Do you want to shape future-focused developments in the social and healthcare sector? Are your sights set high on a managerial position with responsibilities in social or health care? Then we have just the right master’s programme for you!
This degree programme broadens the knowledge that you acquired during your previous studies in the field of health and social care and links it with pertinent aspects of business administration and law.
The need for specialists and managers in social and health care keeps on increasing. The profile required for these positions both in demand and demanding – and this master’s degree poises you perfectly in both respects. You will acquire practically focused knowledge that steers you precisely towards the complex specialist and managerial duties required in this sector and prepares you extremely well in terms of both subject matter and mindset for the challenges ahead.
Apply hereAt a glance
Award
Master of Arts (M. A.)
Study mode
full-time, part-time
Standard duration
3
ECTS credits
90
Starts
winter semester
summer semesterRestricted admission
no
Taught in
German
Faculty
Social and Health Studies
Study abroad
optional
Accreditation
AHPGS, German Accreditation Council
Details about this course
This master’s programme is designed for you to complete in three semesters of full-time study including your thesis, but you can spread this to six semesters part-time to accommodate family commitments.
This programme builds upon knowledge in the fields of health and social care and teaches application-focused knowledge in law and business administration.
In the area of law, we examine aspects of commercial and corporate law, employment law und contract and procurement law. The business administration element of the programme focuses on accounting, controlling, funding, human resources and management.
The content of this programme reflects the current ethical, social, international and scientific challenges facing the social and health sector. You round off your studies with a practical project, which immerses you in future areas of work and establishes contacts with employers, a research workshop and your master’s thesis in the third semester.
The university awards students who successfully complete the programme the academic title Master of Arts (M.A.).
Professional environment
The social and health sector is experiencing growing demand for qualified specialists and managers with knowledge of business administration and law. Demographic change, medical advances and complex issues present major challenges to management in these fields.
Career prospects
The requirements profile for specialists and managers is exacting and calls for the kind of intensive training provided on this master’s degree programme. You will be involved in a wide range of duties, such as managing public, charitable facilities or in the private health sector. You might seek to perform networking activities at health and care insurance funds, for local authorities or associations, or work in consulting or politics. A master’s degree opens the door to responsible positions in management and leadership or senior civil service and qualifies you to embark upon doctoral studies.
To access this course, candidates must have already gained a first professional entry-level degree with at least 210 Credit Points from a higher education institution, or a degree of equivalent value. Should your degree only equate to 180 Credit Points, you will qualify for admission providing you can demonstrate that you have also been practically occupied in social or health care for at least 20 weeks (full-time) since acquiring your degree. You must have earned an average grade of at least 2.5 (or equivalent) for your first, professional entry-level university degree in a non-economic discipline within the field of social and health care. To count as “non-economic”, a degree programme must have included no more than 30 Credit Points from modules focusing on business administration, economics or management – for example, ergotherapy, nutritional sciences, educational sciences, geriatric therapy, rehabilitation and care, gerontology, gerontological nursing and therapy, health sciences, human medicine, teaching, nursing, care sciences, pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, social work, social education and sports sciences. If you have a degree in a comparable subject not cited here, or are unsure whether your degree counts as “non-economic”, you can request that the recognition of your degree programme will be checked by the examination board of the Faculty of Social and Health Studies.
Please submit your application, including your first degree certificate, by the stated deadline.
All the latest information and details about how to apply and the admission requirements can be found under applications & enrolments.
We ascribe to the values of openness, tolerance and acceptance. Our aim is to teach everyone involved at Kempten University of Applied Sciences about education in an international context. As part of this, we support university-wide, inter-faculty measures to promote international projects and cross-cultural interaction.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences nurtures relations with many partner universities all over the world, and we warmly encourage periods of study and internships abroad. Academic achievements from studies abroad can be counted towards this degree programme if the skills in question are considered equivalent, which is generally feasible for module sections 2 and 3 of the degree programme in Social and Health Services Management. The practical semester can easily be spent abroad.
Are you interested in learning more about options for you to study abroad? Then explore the opportunities for studying abroad.
We compile all study programme and examination regulations centrally for you. There you will find all versions and changes. continue
Details about the degree programme
Contacts
We know how exciting it can be to embark upon a degree programme, so we want you to have someone to contact with any questions you might have about studying with us.
Contact for prospective students
- University Student Advisory Service
If you have any questions about studying or applying, please get in touch with the University Student Advisory Service.
- Questions about course content
If you are interested in this degree programme and would like to ask any questions, please contact our programme advisor.
Existing students
If you have any questions about your degree programme, please contact our academic advisors.
Fees
There are no tuition fees. Students on all degree programmes pay only a semester fee for student union membership and a public transport pass.
FAQ
Who is this degree programme aimed at?
This degree programme is appropriate for you if you hold a degree in social or health studies and perhaps have already also gained some professional experience in client-based activities, but with little or no managerial expertise. If you would like to move into management, administration or organisation within social or health facilities or companies, this master’s degree programme will equip you with precisely the essential knowledge in law, business administration and management required for this segment. A bachelor’s degree in health or social educational studies coupled with a master’s in management is absolutely ideal for this kind of career.
You can find out which degrees qualify you for admission to this master’s programme further up the page under “Applications and admissions”.
I hold a first professional entry-level degree with less than 210 Credit Points. Can I apply nonetheless?
If your first degree in the field of social or health care is worth 180 Credit Points, you will qualify for admission providing that you can supply evidence of having performed practical activities in social or health care for at least 20 weeks (full-time) since acquiring your first professional entry-level degree. Alternatively, you could complete these hours during the first year of studying (feasible on the part-time degree programme), in which case the evidence must be submitted within one year of commencing the degree programme.
How can I find out whether my first degree will be recognised as a non-economics-related subject in the field of social or health care?
To count as “non-economics”, a degree programme must have included no more than 30 Credit Points from modules focusing on business administration, economics or management.
If you are unsure whether your degree meets this condition, you can ask the Examinations Board for the Faculty of Social and Health Studies to check and confirm this, if so. Please email the Chair of the Examinations Board and attach copies of your degree certificate, transcript of records, the module handbook and the Programme and Examination Regulations for the degree programme that you completed.
My degree is in social economy/management, health economy/management, or a different economics-based degree in social/health sciences. Is this master’s degree programme suitable for me?
No. This programme is aimed at graduates with a non-economics -based degree in social or health sciences – in terms of the syllabus covered rather than the title of the degree. To count as “non-economic”, a degree programme must have included no more than 30 Credit Points from modules focusing on business administration, economics or management – For example, the bachelor’s degree programmes in Social Services Management or Health Services Management at Kempten University of Applied Sciences do not meet this criterion. (See also the previous question in FAQs.)
I have completed or will soon complete my bachelor’s degree, but I don’t have the certificate. Can I apply nonetheless?
Yes, you can – as long as you can provide an up-to-date transcript of records certifying at least 170 ECTS Credit Points (on a bachelor’s programme accruing 210 ECTS) or 140 ECTS Credit Points (on a bachelor’s programme accruing 180 ECTS). If so, we assume that you will have completed all the examinations required for your first degree by the time you start studying on our programme – in which case you will have to submit evidence of having gained your degree with an overall grade of 2.5 (“good”) or better within one year of starting.
Can I also apply to start in the summer semester, and does that potentially disadvantage me in any way?
You can apply to start studying on this degree programme in either a winter or summer semester. As the modules in the first and second semester don’t have to be completed in a strict sequence, it doesn’t matter which set you study first. The few modules that accompany the master’s thesis in the third semester also run in the summer and winter, so there’s no extra time required to finish studying even if you start the programme in the summer semester.
Is all teaching based in the classroom, or is some conducted online? How many days per week are classes held?
This degree programme is fundamentally studied on site. To make things more flexible, however, we run some courses entirely online (e.g. via Zoom and Moodle). One specific weekday is devoted to online classes each semester, when you don’t have to be on campus. However, the majority of courses still require attendance in person. As a rule, classes are condensed into three weekdays on the full-time programme (including the online day), although the odd class or block of classes might deviate from this arrangement.
Whom is the part-time version aimed at?
The part-time version primarily makes sense if you wish to combine studying with family life or work. Having said that, this is not specifically a professional part-time degree programme. As such, teaching generally takes place on three weekdays, every week. (See also previous question “Is all teaching based in the classroom, or is some conducted online?”)
The part-time programme postpones various components of the subject matter until semesters four, five and six. You can decide for yourself how to spread the individual courses throughout the duration of study. There’s no minimum number of modules that must be completed each semester. As long as you comply with the standard duration of study, this offers you maximum flexibility. The standard duration of study for the part-time degree programme is 6 semesters, allowing two additional semesters without the need to justify or apply for extra time.
What does the degree programme cost?
The degree programme in itself is free of charge. You only have to pay a “semester fee” to cover student union membership and public transport each semester.
Can I take a general elective (“AW”) module?
Yes. You can sign up once for a general elective module during the first round of enrolments while studying for your master’s degree. After that, you can take further general elective modules, but only via the second enrolment round, i.e. for places not filled by students needing to complete compulsory general elective modules.
For the latest information about general elective modules, e.g. enrolments, please click here.
Are any courses conducted in English? If so, how many – and do I also have to take exams in English?
This degree programme is taught in German. In some cases, a course might also be offered in English, in which case this would apply to the exam, too. But this really shouldn’t cause you to worry, as it really only happens very rarely – and the English that you learned in school is entirely sufficient, even if it was a long time ago.
Can I spend a semester abroad during the master’s programme?
Yes – in fact we expressly welcome the idea! You can spend a semester abroad without prolonging your studies because we can count these modules towards your degree, the only exception being the legal components of the programme. It’s also possible to complete the practical project and your master’s thesis abroad. For further details, see above or browse the International section of our website at https://www.hs-kempten.de/en/international.
When can I register for my master’s thesis?
You can sign up for your master’s thesis as soon as you have earned 50 ECTS Credit Points. Details about this and further information can be found in the current Programme and Examination Regulations document.
Can I enter senior civil service after earning this degree?
Yes. Resolutions were passed by the Conference of Interior Minsters (7 December 2007) and the Conference of Minsters of Culture (20 September 2007) recognising master’s degrees from accredited degree programmes run by universities of applied sciences for admission to senior civil service.
Can I undertake doctoral studies on the basis of this degree?
Yes. The CMC Qualification Framework for German University Degrees also fundamentally recognises master’s degrees awarded by universities of applied sciences as the basis for doctoral studies, although further admission criteria might be stipulated in individual doctoral study regulations.
We wish to point out, however, that this master’s degree programme focuses on practical applications rather than research. Thus, whilst completing this programme earns you a qualification that is formally required to embark upon doctoral studies, the expertise that you will acquire is primarily geared towards subsequently undertaking practical activities.