Bachelor in Sozialer Arbeit

The Bachelor in Sozialer Arbeit at ZHAW trains you for working in the social professions. You study legal and ethical foundations, history and theories in social work, socialisation processes and social research. You also learn practical methods such as case and field analysis, leading conversations, intervention, and designing processes. The program builds skills for professional relationships, cooperation, conflict work, and dealing with diversity and heterogeneity.

The study is a generalist program that prepares you for the different areas of social work. Instead of limiting yourself to one of three traditional profiles (social work, social pedagogy, and socio-cultural animation), you learn the basic subject and method foundations for all three. You then choose a thematic focus to shape an individual profile. Teaching uses case and method workshops, visits to social work institutions, supervision groups, and learning and study groups. Practical training makes almost one third of the program.

• Advising and accompanying people of all age groups in difficult life situations affected by issues such as poverty, migration, disability, illness, addiction, or mistreatment
• Supporting people with financial matters, finding work and housing, or designing social networks
• Creating work and leisure activities that strengthen coexistence and promote quality of life
• Developing measures against exclusion and creating public understanding of the situations of socially disadvantaged people
• Representing the interests of individuals or groups when they do not get heard