Experiential Education
Experiential Education has been established as a specialized concept for several decades and has gained additional relevance due to societal and professional developments. This Academic Program addresses these developments and integrates the existing concept with current professional and social perspectives.
The focus is on an experience-oriented practice that is also grounded in scientific research. You will engage with findings from resilience and brain research, experiences of self-efficacy, non-formal learning and a comprehensive understanding of competencies. Through this, you will learn to position experiential education as a distinct concept and distinguish it from leisure and play-based education.
Based on reflective self-experience, you will develop the ability to professionally design experiential education settings and implement projects built upon them. The Academic Program comprises 60 ECTS credits, lasts two semesters and is organized as a work-friendly program.
Experience. Reflect. Shape your development.
Strengthen your skills for Experiential Education settings and projects.
Study Content and Areas of Focus
Who is this program intended for?
This Academic Program is primarily intended for professionals working in educational and social fields who hold a relevant Bachelor’s Degree or a qualification in a related field. This includes, in particular, the following areas:
- Preschool and school
- Extracurricular education
- Open child and youth work
- Child and youth welfare
- Adult social work
- Equal Opportunity and Diversity
Admission requires a completed Bachelor’s Degree, a specialized certification comprising at least 1,500 hours of training, or relevant professional experience totaling at least 3,000 hours or two years of full-time work.
In addition, the preparatory seminar at Freinatur Steiermark must be completed: Training Programs - Freinatur Steiermark (freinatur-steiermark.at)
You'll focus on these key areas
Experiential Education & Current Developments
You will explore the further development of the theoretical framework of experiential education and examine current professional and social trends. In doing so, you will learn to contextualize the concept within a contemporary framework and understand its significance in a professional setting.
Self-Efficacy & Scientific Foundations
Findings from resilience research highlight the importance of experiences of self-efficacy for experiential education. In addition, you will examine findings from brain research that support the fundamental assumptions of experiential education regarding the effectiveness of its settings.
Non-Formal Learning & Competency-Based Approach
You will become familiar with concepts of non-formal learning that further develop and provide a theoretical foundation for “learning by doing.” The concept of competence, developed within the EU context, combines knowledge, skills, attitudes and actions, thereby enabling a clearer distinction between experiential education and leisure-based or play-based education.
Experience-Oriented Practice
A central component of the Academic Program is practical application. Based on reflective self-experience, you will learn to design experiential education settings and develop projects from them.
You can take on these tasks after completing the program
After completing the Academic Program, you will be able to apply experiential education in a well-founded and professional manner.
Plan and implement projects
You will be able to plan, carry out and evaluate projects based on experiential education settings.
Further developing the pedagogical concept
You can engage with the further development of experiential education and justify the concept using scientific theories.
Advocating for Experiential Education Professionally
You will develop the professional foundation needed to advocate for experiential education as an independent concept in a professional context.
Info Box
Level of qualification
Academic Program
ECTS credits
60
Tuition fees
€ 2,750 / Semester
+ one-time fee of € 120 for the preparatory module, available through Freinatur
ÖH (Austrian Student Union) fee
€ 26.20 / Semester
Qualification awarded
Academic Experiential Educator
Duration of Study
2 Semesters with 444 teaching hours
Language of instruction
German
CU Campus
Feldkirchen
Next Information Session: Thursday, August 27, 2026, 5:30 p.m., ONLINE via MS Teams
Participation is free. For organizational reasons, we ask that you register for the information session: Eventbrite
October 2026 (based on a sufficient number of participants)
Preparatory/Introductory Module: September 18-20, 2026. Please register directly through Freinatur
Block sessions take place from Thursday through Saturday and Friday through Sunday:
Dates for the 1st semester (Winter Semester 2026)
- October 16-18, 2026
- November 13-15, 2026
- December 11-13, 2026
- January 22-24, 2027
- February 26-28, 2027
- Accompanying: Peer Groups (self-organized study group meetings) worth 4 ECTS credits
Dates for the 2nd semester (Spring 2027)
- April 9-12, 2027
- May 14-17, 2027
- June 25-27, 2027
- July 3-5, 2027
- Accompanying: Peer Groups (self-organized study group meetings) worth 4 ECTS credits
Completion: October 2027
For your application, we need the following documents:
- A detailed cover letter
- Current resume with photo
- Proof of admission requirements or professional training
- If necessary, an admission interview to assess your suitability
- Overview of available Financial Aid Options
- 10% discount on tuition fees per semester for students and graduates of CU Carinthia University
Feldkirchen Campus
Virtual Campus Tour
On foot
From the Feldkirchen bus station, you can reach the campus in about 5 minutes on foot. Take 10th October Street toward the city center until you reach Schillerplatz. From there, continue along Kirchgasse and Ossiacher Street to Hauptplatz. The campus is located at the lower end of Hauptplatz.
By public transportation
If you’re coming to Feldkirchen by train or bus, the campus is about a 10-minute walk (600 m) from the Feldkirchen train station and about a 5-minute walk (400 m) from the Feldkirchen bus station.
By car
Coming from Klagenfurt, take the Feldkirchen bypass to the third traffic light, then turn left onto Ossiacher See Süduferstraße. Follow the road for about 1 km, then turn left before the railroad overpass toward the city center onto Ossiacher Straße.
Coming from Villach, turn right at the first traffic light onto Ossiacher See Süduferstraße. Follow the road for about 1 km, then turn left before the railroad overpass toward the city center onto Ossiacher Straße.
After about 200 m, you’ll find a free parking lot on the left. The campus is located at the lower end of the main square. There are several short-term parking spots directly in front of the building.
By Plane
There are several airports in the area to choose from:
- Klagenfurt: about a 30-minute drive
- Ljubljana (Slovenia): approx. 1 hour 15 minutes by car
- Graz: about 1 hour and 45 minutes by car
- Salzburg: approx. 2 hours 30 minutes by car
- Trieste and Venice (Italy): approx. 2 to 3 hours’ drive
- Vienna: approx. 3 hours 45 minutes by car
- Munich: approx. 4 hours travel time
The onward journey to the Feldkirchen campus can then be made by train, bus, taxi, or car.
Contact
Prof. Hubert Höllmüller, M.A., Ph.D.
Research Director
+43 5 90500 4212
h.hoellmueller(at)cuas.at
Mag.a Alexandra Liegl.
Head of CU Academy
+43 5 90500 4311
a.liegl(at)cuas.at
Elisabeth Tauss, B.A. in Social Work, M.A.
Freinatur Styria
+43 (0) 676 68 16 002
office(at)freinatur.com
Mag.a (FH) Daniela Pluch
Manager of Educational Programs
+43 5 90500 4312
d.pluch(at)cuas.at