Childhood Education, Leadership and Management, Bachelor of Arts

Detailed Study Contents

In the Bachelor's degree programme in Early Childhood Education, Leadership and Management (B.A.) at Hochschule Fresenius, you will engage with all relevant topics for working and leading in the field of early childhood education. You will acquire basic knowledge of pedagogy, sociology, psychology, and legal foundations for working with children, parents, and teams. The main focuses of the programme are:

• Subject-specific fundamentals of pedagogy
• Development of a professional pedagogical attitude
• Promotion and support of child development and educational processes
• Work with groups and group dynamics
• Diversity, inclusion, children’s living environments
• Societal, political and legal framework conditions
• Applied work in various educational fields
• Cooperation and communication with parents and families
• Insights into child and youth welfare in social work
• Action and method competence in dealing with clients as well as in an organisational context
• Foundations of business administration, accounting, controlling and financing for social professions
• Social marketing and fundraising
• Quality management and development of concepts
• Empirical social and educational research
• Personnel management, personnel leadership and teamwork in social institutions

For individual specialisation, the elective modules "International Education", "Children and Media" as well as the "Practical Project: Daycare Centre Founding" are available. The theoretical content is complemented by a work placement, which ensures practical experience in a relevant institution. The programme concludes with the Bachelor's thesis.

Study Organisation: How your distance learning programme is structured

The programme is designed as a flexible distance learning course and normally lasts 6 to 12 semesters, depending on the chosen study model and your individual learning pace. You organise your learning independently via a central online learning platform. At the start of your studies, you choose one of several time models (for example 36, 48 or 72 months), but you can start flexibly on the 1st of any month.

• Start of studies: possible at any time at the beginning of a month
• Teaching format: pure distance learning with digital study materials, online lectures and seminars
• Examination formats: written exams, papers, presentations, digital assessments (often without presence on site)
• Practical component: integrated 100-day work placement (recommended in the fifth semester)
• Elective area: individual profile formation through specialisation
• Acquisition of additional certificates: international online offers (ASU® Masterclasses in English) can be incorporated

Depending on your prior education, you can have already acquired competencies (e.g. a recognised childcare training) credited towards your studies – in this case, the study period is significantly shortened. The distance learning programme offers you maximum flexibility with full support from study coaches and academic instructors.

Career Prospects & Employment Opportunities after Graduation

With the Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Leadership and Management, you prepare for the leadership of educational institutions and the assumption of responsible roles in the education sector. Typical professional fields include:

• Management and leadership of day care centres, after-school care centres or other early childhood education institutions
• Educational specialist in educational and care facilities
• Management tasks in socio-educational and social institutions
• Consulting, specialist consulting and quality management for educational providers
• Work in child and youth welfare, with providers or specialist authorities
• Teaching activities at vocational colleges (e.g. for social pedagogy)

Additionally, the elective modules qualify you for specialised activities, for example in the international education sector, media pedagogy, or in founding your own educational projects (e.g. day care centre leadership and management). By completing the work placement, you can also obtain the title "state-recognised early childhood educator" ("staatlich anerkannte Kindheitspädagogin" or "staatlich anerkannter Kindheitspädagoge"). The study programme also prepares you for further Master's degree programmes in the educational or social sciences field.

Study Location: Learn flexibly from anywhere

The entire programme is organised as distance learning and can be completed fully location-independently. You use a central online platform for your learning management, work on all learning modules digitally and participate in online events. Hochschule Fresenius provides individual support through study coaches as well as access to online libraries, e-books and digital learning materials.

If attendance is required for certain assessments, these are organised as flexibly as possible and close to your place of residence. The placement is completed in an institution of your choice either domestically or abroad. Networking with fellow students takes place via the online campus system.

Costs and Financing: What does the distance learning cost and how can you finance it?

The amount of tuition fees depends on the chosen study duration:

• 36 months: €375 per month
• 48 months: €325 per month
• 72 months: €235 per month

The fees include:

• Access to the digital learning platform and all teaching materials
• Use of online libraries and e-book access
• Individual support by study coaches and academic instructors
• All examination fees (except possibly travel costs for attendances)
• Access to international teaching offers through the cooperation partner ASU®

Various financing options are available to you:

• Support through BAföG, provided you meet the requirements
• Scholarships, e.g. the Deutschlandstipendium or university-specific programmes
• KfW student loan
• Support from employers (especially for part-time study)
• Possibly tax deductibility of tuition fees as continuing education expenses

Hochschule Fresenius provides individual information about current discount campaigns, scholarships and funding opportunities.