme to the EPG which supports the statewide introduction of the EPG by providing these internet-pages, for instance,
  • the project "Ethical-Philosophical Basics in Teacher Training" which facilitates the mutual exchange between universities and state seminaries for teaching/schools with regard to the EPG,
  • and the EPG Coordination Office of the University of Tübingen which coordinates the EPG specifically at the University of Tübingen.

 

Contact

Preparatory phase of teacher training:

For any further information on the EPG in the preparatory phase of teacher training, please contact the state-run seminars.

Studies and university:

For any further information please do not hesitate to direct them to the academic EPG Coordination Offices and state seminars for teaching