Soziale Arbeit (B.A.)
DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The programme trains you for professional work in social services and related fields through a combination of academic foundations and practice-oriented learning.
You choose learning contents that match your interests and develop job-relevant competencies for supporting people in different life situations and coordinating social work projects.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- You build core knowledge for professional social work, including pedagogy, psychology, sociology, and law.
- You learn to apply methods of social work to analyse social problem situations and develop support options.
- You practise scientific working skills and learn how to link theory with practical work.
- You strengthen your methodological and practical competence in social work through exercises, case discussions, and project work.
- You deepen legal and organisational understanding of social welfare services, including social law and social administration topics.
- You choose a specialisation focus area such as Social Work with Children, Youth and Families, Psychosocial Counselling and Health, Digitalisation in Social Work, or Social Work across the Life Span (Age).
- You complete an integrated practical phase of 100 days to prepare you for professional entry.
- You apply your acquired competencies in real social work settings during your practice placement.
- You graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the programme-integrated state recognition as a social worker/pedagogue.
Curriculum
The 180 ECTS full-time distance-learning curriculum combines theoretical, methodological, legal, pedagogical and organisational foundations with one elective specialisation, a supervised 100-day practice phase and the bachelor thesis. The practice phase extends across semesters 4 and 5.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 3 modules | Methodik | 8 | 30 ECTS |
| Theorien und Methoden der Sozialen Arbeit I | 10 | |||
| Ethische und sozialphilosophische Grundlagen der Sozialen Arbeit | 12 | |||
| Semester 2 | 3 modules | Theorien und Methoden der Sozialen Arbeit II | 12 | 30 ECTS |
| Kommunikation | 12 | |||
| Politische Grundlagen der Sozialen Arbeit | 6 | |||
| Semester 3 | 3 modules | Rechtliche Grundlagen der Sozialen Arbeit | 12 | 30 ECTS |
| Pädagogik, Gender und Diversity und Soziale Arbeit | 12 | |||
| Medien- und Kulturarbeit für Soziale Arbeit | 6 | |||
| Semester 4 | 1 elective module selected from 4 options | Soziale Arbeit mit Kindern, Jugendlichen und Familien | 12 | 12 ECTS from one selected elective |
| Psychosoziale Beratung und Gesundheit | 12 | |||
| Digitalisierung (in) der Sozialen Arbeit | 12 | |||
| Soziale Arbeit in der Lebensspanne Alter | 12 | |||
| Semesters 4–5 | 3 cross-semester modules | Einführung in Psychologie, Soziologie und Medizin für Soziale Arbeit | 12 | 48 ECTS across semesters 4–5 |
| Fallbearbeitung in Sozialer Praxis | 6 | |||
| 100 Tage Praxisphase und reflexive Praxisbegleitung | 30 | |||
| Semester 6 | 3 modules | Professionalisierung und Selbstreflexion | 6 | 30 ECTS |
| Verwaltung, Organisation & Management in der Sozialen Arbeit | 12 | |||
| Bachelor-Thesis und Kolloquium | 12 | |||
| Total | Compulsory modules, one elective specialisation, 100-day practice phase, bachelor thesis and colloquium | 180 ECTS | ||
Career outcomes
- You graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) plus state recognition as Sozialarbeiter:in and Sozialpädagog:in, which supports work in roles that require this professional qualification.
- You develop job-ready competence for high-demand social work settings such as child and youth services, family support, and social projects in organisations and institutions.
- Your curriculum includes practice-oriented learning (including a 100-day practical phase), helping you transition from study to professional work with real experience.
- You can specialise through programme elective focus areas, letting you target career directions such as counselling, health-related social work, digital initiatives, or work with different age groups.
- With skills across social law, methods, and professional communication, you are prepared for responsibilities in teams and project or coordination tasks in social services.
Employability rate
Social work and social pedagogy graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 86% and an unemployment rate of about 14%, reflecting steady demand in public and welfare-sector organisations for qualified staff.
Together, these figures indicate a comparatively stable career outlook for graduates who are ready to work in social services and related institutions.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| University entrance qualification equivalent for foreign applicants | International applicants must hold a qualification that qualifies them for bachelor studies in their home country and that is considered equivalent for admission. For foreign qualifications, the university requires proof of equivalence for admission decisions. |
| Equivalence check for foreign qualifications | If you have a foreign school-leaving certificate or other foreign qualification, you must provide documents for the university to confirm equivalence for admission. |
Language requirements
International applicants must provide proof of sufficient English ability to follow the study content. If the program is delivered fully or largely in German for your selected study mode, you may also need to submit German language proof depending on the course delivery and your admission decision.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 9972 / total program | Rate model I: 36 monthly instalments of EUR 277. The separate one-time examination fee is not included. |
| Tuition | EUR 10416 / total program | Rate model II: 48 monthly instalments of EUR 217. The separate one-time examination fee is not included. |
| Tuition | EUR 11304 / total program | Rate model III: 72 monthly instalments of EUR 157. The separate one-time examination fee is not included. |
| Examination fee | EUR 795 / one time | One-time examination fee charged in addition to the selected tuition instalment model. |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants must be able to finance their studies in Germany. Your financial proof typically supports your visa and residence permit application and should match the requirement explained by the official German immigration guidance for study purposes.
- Blocked account amount from official German immigration guidance for student residence permits
- Bank statements and supporting documents only if the official guidance requires them for your case
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | June 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | June 30, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare your eligibility documents
Collect your foreign school-leaving qualification and any supporting records needed to assess equivalence for admission. If you studied abroad, make sure your documents clearly show your level and the qualification type. Start early so you have time for document review and any required corrections.
Submit your online application to DIPLOMA
Apply through the DIPLOMA application process for the selected start date. Upload the required admission documents during the application window and follow the system prompts for document formats. After your application is reviewed, the university provides the next steps for enrolment and study start.
Complete language and admission checks if requested
If the university requests proof of English or German language ability for your study mode, submit the relevant certificate(s) during the admissions process. Keep your correspondence and check your email for document requests from the admission team. Only submit additional documents when the university specifically asks for them or when required to finalize your admission decision.