Career Opportunities

The Bachelor’s Program Early Childhood Education is designed for individuals who hold a leadership position in the field of Early Childhood Education or who aspire to such a position.

• This degree program is a tertiary-level educational program that prepares students for leadership roles in Early Childhood Education settings.
• Graduates possess scientifically grounded and practice-oriented competencies in the fields of educational and social sciences, Early Childhood Education and pedagogy, professional practice and leadership, as well as enhanced social and personal skills.

Admission Requirements

The requirements for admission to the Bachelor’s program in Early Childhood Education are a general university entrance qualification and a successfully completed training program in early childhood education that qualifies the applicant to work as a group leader in an early childhood education setting (for children ages 0–6).

Eligibility for university admission must be demonstrated by one of the certificates specified in § 52b(1) of the Higher Education Act (HG) of 2005, as amended.
Proof of successful completion of vocational training may be provided by:

• Certificate of a qualification examination or diploma certificate from an educational institution specializing in Early Childhood Education or preschool education
• Diploma from a college of Early Childhood Education or preschool education
• A diploma from a comparable training program.

In cases of doubt regarding the equivalence and relevance of other educational backgrounds and qualifications, the decision shall be made by the competent academic affairs body of the admitting institution.

Content and Objectives

The bachelor’s program in Early Childhood Education focuses on the management and leadership of early childhood education institutions and aims to foster high-quality, theory-driven, and research-based professional development.
A specialization focuses on fostering and developing the personal competencies required to fulfill a leadership role in Early Childhood Education. The tension within this professional group between the roles of educator and leader is examined theoretically from various perspectives and explored through relevant conceptual and practical experiences, followed by critical and reflective analysis. At the same time, emphasis is placed on strengthening subject-specific competencies related to early childhood. The goal is a reflective examination of ideas and value orientations regarding childhood and what it means to be a child in the context of pluralistic-democratic societies, from an interdisciplinary perspective. A solid understanding of children’s developmental, learning, and educational processes forms the basis for examining and developing organizational, methodological, and didactic approaches in early childhood education settings. The program focuses on integrating professional experience with academic learning.
In addition to developing pedagogical and profession-specific competencies, the program emphasizes the ability to conduct academic work, research, and evaluation, and to apply these skills in practice.
Through its graduates, the Early Childhood Education program contributes to quality assurance and improvement in the early childhood education landscape.

Program Structure

The bachelor’s degree program in Early Childhood Education requires 180 ECTS credits (ECTS-AP).

Of these, 60 ECTS credits are allocated to the field of Educational and Social Sciences (BSW), 60 ECTS credits to the field of Early Childhood Education and Pedagogy (EPD), 30 ECTS credits to the field of Profession and Leadership (PLS), and 30 ECTS credits to the field of Practical Pedagogical Studies (PPS).

The four areas are divided into a total of 36 modules, each worth 5 ECTS credits. Courses for each area are offered every semester. These are listed in detail in the module overview, which outlines the structure and organization of the bachelor’s program.

The following provides a detailed overview of the structure and content of the bachelor’s program: curriculumprovides a detailed overview of the structure and content of the bachelor’s program. It includes information on the program’s objectives, the competencies to be acquired, modules, courses, and corresponding course types, as well as the ECTS-AP distribution and examination regulations.

In the Course Overview provides a concise overview of the individual semesters of the degree program, including the corresponding modules and courses.

Successful completion of the Bachelor’s program in Early Childhood Education qualifies graduates to assume the role of Head of an early childhood education institution.