The placements on the Master’s in Teaching constitute a fundamental stage in your training as a future teacher, as they represent the crucial moment where theory meets the reality of the classroom.
The UAX academic programme allocates 14 ECTS credits to curricular and extracurricular placements. You will undertake a structured and supervised training experience that enables you to play an active role in the educational process. During these 245 hours of teaching practice, you will have the opportunity to work directly with pupils in secondary education, sixth form and vocational training, enabling you to apply teaching strategies in real-life contexts.
The key objectives of the placements include applying your pedagogical and teaching knowledge in the day-to-day practice of the school. You will assess the benefits and challenges of collaborative work in developing the school’s educational project and observe your own professional and personal growth.
This experience will raise your awareness of the importance of continuous professional development and pedagogical innovation as essential elements of contemporary professional development for teachers.
Structure and phases of the external teaching placement
The teaching placements for the Master’s in Teaching take place throughout the academic year, following a progressive and systematic structure that ensures your gradual integration into the day-to-day running of schools. This structure allows for initial theoretical preparation followed by supervised practical immersion.
Preparatory seminars phase
During the first semester, you will take part in a series of specific seminars designed to prepare you theoretically and methodologically for your future experience in schools. You must attend at least two of the seminars on offer, which focus on highly practical content that you will apply during your teaching placement and professional career.
These seminars cover fundamental aspects such as systematic classroom observation, techniques for analysing teaching practice, strategies for integrating into teaching teams, and methodologies for reflecting on pedagogical action. They also include content on communicating with pupils and families, classroom management and adapting to different educational contexts.
Guided observation phase in schools
Once the second term begins, you will start your in-person experience in schools with the guided observation phase. During this period, you will undertake a controlled immersion in the day-to-day running of the school, observing and analysing various aspects of the educational environment.
Your observation will focus on the school’s professional planning, including the analysis of documents such as the School’s Educational Project, lesson plans, school life policies and protocols for action. You will also study the school’s communication structure, the channels of information between different levels and the dynamics of coordination amongst teaching staff.
You will observe the specific context of the institution, analysing the characteristics of the student body, the socio-economic environment, the available resources and the distinctive features that define the school’s identity. This phase includes direct observation of lessons, the methodologies used by different teachers, classroom management strategies, assessment processes and the dynamics of interaction between pupils and teachers.
Supervised teaching placement phase
The supervised teaching experience phase represents the culmination of your practical training, during which you will gradually take on real teaching responsibilities under the direct supervision of your school mentor. This phase is structured around different pedagogical stages covering the entire educational cycle.
Pre-teaching activities include lesson planning, during which you will design and prepare teaching units, select and develop educational materials, set learning objectives and define assessment criteria. You will work directly with your tutor to adapt curriculum content to the specific characteristics of the group of students.
Post-practical activities comprise the continuous and final assessment of the learning process, systematic reflection on your teaching practice, analysis of the results obtained, and the formulation of proposals for improvement. They include classroom-based research, the implementation of innovative strategies, and the development of your capacity for self-assessment and the continuous improvement of your teaching.
Practicum requirements and assessment
The practicum work plan is predefined to ensure that you successfully pass the module, meeting all the established training requirements. These include:
- Compulsory attendance of 245 hours in educational institutions: spread throughout the second term, these hours include participation in regular lessons, tutorials, department meetings, extracurricular activities and assessment processes. Attendance is strictly monitored and must be certified by your tutor at the institution.
- Preparation and submission of the Placements Report: an individual reflective document in which you will detail the work carried out, your observations and the lessons learnt. It must be submitted in PDF format once the placements have been completed and will be checked using anti-plagiarism tools. You have only one opportunity to submit it.
- Participation in at least two training seminars: during the first term, you must attend at least two of the seminars on offer, focusing on practical content applicable to your experience in schools: conflict management, supporting diversity, methodological innovation and communication with families.
Your final mark will be determined by combining the assessment by your school tutor (60 per cent) with the assessment of your placement report (40 per cent). The tutor will draw up a detailed report on your performance, participation and professional development during the 245 hours of placement. To pass the module, you must achieve a minimum of 5 marks in each section, which will then be used to calculate the average. This assessment method ensures that you have acquired both competent practical skills and an appropriate capacity for reflection on your training experience. This dual assessment ensures that you develop both necessary teaching skills as well as the critical analytical skills required for your future teaching career.
Educational institutions available for teaching placements
The network of partner institutions for the Master’s in Teaching at UAX covers a wide range of educational institutions across the country, offering you a variety of options for undertaking your practical placement in different educational contexts and settings.
State, private and state-subsidised schools
As a UAX student, you have access to state, state-subsidised and private schools in the autonomous communities where specific agreements are in place: the Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia, Extremadura, the Community of Madrid, the Region of Murcia, Navarre, the Basque Country and the Balearic Islands. These agreements guarantee the quality of supervision and compliance with the established learning objectives.
In the autonomous communities of Andalusia, the Principality of Asturias, Galicia, Castile and León, and the Valencian Community, you can undertake placements in private and state-subsidised schools with a private section. Although the options are limited to the private sector, these schools maintain high standards of educational quality and provide enriching learning experiences.
The Balearic Islands present a unique situation where, despite the absence of specific agreements, regional regulations allow you to undertake placements at state, private and state-subsidised private schools. This regulatory flexibility broadens your placement options in this autonomous community.
Geographical limitations and restrictions
Due to the devolution of educational powers to the autonomous communities, there are specific conditions and requirements that may vary geographically and which you must be aware of in order to plan your work placement properly.
In some autonomous communities, such as Cantabria and Melilla, the possibility of undertaking a work placement depends on agreements being in place with the university and compliance with specific regulations set by the local education authorities.
In Aragon and Ceuta, although there is no express prohibition, work placement places cannot be guaranteed due to limitations in the agreements or the availability of partner institutions. If you live in these autonomous communities, you should consider options in neighbouring areas where active agreements do exist.
This geographical distribution reflects the complexity of Spain’s decentralised education system and the need to establish specific agreements with each regional government. The start of your work placement will be subject both to the regulations of each autonomous community and to the specific availability of the supervisor at your assigned centre.
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Summary
The teaching placement for the Master’s in Teaching is a fundamental training experience worth 14 ECTS credits, enabling you to apply all your theoretical knowledge in real educational contexts. With 245 compulsory hours in educational institutions, this programme is structured in three progressive phases: preparatory seminars, guided observation and supervised teaching experiences.
The programme combines face-to-face experience with the preparation of a reflective report and participation in training seminars. You can undertake your placements in state, private and state-subsidised schools across multiple autonomous communities, although there are geographical limitations in some regions due to the decentralisation of educational powers.
Assessment is based on the evaluation by the school tutor (60 per cent) and your placement report (40 per cent), and a minimum mark of 5 points is required in each section. This practical experience provides you with the professional skills necessary for your future teaching career, effectively integrating theory and practice under specialist supervision.
Sources used (official and verified):
- Learning Guides for the UAX Master’s in Teaching.
- Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. Royal Decree 1834/2008 , on the requirements for the verification of qualifications enabling the practice of the profession of Secondary School Teacher.
- Order ECI/3858/2007 , establishing the requirements for the verification of official university qualifications qualifying holders to practise the teaching profession.
