Social Work | Bachelor

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Duration of study

6 Semesters | 180 ECTS

Time model & Language

Full-time | German

Prerequisites

University entrance qualification or relevant professional qualification with additional exams

Academic Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences | BA or B.A.

Tuition fee

EUR 363,36 / semester plus membership fee for the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) for EU and EEA citizens

Before studying Social Work

Are you interested in a social profession and looking for a study program that prepares you for a career in social work? The Social Work study program is closely tied to the major related disciplines of social pedagogy, sociology, psychology, law, political science and much more. You will learn valuable skills, methods and strategies that will enable you to respond to changing social conditions and adapt to new ways of thinking and living.

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Overview

In the bachelor's degree program in Social Work, you will acquire social Work skills and methodological competence, deal with the related sciences of social work, conduct social work research and much more. This will enable you to work as a social worker in the fields of social work, to support others in shaping their lives as well as advocate for the rights and living conditions of disadvantaged groups of people. You will be prepared to identify social problems and to offer interdisciplinary and scientifically based solutions in terms of social compatibility, sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency.

New and current topics are addressed, and connected thinking and interdisciplinary exchange between students are promoted through cross-semester compulsory electives. Interdisciplinary compulsory electives from different fields of study in the areas of business, society, management, technology and life sciences complete the degree program.

Practical training is of great importance: The theoretical knowledge acquired during the course is applied to specific case constellations and put into practice under professional supervision during the four-week Information Internship and the 15-week Integrative Professional Internship in national or international social work organizations.

Prof. Dr. habil. Belachew Gebrewold Head of Department & Studies

Do you have questions about studying? We look forward to hearing from you.

+43 512 2070 - 3400

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MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®

Why not study at the top?

MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® is one of the most successful universities in the German-speaking region and Europe. Renowned business experts teach in small groups, distinguished lecturers ensure academic quality in all areas, and the dedicated MCI team supports students in their endeavors such as internships, research, and stays abroad.

Admission

Applications for studies are accepted on an ongoing basis via our online application platform. In the interests of your further planning, we recommend that you submit your application early.

Applications for several degree programs at MCI in parallel are possible and welcome, as long as the motivation for the chosen studies can be conclusively demonstrated.

Dates & Deadlines

Application deadline	Interview
Nov 17, 2024	Dec 2 - 4, 2024
Feb 2, 2025	Feb 17 - 19, 2025
Apr 6, 2025	Apr 22 - 24, 2025
May 18, 2025	Jun 2 - 4, 2025

Prerequisites

Generally, admission to the program is available to the following persons:

Individuals with a university entrance qualification for a social, business or legal sciences study program (e.g. school-leaving exam, appropriate university entrance equivalency exam etc.)

Individuals without a university entrance qualification, but with relevant professional qualification, provided that one of the following requirements is fulfilled:

school-leaving certificate from a relevant vocational secondary school
completion of a dual education course with a relevant apprenticeship

Persons without a university entrance qualification but with relevant vocational qualifications must additionally sit entrance exams in German, English (Level II) and Mathematics (Level I). The level of the exams corresponds to that of a non-school university entrance qualification in social & economic sciences.

Persons in their last year at school wishing to apply for a place on the program before taking their final exams must include their most current school report with their application. Successful applicants must subsequently submit their school-leaving examination certificate before the start of the first semester.

Procedures

In just two steps to your desired study program at MCI:

Step 1 – Online application: CV & motivation

A complete online application consists of a CV, a letter of motivation, information on educational background, qualifications, professional career, social achievements and academic as well as professional goals. We would like to know why you are applying to study at MCI.

You may apply for more than one degree program at the same time, provided you can conclusively explain your respective motivations in your letter of motivation.

Step 2 – Online admission interview

In the second step, all applicants will be invited to an online admission interview.

In this interview, we want to get to know you. We are particularly interested in your motivation to study at MCI as well as your professional and personal goals you want to achieve with the help of your studies.

Within three weeks after the admission interview, we will inform you about the admission decision.

While studying Social Work

The Social Work degree program is characterized by the quality of its content, its academic approach, its practical orientation and its internationality.

Internationality is reflected in the composition of the faculty, the students, the curriculum and the field projects. As part of your studies, you will also have the opportunity to spend a semester at one of our many partner universities.

In addition to a sound scientific and methodological qualification in the field of social work, the curriculum also includes relevant sciences such as law, psychology, sociology, political science and education. You will learn to think in an interdisciplinary way, to combine your sound knowledge from a wide range of competencies and to apply it in practice.

The high practical relevance results from the close cooperation with partners in national and international social work organizations. You will gain valuable practical experience during your bachelor's degree, particularly through practical projects and the integrated internship. The internship is organized by the degree program and supervised in coordination with the respective social work institution.

Module Overview

Subject	%
Social Work & Related Studies	17%
Fields of Application of Social Work	17%
Methodology & Competencies in Social Work	39%
Fundamentals of Research in Social Work	13%
Compulsory Internships	14%

- Curriculum (pdf | 698.08K )

Time Model

Full-time

The Bachelor program Management & Law is a full-time degree program. In full-time studies, lectures and seminars are held on weekdays, with blocked units allowing for an intensive immersion into individual topics.

The classes usually take place from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:15 and / or from 13:30 to 16:45. In exceptional cases, the times may vary and the lessons and / or examinations may take place outside the specified times or possibly on Saturdays.

Academic Degree

Graduates of the program are conferred the academic title of Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, in short BA or B.A. This is attested by a leaving certificate, the Bachelor diploma, the international diploma supplement, and further documents where relevant. MCI Alumni are entitled to combine their academic degree with the brand “MCI” to provide trust and orientation in an increasingly intransparent international education market. Example: BSc (MCI).
Source: GZ BMWF-52.330/0195-I/6/2013

Interdisciplinary Electives

Our interdisciplinary electives provide you with the opportunity to tailor your academic journey to your own interests and goals.

Interdisciplinary electives are cross-curricular courses on current trends and developments.

They allow you to discuss topics from different perspectives and interact with students and faculty from other disciplines.

During your studies you have the unique chance to choose such a course from a wide range of topics within the following focus areas:

Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Sustainability
Digitalization
Globalization
Society

The electives offer the opportunity to deepen your own interests and broaden your horizons. Join us as we enter a world of learning, exploration, and growth! Read more.

International Outreach

One of the most essential components of MCI study programs is their international orientation. This is reflected not only in the curriculum and assigned projects, but also in the backgrounds of our faculty and students. The program also includes the opportunity for students to spend the 5th semester abroad at one of MCI’s many partner institutions.

Study Abroad

at our partner universities around the world.

Finnland

LAUREA University of Applied Sciences

Deutschland

Evangelische Hochschule Berlin

Schweiz

Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW

Show all

Practice

At the Entrepreneurial School®, providing a consistent link between science and practice has top priority. Therefore, we provide our students plenty of opportunity to put their newly acquired knowledge to practice, even during their studies. The collaboration with companies and organizations of different sizes and sectors forms one of the cornerstones of the MCI concept. Such cooperative work does not only benefit our students, but also, to a large extent our partners.

Research in Social Work

Social Problems
Social Justice
Social Security
Participation
Human Rights

More Information

Cooperation Partners

• AK - Arbeiterkammer Tirol • Diözese Innsbruck • Innsbrucker Soziale Dienste • Europäische Kommission • Landesschulrat Tirol • Neustart • Land Tirol • Tiroler Wissenschaftsfonds • Gesundheits- & Sozialsprengel • AMS - Arbeitsmarktservice Tirol • Kinderschutz Tirol • Verein für Obdachlose • TirolKliniken • Kinder- und Jugendhilfe Schwaz • Kinder- und Jugendhilfe Innsbruck ...

Internship

At MCI, each program of study requires students to complete an integrative internship of at least 13 weeks at a national or international company. Students receive support from the respective department in organizing this internship and are supervised in coordination with the company.

Our department and the MCI Career Center regularly provide up-to-date information about internship positions and the situation on the labor market in general.

Practical training

In the Bachelor’s degree program in Social Work, practical training has top priority. Carefully selected case studies from practice give students the opportunity to apply their newly acquired theoretical knowledge and reflect upon it with respective experts. This provides guidance both during on-campus classes and internships.

Trial internship

The four-week trial internship is designed to provide orientation during the transition from the first to the second semester. It allows students to gain an insight into relevant professional activities and structures.

Students will be familiarized with current social work issues, respective methods, and intervention planning. A particular focus is placed on the basic principles of professional behavior.

The trial internship helps students recognize the interconnectedness of the course contents in the everyday practice of a social worker and, thus, facilitates interdisciplinary and connected thinking.

Internship

During the fourth semester, students are required to complete an integrated of at least 15-weeks internship in a national or international organization operating within to the social work sector. This is to allow students to put the previously acquired knowledge to practice while taking on ever more personal responsibility, while learning to work autonomously. The professional internship also provides orientation in the practical organizations and network of cooperative facilities of Social Work.

The mandatory internship can be completed either at home or abroad. Where professional, organizational, and language requirements are fulfilled, we explicitly encourage going on an internship abroad. Two programs are available for funding. For more information please see below.

Erasmus+ for students and recent graduates

Erasmus+ supports internships in all 28 EU member states as well as in the non-EU countries Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Turkey, and Macedonia, and in international partner countries. Erasmus+ provides grants from EUR 384 to EUR 435 per month. The amount may vary according to the living costs in the country of the internship. This can last from a minimum of two months to a maximum of twelve months.

Further details and information about requirements and conditions can be found at:

https://bildung.erasmusplus.at/de/hochschulbildung/studierende-und-graduierte/#c7461

Applications can be made through the MCI International Relations Office. Relevant information is provided during the second semester in respective information sessions and events. If you are interested in applying for an Erasmus+ grant, please contact International Relations Manager Kerstin Maier:

Mag.a Kerstin Maier

International Relations Manager
Email: kerstin.maier@mci.edu

GSD Internship program

The GSD Program is funded by the Austrian Development Agency and available to social work students at Austrian universities and universities of applied sciences. The aim of the program is to facilitate the qualitative, professional, and well-founded preparation for, and follow-up to, internships in countries of the global South. Tailored workshops are offered to prepare interns on the socio-political, social and cultural, as well as professional levels. In cases where no other form of financial support is available, extra funding of up to EUR 700 from the project budget may be granted for internships.

The requirements for funding include a minimum internship duration of 15 weeks, relevant language skills, and a strong commitment to prepare for, and follow up on, the internship experience.

Interested students should apply through the relevant department, which organizes respective information sessions during the second semester of studies.

Contact:
Bastian Oechsle, BA MA
Teaching & Research Assistant
bastian.oechsle@mci.edu
Tel: +43 512 2700-3424

After studying Social Work

Studying at MCI is an investment in a successful future. Through close cooperation with industry and the practical orientation of all courses, MCI graduates are in particularly high demand on the job market and have several job offers even before graduation.

Thanks to the breadth of their interdisciplinary training, graduates have a large variety of career options, with a focus on the following fields:

Professional opportunities

Child, youth & family Social Work
School Social Work & youth work
Street work, neighborhood & community Social Work
Prison & probation Social Work
Youth & family justice Social Work
Social Work with older people
Education, employability, job counseling & employee assistance program
Debt counseling, benefits & homelessness support
Psychosocial services & adult protection
Social Work in the healthcare sector (including primary care, hospital Social Work, social psychiatric services, addiction counseling & prevention)
Social Work with people with disabilities
Migration, flight & cultural sensitive counseling
Inclusion & participation
Gender-specific & gender-sensitive counseling & support
Violence protection & intervention
International Social Work

Success Stories

BA Social Work

Thomas Haslwanter-Wilhelmer

Area Manager Day Care and Living, slw Elisabethinum, slw Soziale Dienste GmbH

BA Social Work

Verena Pöhl

Social worker / Project worker, Frauen aus allen Ländern

Read all

Continue studying

The MCI offers a number of internationally oriented Master's courses. The completion of a master's degree qualifies for the relevant doctoral studies.

Prof. Dr. habil. Belachew Gebrewold Head of Department & Studies

Do you have questions about studying? We look forward to hearing from you.

+43 512 2070 - 3400

Suitable master's programs

News

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Austria in Times of Crisis

Research on professional Social Work in a challenging environment

NEEMA-Projekt

Adapting the European Green Deal to Enhance Food Security in West Africa

Successful Completion of RehaKineTrain

Paving the way for physiotherapy training in Burkina Faso

Questions & Answers

Where can I find information about the admission procedure?

Under the heading "Application & Admission" you will find all important information about the admission process: https://www.mci.edu/en/study/application-and-admission

How many study places are available each year?

We offer 50 places of study per academic year for this study program.

How can I increase my chances of being admitted to the program?

Work experience, an internship in social work, or a year of volunteer service would increase your chances of a successful application.

Is the bachelor’s degree in Social Work internationally recognized?

Generally , yes. The final decision as to whether or not your course will be recognized rests with the respective foreign institution or company.

Can my degree from the College of Social Pedagogy be transferred to the Bachelor of Social Work?

Full recognition of the program is not possible. Credit for individual courses or qualifications can only be granted after admission. The respective application form must be submitted before the beginning of the semester in which a course from which you seek to be exempted takes place.

Are there any concentrations in my program? Are there electives in my program?

In this program, you can choose between modules, specializations, additional courses, electives, etc., both within your curriculum and as part of your extracurricular activities. But that's not all: the semester abroad with its numerous partner universities, the professional internship as well as project work and final theses give you the opportunity to choose and design your course and make your studies an individual experience.

Is it possible to study in the bachelor’s degree program in Social Work on a part-time basis?

The Bachelor’s degree program in Social Work is a full-time program. As lectures are held on weekdays between 9 am and 6 pm and as attendance is mandatory, the ability to combine this program with work is limited. It also includes several projects, team assignments, internships, and a semester abroad, all of which are time-consuming.

When do the courses take place?

Lectures and seminars in full-time courses are held on weekdays. To allow for more intensive discussion of individual topics, some lessons may be scheduled in blocks.

Is attendance mandatory?

Attendance in all classes is mandatory. If you miss 25% or more of a course, your final grade will be affected.

Exceptions to the attendance requirement may be granted for valid reasons (e.g., illness, visit to authorities, or other personal reasons). Please submit your written request with supporting documentation to the department for approval.

Before studying Social Work

Overview

Downloads

MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®

Admission

Multiple Applications

While studying Social Work

Full-time

International Outreach

Study Abroad

Practice

Internship

Practical training

Mag.a Kerstin Maier

After studying Social Work

Professional opportunities

Success Stories

Continue studying

Suitable master's programs

News

Questions & Answers