Special Needs Education (Bachelor of Arts, B.A.)
This Special Needs Education programme provides the fundamentals of inclusive education, psychology, and counselling. You can choose two areas of focus, such as vision, learning, language, or physical and motor development, at the only institution in Germany offering the full range of options.
Please choose
- Major Field of Study
- Primary school
Table of Contents
At a glance
Course structure and content
The programme provides theoretical knowledge in general special education and inclusive education, psychology, sociology, medicine, and counseling, as well as cultural studies perspectives like disability studies and gender studies. In addition, you will focus on two selected areas of special education: seeing, mental development, language, or emotional and social development.
Furthermore, you will acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in selected special needs education areas.
Special Needs Education subject areas
With one emphasis:
- Seeing
- Mental developement
- Hearing and Communication
- Physical and motoric developement
With two emphases:
- Learning/emotional and social developement
- Language/emotional and social developement
You choose two of these after your enrollment for the major field of study.
Modules if you choose two subject areas with 1 emphasis:
Mandatory modules (82 CP)
| Module | Title | 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)
Select 3 of the following modules:
| Module | Title | 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 the subject areas with 2 emphases:
Mandatory modules (87 CP)
| Module | Title | 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)
Select 2 of the modules 14.1–14.8 (see above).
Special Needs Education as the major field of study with minor field of study at Universität der Künste Berlin (103 CP)
In this special case, the major field of study is reduced by 10 CP in favour of the minor field of study.
If two Special Needs Education subject areas with one emphasis 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 emphases are chosen, the above-mentioned mandatory modules (87 CP) must be completed. The mandatory elective modules are not applicable.
Teacher Training (16 CP)
Teacher training for students who wish to enter the teaching profession consists of the Educational Sciences Modules (11 CP) and a Language Training Module (5 CP), see Study and examination regulations for the Teacher training Modules.
Special features
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.
As a student, you should enjoy working with children and young people with disabilities or at risk of disability, be flexible, and have strong communication and cooperation skills. An interest in educational work in a classroom setting, with small groups and individual students, as well as in counseling tasks, is an advantage. Previous experience in special education and/or inclusive education is not mandatory, but is definitely recommended in order to determine for yourself whether this work is a long-term career option for you. Keep in mind that special education teachers increasingly work in inclusive contexts in a variety of professional settings.
Subject-specific admission and enrolment rules
Career opportunities & prospects
At Humboldt-Universität, you can apply for the Master of Education in Special Needs Education.
Find out more in the overview of HU study programmes or via the database Hochschulkompass nationwide.
This degree qualifies you to continue your teaching degree with a Master of Education in Special Needs Education, as well as for support roles in schools, like teaching assistant or school integration assistant.
To become a teacher, a Master's degree, followed by an induction service as a trainee teacher (Referendariat) and a final examination (state examination) are required after completing the Bachelor's degree.
More information on career prospects and alternatives can be found in the Berufenet database.
Study subject counselling and recognition of credits
Dr. Wachtel, room 505, phone: +49 30 2093-66708, sfb-sopaed-iss-gym-bs@hu-berlin.de
Contact information for the faculty
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
Institutsgebäude, Georgenstraße 36, 10117 Berlin