Study structure

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The standard period of study of four semesters is divided into six compulsory and elective modules.

Module 1

Module 1 strengthens the focus on social work in social differentiation processes and teaches basic theories of social work in the context of social change, approaches of inequality research and current scientific discourses on intersectionality and diversity. The overarching concept of diversity, which is discussed and also questioned from various disciplinary perspectives, enables a broad reference to issues and tasks of social work in the 21st century.

Module 2

In Module 2, students deepen their theoretical knowledge acquired in Module 1 under selected focal points. These focal points result from the broad research profile of the Institute of Social Work (for example, aging research, migration research, gender research, social policy research).

Module 3 + 4

Qualitative as well as quantitative methods of social research are taught and practiced in Module 3. The methods of empirical social research are tested in seminars and in the form of practical exercises in research workshops. In the research internship, which is laid out in Module 4, students actively participate in the ongoing practice of an empirical investigation.

Research internship (Module 4)

The research practice module (Module 4) comprises 630 hours (45 min. each), of which 600 hours are spent in the internship (including writing a research report) and 30 hours in the scientific colloquium. Colloquium, which takes place at the University of Kassel. The internship can be completed in research projects at departments of the University of Kassel, at universities or research institutes within Germany and also at foreign universities and institutes.

Module 5

Module 5 aims at perspectives of social work in international comparison as well as comparative welfare state research. The module usually takes place in the summer semester. The combination of modules 4 and 5 can be chosen alternatively and enables students to complete the research internship abroad.

Module 6

The last semester is reserved for writing an empirical master thesis in module 6.
A detailed description of all teaching contents and objectives can be found in the module manual.