Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Special Needs Education

Degree

Combined bachelor, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - This course prepares you for the teaching profession. Please refer to the ‘Special Needs Education, with a Focus on Sign Language Pedagogy and Hearing & Communication’ combined bachelor and the ‘Rehabilitation Pedagogy’ mono-bachelor’s courses, as well as ‘Teacher training at HU’ as required.

Standard time for completing course

6 semesters

Start of study and Entry Restriction

Cf. course catalogue

Course structure and Combinations

  • Special Needs Education as Core subject: 113 credit points (CP*), with a second subject to be selected: (Ancient) Greek Studies, Biology, Chemistry, English Studies, French Studies, Geography, German Studies, History, Computer Science, Italian Studies, Latin Studies, Mathematics, Music** (UdK), Philosophy and Ethics, Physics, Protestant Theology, Russian Studies, Spanish Studies, Sports Sciences, Social Studies/Politics (at FU), Vocational Education and Work Studies (at TU)
  • Special Needs Education as Second subject: 67 CP, combined with the core subjects Business Education (Economics and Administration) or Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences/Landscaping (TU), Automotive Engineering (TU), Construction/Civil Engineering (TU), Electrical Engineering (TU), Information engineering (TU), Media Technology (TU), Metal Technology (TU), Nutrition/Food Science (TU),

*One credit point (CP) equals a workload of 30 hours.

** With artistic aptitude test of the UdK

Course objectives

  • Provision of basic and specialised skills based on the WHO ‘International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health’ (ICF 2002)
  • Ability to undertake independent scientific work
  • Acquisition of the fundamentals of the professional capacity to act in a life-span-related rehabilitation system
  • Provision of theoretical and practical basic knowledge in selected special education subject areas
  • Acquisition of the fundamentals of educational practice in special education environments

Why study Special Needs Education at HU?

The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Humboldt-Universität can look back at a successful tradition spanning more than 100 years. Through B.A. and M.A. courses, it provides special needs educators with basic and extra-occupational training for the teaching profession, as well as for fields adjacent to and outside of schools. In addition to these educationally oriented subjects, we also offer the Interpreting Language of Gestures degree programme. In teaching and research, we offer all special education subject areas (education of people with behavioural disabilities, education of people with learning disabilities, education of people with language/speech disabilities, education of the physically disabled, education of the mentally disabled, Education of the Blind and the Visually Impaired and Sign Language Pedagogy and Audio Pedagogy) as well as overall, connecting interdisciplinary fields (psychology, sociology etc.). The department maintains intensive, regular contact with universities in Europe and beyond. These international connections also give rise to regular trips abroad for students.

Content of studies

The best way to find detailed information about the exact course content is using the annotated university calendar. Module descriptions and the course curriculum can be found in the course and examination regulations available online at www.amb.hu-berlin.de no. 48/2023. The Course Advisory Service is also available to help you (see below "Addresses").

Special Needs Education subject areas

With one enhancement focus:

(1) Seeing

(2) Mental developement

(3) Hearing and Communication

(4) Physical and motoric developement

With two enhancement focuses:

(5) Learning/emotional and social developement

(6) Language/emotional and social developement

You choose two of these following enrolment for the core subject.

 

Special Needs Education as core subject (113 CP)

Modules if you choose two Special Needs Education subject areas with one enhancement focus (1-4):

Mandatory modules (82 CP)

Module

Description

Size

1

Introductory Phase

5 CP

2

Fundamentals of Special Needs and Inclusive Pedagogy

7 CP

3

Sociological Fundamentals

5 CP

4

Psychological Fundamentals

5 CP

5

Introduction to Enhancement Focus I

5 CP

6

Introduction to Enhancement Focus II

5 CP

7

Theoretical Fundamentals and Current Issues of Enhancement Focus I

5 CP

8

Theoretical Fundamentals and Current Issues of Enhancement Focus II

5 CP

9

Diagnostic Fundamentals

8 CP

10

Didactic Fundamentals of Enhancement Focuses I+II

7 CP

11

Counselling and Cooperation

5 CP

12

In-Depth Study (Enhancement Focus I)

5 CP

13

In-Depth Study (Enhancement Focus II)

5 CP

15

Graduation Phase (incl. Bachelor’s Thesis)

10 CP

Mandatory elective modules (15 CP)

Three of the following modules must be completed:

Module

Description

Size

14.1

Cross-disciplinary Extension

5 CP

14.2

Major and multiple disability

5 CP

14.3

Media Pedagogy and Multimedia Teaching Design, taking into account the specific learning requirements of pupils with disabilities

5 CP

14.4

Rehabilitation Technique

5 CP

14.5

Supported Communication

5 CP

14.6

Communication with Sensual Impairments

5 CP

14.7

In-Depth Study Special Needs Diagnostics

5 CP

14.8

Free In-Depth Study in Special Needs Education

5 CP

Modules if you choose one or both of Special Needs Education subject areas with two enhancement focuses:

Mandatory modules (87 CP)

Module

Description

Size

1

Introductory Phase

5 CP

2

Fundamentals of Special Needs and Inclusive Pedagogy

7 CP

3

Sociological Fundamentals

5 CP

4

Psychological Fundamentals

5 CP

5

Introduction to Enhancement Focus I

5 CP

6a

Introduction to Enhancement Focus IIa

5 CP

6b

Introduction to Enhancement Focus IIb

5 CP

7

Theoretical Fundamentals and Current Issues of Enhancement Focus I

5 CP

8a

Theoretical Fundamentals and Current Issues of Enhancement Focus IIa

5 CP

8b

Theoretical Fundamentals and Current Issues of Enhancement Focus IIb

5 CP

9

Diagnostic Fundamentals

8 CP

10a

Didactic Fundamentals of the Enhancement Focuses

7 CP

11

Counselling and Cooperation

5 CP

12

In-Depth Study (Enhancement Focus I)

5 CP

15

Graduation Phase (incl. Bachelor’s Thesis)

10 CP

Mandatory elective modules (10 CP)

Two of the modules 14.1 - 14.8 have to be completed.

Core subject Special Education with second subject at the University of the Arts (103 CP)

In this special case, the core subject is reduced by 10 CP in favour of the second subject.

If two Special Needs Education subject areas with one enhancement focus are chosen, only one module (5 CP) from the above-mentioned overview "mandatory elective modules" must be completed in addition to the mandatory modules (82 CP).

If one or both special needs education specialisations with two enhancement focuses are chosen, the above-mentioned mandatory modules (87 CP) must be completed. The mandatory elective modules are not applicable.

Teacher training modules (16 CP)

Educational Sciences (11 CP), Language education (5 CP), see. www.amb.hu-berlin.de, No. 80/2015.

 

Special Needs Education as Second subject (67 CP)

Two of the special educational subject areas 1-5 are to be chosen. (Subject area 6 - "Language" cannot be chosen for the teaching profession at vocational schools).

Modules if you choose two Special Needs Education subject areas with one enhancement focus:
Mandatory modules (62 CP)

Modules 1-11 must be completed.

Mandatory elective modules (5 CP)

One of the modules 14.1-14.8 must be completed.

Modules if you choose a Special Needs Education subject area with one enhancement focus (1-4) and the area learning/emotional and social development (5)
Mandatory modules (62 CP)

Module

Description

Size

1

Introductory Phase

5 CP

2a

Fundamentals of Special Needs and Inclusive Pedagogy

5 CP

3

Sociological Fundamentals

5 CP

4

Psychological Fundamentals

5 CP

5

Introduction to Enhancement Focus I

5 CP

6/8a

Introduction to Enhancement Focus IIa and Theoretical Fundamentals

7 CP

6/8b

Introduction to Enhancement Focus IIb and Theoretical Fundamentals

8 CP

7

Theoretical Fundamentals and Current Issues of Enhancement Focus I

5 CP

9a

Diagnostic Fundamentals

5 CP

10a

Didactic Fundamentals of the Enhancement Focuses

7 CP

11

Counselling and Cooperation

5 CP

Mandatory elective modules (5 CP)

One of the modules 14.1-14.8 must be completed.

General elective course offerings for Students coming from other courses of studies

2a Fundamentals of Special Needs and Inclusive Pedagogy 5 LP
4 Psychological Fundamentals 5 LP

Master’s degree

You can apply at Humboldt-Universität for the Master of Education Sonderpädagogik for "Lehramt an integrierten Sekundarschulen und Gymnasien" (www.amb.hu-berlin.de, Nr. 15/2019) respectively for "Lehramt an beruflichen Schulen" (www.amb.hu-berlin.de, Nr. 71/2015, 1. Änd. Nr. 74/2018, 2. Änd. Nr. 68/2019). For information on further Master's programmes please see hu.berlin/catalogue.

Addresses

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Georgenstraße 36, 10099 Berlin,  Tel. +49 30 2093-66700 (secretary) www.reha.hu-berlin.de
Course Advisory Service and Classification and recognition of studies and qualifications: Dr. Wachtel, room 505, Tel. +49 30 2093-66708, sfb-sopaed-iss-gym-bs@hu-berlin.de
Service for teacher training students:  hu.berlin/lehramtsberatung
Applications: hu.berlin/apply; hu.berlin/application (international students)
Links to job marketCareers Information Centre, www.berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de

Version: August 2023
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Contact for questions or feedback regarding this page: studienberatung@uv.hu-berlin.de

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