PRONET² Project P35: Theological Interdisciplinarity and Interreligious Education in the Training of Religious Education Teachers

A study profile offers students the opportunity to focus on a specific subject area, in this case interreligious education, on a voluntary and self-responsible basis within their regular studies. It serves to build a personal profile and can possibly mean a hiring advantage when applying to schools. The courses of the planned study profile can be taken by L2, L3 and L4 students as part of their regular studies. Only the "Praxisprojekt Interreligiös" (interreligious practice project) and the final performance in the form of a portfolio, which refers to all three attended courses (basic course and the two elective courses) and to the practice part, represent an additional effort.

All students enrolled in a degree program at the University of Kassel can complete the study profile.

Crediting as a study profile (i.e. whether the courses taken can be credited for both the regular study program and the study profile) depends on the associated study program:

Students enrolled in a teaching degree program in Cath./Ev. Religion (L2 - L4) or in a BA minor in Cath./Ev. Religion may complete the study profile as part of their degree program. L1 Cath/Ev religion students must take courses beyond their regular program of study to participate in the study profile, as the regular program of study does not provide a sufficient number of courses for full completion of the study profile.

Individual decisions must be made for students in other degree programs.

Please contact us in any case if you are interested in participating in the study profile!

The study profile includes three courses: a compulsory basic course (religious pedagogical-systematic) and two elective courses. The courses that can be credited to the study profile can be found in the current course catalog (under FB 02 Humanities and Cultural Studies > Catholic Theology > Study Profile "Interreligious Competence").

The courses are followed by a practical project, which practically deepens the knowledge and skills acquired in the study profile. After a final portfolio, students receive a certificate ("Zertifikat").

The attached overview  clarifies the structure of the study profile.

Note: Retroactive recognition of courses is possible in individual cases. Please contact us in this regard.

The study profile was developed within the framework of the ^PRONET2 sub-project P35"Theological Interdisciplinarity and Interreligious Education in the Training of Teachers of Religion", and was further researched and developed. Completed achievements remain valid in any case.

In the "Praxisprojekt Interreligiös", participants should come into contact with the practice of interreligious education and encounter (such as community, church, youth work, refugee work, school, media, educational projects, etc.). The task is to plan a thematically relevant practice project that can be carried out as part of a block phase or regular continuous work. The practice project should comprise a total time commitment of at least 30-40 hours. This practical project must be certified and also reflected upon in writing as part of the portfolio work.

We have put together a few guidelines for the design of the portfolio, which represents the final achievement of the study profile; you can find them here in the guidelines.

You can register by filling out the form "Registration for the Study Profile Interreligious Competence for Religious Education". It does not oblige you to complete the study profile. Completed achievements remain valid in any case.
Download Registration

Please send the completed form to: studienprofil.irk[at]uni-kassel[dot]de

Note: Retroactive recognition of courses is possible in individual cases. Please write to us in this regard (studienprofil.irk[at]uni-kassel[dot]de).

The current courses for the study profile can be found each semester in the course catalog:
Link to the courses

"Quality Offensive Teacher Education" by the federal and state governments; funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Phase 1: 01.10.2015-31.12.2018
Phase 2: 01.01.2019-31.12.2023

Systematic Theology: Prof. Dr. Mirja Kutzer
Biblical Theology/Old Testament: Prof. Dr. Ilse Müllner
Religious Education: Prof. Dr. Annegret Reese-Schnitker

Former research assistant: Raphael Schlehahn
Former research assistant: Matthias Brudek
Current contact persons: Katharina Gaida, Johannes Thüne and for the practical project Tina Krasenbrink

The basic goal of the project is the development and testing of an interdisciplinary networked teaching concept within theological teacher training.

In ^PRONET2, the structures created are to be further established and deepened with a focus on interreligious education. Accordingly, five pillars support the project:
1. Interdisciplinary annual theme with professional events and study day;
2. Interdisciplinary, religious-pedagogical-theological study day to link the three phases of teacher training;
3. Curricular design of the module "Theology Interdisciplinary/Interreligious";
4. Regular lecture series with an interreligious perspective and transdisciplinary orientation;
5. Offering a study profile "Interreligious Competence".

In the first project phase (2015-2018), the interdisciplinary networked teaching concept of the religious education teacher* training was developed with a focus on transdisciplinary competencies. This includes networking competencies within the methodologically highly divergent theological disciplines (Biblical Studies, Historical Theology, Systematic Theology, Religious Education) as well as competencies beyond these, which aim to link theological issues with topics as they are negotiated in other humanities, cultural and social science disciplines.

A new complementary perspective of the second project phase is interreligious competence, which transcends the subject boundaries of the theological disciplines traditionally represented in teacher training programs. The social situation requires more than ever such an interreligious competence of teachers of religion. This includes on the one hand the knowledge of theological contents and religious practices of other religions, on the other hand the self-reflection of Christian confessional contents and positions, which is stimulated in the encounter with the others and contributes to a more reflective view of one's own point of view. Both movements are to be promoted and reflexively accompanied in the measures of this project. Part of the interreligious teaching concept is an interreligious and transdisciplinary lecture series that takes place publicly every three semesters. The lecture series already began in WiSe 2018/19 with the topic "Sacred Scriptures", which will be continued by the topics "Sacred Spaces" (SoSe 2020) and "Sacred Times" (WiSe 2022/23). In addition, a study profile "Interreligious Competence" is to be established starting in SoSe 2020 to flesh out the content of the new focus (see below).

Link to ^PRONET2"Professionalization through networking - continuation and potentiation" homepage:https://www.uni-kassel.de/themen/pronet2/startseite-2-foerderphase.html