Soziale Arbeit (B.A.)
FOM Hochschule für Berufstätige · Essen, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Soziale Arbeit (Social Work) at FOM Hochschule für Berufstätige focuses on helping people in different life situations through counselling, support, and practical social work. You build knowledge in social-pedagogical fields, counselling methods, and legal foundations, combined with modules designed to strengthen your social, communication, and organisational skills.
The programme is designed around a practice-oriented study structure and offers an optional specialisation called Kommunale soziale Dienste in the 4th and 5th semesters. FOM states that the total workload is 180 ECTS points and the standard duration is 7 semesters (3.5 years).
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- You build the fundamentals of Social Work, the social system, and the professional and legal framework.
- You gain the communication and counseling basics used in advisory, support, and social practice settings.
- You strengthen the academic foundations needed for later applied practice modules.
- You deepen your knowledge in socially relevant fields such as family support, integration work, and resocialisation.
- You can choose the optional focus module Kommunale soziale Dienste in the 4th and 5th semesters to shape your competency profile.
- You develop social, communicative, and organisational competencies through practice-oriented modules.
- You complete the programme components required to reach the final qualification.
- You consolidate your professional competencies for social work practice in counselling, support, and administration contexts.
Career outcomes
- You gain a bachelor degree in Social Work that prepares you for responsible roles in advisory, support, and social practice settings.
- The programme’s focus on social-pedagogical action fields and counselling methods helps you perform confidently in family support, integration work, and resocialisation contexts.
- Optional specialisation through Kommunale soziale Dienste in the 4th and 5th semesters helps you build a profile for municipal social services and child protection–related case work.
- Because the degree is designed for professional application after graduation, you develop practical, job-relevant communication and organisational skills along the way.
Employability rate
Social work and social pedagogy graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 85% and an unemployment rate of about 15%, reflecting steady demand from public and welfare-sector employers who continue to need qualified staff.
Together, these figures point to a generally stable career outlook in social services and related counselling and administrative roles.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| School-leaving qualification or equivalent for university access | International applicants can study without (Fach-)Abitur if they provide a vocational qualification as proof of university entrance eligibility. FOM states that this can be a completed vocational training with at least three years of professional experience in the relevant or corresponding field, or evidence of an advanced qualification (Aufstiegsfortbildung). |
Language requirements
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Soziale Arbeit is taught in German. For applicants who need English for other parts of their studies, FOM states that Englishkenntnisse are required for the Vollzeitstudium and can be provided via an internationally recognized TOEIC test by the end of the first semester; for this program page, German teaching applies as the main language requirement.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 15330 / total program | 15,330 Euro payable in 42 monthly instalments of 365 Euro (plus a one-time examination fee). |
| Examination fee | EUR 500 / one time | One-time examination fee of 500 Euro (stated as payable separately). |
Proof of financial resources
- Official financial proof requirements for this specific program were not published on the university pages found during research.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | September - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | September 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | September - 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 | September - 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
Start with eligibility guidance
Review the entry requirements for international applicants and confirm that your school-leaving or vocational qualification is accepted for university access. If you are unsure whether your background meets the criteria, use the FOM Studienberatung so they can check your individual case. Plan early to allow time for collecting degree documents and any translations needed for admission processing.
Submit the online application
Apply via FOM’s online registration flow and complete all required fields during the application window for your intended start. Submit your documents in the requested format and ensure your application is fully completed before the deadline. After submission, monitor your email and any account messages from the admissions process for follow-up requests.
Prepare your language evidence and credentials in time
Because the program is taught in German, prepare for German language requirements as part of your study planning. Where English is relevant for certain study models, FOM indicates the need to provide English proof by the end of the first semester (for Vollzeitstudium). If your documents need credential review or additional checks, begin preparations early so that you can meet any requested timelines.