Social work: Clinical social work
At a glance
Faculty
Academic degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Form of study
Continuing education and part-time Master's degree
Standard period of study
6 semesters (incl. Master's thesis), 90 ECTS
Language of instruction
German
Start of studies
Summer semester
Admission requirements
Costs
plus semester fee: 1,650 euros per semester (1 to 5); in the 6th semester: 900 euros, semester ticket for Coburg University of Applied Sciences included
Accreditation
Accredited by the Accreditation Council: 3rd successful re-accreditation
Registration
October 01 – January 31
Profile of the degree program
The part-time Master's degree course "Social Work: Clinical Social Work" is particularly suitable for professionals who work in psychosocial counselling, care and treatment and want to specialize against the background of increasing isolation and exclusion of marginalized, previously hard-to-reach people.
Clinical social work sees itself as a service to people who are struggling to lead a dignified life and often fail to do so because of obstacles of a social and institutional nature.
The course is run in cooperation with the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin. Thanks to many years of experience and internationally recognized teaching staff, the cooperation has resulted in joint expertise, which is expressed in a qualified Master's programme. This gives students access to extensive knowledge resources and scientifically sound qualifications.
As the course takes place in equal parts in Coburg and Berlin, it broadens perspectives and flexibility. The group size of around 25 students enables optimal knowledge transfer. Due to the international recognition of the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree, there is cooperation with foreign universities.
The Master's degree course will professionalize your counselling and practical skills. You will acquire a theoretically sound and practice-oriented qualification in counseling, psychosocial intervention and social therapy. You will apply the knowledge you acquire during your theoretical studies at both universities to the analysis and solution or processing of social-clinical tasks. This in turn flows into case reflection and supervision, which are integrated into the curriculum.
The course is geared towards the needs of working people. Here you will find an overview of the attendance times at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences and the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin.
What we value
Course content and schedule
What students say
"After completing my Bachelor's degree in Social Work, I knew that I wanted to continue my studies. On the one hand, I wanted to pursue my interest in research, which was sparked by my Bachelor's thesis, and expand my skills in this area.
Secondly, I realized that my toolbox of methods for working with refugees who have experienced trauma was not yet sufficient. Thanks to the Klinsa Master's degree, I have been able to achieve both goals so far: The lecturers have encouraged my interest in academic work and even enabled me to contribute to my first publications during my studies. In addition, by acquiring skills in psychosocial diagnostics and client-centered counseling, for example, I was able to learn important skills that I use in practice every day."
Jeffrey Newell (student in the continuing education master's program Social Work: Clinical Social Work)
"My interest in the part-time Master's degree was already awakened during my Bachelor's degree in Social Work at Coburg University of Applied Sciences through corresponding specialization modules. This made me aware of the close biopsychosocial connections between health and embedding in social relationships. In my subsequent professional practice, I realized that I needed more specialist expertise and professional confidence in my work with children, adolescents and families with multiple psychosocial stressors.
The Master's provides me with sound theoretical and methodological knowledge to understand the development and maintenance of my clients' difficulties and to be able to work with them to develop solutions. I can also use concepts such as clinical case management, methods and approaches from counseling and crisis intervention or psychosocial diagnostics directly in my work with young adults with severe biographical problems. We also receive in-depth training in the field of practical research, so that we can implement our own ideas for research. Last but not least, since completing my studies, I feel more clearly positioned in my professional self-image as a clinically trained social worker – for example, in collaboration with other professional groups."
Larissa Retzmann (student in the Master's program in Social Work: Clinical Social Work)
Job & Career
Maite Gabriel
"The Master's degree gave me the opportunity to develop a clear professional identity and a stronger sense of self-confidence towards other professions. […] I now see myself clearly at home in social work. I have not pursued the idea of using the Master's degree as a basis for training in child and adolescent psychotherapy, as it has become clear to me that many of the people I work with are hardly reached by traditional psychotherapy. […]"
Maite Gabriel (Clinical Social Worker M.A.) and research assistant at ASH Berlin
Lisa Große
"After completing a generalist Bachelor's degree, I was looking for further development opportunities.
opportunities – professionally and personally. The part-time Master's in Clinical Social Work has enabled me to feel at home in social work. My work with clients has changed because I have discovered blind spots and I have been able to present myself confidently to other professions. Last but not least, I only discovered my interest and curiosity in science and research during my Master's degree. The lecturers sensitized and strengthened us in our actions and attitudes. […]"
Lisa Große (Clinical Social Worker M.A.)
Adrian Golatka
"The course has supported me in my professional development in many ways. I was able to directly apply the knowledge I gained both in my direct work with clients and in my work as a manager in youth welfare. The course has given me a wide range of "tools".
In addition, the content I learned has given me a solid foundation for my child and adolescent psychotherapy training. […] Last but not least, I made important contacts during the years of my studies that are still relevant today." […]
Andrian Golatka (Clinical Social Worker M.A.)
Maria Littig
"I was particularly impressed by the close link between the scientific content of the course and the systematic reflection of my own professional actions. As a result, I am now much more aware of issues such as chronic illnesses, psychosocial problems and marginalization. Since then, not only has my own professional attitude changed fundamentally, but also my way of working, incorporating a bio-psycho-social understanding. From the very beginning, I was able to integrate theories from my studies directly into my sociotherapeutic work and thus also question processes. I quickly experienced the first positive changes in my direct client work, which in turn motivated me to continue deepening my knowledge. Studying clinical social work gave me the opportunity to realize and develop myself professionally. I was very lucky to receive full support from my colleagues and superiors right from the start."
Maria Littig (Clinical Social Worker M.A.)
News from the study program
Costs
The part-time Master's degree course in Social Work: Clinical Social Work is subject to a fee. In semesters 1 to 5, there is a fee of 1,650 euros (plus the current semester fees) per semester. In the 6th semester, a fee of 900 euros (plus the current semester fees) is payable for the intensive support and supervision of the Master's thesis. For each semester following the 6th semester, a fee of EUR 350.00 (plus the current semester fees) is charged for administrative and supervision costs.
Curriculum and examination regulations
The module handbook provides information on the content of the individual modules. The study and examination regulations form the legal basis of the degree program.
Questions about the content of the program will be answered by the program director.
Prof. Dr. Christine Kröger
Application and admission
Places on the Master's degree program "Social Work: Clinical Social Work" are limited to 25 participants. The admission requirements include:
- a successful completion of a first professionally qualifying university degree at a German university or an equivalent degree at a foreign university
- at least one year of relevant professional practice (in particular psychosocial, educational, medical fields of work with counseling, treatment and therapeutic tasks) on a full-time basis or a correspondingly longer period of professional practice on a part-time basis. The activity must have been carried out after completion of the first university degree.
- a contract for employment corresponding to the requirements of the curriculum for at least 15 hours per week or at least a binding promise of such a contract from an employment agency (the nature and type of professional activity must be made credible)
- the motivation for the application should be explained in a letter of motivation in relation to the personal study goals
Sufficient knowledge of German, at least language level B2, is required to be able to understand and process complex specialist literature.
You will also need a basic knowledge of English for the evaluation of specialist literature and a good knowledge of the usual word processing programs.
In accordance with Section 2 (3) of the admission regulations, a first university degree with at least 180 ECTS credits is required for admission to the Master's in Social Work: Clinical Social Work. The Berlin Higher Education Act § 23, paragraph 3, point two also stipulates that 300 credit points are generally required for a Master's degree, including the first professionally qualifying university degree. This can be deviated from in individual cases if the student is suitably qualified.
The applicant must provide evidence of the relevant qualifications individually in the online application process. Their competencies must be set out in a self-disclosure form and supported by appropriate evidence.
In the case of a BA degree with 180 ECTS, a total of 270 ECTS would have been acquired after completing the Master's degree. In Germany, you are only entitled to do a doctorate with 300 ECTS credits; students are advised accordingly if they wish to do a doctorate.
Information for applicants with a BA degree with less than 210 ECTS
- Information on the application and admission process
- Directly to the online application
