Careers in social work
A Bachelor’s degree in Social Work opens up a wide range of career opportunities, while a Master’s degree allows you to play a key role in shaping the future of social work.
Bachelor’s degree
In the Bachelor’s degree programme, you will acquire fundamental skills for addressing case-related and client-specific issues and problems. Graduates can look forward to extremely varied and stimulating occupations that are always centred around people. You will advise and support people in difficult life situations, including those characterised by poverty, disability, illness, addiction or abuse. You will assist people with financial matters, finding employment and housing, or building and developing social networks. You will create work and leisure opportunities that strengthen coexistence and promote quality of life. You will develop measures to combat exclusion and create public understanding of the situation socially disadvantaged people find themselves in. You will represent the interests of individuals or groups who are unable to make themselves heard.
Master’s degree
The Master’s programme qualifies graduates for client-specific interventions with high methodological standards in various fields of practice. You will learn to develop concepts, models and solutions to complex questions and problems, implement them in professional practice and evaluate them using a scientifically based approach. You will also acquire the skills to help shape future-oriented professional discourse.
Potential areas of work
- Public and company-based social services, for instance in communities, hospitals or other establishments
- Counselling centres for children, young people, families, adults, the elderly or people with disabilities
- Child and adult protection authorities (KESB)
- Public guardianship offices
- Youth welfare offices
- Employment and integration programmes
- Job centres
- Residential care units and homes
- Child day-care centres and nurseries
- School and education system, for instance in school social work
- Community, youth and leisure centres
- Social planning and community work
- Organisations involved with the asylum system and migration
- Educational institutions (teaching and research)