Part-time program Gerontology, Health & Care (B.A.) – Kolping University

👉 The part-time Bachelor's degree programme in Gerontology, Health and Care is aimed at individuals with university entrance qualifications and professional experience in the health or social sector who wish to specialise in promoting healthy and active ageing. The course provides interdisciplinary knowledge from nursing, psychology, sociology, law and pedagogy to develop age-appropriate living and working environments as well as advisory and care services. The 3.5-year blended learning programme combines online and on-campus elements, includes 800 hours of practical experience or a case study, and prepares students for roles in counselling, social planning, healthcare and adult education. The programme starts in the summer and winter semesters of 2026.

At a Glance

🏫 Provider Kolping University, UAS based in Köln (Germany)
Kolping University of Applied Sciences for Health and Social Affairs (Kolping Hochschule) is a private, state-recognised university of applied sciences based in Cologne, founded in 2019. It runs as a digital on-campus university: live online lectures and tutorials take place in a virtual campus, combined with self-study phases and on-site workshops (Case Days) in Cologne. This lets you study from anywhere in Germany alongside a job, vocational training, or family. Important for international applicants: all Bachelor programmes are taught in German, so German language skills are required. The portfolio focuses on health and social fields, from Social Work and Childhood Pedagogy to Health Psychology, Gerontology, and the new Physician Assistant degree.
📋 Study Format Part-time program
🎓 Field of Study Health & SocialNursing Science
📜 Degree Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
⏳ Duration 7 Semesters
🎯 ECTS 180 Credit Points
🌍 Language of Instruction German
📖 Course contents Ageing in society, psychology of older adulthood, public health, health and care, e-health, lifelong learning, dying and death, thanatology and palliative care, methods of counselling and intervention, ethics, values and attitudes
👥 In-person sessions 2-3 times per semester workshop days (so-called Case Days) on site at the campus in Cologne.
📍 Location Deutschlandweit
📅 Enrollment Winter or summer semester
💶 Fees
from 260 € monthly
from 12634 € total
🔗 More Info View Vendor Profile

Who is the part-time degree course in Gerontology, Health & Care suitable for?

The degree course is aimed at everyone who wishes to engage professionally or voluntarily in the lives and participation of older people. It is especially targeted at individuals interested in social, nursing, health-related, or advisory activities who want to prepare for the challenges of demographic change. The course is suitable for professionals and career changers from the fields of health, nursing, social services, adult education, as well as for all those who are passionate about creating age-appropriate living environments.

What formal requirements do you have to meet?

To be admitted to the course, you need to meet one of the following requirements:

  • General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur)
  • Advanced technical college entrance qualification (Fachabitur)
  • Subject-specific higher education entrance qualification
  • Vocational training and relevant professional experience in the field of your degree programme
  • Master craftsman’s certificate or comparable recognised advanced training qualification

Additionally, you must provide proof of German language skills at least at B2 level if your first language is not German.

Recommended personal qualities include an interest in social developments, social commitment and the ability to organise yourself independently in part-time study. Also helpful are initial experience in nursing, healthcare, social work or counselling and a willingness for reflective, lifelong learning, as many topics are applied to practical case studies. Communication skills, empathy and openness to interdisciplinary topics also facilitate your study success.

What content can you expect in the Gerontology, Health & Care degree programme?

In the Gerontology, Health & Care degree programme, you will engage with the central challenges of demographic change. You will learn how healthy, self-determined ageing can be shaped both socially and individually. The course content includes:

  • Ageing in society: Sociological, economic and political aspects of population ageing
  • Psychology of later life: Cognitive, emotional and social changes in old age
  • Public health and health: Health promotion, prevention and care for older people
  • E-Health: Digital technologies and innovative approaches in healthcare
  • Dying, death, thanatology and palliative care: Dealing with the dying process, hospice work, ethical issues
  • Lifelong learning: Pedagogical and didactic concepts for adult education of older people
  • Methods of counselling and intervention: Practical approaches to counselling, case management, psychosocial support
  • Ethics, values and attitudes: Reflection on social ideals, individual and professional value attitudes

You will develop skills in counselling, designing age-appropriate services, planning care and health facilities as well as in communicating with older people and their relatives. The practical orientation of the degree enables you to apply theoretical knowledge directly in professional fields such as senior citizen services, neighbourhood management or adult education.

How is the course structure organised?

The part-time programme at the Kolping University of Applied Sciences regularly takes 3.5 years (7 semesters). It combines flexible online teaching with practical elements:

  • Study model: You study independently of location on the digital campus and participate in online lectures and study groups.
  • Practical units: 2–3 times per semester, workshop days (“Case Days”) take place at the campus in Cologne.
  • Practical phase: A total of 800 hours of practical experience or alternatively the elaboration of an extensive case study.
  • Examinations: Can be taken flexibly online or on site.
  • Online infrastructure: You have access to an online library, MS Office/Teams, an online lecture hall as well as a learning platform for self-study phases.
  • Support: Individual guidance throughout the entire degree by personal mentors and the university’s support team.
  • Course organisation: Free leave of absence semesters and free extension of the course if needed.

The theoretical input is directly linked with current challenges in gerontology and care professions through projects and practical tasks. The workshops on campus serve to exchange ideas and deepen practical skills.

What career prospects does the degree offer?

With the Bachelor of Arts in Gerontology, Health & Care you qualify for numerous fields of work that are increasingly in demand due to demographic change:

  • Health and care facilities: Development, management and advice in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, therapy practices as well as planning age-appropriate services and structures
  • Counselling centres: Support for older people and their relatives in care, assistance and adapting living spaces
  • Neighbourhood and district management: Participation in urban and infrastructure planning for a society suited to all generations
  • Adult education and open senior citizen work: Planning and implementation of educational offers and leisure programmes for senior citizens
  • Research and teaching: Work at universities, institutes or in the further education of professionals in the social and healthcare sector

The specialist knowledge from sociology, psychology, public health and pedagogy makes you a sought-after expert in counselling, management and the further development of services for older people. Positions at the interface between social work, the healthcare system and local government are also open to you.

What are the costs and what financing options are available?

The tuition fees for the Bachelor’s degree programme Gerontology, Health & Care at Kolping University of Applied Sciences amount to a total of €12,634, payable in monthly instalments starting from €260. Alternatively, the following models are available:

  • €330 per month over 54 months
  • €410 per month over 42 months (with a price advantage of 3.4 %)
  • One-off payment of €16,700 (with a price advantage of 6.3 %)

The university offers support with financing, for example through scholarships, crediting prior achievements or employer contributions. The fees are tax-deductible as continuing education. On request, you can apply for free leave of absence semesters or extend your studies free of charge if you need more time.

Advisory Service

Have questions about Academic Programs Gerontology, Health & Care? Ask your question here, even anonymously. An employee of the institution Kolping University or the editorial team will answer you.

Experiences & Reviews