Intercultural Education: Free University Berlin

The programme is divided into five modules. Each module is completed with an exam.

Module 1: Introduction and Tutorial (October 01 to 15)

• In this module the programme, its organisation and the specific modules are presented. Two introductory workshops on intercultural competence and intercultural education form the basis for successful participation in the theory-based modules 2 to 4. The latter are supplemented by the acquisition of field-relevant IT-knowledge and a general tutorial that runs throughout the whole year.

Module 2: Migration and Multicultural Societies

• The students reflect upon the current situation in German and European societies in the context of migration and culture.

Module 3: Education, Language Acquisition and Language Teaching in Multicultural Societies

• The third module deals with first and second language acquisition, language teaching in multicultural settings and bilingualism as a challenge for schools and families.

Module 4: Exclusion, Marginality, Discrimination and Racism as Pedagogical Challenges

• The fourth module focuses on the analysis of different forms of social exclusion, on asymmetrical attribution and on concepts of individual and institutional racism.

Module 5: Project (March to May)

• The students start preparing a three-month project during the first term. Thematically it is focused on one of the subjects in modules 2 to 4. The project is finished in May with a project report and a presentation.
  Master's thesis (June to August)

The remaining three months are reserved for the writing of a Master's thesis. The Master's thesis can be written in German or English and should be around 12,000 words. Additionally, an abstract of 1,000 words in the other language is required.

The goal of the programme is to enable the students to reflect critically about subjective rootedness in different cultural traditions and value systems. They teach the students how to put intercultural and antiracist education goals into practice in pedagogical settings, to develop strategies to fight racism and also to develop concepts to support the linguistic competence of children belonging to ethnic minorities.

Their graduates will have substantially enhanced their knowledge and competence in the fields of migration, second language acquisition and racism, which will help them in pursuing their careers.