Bachelor’s Program in Social Work
Curious about others? Are you interested in people and their life circumstances? Do you want to work with, counsel, and support individuals? After completing your education at OST, you’ll be ready to take on responsible roles in society and act with professional expertise.
As a specialist, you’ll engage directly with people or shape the environments in which they live. The Bachelor’s program in Social Work at OST bridges your aspirations with the diverse demands of the social work profession.
Program at a Glance
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Social Work
Start of Program Studies
Spring semester: week 8
Fall semester: week 38
Duration of Studies
6 semesters full-time
8–10 semesters part-time
Tuition
CHF 1,000 per semester
Campus
St.Gallen campus
Registration Deadline
Week 45 for the spring semester start
Week 13 for the fall semester start
Good to Know
Since the courses are taught in German, we kindly refer you to the German pages for more detailed information.
Advantages of a Bachelor in Social Work at OST
- Focus on People: As a social work professional, you’ll engage directly with people and help shape the environments in which they live.
- Diverse Career Opportunities: Our comprehensive, generalist program prepares you to work across all fields and institutions of social work.
- Flexible Study Options: Choose to study full-time, part-time, or alongside professional practice to fit your lifestyle.
- Theory-to-Practice Transfer: Apply your knowledge and develop your methodological skills during practical modules and projects throughout your studies.
- Interdisciplinary and Connected Learning: Social work integrates knowledge from various fields, such as psychology, sociology, politics, and economics, fostering a broad and interconnected approach to learning.
Program Focus and Content
In addition to choosing between Social Work or Social Pedagogy, you can tailor your studies and deepen your knowledge by selecting one of the two available specializations during the advanced phase of the program. The choice between Social Work and Social Pedagogy provides a foundational orientation, but these areas often overlap in practice. A degree in Social Work from our program qualifies you for both fields.
Social Work
Social Work focuses on providing counseling to ensure individuals’ essential needs are met. This involves addressing diverse issues such as housing, income, social exclusion, and integration into the community.
Potential fields of work include social services, organizations focused on child and adult protection, counseling centers, and projects in areas such as addiction, family, violence, or migration.
Social Pedagogy
Social Pedagogy focuses on the daily lives of individuals and becomes active when people can no longer manage their everyday lives independently. This can involve protective and educational support, assistance, or the creation of recreational opportunities.
Typical fields of work in social pedagogy include residential groups, institutional care facilities, day centers, and social-pedagogical family support.
Specialization «Integrity and Social Work»
In this specialization, you will explore the fundamental conditions of integrity, learning to understand the concept and apply it to everyday situations. You’ll examine how integrity can be threatened or violated from sociological, psychological, and philosophical perspectives. A particular focus is placed on the concepts of recognition and disrespect, their significance, and how they influence professional actions.
Through specific examples of compromised integrity, you’ll learn to analytically understand such phenomena and develop actionable solutions. The knowledge gained will be applied and refined in case workshops.
Specialization «Social Change and Social Work»
In this specialization, you will examine social change and discuss its impact on social work. The focus includes an analysis of Switzerland's social structure and its connection to current issues in economics, politics, and culture. You will also explore questions of equal opportunities and social justice.
You will critically engage with scientific and political discourses on migration and integration. Additionally, by focusing on global transformations, inequalities, and power dynamics, you will gain insights into international development cooperation.
Contact
Prof. Stephan Schlenker
Program director Social Work