Study content and requirements
for the Psychosocial Counseling Program
Would you like to provide professional counseling to people and support them through challenging life situations? In the Bachelor’s Program in Psychosocial Counseling: Life and Social Counseling, you’ll gain the professional, methodological, and personal skills needed to do just that. Find out what prerequisites you should meet, what to expect during the program, and how the application process works.
What should you bring with you for your studies?
Supporting people in difficult life situations requires openness, a sense of responsibility, and a willingness to reflect on oneself. If you enjoy working with people, are an attentive listener, and have an interest in psychological issues, you have what it takes to succeed in this program. Equally important is a willingness to engage in self-reflection, as your own personality is an essential component of professional counseling.
What you will learn during your studies
During your studies, you’ll combine academic fundamentals with hands-on training. You’ll explore psychological, social, and legal topics and become familiar with various counseling approaches and conversation techniques. There’s a special emphasis on self-awareness, supervision, and developing your own counseling skills. Practical exercises and case studies will help you apply what you’ve learned directly and gain confidence for your daily professional practice.
Admission requirements
To be admitted, you need a relevant professional qualification or several years of relevant professional experience. Whether your educational background meets the requirements will be assessed as part of the application process. This ensures that all students can begin their studies on a suitable foundation.
How the application process works
Applications are submitted online. Once you have submitted your documents, they will be reviewed, and you will then be informed of the next steps. We recommend that you apply early so that your documents can be processed in a timely manner and you have enough time to plan your studies.
General Information about the Program
For more information on admission requirements, training contracts, nostrification and recognition of qualifications, the admissions process, examination regulations and grading, ECTS credits, and the academic calendar, please refer to the General Study Information.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the “Psychosocial Counseling: Life & Social Counseling” Bachelor’s Degree
Life and Social Counseling or Psychotherapy?
Life and social counselors support mentally healthy people facing challenging life situations. Psychotherapy treats mental illnesses.
Do I need prior knowledge of Psychology?
No. The psychological foundations and methods of psychosocial counseling are systematically taught during the Program.
What admission requirements do I need to meet?
To be admitted, you need a relevant professional qualification or several years of relevant work experience. Your educational background will be reviewed during the application process to determine whether it meets the requirements.
Current Courses
Current course -
Key Module Topics
The Higher Education Program “Psychosocial Counseling: Life and Social Counseling” is divided into 13 modules:
Participants…
- … have a basic understanding of ethics
- … can integrate this knowledge into their own counseling work
- … can independently identify and evaluate ethical considerations related to their work as a life and social counselor
- … are familiar with the job description of a life and social counselor
- … can contextualize this role within the broader professional landscape, integrate it into their own counseling process, and take it into account in their personal professional development
- … can identify opportunities for growth for clients based on a reflection of their own value and norm systems
- … can continuously and critically examine their own ethical stance and use it as the foundation for their own counseling
Participants…
- … have knowledge of the fundamentals of social philosophy and sociology and their various methodological approaches
- … are able to apply this knowledge to their own counseling practice with clients regarding their social environments, taking into account inclusion, diversity, gender, and age
Identity and the roles of family and society, taking into account inclusion, diversity, gender, and age
Participants…
- … are able to recognize the complex realities surrounding diverse family forms and their significance and challenges, analyze them in light of clients’ varying life stories, view these as the foundation for their practical work as counselors, and apply them in specific counseling situations
- … are able to reevaluate their own understanding of their role from the perspective of modern gender studies and corresponding diverse gender constructions, and to reflect this in their communication and various forms of linguistic expression when interacting with clients
Participants…
- … are familiar with the fundamental areas of practice and research as well as the most important theoretical approaches in psychology and can describe their scientific methodologies
- … can distinguish between psychosocial counseling, clinical psychology, and psychotherapy
- … can methodically and didactically plan and implement counseling processes from the initial assessment through to completion
- … are familiar with the various partners in the psychosocial counseling system and understand the limits of counseling options
- … are familiar with the processes of referral and coordination and can collaborate with other professional groups in the health and social services sectors
- … are competent in assessing clients’ situations based on learned theoretical concepts of crisis intervention
- … are familiar with theoretical concepts related to stress and stress management
Participants…
- … can develop and design counseling processes
- … are familiar with various psychosocial problem areas
- … are familiar with theory-based intervention methods and techniques for guiding psychosocial counseling processes
- … can design workshops, seminars, and presentations on topics related to life and social counseling
- … understand supervision as a necessary process of reflection for psychosocial counseling
Participants…
- … can assess clients’ situations based on their foundational theoretical knowledge of mental illness
- … interact responsibly with clients and address their challenges, drawing on their theoretical knowledge of mental illness
- … are familiar with referral options and opportunities for collaboration with psychiatric facilities
Participants…
- … can apply their basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology to assess the client’s symptoms and condition
- … are familiar with the basics of anatomy and physiology
- … are familiar with the fundamentals of psychosomatics
Participants…
- … are familiar with legal topics relevant to their profession
- … can apply this legal knowledge to specific counseling contexts (marriage, family, divorce, residency, employment)
- … are aware of the limits of their own professional expertise and can therefore refer clients appropriately to other authorized agencies
- … can properly document counseling sessions while adhering to data protection regulations
Participants …
- … are familiar with the fundamentals of scientific research
- … can identify real-world problems and transform them into research questions
- … are familiar with various approaches to scientific research
- … can select appropriate methods for their own research objectives
- … can analyze quantitative data and learn to draw theory-based conclusions from it
- … are familiar with scientific methods in the relevant social sciences
- … are familiar with the fundamentals of qualitative and quantitative research approaches
- … can articulate the benefits of these findings for the evaluation of counseling processes
Participants …
- … are familiar with the business and legal fundamentals of running their own consulting firm
- … can use the fundamentals covered in the course to develop, assess, and evaluate their own service offerings
- … can establish and position their own offerings in the consulting market
Based on the fields of activity listed in the respective elective modules, participants can assess and select the competencies they have acquired in relation to the topics, content, and methods specific to those modules, and then structure, apply, adapt, and reflect on these competencies as part of a process management approach.
Knowledge:
Participants…
- … are familiar with the theoretical foundations and topic-specific characteristics of the counseling fields listed in the respective elective module with regard to questions and problem areas
- … are familiar with the essential current professional literature relevant to the counseling fields listed in the respective elective module, as well as its models, methods and counseling interventions, and know how to stay informed about the current state of science and research
- … are familiar with the specific characteristics and challenges of the counseling fields listed in the respective elective module and know how to assess and contextualize these in relation to their concrete counseling practice
Skills:
Participants …
- … are able to apply the essential and typical methods and interventions relevant to the respective elective module, adapt and modify them for the specific counseling context, and apply them with a view to transfer, their effects, and their outcomes
- … are able to apply the counseling models typical of the counseling fields listed in the respective elective module to specific counseling processes, carry out these processes, and manage them
Social/Personal Competencies:
Participants …
- … are able, as the individuals responsible for the counseling process, to explain both the process and the models, methods, and interventions used to their clients in the interest of transparency and to inform them about their potential effects
- … are able to analyze their own counseling practice through evaluation and self-reflection – both with regard to their clients and to the specific counseling process – and to reflect on the quality of their counseling
Participants …
- … can independently identify a topic for their thesis and then write a proposal on that topic
- … have mastered the necessary skills for writing a bachelor’s thesis
- … can present their bachelor’s thesis to a specialized audience and engage in an in-depth discussion of the topic
- … develop topics that cut across the program’s content and are able to present and defend their bachelor’s thesis and demonstrate their subject expertise during a final examination before a committee
Participants …
- … use the assigned tasks to consciously explore their own life stories within the thematic area specified in the course description (biographical work)
- … work together with the self-awareness facilitator on topics related to personal development
- … understand self-awareness, self-exploration, and self-reflection as existential aspects of “private life” and as important factors influencing professional work and psychosocial practice
Participants …
- … participate in peer groups (which consist of individuals who are also training to become life and social counselors)
- … engage in discussions with peers to deepen their understanding of course material, reflect on the learning process, discuss literature, and complete exercises
- … prepare reports on counseling sessions conducted as part of their professional training and submit them in pseudonymized form
- … reflect on experiences gained through practical skills development in supervision sessions with qualified supervisors
- … acquire practical and professional competence through work in relevant practices and institutions
- … acquire practical professional competence by planning, implementing, and evaluating seminars on psychosocial topics
Make Counseling your Career.
Gain the qualifications needed for professional psychosocial counseling and provide expert support to people facing challenging life situations. With the Bachelor Professional Degree, you’ll lay the foundation for your future career as a life and social counselor.
Jobs & Careers
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychosocial Counseling: Life & Social Counseling, you’ll qualify for a versatile career with a promising future. As a life and social counselor, you’ll help people overcome personal, family, or professional challenges, develop new perspectives, and strengthen their own resources. Your day-to-day work is varied and centered on working with people in a wide range of life situations.
A wide range of Career Opportunities
After completing your studies, numerous career paths will be open to you. You can work with people at counseling centers, social service agencies, health and educational institutions, or companies. You can also work as a self-employed life and social counselor – provided you meet the legal requirements. Thanks to the broad scope of your education, you’ll have a wide range of career opportunities in a growing professional field.
Your Future Opportunities
The demand for professional psychosocial counseling is growing steadily. Social changes, increasing psychological stress, and more complex life circumstances are driving up the need for qualified counselors. Through this Degree Program, you’ll lay the foundation for a responsible career in which you can provide people with long-term support and guide their personal development.