Program Overview

University of Fribourg Program Details

Introduction to the Pedagogy/Psychology Bachelor Program

The Pedagogy/Psychology bachelor program at the University of Fribourg is a unique program that combines the study of education sciences and psychology. This program is primarily aimed at students who wish to obtain the "Diplôme d'Enseignement pour les Ecoles de Maturité (DEEM, French-speaking section)/Lehrdiplom für Maturitätsschulen (LDM, German-speaking section)" in the teaching subject "Pedagogy/Psychology."

Abstract

This bachelor program has the special feature that half of it consists of the study of education sciences and half of the study of psychology. In psychology, students deal with the cognitive and affective areas of human experience and behavior, with diagnostic and clinical treatment procedures as well as research methods and tools. In the pedagogical parts of the program, the focus is on social, economic, and ecological conditions of children growing up, as well as on the theories, history, and empiricism of learning, education, and socialization processes, both with regard to individual ages and to institutions and their political contexts.

Profile of the Study Program

This study program has been designed primarily to enable students to acquire the basic knowledge of the two disciplines of pedagogy and psychology, so that they can later teach the key terms and concepts to pupils at upper secondary level schools as part of the elective subject "Pedagogy/Psychology." This program is complemented by another teaching subject, such as philosophy, languages, history, geography, sports, or another scientific teaching subject. However, it is equally possible to choose as a minor another social science discipline, as for example, sociology, social work, and social policy or social anthropology, in order to have a balanced basic knowledge of social and human sciences, or to keep open the possibility of taking one of these subjects as a priority in the master degree.

Structure of Studies

• The program consists of 120 ECTS credits + 60 ECTS credits in a minor study program freely chosen.
• The program is designed to be completed in 6 semesters.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes a range of courses in education sciences and psychology, including:

• Philosophy of education
• Sociology of education
• Politics of education
• Educational psychology
• Developmental psychology
• General and clinical psychology
• Research methods and their application

Admission

• The following Swiss school-leaving certificates grant admission to bachelor programs at the University of Fribourg:
  • Swiss academic Maturity Certificate
  • Federal vocational or specialized Baccalaureate + supplementary examination of the Swiss Maturity Commission (passerelle)
  • Bachelor Degree from a Swiss university, from an accredited Swiss university of applied sciences (HES/FH) or from a Swiss university of teacher education (HEP/PH)
• Foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificates are recognized only if they correspond substantially to the Swiss Maturity Certificate.
• Foreign school-leaving certificates are considered to be general education if, among other things, the last three years of schooling include at least six general education subjects, independent from each other.

Languages of Study

• The program can be studied in French, in German, or in French and German.
• Some courses are offered in English.

Options

• For information on the optional award of the distinction "Bilingual curriculum, French/German," please contact the relevant Department.

Commencement of Studies

• Commencement of studies is only possible in the Autumn Semester (September).

Access to Further Studies

• The program provides access to the master program "Pedagogy/Psychology."

Degree Conferred

• Bachelor of Science in Education Sciences

Minor Study Programs to be Chosen

• A range of minor study programs are available, including:
  • Art History
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Business Communication
  • Business Informatics
  • Chemistry
  • Communication and Media Research
  • Computer Science
  • Contemporary History
  • Earth Sciences
  • Eastern European Studies
  • Economics
  • English Language and Literature
  • Environmental Sciences and Humanities
  • French
  • French as a Foreign Language
  • Geography
  • German
  • German as a Foreign Language
  • German Literary Studies
  • Greek Studies
  • History
  • Interreligious Studies
  • Italian
  • Latin Studies
  • Law
  • Management
  • Mathematics
  • Musicology and History of Opera
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Politics and Society
  • Religious studies
  • Rhaeto-Romance
  • Slavic Studies
  • Social Anthropology
  • Social Work and Social Policy (DE)
  • Social Work and Social Policy (FR)
  • Sociology (DE)
  • Sociology (FR)
  • Spanish
  • Special Education
  • Sport Sciences and Motor Control
  • Theology

Learning Outcomes and Career Openings

• The primary goal of graduates of this study program is to obtain a teaching diploma and subsequently teach at baccalaureate schools or upper secondary specialized schools.
• However, since only a few hours are allocated to these subjects in schools, students are advised to choose an additional teaching subject with many more hours allocated to it if a full-time position is desired.
• After obtaining the bachelor degree, it is possible to take up the master program "Pedagogy/Psychology."