Distance learning program Social work (M.A.) – HFH

👉 The Master of Social Work at the Hamburg Distance Learning University is aimed at professionals with a first degree in Social Work, Social Pedagogy, or comparable educational programmes. Over five semesters, you deepen your knowledge in current topics such as trauma pedagogy, flight and migration, social management, digital counselling, and artificial intelligence. You choose a specialisation in trauma pedagogy, personnel and project management, or health. The programme comprises 120 ECTS credits, is part-time alongside employment, and combines academic qualification with practical content. The degree awarded is a Master of Arts, which qualifies you for senior positions in social institutions or an academic career. The monthly tuition fee is 450 euros.

Social work (M.A.) at a Glance

📜 Degree Master of Arts (M.A.)
⏳ Duration 5 Semesters
💶 Fees
from 374 € monthly
from 11220 € total
🏫 Provider Hamburg Distance University, UAS based in Hamburg (Germany)
The HFH · Hamburger Fern-Hochschule is one of the largest private distance learning universities in Germany. It offers part-time bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in the fields of health and nursing, technology, as well as business and law. With its blended learning concept and regional study centres, it enables flexible study opportunities for working professionals and families. As a non-profit university, it promotes educational permeability, equal opportunities, and practice-oriented teaching.
📋 Study Format Distance learning program
🎓 Field of Study Health & SocialSocial work
🎯 ECTS 120 Credit Points
🌍 Language of Instruction German
📖 Course contents Here is the translation of the given German text into English (en-GB): Assistance for refugees, trauma pedagogy, social inequality, radicalisation, democracy, sexual diversity and gender, animal-assisted interventions, digital counselling, artificial intelligence in social work and in studies, scientific qualification/research, specialist qualification/social work, reference-disciplinary qualification/social management, module social work in the context of flight and migration, module trauma pedagogy, module intercultural psychology, module human resources management II, module human resources management III, module research and development projects, module public health, module prevention and health promotion, module evidence-based health care, master’s thesis
📚 Electives Trauma pedagogy, escape and migration, personnel and project management, health
📅 Enrollment Anytime
🔗 More Info View Vendor Profile

Who is the Master's programme in Social Work suitable for?

The Master's programme in Social Work is aimed at graduates of a relevant Bachelor's degree who are already active in the social, educational or social sciences field and wish to deepen their professional and management skills. You are especially addressed if you are aiming for leadership tasks in social institutions, specialist counselling or project management, or if you want to further qualify in advanced, current topics of Social Work – such as digitalisation, trauma pedagogy or health-related interventions.

Admission: What requirements must you meet?

Formal admission criteria for the Master's programme in Social Work at the Hamburg Distance University of Applied Sciences are:

  • A first academic degree (at least a Bachelor's) from a public or state-recognised university in the fields of Social Work, Social Pedagogy OR a comparable degree in an educational programme (e.g. Educational Sciences, Pedagogy, Early Childhood Education)
  • At least 180 ECTS credits according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) for prior qualification
  • For related or differing qualifications, the faculty can recognise comparable degrees or impose conditions
  • If the prior education is insufficient, there is the option to complete a pre-semester to make up for missing content

Personal requirements for successful studies are:

  • Willingness for independent, structured knowledge acquisition in distance learning
  • Reflective ability regarding social developments and one's own professional practice
  • Interest in academic further education and research in Social Work
  • Communication and teamwork skills for exchange with other students and lecturers
  • Practice-relevant experience in social, educational, health-related or counselling fields is advantageous

What content does the Master of Social Work (M.A.) at HFH convey?

In the Master’s degree programme Social Work at the Hamburg Fern-Hochschule, you expand your professional, scientific and managerial skills in key areas of social work. The programme is based on four central competence levels:

  • Subject-specific deepening: You deal with current challenges, such as digital counselling, trauma pedagogy, flight and migration, social inequality, radicalisation, sexual diversity or artificial intelligence in social work. Content is taught in a practice-oriented way using cases from the fields of child and youth welfare, school social work, psychiatry or hospital social work.
  • Scientific qualification and research: You learn to critically evaluate scientific studies as well as to design, conduct and analyse your own research projects. This trains your analytical skills and enables you to independently undertake evaluation projects in practice.
  • Social management: You build knowledge in the control, leadership and organisation of social institutions. Topics such as social marketing, quality management, leadership and personnel development as well as financing of social services are central.
  • Specialisation: At the beginning, you choose one of three specialisation areas, in which you complete three modules and qualify specifically:
    • Trauma pedagogy, flight and migration: Migration, intercultural opening, trauma-pedagogical interventions, legal frameworks.
    • Personnel and project management: Personnel marketing and leadership, recruiting, evidence-based project management, labour law issues.
    • Health: Public health, prevention, health promotion, workplace health management, research ethics.

After completion, you are able to analytically understand complex situations in social work, develop innovative concepts and assume leadership tasks in a wide range of practical fields.

How is the programme structured at HFH?

The Master’s degree in Social Work is designed as a five-semester part-time distance learning programme. It comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits and consists of 17 modules plus the final master’s thesis. The structure is as follows:

  • Duration of study: 4 semesters for the modules, 1 semester for the master’s thesis (standard period of study: 5 semesters)
  • Start of study: Possible annually on 1 January and 1 July, enrolment at any time
  • Self-study & support: HFH combines self-learning phases with high-quality study materials, optional attendance events at nationwide study centres and modern e-learning offers.
  • Attendance dates: About 7–10 attendance events per semester, mostly voluntary, take place in block form at weekends or in the evenings.
  • Examination formats: Depending on the module, you write exams, term papers or participate in complex exercises. The final thesis (master’s thesis) completes the programme.
  • Electable specialisation: In the second semester, you start the three modules of your chosen specialisation (trauma pedagogy, personnel and project management, or health).

The study model enables maximum flexibility, allowing you to largely adapt the study progress independently to your professional and life situation. Exams and attendance offers can be completed at one of the regional HFH study centres.

What professional prospects does the Master of Social Work open up?

With the Master’s degree, you qualify for managerial, advisory or research positions in the broad field of social work. Typical career paths include:

  • Management of social institutions: Social counselling centres, child and youth welfare, non-profit agencies
  • Management of digitalisation and innovation processes: Development and implementation of new counselling and care services, digitalisation of social services
  • Specialisation activities: Depending on the chosen focus, you qualify e.g. for migration counselling, project management in the health sector or personnel management in social and care facilities
  • Self-employment: Founding your own counselling practices or services, for example in the field of animal-assisted interventions or specific service forms
  • Science and research: Pursuing a subsequent PhD is possible, and the transition to an academic career is facilitated by the acquired research and methodological skills

With the Master of Social Work at HFH, you position yourself as a responsible specialist at the interface of practice, management and innovation – enabling you to actively shape and accompany social change.

How are the tuition fees composed and what funding options are available?

The costs for the Master’s degree amount to a total of €11,220 (monthly €374 over 30 months). The examination fee for the final master’s thesis is charged separately.

  • Tuition fees: €374 per month, total €11,220
  • Final thesis: The examination fee for the master’s thesis is charged additionally per attempt.
  • Funding options:
    • Employer subsidies or educational leave for employees in the social sector
    • Tax deductibility as work-related expenses or special expenses
    • Partial funding through education funds or scholarship programmes

The monthly payment method eases financing, and many students use additional funding programmes or tax benefits. If needed, the payment modality can be individually adjusted and coordinated with HFH.

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