The aim of the programme
The purpose of the education is that the student acquires relevant professional competences, knowledge and skills, to be able to manage, develop and convey development, learning and care assignments in a social perspective, both independently and in collaboration with others within the following areas: children and young people (including working in day nurseries, day-care centres, pre-school classes, recreation centres/school-based leisure time facilities, after school clubs, 24-hour service institutions), institutions for children, young people and adults with reduced psychological or physical capacities, adults with social problems (home-lessness, substance abuse, mental disorders), family institutions, and child and youth psychiatric hospitals. Additionally, the education provides qualifications for working in the field of crime prevention in, for example, neighbourhoods as well as working within the Prison and Probation Service.
The programme provides students with the foundation for further education and training, for example in a range of educational diploma programmes within, for example, psychology, educational work, social psychiatry, social work, special needs and youth education.
Where does the education programme take place?
The education programme is available at 6 of the country's 7 university colleges. The university colleges are independent institutions under public administration. The colleges provide professional bachelor education programmes with regional geographical coverage as well as continuing and further education in connection with these programmes.
The Bachelor in Social Education and Bachelor of Education is, in terms of the total number of students, the largest medium-cycle higher education programme in Denmark.
Length, structure and content
The programme lasts 3½ years, amounting to 210 ECTS credits, and consists of two parts: a common part on basic professional competences and a specialization part.
In the common part – basic professional competences – which amounts to 70 ECTS points, Practicum is an integral course and counts for 10 ECTS point.
The specialization part, which is 140 ECTS points, contains Specialization courses, an Inter-professional course, three practicum periods, and a BA project. The student must choose and commence one of the following 3 areas within the specialization part:
- Day care education, aimed at pedagogical work with children ages 0-5
- School and leisure education, aimed at pedagogical work with school children and young people ages 6-18
- Social and special education, aimed at pedagogical work with children and young people with special needs and people with physical or mental disabilities or social problems.
The student acquires competences to participate in and lead developmental processes within the chosen competence area:
- Creative expression.
- Nature and outdoor life.
- Healthcare and physical stimulation.
- Media and digital culture.
- Cultural projects and cultural entrepreneurship.
- Social innovation and entrepreneurship
- Cultural encounters and intercultural relations.
Admission requirements
Admission to the Bachelor of Education programme is available to people who have completed one of the following education programmes or subjects:
- An upper secondary education (a general upper secondary education, a higher preparatory examination, a higher commercial examination or a higher technical examination)
- A social and healthcare training programme, including C-level Danish and science and D-level English
- The basic educational training programme (PGU), including C-level Danish and social science and E-level English
- Four individual subjects at the upper secondary level: A-level Danish, B-level English, C-level social science as well as an elective subject at a C-level
Applicants who, based on an evaluation of prior learning, have qualifications that are equivalent to the admission requirements outlined above.
The education institutions make the decision regarding the admission of individual applicants.
Material for applying for a social educator programme can be found at:
Relevant student information
The education costs are covered by the state and the programme is free for the students. The students are themselves responsible for acquiring the relevant educational material. The programme gives the student the right to receive Danish Education Support (SU) according to the applicable rules. Students receive a salary for the programme's two final practical training periods.
The students must participate actively in the programme. Attendance is mandatory during Practicum, incl. the study days. More detailed rules concerning the education are established in the Study Program, incl. mandatory attendance and consequences of failure to comply with mandatory participation and the possibilities for remedy.
Apart from daytime teaching, certain institutions offer more flexible forms such as net/distance teaching.
The programme of education can also be offered as a specially designed part-time education for meritpædagog (an accelerated programme of learning for students awarded credits for prior learning experience). Admission to a meritpædagoguddannelsen programme is conditioned by the applicant having experience from relevant professional work comparable to at least 5 years of full-time employment. The meritpædagoguddannelsen programme does not include second and third practicum periods.
Assessments, examinations and marks
The final exams of the two professional competence goals for the common part is assessed by internal censorship. These exams must be passed before the student’s second academic year expires in order for the student to continue the education. Final exams in mandatory courses and electives of the specialization part are assessed by external censorship. Final exam of the cross-professional course is assessed by internal censorship. The Bachelor project is completed in the 7th semester with an oral exam, at which a collective grade for both the written project and the oral exam will be given. All exams are assessed using the 7-point grading scale.
First, second and third practicum period are completed by an exam, which takes place at the practicum institution or the University College. First and second practicum period are assessed through internal evaluation by a practicum counsellor at the practicum institution and an educator appointed by the University College. Third practicum period is assessed through external evaluation by a practicum counsellor, an educator appointed by the University College and an external censor. The three practicum periods are assessed using ”Pass/Not passed”.
Teacher qualifications
The social educator training programme is a professional bachelor programme, and it is a typical characteristic that the teaching staff of the programme as a whole must have a level of qualification that is higher than that of the final level of the programme. By level of qualification is meant educational competence and documented theoretical, academic and/or professional competence.
A teacher at a social educator training programme is usually appointed as a lecturer. Teachers appointed to positions as lecturer must at the latest after 6 years of employment have acquired the necessary qualifications for transferring to the position of senior lecturer. An academic assessment committee appointed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science conducts an assessment of the qualifications.
Management and financing
The central requirements of the social educator programmes can be primarily found in (please note that all the links are in Danish):
- Executive Order on the Bachelor in Social Education
- Executive Order on the marking scale and other assessment
- Executive Order on tests and examinations in professionally oriented education programmes (the Examination Order)
- Executive Order on University Colleges
Each educational institution draws up a curriculum formulating the key requirements of the programme's content and structure.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Science is obliged to supervise the educational institutions with respect to both the education and training programmes and the institutions' finances.