• Subject contents and career prospects
• Study structure
• Admission prerequisites and application

The Master course of studies Special Education and Rehabilitation Studies, which first started in the Winter Semester of 2008/2009, puts special emphasis on “learning support and educational aid”, as well as “speech and communication therapy” and enables students to deal with practice-relevant study questions in extracurricular fields of study within Special Education.

Students select one of the two above mentioned focuses at the beginning of the Master course. In addition to dealing thoroughly with research theories and methods, a special emphasis is placed on diagnosis, intervention and evaluation. Possibilities of handling research results in a reflected manner and gaining personal research experience are given via offers to academic research methods in psychology and sociology on one hand and practical participation of students in current research projects on the other. The cooperation with the Medical College of Hanover (MHH) in the area of speech and communication therapy guarantees an education that includes theory-reflected units of practice.

The course of study qualifies for employment in education and academic research of universities, “Fachhochschulen” (i.e. universities of applied sciences and arts) and “Fachschulen” (i.e. professional schools for further occupational training).

Depending on the chosen focus of studies, postgraduates are equipped for administrative functions in the areas of learning support and educational aid or speech and voice therapy. Further career perspectives are public relations, concept development, academic documentation and evaluation, as well as comprehensive organisation and management.

Among the centres of attention concerning learning enrichment (LE) as a focus of studies are forms of support in Special Education, which discuss difficult types of behaviour or learning difficulties of children, in addition to advice for, and cooperation with, people of the children’s’ environment. A specialisation in Special Education-related modes of action such as support, advice, consultation and cooperation can be achieved against the background of the following various institutional contexts: home schooling, child psychiatry, penal system for adolescents, child aid, learning methods in addition to school education, support in pre schools and support in early childhood as well as work-related rehabilitation.

Studying focus Speech- and Communication therapy (SKT) qualifies one to work as a speech and communication therapist who assists people with establishing or improving their communication possibilities. It is offered in cooperation with the Medical College of Hanover (MHH) and makes an interdisciplinary scientific education possible in which scientific, medical, linguistic and socialscientific-/psychological perspectives complete perspectives on speech and communication orders. Considering occupation perspectives, they relate from the function as a speech, language and voice therapist in therapeutical practices, clinics, rehabilitaion centres, kindergarten, etc. to coordination and supervision functions in a team of therapists within the bounds of rehabilitation concerning speech, language, voice and hearing disorders. (Further information concerning functions within the bounds of the legal health-care system can be found in the leaflet for this field of studies on the download page. Other fields of work are communication training and public relations.)

The Master program Special Education and Rehabilitation Studies is built upon the Bachelor of Special Education (or a closely related subject) and has a time frame of 4 Semesters. 120 credit points must be earned.

Within the obligatory studies the student must deal with current research theories and research methods, as well as the fields of ‘Diagnostics’ and ‘Intervention & Evaluation’ in an academic way. Introductory obligatory modules need to be taken for every single field, regardless of the focus of studies. Afterwards, optional subjects within the obligatory modules must be attended considering the focus of studies. The goal is the deepening and application of foundation knowledge, as well as the acquisition of specific competences. This comprises dealing critically with current research fields, the realisation of and reflection on two work experiences and one specific project (including a presentation), developing diagnostics procedures and evaluating those as well as specific intervention steps and strategies and their evaluation in practice. In that way, the studies facilitate deepening and specialisation with a high amount of theoretical reflected practical orientation, academic research into fields of special education and their professional acting concepts, the development of concepts of methods as well as the ability to work independently and academically. The field of studies completes with the Masters of Arts degree.

Without exception, admission for this field of studies is only possible for the winter semester. The written application including the required application documents must be submitted at the prevailing university by the 15^th of July of the same year. The application is only valid for the placement at a university concerning this application date.

General admission prerequisites are a successful Special Education Bachelor’s degree (B.A.; at least 90 credit points) or a relevant education or specialised Bachelor’s degree (e.g. Education Studies, Psychology, Speech Therapy) with minimal 9 credit points from the education foundation lectures with a GPA of 2.5 or better.

Moreover, the submission of a certificate that confirms the knowledge of English as a foreign language is required. However, this can also be achieved and submitted during the first two semesters of studying. This also applies to the specific admission prerequisites. More precise information concerning admission prerequisites are provided in the ‘Regulations of access and admission for the consecutive Special Education and Rehabilitation Studies Master’s degree’.

All important regulations and forms can be found in the menu point Download.

Application documents for enrolment in each field of studies are available on the homepage of the Enrolment Office.