A bachelor’s degree in social work qualifies graduates to practice in all professional fields of social work: social assistance, child and adult protection, family counselling, open child and youth work, support for refugees, people with disabilities or homeless people, school social work and many more.
During the bachelor programme, which leads to a professional qualification, students acquire fundamental subject-specific and methodological skills in social work and related disciplines and develop their own professional identity. Elective modules and individually tailored field practice allow students to set their own personal priorities. The range of courses offered by the individual universities can be found under the link “Portrait of the UAS Faculties of Social Work”.
Field practice, which is an integral part of the bachelor’s degree programme, takes place at the UAS and in recognised social work organisations. Field practice corresponds to approximately a third of the duration of the bachelor programme. It is a guided, goal-oriented learning and reflection process that is closely integrated into the study course.
The Main Points in Brief
- Degree: Bachelor of Science / of Arts in Social Work. 180 ECTS credits.
- Course organisation: full-time, on-the-job, or part-time.
- Duration of studies: 6 to 12 semesters.
- Recognition of prior higher education and equivalencies: prior educational and/or professional work experience may be taken into account.
- Formal admission requirements: Baccalaureate (vocational, specialised or academic), or admission on the basis of an individual dossier.
- Costs: fees per semester, and other expenses.
- Field practice: approximately one third of course time.
- Access to further qualifications: consecutive Master’s degree in Social Work, further education certificates and diplomas (CAS, DAS and MAS), university-based Master’s degrees (some specific requirements may apply).
Additional Information
- “Brochure “Social Work Studies”
- Links to the individual UAS (Bachelor):
- Berner Fachhochschule, Departement Soziale Arbeit
- OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, Departement Soziale Arbeit
- Hochschule Luzern – Soziale Arbeit
- Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW, Hochschule für Soziale Arbeit
- Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse occidentale HES-SO, domaine Travail social
- Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana SUPSI, Dipartimento economia aziendale, sanità e sociale
- Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Departement Soziale Arbeit