Secondary Teacher Training (ESO, Bachillerato, FP and Languages) Schools and Programs in Spain

Secondary Teacher Training (ESO, Bachillerato, FP and Languages) Studies in Spain

In Spain, teaching in compulsory secondary education (ESO), the bachillerato, vocational training (FP) and the official language schools is a regulated profession. Under the Education Act, as summarised in Orden ECI/3858/2007, practising it requires an official master's degree. This is the Máster Universitario en Formación del Profesorado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y Enseñanzas de Idiomas, often shortened to "máster de profesorado" or MAES. It is a one-year professional master's taken after a bachelor's degree in the subject you want to teach.

How the master's is organised

Orden ECI/3858/2007 sets the minimum content that every university must follow. The master's has 60 ECTS credits, within the 60, 90 or 120 credits allowed for master's degrees under Royal Decree 822/2021. It must include at least:

• A general module (12 credits): learning and personality development, educational processes and contexts, and society, family and education
• A specific module (24 credits): subject knowledge for the chosen specialisation, and how to teach and assess it
• A teaching placement (16 credits): the practicum in schools in the chosen specialisation, including the master's thesis (Trabajo fin de Máster)

As a rule, at least 80% of the credits must be taught face to face, always including the practicum. Universities that teach only at a distance must make sure the placement is done in person. The order covers secondary education, the bachillerato, vocational training, arts education, language teaching and sports education.

Students choose a specialisation that matches the subject they will teach. At the Universidad de Granada, for example, the specialisations include biology and geology, philosophy, geography and history, foreign languages (Chinese, French and English), mathematics, music, educational guidance and health processes. All are taught face to face, and on the Granada campus the master's can be combined with another master's to obtain two degrees in three semesters.

Admission and language requirements

Under the order, applicants must show that they master the competences of the chosen specialisation by passing a test set by the university. Those who hold a university degree that matches the specialisation are exempt. Students must also certify a foreign language at level B1 of the CEFR; since a later amendment, this can be certified by the end of the master's.

Where to study it

A search for "Formación del Profesorado" among master's degrees in the official register (RUCT) returns 64 records, including current, joint and discontinued programmes. The master's is offered by universities in many regions, and some universities offer it online with an in-person practicum. Examples registered in the RUCT include:

• Universidad de Alcalá, Universidad de Murcia (with an arts education strand) and Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche
• Universitat Ramon Llull and the Universidad de Vic-Universidad Central de Catalunya in Catalonia
• Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir and Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU in the Valencia area
• Universidad de La Laguna, jointly with the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
• Distance options such as the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) and the Universidad Internacional Isabel I de Castilla

The Universidad de Granada offers its own version, the Máster en Profesorado de Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y Enseñanzas de Idiomas, in Granada, Ceuta and Melilla. Teaching is in Spanish, and in regions with a co-official language part of it may be in that language.

Recognition and careers

The master's qualifies graduates to teach in secondary schools, bachillerato, vocational training and official language schools. Because this is a regulated profession, teachers trained abroad need homologación of their qualification, which gives access to a regulated profession in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the master's to teach secondary school in Spain?

Yes. Teaching in ESO, bachillerato, vocational training and official language schools is a regulated profession that requires the official master's degree, as set out in Orden ECI/3858/2007.

How long does the teacher training master's take?

It has 60 ECTS credits, normally one academic year, including a 16-credit practicum in schools and the master's thesis.

Which language level do I need?

You must certify a foreign language at CEFR level B1, which can be done by the end of the master's. Some universities also test subject knowledge if your degree does not match the specialisation.

Can I take the master's online?

Some universities, such as the UNED, teach it at a distance, but the practicum must always be done in person in a school.