Program Overview

Introduction to the Bachelor's Program in Educational Science

The Bachelor's program in Educational Science at the Free University of Berlin is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the field of education and its various aspects. The program aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to pursue a career in education or related fields.

Program Structure

The program consists of several modules, each focusing on a specific area of educational science. The modules are designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the subject matter and to help them develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills.

Modules

• Modul "Bildung und Erziehung" (Education and Upbringing)
• Modul "Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung" (Methods of Empirical Social Research)
• Modul "Institutionalisierung von Bildung und Erziehung" (Institutionalization of Education and Upbringing)
• Modul "Sozialisation und Lernen" (Socialization and Learning)
• Modul "Methoden der qualitativen Sozialforschung" (Methods of Qualitative Social Research)
• Modul "Methoden der quantitativen Sozialforschung" (Methods of Quantitative Social Research)
• Modul "Ansätze pädagogischen Handelns - Grundlagen" (Approaches to Pedagogical Action - Foundations)
• Modul "Pädagogische Diagnostik" (Pedagogical Diagnostics)
• Modul "Heterogenität in Bildungs- und Erziehungsprozessen" (Heterogeneity in Educational and Upbringing Processes)
• Modul "Ansätze pädagogischen Handelns - Vertiefung" (Approaches to Pedagogical Action - In-Depth)
• Modul "Pädagogische Organisationsforschung" (Pedagogical Organizational Research)
• Modul "Aktuelle Fragestellungen der Bildungs- und Erziehungswissenschaft A" (Current Issues in Educational Science A)
• Modul "Aktuelle Fragestellungen der Bildungs- und Erziehungswissenschaft B" (Current Issues in Educational Science B)
• Bachelorarbeit (Bachelor's Thesis)
• Allgemeine Berufsvorbereitung (General Career Preparation)
• Modul "Berufspraktikum" (Internship Module)
• Modul "Rechtliche Grundlagen pädagogischen Handelns" (Legal Foundations of Pedagogical Action)
• Affiner Bereich "freie Modulwahl" (Elective Module)

Module Overview

Each module is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and to help them develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills. The modules are structured to include lectures, seminars, and practical exercises.

Module "Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung"

This module focuses on the methods of empirical social research and is offered in the winter semester. It is recommended for students in their first semester. The module consists of four parts: a lecture and three seminars, culminating in a final module examination.

Qualification Goals

The module aims to equip students with the following skills and knowledge:

• Understanding of the scientific and epistemological foundations of empirical research
• Knowledge of the different positions and criteria of empirical research
• Ability to formulate research questions and hypotheses
• Understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis
• Ability to apply univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics
• Understanding of the rules and methods of scientific work and the presentation of research results

Contents

The module covers the following topics:

• Scientific theoretical positions and general scientific criteria (e.g., quality criteria, ethics, and open science)
• Planning of studies (e.g., selection of samples, design of the study)
• Data collection (e.g., surveys, interviews, group discussions, observations, and ethnography)
• Univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics (e.g., frequency tables, graphs, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, correlation coefficients, simple linear regression)
• Methods of qualitative data analysis (e.g., qualitative content analysis, coding, objective hermeneutics) and combinations thereof (triangulation and mixed methods)

Career Prospects

The Bachelor's program in Educational Science at the Free University of Berlin provides students with a wide range of career opportunities in education, research, and related fields. Graduates can pursue careers in teaching, educational administration, research, and policy development, among others.

Admission Requirements

There are no specific admission requirements mentioned in the provided context. However, it is recommended that students have a strong interest in educational science and a willingness to develop their critical thinking, research, and analytical skills.

Language of Instruction

The language of instruction for the program is German.

Duration and Frequency of the Program

The program is offered every winter semester and lasts for one semester. The total workload for the program is 300 hours, which is equivalent to 10 ECTS credits.

Module Responsibility

The module "Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung" is led by Prof. Dr. Steffi Pohl and Prof. Dr. Uwe Flick (as of 2023).

Final Examination

The final examination for the module "Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung" is a 90-minute written exam.