The profile of our institution of higher education is characterized by its vivid practical orientation. We deal with the reality of social jobs and everyday life of the people to interactively develop the theory and practice of social work. This approach is essentially focussed at a contemporary profile of social work to benefit the people as well as at promoting the competences of each individual social worker. Teaching, research and further training are our mainstays against this background.

The joint efforts to combine practical research, interdisciplinary theoretical discussion, reflected methods training and ethic discourse have proven successful in the field of tension between contemporary social work science and Christian tradition. Theology is thus an integral part of all our courses of study. Interested students can take a final exam in social education and theology at the end of their studies. This confirms his/her special qualification in social work within the Diakonisches Werk, the welfare and social service agency of the Evangelical Church in Germany, and within the environment of the churches themselves.

Our institution presently offers a full-time social work course and an on-the-job-course in this field as well as a care science on-the-job-course. Students enrolled for a social management on-the-job-course for the first time in the winter semester of 2005/2006. As of the summer semester our institution will offer another on-the-job-course: pre-school and nursery education (Bachelor of Arts).

All our courses aim at enabling the students to act consciously, responsibly and resolutely in their professional environment. The advantages of such a relatively small educational institution as ours are brought to bear through learning in small groups and personal contact between teachers and students.