Department of Building, Energy & Society

Social Work

My Studies

 

Key subject areas

The task of the social worker is to support people during complex and challenging situations in their lives and help them resolve their problems.

After completing the Master’s degree programme in Social Work, you will be capable of diagnosing social problems. Based on this, you will plan approaches and develop support concepts which you will then implement together with those affected. The part-time Master’s course will also enable you to evaluate this process on a scientific basis.

The Social Work Master’s programme is not just open to graduates of the Bachelor’s course of the same name. Students who have completed a relevant course at a different university or who have attended a college of social education complete with a minimum of three years’ professional experience in social work can also apply.

We aim to attract committed students from the region as well as from Austria, the EU and third countries in order to ensure optimal support for all target groups, both in terms of content and language. After completing an introductory stage, you will have the chance to further expand your theory-based expertise and practical skills as part of three elective modules – Intercultural and International Social Work, Social Policy, Social Economy and Social Management, and Social Work with People in Precarious Circumstances.

“Undertaking autonomous research on social work issues is important for the profession as a whole, helping us to confront the heteronomy of other scientific disciplines.”

Tanja Fellner, BA MA, Graduate

What specialisations are available?

Intercultural and International Social Work

Interested in developing your theory and practical-based knowledge of social work within the context of globalisation? Classes on topics such as social work in foreign cultures, ethno-psychoanalytical social work, social and cultural practices, asylum issues and the psychosocial aspects of war and torture will provide you with the necessary expertise for your work within an international society. These specialist classes will allow you to reflect on your professional ways of thinking and acting against the background of the international values of social work.

Social Policy, Social Economy and Social Management

This elective module will teach you to analyse political and economic issues in theory and practice. The core content revolves around managing organisations and understanding organisational dynamics and cultures. Classes on HR management, finance, law, quality development and knowledge management enable you to carry out challenging tasks within a social organisation and implement managerial tasks.

Social Work with People in Precarious Circumstances

You will be trained in all areas of classic social work. Once you have completed your studies, you will thus be able to work in a wide range of non-profit organisations such as hospitals, counselling services, schools, prisons and associations. You will also devise innovative projects designed to actively tackle current social issues such as the increase in social inequality, the risk of poverty and the growth of migration.