We are launching a unique degree program: elementary school STEM teachers will be certified to teach three subjects
The Faculty of Science at Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem is launching a new master’s degree program in STEM Education for Upper Elementary Schools starting in the 2026/2027 academic year. The program addresses the long-standing shortage of qualified teachers of science and technology subjects in elementary schools and introduces a model for training future educators that is unique in the Czech context.
It is the only accredited master’s program in the Czech Republic that allows students to obtain full teaching certification for three selected subjects (mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science) within a single program.
The program is designed as a five-year unstructured master’s program. It is professionally oriented and specifically prepares teachers for the upper grades of elementary school, with an emphasis on integrating subject-specific, didactic, and pedagogical-psychological training.
“Our goal was to create a study program that would meet the real needs of elementary schools. Today, these schools often face a situation where a single teacher covers multiple subjects without the appropriate qualifications. The new program will enable us to systematically address this situation and prepare teachers more flexibly for the classroom,” says Vice Dean for Academic Affairs RNDr. Martin Švec, Ph.D.
The program will be offered in both on-campus and blended formats. The blended format is specifically designed for teachers who are already working in schools but do not meet the qualification requirements. The program will allow them to complete their education while working and obtain full teaching certification.
“We see it as our responsibility to actively contribute to stabilizing teaching staff at schools in the region. The shortage of qualified STEM teachers is a long-standing problem that directly impacts the quality of education. This program is a concrete response to the needs of the field and the requirements of schools,” adds the dean of the faculty, Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Michal Varady, Ph.D.
The program also includes extensive teaching practice, including a so-called clinical year, during which students regularly work directly in schools and gain experience with real-world teaching practices.
Upon entering the program, students choose a combination of three out of five fields (mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science). In the 2026/2027 academic year, the following combinations will be offered: Biology–Chemistry–Computer Science, Physics–Mathematics–Computer Science, and Physics–Chemistry–Computer Science.
Applications for admission can be submitted until August 16, 2026; entrance exams will take place September 7–11, 2026.