Social Work as a Human Rights Profession (MA-SWHR) (Master of Arts)
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You can find a short film about the ASH building on Youtube.
Invitation to a guest lecture at ASH Berlin!
Professor Dawn Belkin Martinez from Boston University will give a lecture on October 30th from 15:00 - 16:30 in room 018/Minimax on the topic:
The Liberation Health Model. Clinical Social Work from a Radical Social Work Perspective
Further information can be found in the flyer.
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Obituary for Murat Çekiç in the alice magazine
All of us are still in shock and mourning for SWHR student Murat Çekiç. It was very touching to see the Letters written by various members of the SWHR 08 Group in the newest edition of the alice magazine. You will be missed, Murat, Rest in Peace.
01.07.2024 · 2 MB
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Powerful Together. The story of Carlotta & Esra
One of our Alumni, Francesca Semer, has converted the Human Rights Praxis Project to an empowering children's book titled “Powerful Together. The story of Carlotta & Esra”.
14.03.2024 · 25 KB
AN INTERNATIONAL MASTER PROGRAM
The postgraduate program Master of Arts in Social Work as a Human Rights Profession (MA-SWHR) at the Alice Salomon Hochschule - University of Applied Sciences - in Berlin, Germany. The program is realized in cooperation with:
- Cottbus–Senftenberg, Germany: Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus–Senftenberg
- Växjö–Kalmar, Sweden: Linnaeus University, Department of Social Work
- Ljubljana, Slovenia: University of Ljubljana, Department for Social Justice and Inclusion
- Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom: University of Strathclyde, School of Applied Social Sciences.
The cooperation consists of lecturers from the above mentioned universities. Additionally, lecturers based in Norway, Finland, Greece, Brazil, UK and various German universities teach in the program.
We are pleased to announce that the M.A. SWHR has been successfully re-accredited by the agency AQAS until 30 September 2029.
Overview
In the course of the transnationalization of social problems in the globalized world, the importance of human rights as a strong instrument in the field of social work becomes more significant. Through the Master's program "Social Work as a Human Rights Profession" you will gain, develop and improve a general professional self-conception and receive a science-based theory of action, intervention as well as a solid inside of principle of profession’s code of ethic: all in relation to social work as a discipline and profession.
The course of study will be of most interest to individuals who are professionally active or have an academic interest in social work or in an area related to human rights. Social work and human rights are frequently encountered when working with vulnerable groups such as children or migrants respectively when working on issues related to the right to health or to social problems like poverty, social exclusion or discrimination with regard to a person's identity, gender or race.
The program shall give you feasible tools through a hybrid learning experience. The program combines classroom teaching blended with modules on internet-based learning for a profound focus on research. The MA program requires a full-time commitment and personal perseverance from students. Click here to learn more about our curriculum. Almost all other professors are permanent staff members at our partner universities in Sweden, Scotland and Slovenia.
Development
The need for an international Master program on Social Work as a Human Rights Profession has often been articulated in meetings of the International Association of School of Social Workers (IASSW) and the conference of the European Network on Social Action (ENSACT). This idea became more concrete during a pre-conference to the ENSACT conference in Brussels in April 2011 organized by Prof. Dr. Staub-Bernasconi and others on the issue of human rights and social work.
The participants were very much interested in developing an international program on the issue of social work and human rights. During a meeting held at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences and four more meetings in Berlin between 2011 and 2012, the final group of cooperating universities was created.
If you would like to learn more about the history and development of this master's program, please read the following summary.
International Orientation
Thanks to the cooperation with other universities, the lecturers of the MA-SWHR hail from a great range of nationalities and cultural backgrounds bringing a variety of professional fields and traditions of expertise. Together with an average of 25 international students, the MA-SWHR creates a multicultural setting of learning, where students are directly confronted with the experience of diversity. This creates a space to discuss social- and human rights issues in an international setting.
Introduction to student services, 2018
Fields of Study
The MA-SWHR is a research-oriented, partially internet-based program, combining the field of social work with human rights issues.
Social work and human rights are frequently encountered when working with vulnerable groups such as children or migrants respectively when working on issues related to the right to health, to the social challenge of poverty, to social exclusion, to discrimination with regard to a person’s gender or to the complexity of racism.
The main aim of the MA-SWHR is the translation of the often very abstract and appellative human rights discourse into the theory and practice of social work.
This objective is strongly linked to the development of a general professional self-conception based on the “triple mandate of social work”, meaning that the universally known “double mandate of social work” on behalf of the addressees and the society/providers is complemented by a third mandate on behalf of the profession.
This consists of science-based theories of action, intervention as well as the principles of the profession’s code of ethics.
Curriculum
1st and 2nd Semester
A Modules: Basic knowledge about the discipline and profession of social work and human right
3rd Semester
B Modules: Social Problems/ Vulnerable Groups
C Modules: Social Action Fields/Social Movements
4th Semester
D Module: Human Rights Praxis Project
E Module: Master Thesis
Employment Prospects
The orientation of the MA-SWHR is suited to the requirements of the job market. Graduates work in social services, free-lance, in international governmental, non-governmental and private sector organizations, particularly in key roles to achieve social change.
For applicants attempting to work as a social worker in Germany, one must consider the requirements for the State Recognition by the Senate of Berlin (Berliner Senat).
Additionally, you shall take into consideration informing yourself about the state regulation of a licensed social worker of your home country, respectively, in order to practice as a social worker.
Fees and Financing
As a non-consecutive, professional Master's program students are currently required to pay tuition and registration fees. These non-profit fees are charged to cover both classroom teaching as well as online studies and self-paced learning at facilities at ASH.
After admission, a fee of 300 EUR is due. The tuition fee for the first to third semester is 2,640 EUR each. Costs for the fourth semester (Human Rights Praxis Project and Master’s Thesis) amount to 1,250 EUR. Should, however, the Master’s thesis be postponed to the fifth semester an extra 300 EUR will be charged for this final semester.
Please note that additional options like purchasing a public transport tickets for students may lead to extra costs of currently around 176.40 EUR per semester.
Scholarships
Our university of applied sciences is, unfortunately, not able to grant scholarships. However, we have compiled an extensive list of institutions where you can apply for a scholarship: List of Scholarships
Please note that the information on the different scholarship options was taken from the respective institutional websites. Since the latter are subject to constant changes, we are unable to guarantee that all information is still up to date. In order to verify, it is recommended to visit the organizations’ websites directly.
Furthermore, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that some scholarships request that you hold a specific nationality. Should you have questions about the exact requirements please get in contact with the respective organization.
Finally, we ask you to take into consideration that in some cases the application process may take a very long time, in fact up to one year. Thus we encourage you to inform yourself about suitable scholarships and apply to the institution(s) in question as early as possible.
Students' Diversity
world map
JKUntil today 210 students from 64 countries studied in the cohorts SWHR 01 to SWHR 10.
Our students come from Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czechia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxemburg, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
Alumni Section
Sophie Riding (SWHR 05: 2018-2020)
After the SWHR program at ASH, Sophie continued to work at the OECD as a social policy consultant. She was an intern at the OECD during her 4th semester where she wrote her thesis. She has since worked at an education technology start-up as a project manager, supporting and mentoring students. Since September 2023, Sophie is working as the student success centre manager for the University of Europe for Applied Science.
Work place: University of Europe for Applied Science, Berlin, Germany
Contact: sophielyneriding[at]gmail.com
Sebastiano Moltrer (SWHR 06: 2019-2022)
Sebastiano Moltrer (he) applies his knowldge in social work, human rights, informal education and community economies on projects at the intersection between cultural initiatives and actions for social change. He is currently based in the northern Italian region of Trentino Alto Adige, developing comunity-led sociocultural projects with La Foresta - Community Academy (https://laforesta.net/). Areas of interest include: social determinants of health, consequences of structural inequalities on the individuals, Epistemologies of the South and Pedagogy of the Oppressed, art as a tool for social change, promotion of social capital and cultural heritage of individuals, territories and communities.
Work place: La Foresta - Community Academy, Rovereto, Italy
Contact: sebastiano.moltrer[at]gmail.com
Laurent Francis Ngoumou (SWHR 01: 2014-2016)
After completing the SWHR program at ASH, Laurent pursued a PhD in Social Work at Laval University in Canada, specializing in immigration policy, social integration, sexual diversity, systemic racism, and mental health across Africa, Europe and Canada. His research interests include the social reality of LGBTQ people in Africa, homophobia, racism, social integration, exclusion of sexual minorities, promotion of diversity, ethno-culturalism and international migration policies, focusing on integration, exclusion, stigmatization, and racism. He also explores how to integrate the issue of Afro-Caribbean sexual minorities into social science research. Since June 2021, Laurent has been working as a Research Assistant and Mental Health Project Manager for Black LGBTQ People: Immigration at FrancoQueer. Additionally, since October 2021, he is serving as a Psychosocial Intervener at Interligne. As of May 2023, Laurent holds the position of Research Officer in the Societies, Cultures, and Health sector at the University of Montreal.
Work places: FrancoQueer, Toronto, Canada
Interligne, Montreal, Canada
University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
Hailu Abebe (SWHR 05: 2018 - 2020)
As someone with Human Rights and Equality background, Hailu has been interested in social justice and advocating for those whose rights are deprived by "systems". The issue of forcefully displaced people, mainly refugees and internally displaced people, has been an area of concern for him since young age.
Hailu was working for UNICEF as Child Protection Officer in western Ethiopia in Refugee response context, before joining the MA programme at ASH in 2018.
The SWHR programme added value to what he already knows and practiced as professional working for different UN Agencies. Being introduced to the different research approaches and methodologies, skills to investigate systems and institutions, and learning from the experiences of other students and individuals during his time in ASH have been worth the time.
After his graduation, Hailu joined back UNICEF Ethiopia, Program section, as Child Protection Cluster Coordinator in Northern Ethiopia. In this position, he will continue to contribute his part to promote Human rights and help address both the systemic and emerging problems that prevent the enjoyment of Human rights.
Work place: UNICEF Ethiopia, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Contact: highloo[at]yahoo.com
Impressions
Please note: This website provides information on the MA-SWHR in English language. There is a program with the same name offered in German language. The two programs do have some overlapping content. However, the structure is quite different. Please find further information on the program in GERMAN