The Bachelor's degree programme for the teaching profession for special educational needs was institutionalised at Paderborn University in the winter semester 2014/2015 with the two special educational specialisations of emotional and social development and learning. Since the winter semester 2020/2021, the special education specialisation in language has also been offered, which can be combined with one of the other two specialisations. The Paderborn Model for Teaching Special Needs Education is not a stand-alone degree programme. It fits into the Paderborn model of accredited teacher training programmes and offers a variety of interfaces and synergies. With the institution of the degree programme in Special Needs Education, Paderborn University is responding to a comprehensive educational mandate that has been expanding in recent years towards an inclusive school development process, which has significant consequences: It can be assumed that there will be a high demand for appropriately trained teachers at mainstream schools, particularly at primary and lower secondary level. With a view to the profile of future teachers, special educational competences are required in addition to subject-specific competences (including subject didactics) and educational science competences. This poses new challenges for teacher training, which Paderborn University is addressing with the new degree programme.

The Bachelor's degree programme comprises the study of educational science, the study of two special educational subjects, the study of one learning area and one teaching subject or two learning areas, German for migrant pupils as well as practical elements that are systematically linked to theory-related studies. Students thus acquire general skills in dealing with heterogeneous learning groups, as well as specific skills in the diagnosis, promotion and handling of pedagogical challenges of origin-related disadvantages, learning difficulties and behavioural disorders. In particular, the degree programme imparts knowledge and skills in relation to specialist knowledge and its application, the selection and assessment of scientific findings and their use for professional fields of action in the inclusive education sector.

Inclusive education is thus anticipated as a pedagogical task in a new understanding of the profession, which is specified in the Master's degree programme with regard to pedagogical practice with its requirements of individual support and counselling, taking into account current scientific-theoretical findings and reflection on research methods.