Course content
Teaching or giving lessons in the arts and design involved far more than just teaching content: Convincing lessons require comprehensive educational and psychological skills. In the Minor in «Education and Educational Sciences – Essentials for Teaching in the Arts», students acquire the requisite contextual and practical knowledge for planning and carrying out lessons with different objectives and age groups. The course is aimed at students of different artistic disciplines, in particular those with a background in design and fine arts who would like to pass on their creative skills and corresponding subject knowledge to interested students. A medium-term goal may be to acquire the Upper Secondary School Teaching Certificate or to work in education.

The Minor introduces participants to educational, psychological and general didactic foundations for teaching and instructional work in artistic and design-related fields. In the process, students explore philosophical aspects of education and learning as well as the key elements of target-oriented lesson planning. The opportunity to explore psychological aspects such as development over the course of our lives or the rules that govern professional dialogue enable students to build up practice-oriented knowledge. The programme offers students a chance to analyse their own learning biography on their journey to the university of the arts and to use it as a basis to derive findings for their future teaching work. 

Skills acquired in the course
After completing the Minor,...
—  participants will be able to plan, justify and evaluate instructional or teaching work with theory as their base;
—  participants will be aware of the expectations and opportunities posed by different age and target groups and know how to prepare accordingly;
—  participants will have the requisite basic knowledge of how to conduct a professional dialogue and deal with conflict, and will able to incorporate their practice-oriented knowledge of educationally and psychologically effective material in artistic and design-oriented learning processes.

Admissions requirements
This course is aimed at students who are interested in teaching-educational work with a variety of target groups (in terms of requirements, age, etc.). They should enjoy motivating people, connecting with them through art and design in challenging, clever ways in order to stimulate discussion. At the same time, they are expected to be open to specialist discourses to view the reading of corresponding publications as a positive challenge.

Language skills required.
You need the following languages to take this minor:
–  German: to be able to follow a discussion
–  German: to actively participate in a verbal exchange
–  German or English: to understand a text
–  German: to write a text

Benefits of studying at ZHdK
The Minor is credited towards the Upper Secondary School Teaching Certificate (graduation at MA level). 

With the assistance of psychologists and educationalists, participants transfer their know-how to specific artistic/design (educational) fields. 

By analysing their own learning behaviour and determining which people, places and aspects were important for their career path (to date), they realize how they can use this knowledge for their own teaching work.

Time structure
The Minor «Education and Educational Sciences – Essentials for Teaching in the Arts» takes place in the Minor Weeks (weeks 2,3,4,8) and on Friday afternoons.

→ More about this minor (PDF download)

During a digital Q&A session, individual questions can be asked about the minor programme, the content and the organisational framework:

Tuesday, 15 April 2025, 17.30-18.30 via Zoom (to the registration)

At ZHdK, students choose a Major. In addition to this core subject, they can choose one or two Minors to deepen or expand their major skills and knowledge across various disciplines. This wide choice of courses is unique in Europe and enables students to develop and sharpen their individual profile.