In order to meet the needs of school practice, students are deliberately trained in the five specialisms to which most pupils with special educational needs are assigned nationwide; the special educational specialisms of hearing or vision are usually taken by students from Lower Saxony at the universities of Hamburg, Dortmund or Cologne.

In the Master's degree programme in Special Needs Education at the University of Oldenburg, this qualification begins with the choice of two special education subjects, which are studied on the basis of the cross-categorical Bachelor's degree programme (see study plan). The design of the degree programme provides for several modules in special education subjects. The aim of these modules is to introduce students to the issues of the subject and to take an in-depth look at the central tasks in the pedagogy and didactics of the respective specialisation. The subject-specific further development to fulfil the mission of inclusive education is one of the central contents of this subject-specific foundation.

In the Master's modules, the thematic foundations are taught through lectures. Seminars then focus on specific subject areas to ensure in-depth and continuous training in the chosen specialisms.

For the teaching of specialised and research-methodological content, the degree programme thus includes module combinations that build on each other and enable the practical application of acquired skills in accordance with the Ordinance on Master's Degrees for Teaching Qualifications in Lower Saxony (Nds. MasterVO-Lehr).

The didactic and methodological foundations for the competence areas "Teaching" and "Educating" are taught in the modules "Didactics and professional action in the specialisation area..." (sop620-sop6). (sop620-sop636) and implemented in the training module "Developing and testing competences in the planning, implementation and evaluation of lessons" (prx545). This area of competence is supplemented by the educational science module "Fundamentals of Initial Teaching for Special Needs Education" (biw310). In addition, there is another compulsory elective module from the educational sciences, in which topics such as school development, Media literacy and digitalization or pedagogical action in secondary education are dealt with.

The competence area "Assessment, counselling and support" is included in the modules "Specialisation and diagnostics in the special focus..." (sop600-sop616). (sop600-sop616) and the training module "Support Diagnostic Internship" (prx540). Furthermore, the subject-specific examination of the topics of participation, co-operation and transition takes place in the modules "Specialisation in the focus of support..." (sop660-sop616). (sop660-sop676).

The acquisition of competences in the planning, implementation and evaluation or reflection of research processes is supported by the modules "Research-based learning in the specialisation focus..." (sop640-sop65). (sop640-sop656). In these modules, research methodological and subject-specific knowledge is brought together in the form of research-based learning projects by designing, planning, carrying out, evaluating and documenting practical projects. To this end, there is regular contact with a wide range of special educational practice institutions in the region.

The topic of inclusion plays a central role in the Master of Education Special Education degree programme. Course content on this topic is integrated into all modules. There is also the opportunity to work in inclusive settings in all training modules.

In the Master of Education in Special Needs Education, students continue their studies in a teaching subject that they began in the Bachelor's degree programme. Specialist didactic content, which is deepened in practice as part of the training module (prx545), is particularly important here.

The degree programme concludes with the "Master's thesis module" (mam), in which the preparation of the Master's thesis is systematically accompanied and supported. The core objective of this work for students is to independently work on a special educational problem or question using scientific methods within a given deadline. The work is usually empirical in nature, so that students' own research projects, often in small working groups, are theoretically based, designed, implemented and analysed.