International Teacher Education for Secondary Schools (ITESS)

Course overview ITESS

The ITESS degree at NHL Stenden teaches you how to think and work in a multicultural environment and from a cross-cultural perspective. The programme focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to become an international teacher, such as didactics, classroom management, inclusivity, citizenship and pedagogy. 

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ITESS

The programme for ITESS 

The programme offers a range of general courses and specialist subjects and has a strong practical focus. You will gain extensive experience teaching at international secondary schools in the Netherlands and abroad. There you will work on developing educational, pedagogical and teaching skills in the context of a multicultural classroom. 

Download the brochure to get a really useful one-page overview of the curriculum with a description of the modules and a list of subjects per year, the study load and the ECTS you can earn. Use it to compare the programme with other studies you’re interested in.

Minors for International Teacher Education for Secondary Schools

In the third year of ITESS, you get to specialise by taking a minor. 

  • Teaching English as an Additional Language (Meppel, the Netherlands) 
    This minor strengthens your teacher profile by improving your English knowledge and proficiency. Take courses on English in the international classroom or on the history of English, and courses on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. 
  • ITE Social Studies 2 (Meppel, the Netherlands)  
    In this minor, you improve your knowledge and skills relating to geography and history. You study the didactics of both subjects and how to teach integrated social studies with field trips, experiments and designing together playing important roles. 
  • Intercultural Understanding and Religion (Meppel, the Netherlands) 
    Offering a combination of theories on religion and philosophical approaches, this minor helps you to not only analyse current problems and events, but also understand the role intercultural understanding and religion plays in our globalised world. 
  • Education in South Africa (South Africa)  
    This minor gives you exposure to a different cultural environment in which teachers are operating, helping you to develop your people skills, and giving you a firmer knowledge of others. 

Course Catalogue

The course catalogue contains detailed information on the programme, so that you can compare different studies or get a more in-depth understanding of what the programme entails.

Practical approach of ITESS

We aim to help you put theory into practice as quickly as possible. Through our educational concept, Design-Based Education (DBE), you work in small teams of students, teachers, researchers and industry professionals. You tackle current, real-life issues developing and adapting your visions and ideas to form a solid solution. And you gain yet more practical experience during your internship in your final year.  

International opportunities

We want to prepare you for an international, intercultural, and ever-changing environment, so that you can dive into the unknown and gain experience in an international context. It is possible with our Grand Tour, Exchange programme or one of our mobility options offered by RUN-EU. Or you can choose to do your internship abroad. You’ll be able to put together the right combination of courses and internships to develop both your professional and personal skills – and develop your own network for the future.

Is this the degree for you?

If you're confident this degree is the one for you, then why not apply online straightaway? Or pick one of the other options to help you take the next step.