Who is the Master’s Distance Learning Programme in Social Management Suitable For?

The Master’s degree in Social Management at DIPLOMA University is the right choice if you already have an academic degree in social work and professional experience in social fields. Typical participants are social pedagogues, social workers, as well as specialists from related disciplines such as social economics, health and social management, or sociology who aspire to leadership roles in the social sector. The programme is aimed at anyone who specifically wants to qualify for management positions in social institutions, associations, or public sponsors. With the specialisations in Non-Profit Management, Public Management, and Social Planning or Social Entrepreneurship, you can sharpen your individual career path in the social and healthcare sector.

What Academic Requirements Do You Need to Meet?

To be admitted to the Social Management distance learning programme (Master of Arts, 120 ECTS), you must have a first academic degree with at least a grade of “satisfactory”. The options at a glance:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (B.A.) or Early/Childhood Education (B.A.) from DIPLOMA University with a minimum grade of “satisfactory”
• Bachelor’s or diploma degree in a social science or business-related course of study (e.g. social pedagogy, sociology, health and social management, social economics, economics with a social focus) with at least 180 ECTS and a grade of “satisfactory”
• Recognised foreign degree in a comparable field with a standard period of study of at least six semesters (at least 180 ECTS) and a final grade of “satisfactory” or better

If your final grade is exactly “satisfactory”, you must also demonstrate your suitability for the Master’s programme in a personal assessment interview. A degree with “sufficient” or lower grade excludes admission.

As a personal requirement, you should bring discipline, self-organisation and perseverance to distance learning. Additionally helpful are:

• Self-reflection and willingness to work interdisciplinarily
• Good communication and teamwork skills as well as social competence
• Good powers of observation and analytical thinking
• Independent working style and confident demeanour
• Interest in numbers, management tasks and legal basics

What content does the Master’s distance learning course in Social Management cover?

In the Master’s distance learning course in Social Management (M.A.) at DIPLOMA University, you will gain a broad, interdisciplinary qualification profile for leadership roles in the social and healthcare sectors. The study content combines business administration, social science, and management-related skills. You will learn how to deal with the particular political, social, and economic framework conditions of social institutions.

• Project management and controlling: You plan, manage and evaluate complex projects in the social sector.
• Legal fundamentals of the social economy: You gain confidence in dealing with contracts, sponsor structures and legal requirements.
• Organisation and team development: You develop skills to lead and motivate teams in social organisations.
• Financing and controlling: You manage the funding of social institutions through knowledge of public subsidies, contract management and fundraising.
• Social economy ethics and governance: You reflect on ethical issues and take responsibility for sustainable organisational management.
• Empirical methods & research-based learning: You learn to use empirical data for practice-oriented analyses and evaluations.
• Analysis of the municipal welfare mix: You examine collaboration within the local network of sponsors, authorities and volunteers.
• Social policy and social space management: You put yourself in a position to assess and shape socio-political developments.

In the further course of your studies, you will specialise in one of the three elective areas: Non-Profit Management, Public Management and Social Planning or Social Entrepreneurship. This sharpens your profile for specific areas of the social economy.