Vocational Education for Nursing & Health Professions (M.A.)

With this study programme, we are responding precisely to the increased requirements for the academic qualification of teaching staff in educational institutions in the health and social care sector, as newly regulated and defined by the "Act on the Reform of Nursing Professions", which will come into force in 2020. We qualify you at an academic level for the teaching profession as well as for leadership tasks and management-related fields of activity in vocational schools in the nursing and health care sector.

At our university, you study in a practical, success-oriented and family-friendly way alongside your job. The programme lasts 5 or 6 semesters*. Courses are usually held on Fridays and occasionally on Saturdays, plus a one-week block course at the end of the semester.

Together with our experienced professors and lecturers, you will deepen your skills with regard to the design and evaluation of vocational teaching and learning processes as well as media education and educational technology. You will deal in detail with theories and methods of vocational education research and current lines of development in nursing and health education. The programme enables you to reflect on and assess the design and administration of vocational training institutions in the fields of nursing and health according to the latest state of knowledge.

The total workload for the degree programme corresponds to 90 credit points (or 120 CP)*, whereby one credit point corresponds to a workload of 30 hours. You acquire the state and internationally recognised Master of Arts (M.A.) and are thus not only excellently qualified for teaching activities in specialist theoretical training in nursing and health care, but also for corresponding management and leadership functions.

*Note: Applicants with a Bachelor's degree with 210 credit points can complete the Master's programme in 5 semesters. Applicants with a Bachelor's degree of only 180 credit points must complete an additional semester and can therefore start in the previous winter semester.

In the course of this study program, you will deal in depth with theories and methods of vocational education research, with media pedagogy and educational technology, as well as with current lines of development in nursing and health care education. You will develop a critical understanding of different scientific approaches and learn to independently apply, question and expand your knowledge by contributing your own ideas. You will acquire problem-solving and media skills as well as flexibility, creativity and the ability to innovate in order to plan, manage and evaluate complex teaching and learning processes in nursing and health care in a plausible and scientifically sound manner and to develop them further on the basis of empirical data. The program enables you to intervene in the optimization of vocational training programs and the improvement of administrative school processes in nursing and health education. You will learn to reflect and evaluate the development and administration of vocational schools in the nursing and health care sector based on the current state of science.

You will receive the state and internationally recognized Master of Arts (M.A.) and are thus not only excellently qualified for teaching activities in the specialized theoretical training in nursing and health care, but also for corresponding management and leadership functions.
Our graduates work in a wide range of fields:

• as teachers of specialised theoretical instruction at state-approved/recognised vocational schools for nursing and health care professions,
• in personnel and organisational development in health care companies,
• in associations, organisations, foundations, health insurance companies and other health and social care institutions,
• in authorities, ministries and political stakeholders in the health sector,
• in health-related media institutions, publishing houses and media agencies,
• in the management of multi-professional teams in health and social institutions.

As a private university, we offer you many advantages and services from the first interest in a place at our university to your graduation - and beyond. With us, you are not just an anonymous matriculation number, but we accompany you individually, purposefully, supportively and challengingly on YOUR way through your studies. 

In order to be able to offer you this high quality of study, we have to charge tuition fees. As a private university, the FHD is not supported by public funds, but has to finance itself completely.

Of course, there are various ways in which you can finance your studies. We will be happy to look at your individual situation and find solutions together.

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Admission to the programme requires a first university degree that is recognised in Germany as qualifying for a profession and is relevant to the subject. The following degree programmes are considered relevant: Nursing science, midwifery science, health science, therapy science, as well as vocational pedagogical study courses with a subject focus in the field of human services management or other study courses in which at least 30 credit points have been acquired in the field of educational sciences or vocational pedagogy.

In the part-time degree programme, a teaching position at vocational schools or other institutions in the health or care sector is generally required. In each subject semester that includes a practice reflection module, proof of a corresponding professional activity (or an internship) to the extent of 30 hours per credit point of the practice reflection module must be provided.

You want to get started right away? You can apply at any time.

Everything else about the application process can be found here.