Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Study Music and Movement-based Social Work

Do you want to qualify for a career in social work? Would you like to expand your musical and dance skills and use them professionally? Apply for the Bachelor's in Music and Movement-based Social Work - the only course of its kind in Germany!

application info
Gitarren

Content

What is the Music and Movement-based Social Work degree programme about?

Practice-oriented with a solid scientific foundation - a degree in Music and Movement-based Social Work will challenge you both personally and artistically! It combines traditional social work with the artistic-creative media of music, movement and dance.

Around two-thirds of the courses offered are identical to those in the Bachelor's in Social Work and will qualify you for social work in heterogeneous and multi-professional environments. This is achieved both through the teaching of independent Grounded Theory methodology within the discipline of social work and by reflecting on scientific theory, research methodology and other content relevant to managing social problems, education and upbringing. The final 30 percent of courses are from the field of music and movement pedagogy/rhythmics as well as social cultural work.

This offers you:

  • Intensive professional and artistic engagement with the creative media of music and movement,
  • The theoretical and research elements of both music and movement pedagogy and cultural education,
  • Instruction in aesthetic educational and creative processes in direct relation to social work target groups.

Music and movement are ideal media for use in social work, with a broad spectrum of effects when working with clients. Cultural participation, improving educational opportunities, prevention and inclusion are all important goals. After graduation, you will possess comprehensive subject and methodological competence, both in the social sciences and in disciplines such as movement/dance or music/voice/percussion/band. At the same time, engaging with the theory and methodology/didactics of music and movement pedagogy and cultural education will form the necessary foundations for a successful professional career. Teamwork and constructive reflection will help you to build a high level of personal expertise with a broad spectrum of soft skills.

Strengths of the degree programme

Intensive theory-practice relationship

If you decide to study in our faculty, you will benefit from an intensive relationship between theory and practice as well as ideal facilities, well-equipped for music and movement studies.

State recognition

This degree programme qualifies you as a state-recognised social education worker. State accreditation is awarded with your degree certificate.

Career opportunities

What career prospects do I have as a social worker specialising in music and movement?

A variety of professional activities centering around supporting, assisting and advising people are open to you. Music and movement are central to this - they initiate contact, strengthen self-confidence, open up educational opportunities and enable comprehensive personal development.

  • With this degree, you are well equipped for the wide range of settings involved in social work:

    • Child and youth work, childcare facilities, youth cultural centres
    • Institutions, clinics, rehabilitation facilities
    • Residential homes and workshops for people with disabilities
    • Parent and family education centres
    • Vocational training and further education, specialist academies, adult education centres
    • Neighbourhood programmes, intercultural work
    • Educational and social facilities for senior citizens
    • ...as well as offering private courses, project work, artistic work and much more.

    Specialising in music and movement also opens up a wide range of professional options. Specific profiles can include the following aspects:

    • Leading both active and receptive artistic-educational activities in the field of music and movement/dance with a wide variety of target groups (e.g. extracurricular or cultural educational programmes involving music and movement to supplement to the music and dance therapy offered in specialised clinics and residential homes).
    • Developing and organising inclusive cultural education activities and performances
    • Networking, maintaining cooperation between social institutions and clubs/associations or cultural/educational institutions
    • Advising and facilitating lessons at music schools, memberships in (sports) clubs, etc. - Public relations work (e.g. press work, political lobbying, representation in associations etc. to implement the right to cultural education and participation)
    • Public relations work (e.g. press work, political lobbying, representation in associations etc. to implement the right to cultural education and participation)
    • Organising and/or leading training courses and professional conferences
    • Other work as an artist.

  • After graduation, you can choose from a wide variety of Master's degree programmes (e.g. psychomotricity, music therapy, cultural management, performance, social work with different specialisations) which offer you the opportunity to acquire further qualifications, including a doctorate. After successfully passing the entrance exam, you may also begin a Master's degree in the field of rhythmic/elementary music education (EMP) at a conservatoire.


Structure and modules

How is the degree programme structured?

The degree comprises seven semesters and is divided into three stages. After learning the fundamentals, you will complete the practical semester in a social education institution. In the third stage, you will further expand your knowledge and complete your Bachelor's thesis.

  • The first stage focuses on the fundamentals. You will also complete an internship parallel to your studies, in which you can gain initial experience in social work.

    Content includes:

    • Basics of Professional Theory
    • Fields of Social Work
    • Legal Background
    • Humanities and Human Sciences
    • Methodology / Didactical Approaches in Music and Movement Pedagogy
    • Introduction to Artistic Practice
    • Improvisation and Arrangement

    Further information can be found in the download area (schematic overview, module handbook).


  • The practical semester consists of a 22 week internship in a relevant field. Under the guidance of social education workers, you have the opportunity to intensively explore an area of social work and to develop your skills. An internship abroad is also possible!


  • Here you will build on the foundations learned in the 1st stage of study, drawing on the impressions formed during your practical internship.

    Content includes:

    • Sociological and Political Scientific Accentuation
    • Educational Scientific Accentuation
    • Health Science and Psychological Accentuation
    • Social Management
    • Cultural and Project Management
    • Artistic Accentuation
    • Theory and History of Music and Movement Pedagogy
    • Working with different target groups using music and movement

    In the final Bachelor's thesis, you will engage intensively with a research question of your choice.


Congas

Studies and organisational matters

So that everything runs smoothly

What do I need to know? When and where do the lectures take place? When is exam time? Here you will find everything you need to know.

  • The Music and Movement-based Social Work degree is offered at the Faculty of Social and Health Care Sciences. Lectures take place at the main campus in Seybothstraße and in Prüfening.

    • Main campus Seybothstraße/Galgenbergstraße (Seybothstr. 2, 93053 Regensburg)
    • Prüfening (Prüfeninger Str. 58, 93049 Regensburg)

     


  • The degree programme is accredited until 30.09.2023.


  • In principle, it is possible to study abroad. Information is available from the OTH Regensburg's International Office or the faculty's International Officer.


Application info

1. As your first step, please register at hochschulstart.de .

Our checklist summarizes all the important information for you.

2. After registering at “Hochschulstart”, please apply in the OTH Regensburg application portal.

3. The application process is entirely online. Complete the online application and upload all required application documents. This includes as a minimum your university entrance qualification. If further documents are necessary, they will be requested in the application portal.

4. Make sure you regularly check your status in both application portals. In the OTH Regensburg application portal, you can also see whether any documents are still missing. You can upload missing documents before the deadline for late submission of certificates. If you upload the required documents, your status will change.

5. You will automatically receive email notifications via the OTH Regensburg application portal as well as via “Hochschulstart” when your application status changes.

6. If all application documents have been received within the application deadline and are valid, you will then be included in the allocation procedure for a place of study. Please note that the application deadline is a cut-off deadline. This means that you will not be able to submit an application after the deadline and thus will not be considered in the current application process.

7. After your application has been processed, you will receive an e-mail with further information from the Admissions and Organisation Department of the OTH Regensburg as confirmation of receipt.

8. So what comes next? You can find all the information you need in the section under Admissions and Enrolment. 

Start your application now:

1. Step. Hochschulstart 2. Step: application portal

For winter semesters:

Application period for first semesters: 1 May – 15 July. Deadline for late submission of certificates: 27 July.

Application period for higher semesters: 1 May - 15 June (no late submissions)

For summer semesters:

Application period for first semesters: 15 November - 15 January. Deadline for late submission of certificates: 20 January

Application period for higher semesters: 15 November - 15 January (no late submissions)

General Information:

During the pre-study placement, practical ideas and knowledge are to be conveyed, i.e. no auxiliary activities should be performed. It is to be completed full-time ( which is normal in companies/institutions).
If you are attending the FOS/BOS, please do not enclose any internship documents, proof of activities, etc. Your school leaving certificate is sufficient, as it states the field of study.

Confirmation of pre-study placement:

- Submit one complete confirmation and not several partial confirmations.
- The number of weeks must be included in all pre-study placement confirmations; i.e. not only the period of time.
- If the previous pre-study placement was not completed in Germany, a certificate in at least English is required.

You are welcome to use our ”Praktikumsbestätigung” (pre-study placement confirmation) form as an aid and submit it to the company/institution for signature.

Special information for this study programme:

The pre-study internship requirement does not apply if the FOS/BOS certificate with the subject social services is uploaded with your application for admission. In all other cases, the following information applies:

Due date of the pre-study internship certificate:

With your application for admission, at the time of enrolment, at the latest by the beginning of your studies. Exception: Completion is not possible prior to the start of studies if this is due to the fulfilment of a public service obligation, which in individual cases ends less than 6 weeks before the start of the study period.

Duration:

6 weeks

Splitting up your pre-study internship:

The pre-study placement can be divided into two 3-week blocks and also into two separate pre-study positions. Please submit the documents once completely, not several times with partial confirmations.

Content:

Socio-educational activities are to be completed, e.g. in the following institutions and social services:

Kindergarden, children's home, curative educational facility, special school, hospital*, nursing home*, youth welfare office, employment agency*, weltwärts, FSJ,federal voluntary serviceas well as in the areas of educational and family support, health care, rehabilitation, resocialisation, adult education, youth work, school social work.

* Please make sure to perform socio-educational activities (not nursing or housekeeping) in these listed institutions!

Certificates of service cannot be recognised, as no activities are listed there. Please have them certified separately.

Exception: Certificates for the voluntary social year (FSJ) are generally recognised.

Not recognised:

Au-pair and child rearing activities, work as a nurse in a hospital or nursing home, medical assistant, honorary posts and administrative work in social organisations involving teaching, quality management or office work.

1. Please register in the application portal of OTH Regensburg .

2. You can now select the programme you want to apply for. Please go through the steps of the application, read the information carefully and upload the required documents when prompted. If you are applying for a higher semester, the most important documents are your university entrance qualification (for details please also check the tab „International“), certificates of language proficiency, official transcripts of records showing the courses you already completed, as well as a completed and signed application for credit recognition. Additional documents will be pointed out in the application portal.

Important!
You should only apply for a higher semester if you have already completed at least one semester in a similar university degree in terms of academic level (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) and field of study. If you are currently enrolled in your first semester at university, you should not apply for a higher semester because you will most likely not receive your exam results before our application deadline (we do not accept any documents after the deadline).

To assess whether you have already completed creditable work, you should first read the study and examination regulations of the programme you wish to study, in particular which courses and modules are included in the curriculum. Further details of course content can be found in the programme’s module handbook. You can find these documents on the OTH Regensburg programme website. If you believe that you have already completed courses that are equivalent in terms of content and workload to courses from the programme’s curriculum at OTH Regensburg, you can make a proposal for recognition to the Admissions Board by listing these courses in the application for credit transfer. You also need to submit transcripts of records. Please combine these with course or module descriptions from your previous university. Instead of uploading the complete module handbooks, you should only upload the module descriptions of the courses you have completed. If the courses were taken at OTH Regensburg, module descriptions are not required. If you would be interested in studying the programme in the first semester as well, you should apply separately for the first semester (different deadlines or requirements may apply).

3. Please check the OTH Regensburg application portal regularly for updates on your status or missing documents. If necessary, you can upload any missing documents before the application deadline.

4. As soon as your application has been processed by the Admissions Office, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with additional information. Please note that receiving a confirmation e-mail does not imply that you will also receive admission.

 

5. If all application documents have been received within the application deadline and are valid, you will receive an e-mail with further information after the examination committee has checked the documents. Please note that it is no longer possible to apply after the application deadline. 

6. The examination committee decides on the crediting of academic achievements and whether a placement in a higher semester is possible. This placement is based on the creditable achievements and not on the semesters completed. Please note that there may also be admission restrictions in the admission procedure for higher semesters. 

7. So what comes next? You can find all the information you need in the section under "Admissions and enrolment".

 

For their application at the OTH Regensburg, international applicants need

  • a university entrance qualification
  • an adequate knowledge of German

 

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE QUALIFICATION

For an application for a Bachelor’s degree programme at the OTH Regensburg (university of applied sciences) international certificates, transcripts of your educational records and diplomas must first be recognized by uni-assist. Please request a so-called “preliminary review documentation” (in German abbr. VPD). (Exceptions are applications from the PR China and Vietnam. The recognition lies in the responsibility of the particular Academic Evaluation Center. However, if the APS certificate does not show a grade, a VPD is also required. Applicants from India need a certificate of the Academic Evaluation Center of India in order to request the VPD from uni-assist.)

 

GERMAN LANGUAGE SKILLS

German language skills on level DSH 2 are required. You have to upload your German language certificate either when applying or when enrolling via the online portal.

These certificates are recognized as an alternative to the DSH 2 certificate:

  • TestDaF: TDN 4 in all sections of the exam
  • Studienkolleg: Feststellungsprüfung „Deutsch“
  • DSD: Level II with C1 in all sections of the exam
  • Goethe: C2
  • telc: telc Deutsch C2, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule
  • ÖSD: C2
  • UNIcert® Deutsch III

Please read all texts and, if available, linked documents directly under Application Info!

 

If you need a visa to study in Germany, you should look into the visa procedure and (if necessary) register on the waitlist as soon as possible. Depending on your country, receiving a visa appointment can take a long time. On the other hand, our admission letters are only valid for one semester and admission cannot be deferred.

You can find more information for prospective international students (on visas or other issues) on the web pages of the International Office.

For prospective students with a master craftsman's certificate

With a master craftsman's certificate or an equivalent equivalent qualification, you can apply without restriction and have no subject restrictions, as you have a general university entrance qualification. In the application portal, you will be asked for your higher education entrance qualification. Please enter "Beruflich Qualifizierte Meister" (vocationally qualified master craftsman).

When applying, in addition to your complete certificate including grade point average, you must also submit documentary proof of an interview with the departmental advisor for course guidance. Please make an appointment as early as possible. The name and contact details can be found in the "contact" section of each degree programme. Your course guidance advisor will also provide you with documentary proof that the interview took place. Documentary records of academic counselling from other universities in Bavaria are recognised for the same or similar degree programmes and must also be uploaded in the application portal. Other documents specific to your chosen study programme can be found in the application portal.

In admission-restricted (NC) degree programmes, you automatically take part in the regional selection procedure according to Art. 45 Bavarian Higher Education Act (BayHSchG) and within the 4% quota for professionally qualified persons.

Attending a preparatory course (including mathematics) is particularly useful for taking up a technical or engineering degree programme. The OTH Regensburg offers suitable preparatory courses for those with vocational qualifications.

If you would like to study part-time - i.e. parallel to your job - rather than full-time, we recommend that you visit the pages of the Centre for Continuing Education and Knowledge Management (ZWW).

For prospective students with a vocational qualification certificate

If you have completed vocational training, it is possible to apply for a place at university with a specific subject in mind. Your vocational training and the degree programme you wish to pursue must have a subject-related connection. In the application portal, you will be asked for your higher education entrance qualification. Please enter "Beruflich Qualifizierte Gesellen" (vocationally qualified journeymen).

Please upload the following documents with your application:

1. Certificate of completion of vocational training including grade point average

2. Certificate of completion from a vocational school

3. Proof of subsequent full-time employment of at least three years relevant to the vocational training.

4. Other documents specific to your chosen study programme can be found in the application portal.

5. Documentary record of an interview with the departmental advisor for course guidance. Please make an appointment as early as possible. The name and contact details can be found in the "contact" section of each degree programme. Your course guidance advisor will also provide you with confirmation that the interview took place. Documentary records of academic counselling from other universities in Bavaria are recognised for the same or similar degree programmes and must also be uploaded in the application portal.

For full admission, applicants are still required to complete a two-semester probationary period, i.e. admission is tentative and subject to certain conditions. 

In admission-restricted (NC) degree programmes, you automatically take part in the regional selection procedure according to Art. 45 Bavarian Higher Education Act (BayHSchG) and within the 4% quota for professionally qualified persons.

Attending a preparatory course (including mathematics) is particularly useful for taking up a technical or engineering degree programme. The OTH Regensburg offers suitable preparatory courses for those with vocational qualifications.

If you would like to study part-time - i.e. parallel to your job - rather than full-time, we recommend that you visit the pages of the Centre for Continuing Education and Knowledge Management (ZWW).

Applications for hardship, compensation for disadvantages and persons of public interest

In admission-restricted degree programmes, it is possible to submit special applications (see info sheet).

  1. Hardship cases

If a hardship case exists, admission may be granted outside the allocation procedure within a certain quota. Strict standards are to be applied when interpreting a case of hardship. The guidelines of the central allocation procedure are also applied to the local allocation procedure. In order to apply, there must be serious health, social or family reasons which make non-admission appear unreasonable. You must provide evidence of these reasons. In the case of illness, a specialist medical assessment is necessary.
If you have a disability or a chronic illness, you can find more informationhere.

  2. Compensation for disadvantages - raising your grade point average

If you were prevented from achieving your actual performance when acquiring your higher education entrance qualification for social, family or illness-related reasons, you can apply for an improvement of your grade point average.

 You must submit the following documents to prove that your performance was impaired:

  • annual report card
  • school report (evaluation of your school performance before and after the occurrence of the adverse circumstances)

There must be a proven connection between the grade point average achieved and the performance impairment.

 

3. Individuals to be supported in the public interest

For top athletes and participants in a federal competition with distinction, a so-called "opportunity quota" of 2% is formed, which is applied in addition to the regular main quota. 

The prerequisite is that you belonged to an A, B or C squad of the federal sports associations for an uninterrupted period of at least one year during the last three years before acquiring your higher education entrance qualification or that you participated in a federal competition with distinction. The following supporting documents can be submitted for this purpose:

  • certificate of the German national sports association
  • certificate of the German national competition initiator
  • justification of the necessity of the training on site
  • identification of the school or youth competition and the sponsorship of the Federal or State Ministry

 

If you will have already completed a degree programme in Germany by the end of the application period, an application for a degree programme with restricted admission is only possible when applying for a second degree. This means that you will take part in the local selection procedure within the 2% quota. 

To apply, you need to upload the following supporting documents:

1. final certificate of your first degree

2. letter of justification for requesting a second course of study. These can only be compelling professional reasons, academic reasons, special professional reasons or other professional reasons. 

3. university entrance qualification 

4. other documents specific to the course of study, which can be found in the application portal

Selection is based on a benchmark number formed by your final grade from your undergraduate degree and the reasons for your desired second degree:

  • Final grade excellent and very good 4 points
  • Final grade good and fully satisfactory 3 points
  • Final grade satisfactory 2 points
  • Final grade sufficient 1 point
  • Final grade not verified 1 point.
  • Compelling professional reasons 9 points
  • Scientific or academic reasons 7 to 11 points
  • Special professional reasons 7 points
  • Other professional reasons 4 points
  • No letter of justification given 1 point

When applying for a program without restricted admission, it is not necessary to submit a letter of justification.

What is the procedure for the allocation of study places?

First, we have to wait for the end of the application period. After the application deadline has passed and the additional submission deadline for delayed certificates of study has expired, we release the "valid" applications for the coordination and allocation procedure.

The Foundation for University Admission (hochschulstart.de) coordinates the allocation of places of study and sends out the admission and rejection notifications by e-mail from the end of July until the end of August for a winter semester and from the end of January until the end of February for a summer semester.

If you receive an offer of admission, you must accept it on “hochschulstart.de” within the specified deadline. Please note: Some coordination procedures may result in Hochschulstart automatically accepting the offer of a place of study for you. If this happens, your status in the OTH portal will switch to "Zugelassen" ("admitted"). You can then enrol online directly in our application portal. Free places in DoSV degree programmes are distributed by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admission) until all places have been allocated. A lottery procedure is not carried out at Bavarian universities.

Information on restricted admission (NC) can be found in the following overview.

It is impossible for us to predict whether you will be offered a place in one of the subsequent clearing procedures, as we cannot anticipate the behaviour of other applicants. We kindly ask you to refrain from such enquiries!

If the deadline for acceptance or enrolment is not observed, the application will be excluded from any further procedure or enrolment. It is therefore essential that you adhere to the deadline! If you are unable/willing to take up your place of study due to the fulfilment of a service or for personal reasons, we do not need to be informed of this!

Would you like to know how places are allocated? Here you will find more information on the allocation of study places with restricted admission (NC).

How can I enrol?

As soon as you have received an offer of admission, you can enrol online, making sure you do so before the deadline. You will be informed of the enrolment deadline and any further procedure in the “Antrag auf Immatrikulation” (application for enrolment), which you can download as a PDF once you have accepted the place of study online BOTH on hochschulstart.de and on HISinOne. Please note: Some coordination procedures may result in Hochschulstart automatically accepting your place of study for you. If this is the case, your application status will switch to “Zugelassen "(“Admitted"). In this case, please only accept your place of study in our application portal HISinOne.
The enrolment for a winter semester generally takes place in August or for a summer semester in February.

Documents

The following documents must normally be uploaded for online enrolment at the university:

  • “Antrag auf Immatrikulation” (Application for enrolment) along with other documents required, depending on the individual case. You will receive this after accepting the place of study online in the OTH Regensburg application portal.
  • Signed “Einwilligungserklärung zum Datenschutz” (declaration of consent regarding data protection). You will receive this together with the application for enrolment.
  • Copy of valid identity card/passport
  • Digital notification of health insurance, see the following notes "I would like to enrol. What do I have to do?"

Semester fee

You will receive the transfer details for the semester fee with your application for enrolment.

I want to enrol as a student and have to provide proof of health insurance. What do I need to do?

  • If you have chosen public / statutory insurance, please contact your health insurance company and inform them that you are planning to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg. Your health insurance company will then send us a digital notification known as M10. Please note that we cannot accept any insurance membership certificates in PDF or paper form. Our institution number is H0000048 (please provide this to your insurance company if necessary).

    If you have questions about public vs. private insurance, please check the website of the DAAD.


  • If the insurance from your home country is not accepted in Germany and you are over 30 years old, you may have chosen a private health insurance for Germany. In this case, please contact any public health insurance company in Germany with your insurance documents. Please inform them that you would like to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg and remain privately insured. The health insurance company will then send us a digital notification of your exemption from public insurance. Please note that we cannot accept an insurance membership certificate from your private health insurance instead of the exemption. Our institution number is H0000048.

    If you have questions about public vs. private insurance, please check the website of the DAAD.


  • If you are already insured in another EU country, your insurance may be accepted in Germany. If that is the case, you need to apply from exemption from compulsory public insurance. To do that, please contact any public health insurance company in Germany, send them your insurance documents and inform them that you would like to enrol at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Regensburg. The health insurance company will then send us a digital notification of exemption. Please note that we cannot accept any insurance membership certificates in paper form. Our institution number is H0000048.

    If you are coming from a non-EU country and/or are over 30 years old, you need to take on public or private health insurance which is valid in Germany. The website of the DAAD should help you better understand your options and choose the type of insurance which is best for you. After you have chosen your insurance, please ask your insurance company to send us a digital confirmation message of your insurance, or (if you have chosen private insurance) apply for exemption as instructed above.   

     

     


What our students say

"In addition to traditional social work modules there are practical and (self-)experiential seminars in percussion, dance, singing and voice, as well as other MuB-specific seminars. If you decide to study MuB, you can expect a great student community."

Ivo Wolosowicz, 8th semester student
Student