Admission requirements

• Prerequisite for the educational science course is the certificate of general university entrance qualification (Abitur or certificate of a completed university course with a standard period of study of at least 6 semesters, this does not apply to universities of public administration or art colleges)
• Alternatively, a certificate of subject-restricted university entrance qualification with study qualifications for the subjects educational science/pedagogy, psychology, communication science, sociology/social sciences
• Alternatively, equivalent foreign educational certificates
• Alternatively, an entrance examination according to § 66 paragraph 4 sentence 2 and paragraph 6 HG (study without Abitur)

Details

The study of educational science aims to qualify students for activities in societal fields of action, taking into account the increasing importance of the use of (new) media in professional training and further education contexts.

Study Objectives

The objective of this distance learning course is to qualify individuals for activities in societal fields of action, with consideration given to new media in professional training and further education contexts. Specific objectives include acquiring knowledge for educational and learning processes, acquiring professional skills for planning, organizing, conducting, and evaluating tasks in educational, work, counseling institutions, etc. The aim of the distance learning programme in educational science is also to enhance communication skills taking new media into account and to enable the application of new media in professional practice. Furthermore, changes in communication forms and content resulting from the use of new media and their implications for educational and learning processes should be reflected upon.

Graduates of the distance learning programme in educational science can work in authorities, universities, businesses, associations, family education centers, out-of-school youth education institutions, or rehabilitation centers. Areas of activity include research or teaching, organization-centered activities such as planning and organizing, and person-centered activities such as supporting, advising, or educating. Other fields of activity arise in the private sector in the form of further education, organizational development, and personnel development.

Study Contents

The Bachelor's degree programme in educational science is divided into 3 study phases:

• 1st study phase (Core studies 1; 4 mandatory modules): Module 1A Introduction to Educational Science, Module 1B Education and Society, Module 1C Education, Work and Profession, Module 1D Empirical Educational Research - Quantitative Methods
• 2nd study phase (Core studies 2; 4 mandatory modules): Module 2A Empirical Educational Research - Qualitative Methods, Module 2B General Didactics and Media Didactics, Module 2C Psychological Elective Module: Social Psychology or Developmental Psychology, Module 2D Social Structure and Social Inequality in Modern Societies
• 3rd study phase (Profile studies; 2 mandatory modules + internship module): Module 3A Media Education and Media Communication, Module 3B Practice of Media Didactics (with internship)
  Module 3C Heterogeneity and School, Module 3D Operational Learning and Professional Competence Development, Module 3E Social Construction of Difference

Studying 11 modules in the three study phases is mandatory. However, there is freedom in the sequence of modules within each respective study phase. For entry into the subsequent study phase, at least three modules must be successfully completed, and the fourth module must be successfully completed no later than the following study phase.

With the elective of two modules in the third (profile) study phase, you decide on your study priorities and can tailor them to your individual future professional orientation. A third module (3B) is combined with the internship and is mandatory. The completion of the degree programme is the Bachelor's thesis.

One module comprises 450 working hours. The study concludes with a Bachelor's thesis focused on educational or pedagogical topics.

Process

The standard period of study is 6 semesters for full-time study, equivalent to 12 semesters for part-time study. The workload amounts to 5,400 working hours. Full-time students are expected to complete two modules per semester, while part-time students complete one module per semester. As each module consists of 450 working hours, full-time students should anticipate an workload of about 38 hours per week, and part-time students around 19 hours per week. The successful completion of the degree programme is assessed with a total of 180 credit points (ECTS).

How much does the distance learning programme in educational science cost?

For studying at FernUni Hagen, a basic fee of €50 per semester and a student body contribution of €9 is applicable. Additionally, a module fee of €120 per module is required. In full-time study, the programme costs approximately €300 per semester, while in part-time study it is around €180 per semester.