Students acquire a broad theoretical knowledge that enables them to develop and work out central questions of education and in educational science. The following competences are developed in the programme:

• critical opinion formation and self-reflection
• the ability to classify historical and social processes
• the ability to initiate and accompany learning and self-empowerment processes of people in professional practice

The faculty covers a number of teaching and research focal points, which are reflected in the courses:

• General Education Sciences/Foundations of Education and History of Education
• Disability Studies and Inclusive Pedagogy
• Intergenerational relations, research into adolescence and empirical education research
• Critical gender research
• Migration and education
• Social inequality and political education
• Pedagogical Professionalisation, Consulting, Training and Further Education
• Elementary education: Early education and pedagogy
• Conflict – Trauma – Violence
• Psychoanalytic pedagogical and educational science

Recommended study sequence

curriculum Bachelor's Degree Educational Science

BA-Educational Science

Graduates have a diverse range of job options in the pedagogical field. The study of Educational Sciences prepares them for leading, planning and consulting activities in pedagogical institutions and social organisations: 

• in the field of non-school youth education,
• of gender-aware parent education,
• of diversity-conscious and anti-racist adult education,
• of workplace learning
• in public, private and non-profit organisations, both at the local and the international level

A non-exhaustive list of where graduates in Educational Sciences work:

• ARBAS
• State of Tyrol
• PH Tirol
• University of Innsbruck
• Jugendland
• Heilpädagogische Familien
• KommBi
• lebenswelttirol

To obtain access to career options requiring higher qualifications, we recommend that students who complete the bachelor’s degree also complete the master’s degree programme. For an academic career, this can be followed by PhD studies.

• Master OLAT course
• Further education offerings

The programme consists of 180 ECTS credits, one ECTS corresponds to a workload of 25 hours.

The Bachelor degree is designed as a full-time study programme, so graduation is possible in six semesters (= 3 years). However, there is no obligation to complete the degree in that timeframe.

Admission period for the Bachelor's programme:

12/07 till 05/09 (winter semester) or 07/01 till 05/02 (summer semester)

Extension period: 

06/09 till 30/11 (winter semester) or 06/02 till 30/04 (summer semester)

Admission period for non EEA citizens and stateless persons:

15.06. for winter semester and 15.12. for summer semester

This help page of the Admissions Office  provides information how to apply for the programme.

Matura (school leaving examination) or equivalent and a language certificate

Start your studies fully informed

Some tutorial videos from the Admissions Office provide the most important infos on the programme for new students. To the tutorial videos.

OLAT-Survival-Guide

OLAT is the learning management system of the University of Innsbruck. OLAT is primarily used to enhance and virtually accompany in-person classes and serves to provide learning materials and organise learning activities. The OLAT Survival Guide provides important infos and aids to students who use OLAT.

BA OLAT of the Office of Student Affairs

This OLAT course on self-registration provides all the important information and forms for the BA programme Educational Sciences. To the registration for the OLAT course.

For classes with continuous assessment (seminars, courses; attendance is compulsory) you can register in the winter semester from 1st September to 21st September. In the summer semester, you can register from 1st February to 21st February for classes with continuous examinations.

• Infos on registration of preferences
• Information sheet: How to study

StEOP stands for “Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase”, or Intdoductory and Orientation Period. These are selected courses that must be passed in the first semester in order to be allowed to study fully later. As long as the StEOP has not been completed entirely, you may only take courses up to 22 ECTS credits.

The current StEOP is: 

• VO Einführung in die Erziehungs- und Bildungswissenschaft (Introduction to Pedagogical and Educational Science) (VO / 2h / 4 ECTS credits) 
• VO Überblick über Forschungsmethoden (Overview of Research Methods) (VO / 1h / 2,5 ECTS credits)
• VO Gesellschaftstheoretische Grundlagen von Erziehung und Bildung (Fundaments of Social Science for Pedagogy and Education) (VO / 2h / 3,5 ECTS-AP)

Further information on the start and orientation phase

The study officers are responsible for accrediting courses taken in another degree programme at the University of Innsbruck or at other universities. The study officers have drawn up instructions for the accreditation process. Infos and instructions for accreditation.

If the grade for your bachelor’s thesis has already been transmitted to the Examinations Office by the advisor, the following documents still need to be submitted to the Examinations Office for the official completion:

• The fully filled-out examination protocol
• The confirmation of successful completion (you can get this through LFU-Online)
• The proof of completion of the bachelor’s thesis
• Confirmatory certificates, if required

Acceptance for the master’s programme in the winter semester must be obtained at the latest by 30/11. In the summer semester, the deadline for acceptance runs till 30/04.

But please be sure not to submit your online application for a master’s degree programme right before the end of the extended deadline, as an approval in the same semester cannot be assured due to the time it takes to process the applications.

If you have already obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Innsbruck that entitles you to acceptance to the master’s programme, you can apply for acceptance through the student portal LFU:online under the menu item “My study applications”.

Link: (Slides info event transition BA-Master)

Yes, it is possible to attend courses for the master’s degree programme prior to official registration. However, you should officially register for the master’s programme as soon as possible within the deadlines (see above).