Shaping childhood - enabling the future
The Bachelor's degree programme in Childhood Education qualifies you for a wide range of career prospects in education, upbringing, counselling and research. An inclusive and diversity-sensitive focus and close links between theory and practice will optimally prepare you for fields of work associated with early childhood. Start your professional journey - with a Bachelor's degree at the KHSB!
Study Childhood Education at the KHSB
The Bachelor's degree programme in Childhood Education at the KHSB qualifies you for responsible activities in a dynamic and socially significant professional field.
The focus of childhood education is on working with children aged 0 to 13 years and cooperating with their families and carers. Today, childhood education fields of activity extend far beyond the traditional field of work of child day care centres: they include the education system, child and youth welfare as well as interfaces with the health and social services.
The Childhood Education degree programme at the KHSB is consistently inclusive and diversity-sensitive.
You will acquire basic skills in dealing with heterogeneity and inclusion right from the start of your degree programme. From the fourth semester onwards, you can also choose the "Participation and Inclusion" profile. This gives you the formal recognition to accompany children with disabilities in Berlin's day care centres and all-day schools in their development and to support their educational processes.
During the course of your studies, you will have the opportunity to set individual specialisations and deepen these in practical, research-oriented projects. You will gain a generalist qualification for all practical fields of childhood education. At the same time, you will be able to develop your own profile according to your interests and strengths.
Here you can get an overview of selected contents of the Childhood Education degree programme over the course of the semester. We show you the study areas that are covered in the course of the modularised study programme. Detailed information on the specific teaching and learning content of each semester can be found in the B.A. Social Work module handbook, which you can find under "Organisational matters" below.
1. - 2nd semester
- Specialised academic workshop on building and developing a professional identity
- Lectures and seminars on basic educational science, developmental psychology and legal knowledge, among other things
- Comprehensive fundamentals of inclusion and diversity (basic qualification for the "Participation and Inclusion" profile)
Special features
Arriving at university
An introductory week offers new students a first insight into the degree programme and the university. Individual student counselling and the self-organised student parliament make the transition to everyday academic life easier and help you to plan your studies optimally and clarify any questions you may have. The specialised academic workshop teaches you the basics of multidisciplinary childhood education and introduces you to academic work.
Profile development "Participation and inclusion"
The Bachelor's degree programme in Childhood Education at the KHSB is taught in the spirit of inclusive education. The degree and the "Participation and Inclusion" profile are associated with recognition as a specialist for the participation and inclusion of children with disabilities in daycare centres and all-day schools. A cooperation agreement with the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family has been in place since summer 2018. The successful implementation of the "Participation and Inclusion" profile is characteristic of the B.A. Childhood Education degree programme. This specialisation is a unique selling point in Berlin. There are only three comparable degree programmes in Germany (Gera, Gießen, Fulda).
Expertise
With the Bachelor's degree, you will acquire state recognition as a childhood educator in accordance with the Berlin Social Professions Recognition Act. After graduating, you will be equipped with comprehensive social-professional skills and well-equipped for a successful career in the field.
You will be able to
- advocate professionally for good and fair living conditions for all children and their families, as well as for child- and family-friendly institutions and living spaces,
- protect children's rights and counteract all threats to children's welfare as well as all forms of discrimination and disadvantage,
- work in partnership with parents, advise families, develop programmes for families and contribute to a better work-life balance,
- critically reflecting on social and political developments, advocating human/children's rights, social justice, the appreciation of diversity, the realisation of inclusion and principles of sustainability,
- to contribute to the generation of new knowledge and quality development in the fields of childhood education through basic, practical and evaluation research.
Further qualification
The academic degree "Bachelor of Arts" paves the way for further qualification with a Master's programme. If you are interested in career paths in science and research or in deepening your leadership and counselling skills, the KHSB offers the postgraduate Master's degree course "Education and Counselling in Social Work and Education".
FAQ Childhood Education
No! As a state-recognised university of applied sciences, the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Berlin (KHSB) is not a private university, but a university under church sponsorship. In principle, anyone can study at the KHSB. The denominational affiliation or church membership of students is irrelevant. You are all very welcome.
Yes, a degree in childhood education opens up further career paths beyond child and youth welfare, paving the way for a Master's degree and, subsequently, a doctorate. Studying Childhood Education at the KHSB also allows you to be recognised as a specialist in participation and inclusion, so that you can work in inclusive and integrative settings. This knowledge is also important in advisory activities such as specialist counselling and is increasingly in demand.
Contact persons
Are you interested in studying with us and have questions about applying, admission requirements, campus life, enrolment or starting your studies?
Get in touch with us! Paula Schwalm, Childhood Education student, and Ahmed Abdulhay, Social Work student, will be happy to help you as part of their student peer-to-peer counselling service.