Englisch 
Deutsch Who this degree suits and what you need to get in
This programme fits if you want to combine Social Work with sport in a practice-led way. Typical profiles include: coaches or club staff in youth, community or grassroots sport who want a recognised Social Work degree; health or therapy assistants looking to move into social care roles using exercise as an intervention; career changers with volunteering experience in NGOs, schools or community centres who need a flexible study model with in-person workshops in Germany.
Admission requirements
You can apply without a numerus clausus (NC-free). Entry routes include German school-leaving certificates, recognised foreign qualifications, and admission for experienced professionals without Abitur.
- University entrance: Allgemeine Hochschulreife (Abitur) or Fachhochschulreife.
- With foreign qualifications: comparable secondary school certificates that entitle you to university study are considered; equivalence is checked in the admissions process.
- Admission without Abitur: possible for professionally qualified applicants under §11 Berliner Hochschulgesetz (relevant vocational training and work experience).
- Language: the degree is taught in German. If you are from a non-German-speaking country, you must provide proof of German language proficiency; the university specifies accepted evidence during application.
- Study model: semi-virtual with regular on-site seminars (typically once per module) at the German study locations (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Ismaning, Köln, Unna). You need to be able to travel to Germany for these sessions; any visa arrangements are your responsibility.
- Compulsory practical semester is integrated into the programme.
Personal requirements
Success in this programme depends on strong self-organisation, consistent study habits and realistic time planning. You will combine online learning with scheduled classroom workshops and a practice semester, so you should be ready to manage deadlines, prepare for assessments and coordinate travel for in-person days. For full-time study, plan a steady weekly rhythm across reading, assignments and project work; part-time options reduce pressure but extend your timeline. Because teaching, exams and most materials are in German, you need confident academic German reading and writing as well as clear spoken communication for seminars and group work. Basic English helps with literature, but German is essential for coursework and the practical semester. Finally, bring empathy, resilience and the ability to work with diverse groups in youth work, schools, clubs or health settings—these soft skills matter as much as theory when you study Social Work with sport and apply it in practice.
What will you study in the Social Work and Sport (B.A.) at the German University of Health and Sports?
This degree is taught in German. If you are applying from outside the German-speaking world, you will need proof of German at an advanced level (for example TestDaF, DSH or a Goethe-Zertifikat, typically C1). You study social work as a full academic programme and add targeted sport science to use exercise as an intervention in practice.
You combine foundations in social work with applied sport science. The curriculum totals 210 ECTS over seven semesters and includes a compulsory full-time practical semester, project work and a bachelor’s thesis. In Germany, ECTS are standardised credits under the Bologna Process; 210 ECTS corresponds to a first-cycle bachelor with extended workload and facilitates admission to many master’s degrees in Europe.
Key thematic blocks include:
- Social work foundations and law: History and theories of social work; legal frameworks I–IV; ethics and pedagogy. You learn how professional action is guided by theory, policy and the rights of service users.
- Sport social work: Introduction to sport social work; theories and methods of sport-based interventions; creative and movement-based methods. You explore how sport and exercise can support participation, resilience and inclusion.
- Practice and methods: Professional communication and team development; counselling and casework; international and intercultural social work; fields, target groups and organisations. This builds the hands-on toolkit for multi-agency settings.
- Management and society: Social economy and social management; society, health and social work; global challenges and future skills. You learn to plan, budget and evaluate programmes with a system view.
- Academic work and thesis: Journal Club; applied research methods; a bachelor’s thesis that connects research with your practicum field.
Electives and specialisation. In semesters 6 and 7 you choose a track aligned to your career plans: sports social work in day-care and all-day schools; sports social work in organised sport; or sport and exercise as an instrument in healthcare. Electives are paired with a supervised focus project to evidence impact.
Compulsory practicum. Semester 5 is a full practicum with preparatory and follow-up modules. It anchors your sport-based methods in real-world social work settings.
State recognition in Germany. After graduation you can apply in Berlin for the professional title “staatlich anerkannte Sozialarbeiterin/Sozialarbeiter” (state-recognised social worker). This status is relevant for public-sector roles in Germany. You can also assemble your coursework to apply externally for the DOSB Übungsleiter C licence (multi-sport), a basic German coaching credential.
Terminology guide: A German Fernstudium is distance learning; this programme uses a semi-virtual model (online plus classroom days). A Fachhochschule is a university of applied sciences; DHGS is a state-recognised private university with applied orientation. The ZFU is the German state authority that approves many distance-learning courses; university degree programmes may be organised semi-virtually without a ZFU number.
How does the Social Work and Sport distance programme work?
This is a semi-virtual degree: most studying happens online, but there are regular on-site seminars in Germany (typically once per module) and a full practicum semester. It is not a fully online programme. You can study full-time or part-time; assessments combine coursework and examinations.
Teaching language and language certificates
The teaching language is German. If you did not complete school or a prior degree in German, you must provide a recognised German language certificate. Commonly accepted formats include TestDaF, DSH or a Goethe-Zertifikat at an advanced level (usually C1) sufficient for academic study.
Learning format and study materials
DHGS uses a semi-virtual model: structured online learning on a learning platform with readings, lecture content and interactive tasks, combined with in-person workshops for each module. You work in small cohorts, apply methods in exercises and prepare for assessments through guided self-study.
Exams and where you can take them
Assessment types include written assignments, presentations, case studies and written exams. Written and oral elements are linked to the on-site workshop rhythm. Remote exam centres or fully online proctoring are not standard for this programme; plan to complete key assessments during the in-person phases in Germany.
Mandatory on-site sessions in Germany
Plan for one in-person workshop day per module at one of the German study centres (e.g. Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Ismaning near Munich, Düsseldorf/Unna). The practical semester must also be completed in an approved organisation, typically in Germany. Because attendance is required, this is not a visa-free, purely remote setup; depending on your nationality you may need a Schengen visa for the workshop visits or a residence title for longer stays.
Workload, time models and time zones
The programme carries 210 ECTS over seven semesters in full-time mode. Expect roughly 30 ECTS per semester, equating to about 20–30 hours of study per week in regular weeks, plus attendance days. Part-time routes reduce weekly workload and extend the duration. Any live online sessions follow Central European Time (CET/CEST), so plan for time differences if you join from abroad.
What does the Social Work and Sport (B.A.) cost?
Tuition is €435 per month. Over the standard seven semesters (42 months) this totals €18,270. There is also a one-time enrolment and examination fee. Fees are charged in euros and paid in monthly instalments; students abroad typically pay via international transfer or a euro account.
Because the model is semi-virtual with required travel to Germany, you should also budget for flights, accommodation during workshop blocks and living costs for the practicum period. Part-time study lowers your monthly load but extends the total duration and thus spreads payments over more months. Some students in cooperative arrangements have an employer or partner organisation cover fees; this depends on an individual agreement.
What careers and recognition does the Social Work and Sport (B.A.) offer?
You earn a Bachelor of Arts with 210 ECTS under the Bologna framework. 210-credit bachelors are widely recognised as first-cycle degrees in Europe and often receive full admission to master’s programmes; outside Europe, credential evaluators map them against local bachelor standards. The degree is re-accredited until 14 March 2031 within DHGS’s system accreditation, and the university itself is state-recognised in Berlin. These are standard quality signals used across the European Higher Education Area.
In Germany, graduates can apply for state recognition as a social worker/social pedagogue (Staatliche Anerkennung) via the Berlin administration—important for public and many NGO roles. This professional status is specific to Germany; if you plan to work in a regulated social work role outside Germany, local licensing rules apply and may require further steps.
Typical roles include:
- Child and youth services: school social work, all-day schools and day-care, youth centres, municipal youth services.
- Organised sport and community programmes: running sport-for-development projects in clubs and associations, grassroots and talent pathways.
- Healthcare and rehabilitation: exercise-based prevention, recovery and community re-integration after illness or injury.
- Disability and inclusion services: residential and community settings, inclusive sport and participation projects.
- Integration and justice: programmes for newcomers, intergenerational work, sport-based desistance and re-entry support.
The curriculum’s management and methods components also open roles in project coordination, programme evaluation and third-sector leadership. During or after the degree you may assemble your documents to obtain the DOSB Übungsleiter C licence, a basic multi-sport coaching credential valued by many German clubs.
Who is the Social Work and Sport (B.A.) right for - and who not?
This programme suits people who want a German bachelor with strong practice links, and who see sport and movement as powerful tools in social work. The semi-virtual format gives flexibility, but you must be able to attend workshops in Germany and complete a practicum.
- You have strong German language skills and want to study and work with clients in German-speaking settings.
- You want to combine social work theory with sport-based methods and apply them in real organisations.
- You prefer small cohorts, practical workshops and a full practicum semester.
- You aim for state recognition as a social worker in Germany and value a 210-ECTS bachelor to access European master’s degrees.
- You can plan for travel to German study centres several times per semester and arrange your schedule around workshop days.
It is not the right choice if you need a fully remote, English-taught degree you can finish without travelling. Also consider alternatives if you target a country with strict social work licensing and cannot complete further steps locally.
- You need an English-taught programme or cannot provide advanced German (C1-level) language proof.
- You require a 100% online degree with remote exams and no mandatory on-site sessions in Germany.
- You cannot travel to Germany for workshops or to complete the practicum.
- You need direct access to a regulated social work licence outside Germany without additional local recognition or testing.
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