Teacher training - basic and specialist teacher training - Switzerland

Basic teacher training

Basic teacher training program for the pre-primary and/or primary level requires a high school degree that ends with a Bachelor’s degree. A full-time course of studies takes six semesters or three years (including practice teaching), at least 180 ECTS credits are necessary for graduation.
Graduates of the teacher training program for the pre-primary and/or primary level receive a «Teaching Certificate for the Pre-Primary and/or Primary Level» and the academic title of Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Primary and/or Primary Education.

Specialist Training

The special needs education program allows students to gain the knowledge, operational abilities, and personal competences, which qualify them in the field of early childhood intervention for preventive and instructional support of children, whose development is endangered, disrupted or hindered, as well as appropriate familial intervention, and in the field of special education teaching, for instruction and educational work with pupils who have special educational needs.
A full-time course of studies in special needs education takes four semesters or two years (including practice teaching) and corresponds to a Master of Arts in Special Needs Education (in the field of either «Early Childhood Intervention» or in the field of «Special Education Teaching»). Graduates of the teacher training program for special education teaching receive a «Special Needs Teaching Certificate» and a reference to their chosen area of specialisation.

In order to be accepted into a special needs education program, in the field of special education teaching, the following minimum qualifications set by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) must be met: a teacher’s certificate for normal classroom work or a Bachelor’s degree in speech and language therapy or psychomotor therapy, or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field of studies. Students, who have received a Bachelor’s degree through an integrated course of studies for a secondary I teacher’s certificate, may also be accepted for this program.

There are a few institutions that offer study programs in special needs education. For more information see the website of the Swiss Union of the Institution for Special needs education (VHPA).