FHV Vorarlberg University
of Applied Sciences
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Bachelor Social Work (PTE)
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Facts

Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (BA)

Part-time studies, 7 semesters

Semester abroad (optional)

Orientation and professional practical training

Languages of instruction: German, partly English

No tuition fees

Contents of studies Social Work


Sound basis & practical experience

The bachelor's degree in Social Work at the FHV has a generalist orientation. Our goal is to provide a sound scientific and methodological qualification in the field of Social Work as a science of action.

Throughout all seven semesters, the program combines theory and practice in a balanced way. Self-directed, cooperative, experiential and problem-oriented learning ideally complements teaching/learning methods such as counseling workshops, case studies, role and business games, exercises, coaching, field trips, e-learning, supervision and biography work. We select social fields of action and case studies in such a way that you acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for entering the profession and understand the laws and overarching contexts of Social Work.

You communicate intensively with your lecturers and often work with other students in teams. This fosters your ability to critique, reflect, and argue. You gain intercultural experience through exchanges with guest students from all over the world or in so-called Short Term Study Programs. You yourself have the chance to study at a partner university in the fourth semester and consolidate your English in courses taught in English.

The content of studies of the seven-semester bachelor's degree programme is divided as follows (percentages rounded): Methods and Skills of Action (21%), Practice (21%), Social Fields of Action (17%), Scientific Foundations (17%), International Social Work (17%), and Fundamentals of Research (7%).

Facts

Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences (BA)

Part-time studies, 7 semesters

Semester abroad (optional)

Orientation and professional practical training

Languages of instruction: German, partly English

No tuition fees

Study programme structure

Learning content in detail

Social Work in practice


If you prefer to test acquired knowledge directly in practice, this is your study. Because practice phases are a particularly important element here.

We coordinate closely with partner organizations and companies. If you are already working in a relevant field, you can complete one of the two practical phases at the institution where you are employed. The request for this must reach us by the end of the first semester at the latest. The programme director will decide on this request and other individual agreements.

In the second semester, you will complete an orientation internship of 100 hours in a regional social organization. This builds on the professional practical training with a total of 600 hours in the fourth, fifth and sixth semesters. The bachelor's thesis in the seventh semester is related to the professional practical training.

You can also complete the professional practical training as an internship abroad. One example is the Global Social Dialog internship program for full-time students in the social fields of action International Social Work/Development Work. Preparatory, accompanying, and follow-up seminars and supervision round out the practical units.

     
  Orientation Internship Professional practical training
Hours 100 hours 600 hours +
Supervision
Time to
Completion of work placements		 approx. 34 weeks approx. 82 weeks
earliest onset end 1st semester end 3rd semester
Latest graduation beginning 3rd semester end 6th semester

 

A part-time studies programme is a special challenge!


Contact hours at the FHV, single days in online mode, self-organized learning at home as well as group and project work demand a high level of discipline, consistent time management and a lot of energy from you, but allow you to successfully combine learning and working.

The courses take place on Wednesdays (4:40 p.m. - 8:35 p.m.) and Thursdays (9:00 a.m. - 6:05 p.m.) as well as in additional 2-3 block weeks per semester (Wednesday to Saturday, 9:00-17:15). We recommend that you make appropriate preparations and arrangements with your professional and private environment prior to your studies and reduce your professional activities if possible. 

Organizational measures support the studyability of the program and help you to achieve the learning goals. Exemplary are these:

  • Optimized scheduling with little idle time and variety in offerings. Certain weekends are free of instruction (Easter, Pentecost, Christmas).

  • Preview of contact hours and exam dates already several months in advance

  • Presentation and examination times will only be changed in exceptional cases (e.g. illness of a lecturer).

  • Examination dates if possible immediately after completion of a course to avoid compressed examination situations at the end of the semester.

  • Small group sizes - this creates room for individual supervision when working on exercise examples, case studies and projects.

  • The availability of electronic media (scripts, eBooks, essays in specialized databases) is very high and is constantly being expanded.

    The Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) supports you in your continuing education with funding measures. Information at: www.ams.at (part-time education leave, educational leave)