In 2003 a 5-year teacher education in geography was introduced. This encompasses taking a master degree in geography, as well as teacher education. At the same time it was an outspoken goal to nationally strengthen teacher education in language and natural science subjects. While geography fell outside this area, the Department of Geography, NTNU, the university in Trondheim, jumped on the opportunity to establish this course, as the only social sciences faculty in the country. Despite initial skepticism, the course has been a success, and more similar courses have now been started. Sociology and political science have started courses in autumn 2008, and history started in autumn 2009.

The course has an integrated teacher education that includes a side subject as well as geography. The course is otherwise quite similar to a regular master’s course in geography, albeit the master thesis is only worth 30 study points, as opposed to the normal 60. The first students have now graduated from the course.

Geography as a school subject, was strengthened during the latest school reform in 2006; the Knowledge Promotion Reform. More and better geography teachers are needed. This paper discusses whether the new teacher education will contribute in such a way. Will geography as a subject emerge stronger with geography teachers who have a more solid background in the subject? Will these students also be attractive in other jobs outside the school system like other master students in geography? At the same time it has been a decrease amount of geographers training to be teachers in Oslo and Bergen. What impact will this have on the geography teacher situation as a whole?