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%).
Study programme structure
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Fundamentals of social diagnostics | 3 | 2 |
| Biography work and professional identity | 2 | 2 |
| Digital transformation | 1 | 1 |
| Introduction to scientific work | 2 | 1 |
| Basic concepts and history of SA | 1 | 1 |
| Theories of action of SA | 1 | 1 |
| Theories of SA I | 2 | 1 |
| Basics law | 3 | 2 |
| Basics sociology | 2 | 2 |
| Consulting Workshop Basics | 2 | 2 |
| Organization and practice | 2 | 1 |
| Orientation internship preparation | 3 | 1 |
| My biography *E | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 26 | 19 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Fundamentals of empiricism | 3 | 2 |
| Individual case work | 3 | 2 |
| Work with groups | 3 | 2 |
| Theories of SA II | 2 | 1 |
| Basics psychology | 2 | 2 |
| Basics social medicine | 2 | 2 |
| Orientation internship and reflection | 4 | 1 |
| Social fields of action Livelihood security Basics | 2 | 2 |
| Social fields of action Migration | 2 | 2 |
| Law Social fields of action Migration | 1 | 1 |
| Our generation *E | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 26 | 19 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Community work | 3 | 2 |
| SA as a science of action | 4 | 2 |
| Theories of SA III | 2 | 1 |
| Basics pedagogy | 1 | 1 |
| Consulting Workshop I | 2 | 2 |
| Professional practical training preparation | 2 | 2 |
| Social fields of action Family | 3 | 2 |
| Law Social fields of action Family | 2 | 2 |
| Complex systems *E | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 21 | 16 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Innovative methods *E | 2 | 2 |
| Gender and diversity training *E | 2 | 2 |
| European Social Policy *E | 6 | 2 |
| Human rights *E | 5 | 2 |
| Social Justice *E | 5 | 2 |
| Transcultural Dialogue *E | 2 | 2 |
| World Society, Global Developments *E | 4 | 2 |
| Total | 26 | 14 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Crisis intervention | 2 | 2 |
| Economics and project management | 4 | 2 |
| Consulting Workshop II | 2 | 2 |
| Consulting Workshop III | 1 | 1 |
| Professional practical training I | 8 | 0 |
| Social fields of action Age | 3 | 2 |
| Law Social fields of action Age | 1 | 1 |
| Social fields of action work | 3 | 2 |
| Law Social fields of action Work | 1 | 1 |
| Social fields of action health | 3 | 2 |
| Law Social fields of action Health | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 29 | 16 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Social pedagogical group experience | 2 | 2 |
| Professional practical training III | 16 | 1 |
| Supervision | 1 | 1 |
| Elective action fields *WHF | 8 | 8 |
| Total | 27 | 12 |
| Course unit | ECTS | SHW |
| Quality assurance | 3 | 2 |
| bachelor's thesis | 7 | 0 |
| Theories of SA IV | 3 | 2 |
| Ethics and social philosophy | 2 | 1 |
| Social Policy | 2 | 1 |
| Consulting Workshop IV | 2 | 2 |
| Professional practical training, evaluation and networking | 2 | 1 |
| Peer to peer action platform | 2 | 1 |
| final bachelor's examination | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 25 | 10 |
*E | Courses in English
*S | Emphasis
*WHF | Elective Courses (four courses to be chosen per student:in):
- Social Education
- Youth and School
- Subsistence and homelessness
- Criminal justice assistance
- People with disabilities
- Social dialogue
- Social psychiatry
- Addiction
- Self-directed learning
SA: Social Work
ECTS: Performance points according to the "European Credit Transfer System". According to international standards, 180 ECTS points must be earned over 6 semesters.
SWS: One hour per week (SWS) corresponds to 15 educational components of 45 minutes each.
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:
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Optimized scheduling with little idle time and variety in offerings. Certain weekends are free of instruction (Easter, Pentecost, Christmas).
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Preview of contact hours and exam dates already several months in advance
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Presentation and examination times will only be changed in exceptional cases (e.g. illness of a lecturer).
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Examination dates if possible immediately after completion of a course to avoid compressed examination situations at the end of the semester.
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Small group sizes - this creates room for individual supervision when working on exercise examples, case studies and projects.
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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)