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Studies & Degrees in Teacher Training for Primary Education

Primary school teachers introduce children to all the basic school subjects. In Spain primary education covers the ages of 6 to 12, and the teacher (maestro or maestra) is a generalist. The Universidad de Alcalá describes a training that ranges from natural sciences and mathematics to literature, a foreign language and art.

Teacher training combines three things: the subjects of the primary curriculum and how to teach them, educational psychology and pedagogy, and supervised practice in schools. Students learn to plan lessons, assess pupils, manage a class, work with families and respond to different learning needs.

Qualifications and levels

School teaching is a regulated profession, so each country sets its own qualification.

  • Spain. The profession of primary teacher requires the official bachelor's degree (grado) in primary education. The degree has 240 ECTS credits and lasts four years. The school placement (practicum) must cover the three cycles of primary education. By the end of the degree, students should have reached level C1 in Spanish and level B1 in a foreign language.
  • England. Qualified teacher status (QTS) is a legal requirement to teach in many English schools. It can be obtained through undergraduate or postgraduate initial teacher training, with courses that lead to primary teaching with QTS. People who live outside the United Kingdom can train for international qualified teacher status (iQTS) without travelling to the country.
  • United States. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers usually need at least a bachelor's degree, and public school teachers must also hold a state-issued certification or licence.

Spanish universities may add a specialisation (mención) of 30 to 60 credits to the degree. A primary teacher is qualified to teach all areas of this level, but music, physical education and foreign languages require the corresponding official speciality. The menciones on offer differ between universities. The Universidad de Murcia offers music education, English, French, therapeutic pedagogy, and hearing and language. The Universidad de La Laguna offers attention to diversity, English, French, physical education, music education, and curricular innovation and research.

Practice in schools takes up a large part of the degree: 38 ECTS credits at the Universidad de Alcalá and 41 at the Universidad de Vic, for example.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 46 active schools for this subject. Spain has 37, the United States three and the United Kingdom two. Denmark, Chile, Colombia and Argentina have one each. Faculties of education are spread over the whole of Spain, so students can choose by region and language as much as by university.

  • Universidad de Murcia: four years and 240 ECTS credits, taught in Spanish in the Faculty of Education
  • Universidad de Málaga: 240 ECTS credits over four years, taught on campus
  • Universidad de Alcalá: taught on the Guadalajara campus in morning and afternoon shifts, with Spanish, English and French listed as teaching languages
  • Mondragon Unibertsitatea: taught in Eskoriatza and Bilbao, 80% in Basque, 10% in Spanish and 10% in English, with six menciones to choose from
  • Universidad de Vic: four years and 240 ECTS credits, with 70 places for new students

The language of instruction matters more here than in most degrees. Teachers work in the language of the school system, and in regions with a co-official language part or most of the degree may be taught in that language. Mondragon Unibertsitatea teaches 80% of its degree in Basque, and the Universidad de Vic lists Catalan as the teaching language of many subjects. International applicants should check the teaching language and the admission route for foreign qualifications with each university.

A teaching degree from one country is not automatically valid in another. Students who plan to teach at home after studying in Spain should ask their own education authority how the Spanish degree is recognised.

Careers

Most graduates teach in state, state-funded or private primary schools. The Universidad de Alcalá also lists language academies, hospitals, prisons and non-governmental organisations, as well as libraries and museums, educational research, publishing and teaching Spanish as a foreign language. Entry to the corps of teachers in Spanish state schools is through a selective procedure.

For the United States, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects little or no change in the overall employment of kindergarten and elementary school teachers from 2025 to 2035. It still expects about 99,400 openings a year, mostly to replace teachers who change occupation or retire.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a primary school teacher in Spain?

Four years. The official bachelor's degree in primary education has 240 ECTS credits and includes placements in primary schools.

Do I need a master's degree to teach in a Spanish primary school?

No. The regulated profession of primary teacher requires the official bachelor's degree. The teacher-training master's degree is the requirement for secondary school teachers.

What is a mención?

A specialisation of 30 to 60 credits within the degree, for example in a foreign language, physical education, music or special education. Music, physical education and foreign languages can only be taught with the corresponding speciality.

Which language level do I need?

The degree is designed so that graduates reach level C1 in Spanish and level B1 in a foreign language. Some universities teach in a co-official language or partly in English, so check the teaching languages before applying.