The study programme will prepare you optimally for entering the job market and operating in the complex field of social work. After the first two semesters, you will have basic professional knowledge and will be familiar with contemporary expert debates. At a later stage of the programme, you will gain core subject and methodological skills, such as in child and youth welfare, health-related social work, and social work with people in at-risk life situations. You will develop your ability to justify your professional actions, and to reflect and comment on them.

Whether at a youth welfare office, school, counselling centre or church institution: after graduating, you will be able to help people to solve their problems in all kinds of ways. For example:

• By advising parents on how to deal with their children, people with addiction-related health problems, family members providing care or people in debt.
• By supporting ex-offenders and people with a mental illness.
• By developing projects and services for a community or social area.

At the same time as receiving your Bachelor’s degree certificate, you will also be awarded state recognition. Your degree will qualify you to enter the higher intermediate civil service and to pursue a postgraduate Master’s programme.

Our Bachelor programme consists of four study elements. Each study element includes a range of modules, which will enable you to create your own individual timetable.

During the first few semesters, you will gain a basic knowledge of the theory and practice of social work in the basic study element – Foundations. After that, you will gain a general knowledge of various related academic disciplines, such as education science, psychology, sociology, economics and law.

During your subsequent in-depth studies, you will gain methodological and core activity skills. At this stage, you will take modules such as Low-Threshold Counselling, Support Planning, or The Social State and Poverty. Taking the example of a specific priority theme, a contemporary issue or a key competence, you will explore the prevailing interdisciplinary interrelations. Examples of issues include: How does drug addiction affect the addict’s family life? Is there a link between education and juvenile delinquency?

The Practical Studies element will form an ongoing part of your studies. This element contains two blocks of practice, which will give you an insight into the everyday working environment: an orientation work placement at the start of the programme (for 20 days) and a practical semester at a later stage (for 80 days). Additionally, seminars and supervision will help you to analyse and reflect on the theoretical and practical experience you have gained, and to prepare you for entering the job market.

The fourth study element is Project-Centred Learning. This element will enable you to explore an area of social work or to develop, implement and evaluate concepts. Examples of projects include conducting a statistical survey at a counselling centre, and developing a new course of action in youth welfare or an innovative concept for the prevention of drug dependence.

Our degree programme is practice-oriented: studies are closely linked to professional practice, thanks to the integrated blocks of practice and the wide range of field trips. Our many cooperation partners will also enable you to establish networks for your future career.

We have an international outlook: our global cooperation with universities and other special support programmes will enable you to complete a practical semester abroad. Likewise, we support international students who have chosen to study in our department.

We attach importance to our interdisciplinary culture of teaching and learning: we teach in an activating, practice-oriented manner. You will apply your knowledge to practical examples in project work, benefiting from our methods labs, workshops and IT suites. Various tutor and mentoring programmes will assist you throughout your time at university, especially during the introductory stage.