Childhood Education (BA)*

You can have formally acquired skills (e.g. in vocational training), non-formally acquired skills (e.g. through further education and training) and informally acquired skills (e.g. through voluntary work) recognised. All information on this can be found here.

For the recognition of competences acquired outside of higher education, always submit the form "Recognition of competences acquired outside of higher education", the "Supplementary sheet for the recognition of educator training" and the relevant supporting documents.

The form "Supplementary sheet for the crediting of educator training" serves as an aid when applying for the "Crediting of competences acquired outside of higher education". This form must be completed in full.

You can find the documents on the MyCampus homepage under "Information from the Department of "Examination Services".

1. General information and counselling by the head of degree programme (possibly supplemented by the central student advisory service).
2. Application by students using the two forms "Recognition of competences acquired outside of higher education" and the "Supplementary sheet for the recognition of educator training".
3. You submit the documents to the Examination Service by email: pruefungs-service@fh-potsdam.de.
4. Examination by the Examination Service, the Examination Board and the head of degree programme.
5. Notification and feedback to the students by the Examination Service.

No, this is not possible. However, you can significantly shorten your period of study by having it recognised.

No, this is not possible. You can only submit the application once you are enrolled at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.

We recommend that you submit an application for the entire degree programme at the beginning of your studies. If you are already studying, it is possible to submit an application, but not retroactively.

If it is documented in your final certificate of teacher training where you completed your internships (e.g. day care, after-school care centre), the certificate is sufficient. Otherwise, please submit alternative evidence.

Yes, the grades or the "passed" if there is no grade will be taken from your training certificate.

Yes, this is possible. Corresponding evidence must be submitted with the application.

If you have any questions, please contact

• Prof Dr Tanja Salem, Head of the Childhood Education programme (B.A.)
• Dipl-Päd Filipe Martins Antunes, Deputy Programme Director Childhood Education (B.A.)

You can apply for standardised crediting of the Brandenburg and Berlin nursery teacher training. Educator training from other federal states can be recognised individually. Other previous experience (e.g. achievements at a university, adult education courses, further education and training or professional experience) can be assessed on an individual basis.

Applications are submitted via the Examination Service. If you have already completed related coursework at a university, please contact the degree programme advisory service at an early stage to apply for a placement.

In the application process, you can increase your chances of a place on a degree programme with professional and non-professional experience. Voluntary service is taken into account here. You can find a complete list in the selection regulations. Unfortunately, however, you cannot be exempted from academic achievements.

If you are studying full-time, you can work up to 20 hours a week during the lecture period. However, earning too much can affect your BAföG entitlement. There are different regulations outside the lecture period. Please contact your health insurance provider for more information.

No, there is no practical semester. During your degree programme, you must provide evidence of a total of 800 hours of practical experience. The work placement accompanying your studies takes the form of weekly practical days (during the semester) and work placements lasting several weeks (during the lecture-free periods in the 3rd and 5th semesters).

You can complete internships at various institutions during your degree programme. As a rule, you should look for the various internships yourself. Day care centres are usually willing to take on interns, while other internships often take a few weeks to complete.

You do not need an internship to start your degree programme. You will receive all the relevant information about internships in the first week of lectures.

With us, you have the opportunity to complete a semester abroad and internships abroad without having to extend your studies.

Our special certificate programme "Childhood Education International" enables you to take part in language and preparatory courses for your stay abroad as well as a seminar on international quality development and professionalisation.

Further information is available in the study information letters sent out at the start of each semester, from the contact persons in the Department of Social and Educational Sciences and on the International Office website.

A degree programme is characterised by scientific thinking and working, whereby you learn to act independently. Courses are orientated towards research-based learning and teach you techniques of social and educational research. As a result, you will be able to independently organise practice in childhood education institutions.

The bachelor's degree programme also lays the foundations for future management activities, and the path to academia is open to you. You also have the opportunity to complete a master's degree.

Yes, this degree programme gives you the opportunity to become a state-recognised childhood educator. After completing your bachelor's degree, you can apply for state recognition. The basis for state recognition is the Brandenburg Social Professions Act. You can find all the important information on the pages of the Brandenburg Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Brandenburg State Office for Social Affairs and Care (Ministeriums für Bildung, Jugend und Sport des Landes Brandenburg sowie des Landesamtes für Soziales und Versorgung des Landes Brandenburg).

The information sheet from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the State of Brandenburg (Ministeriums für Bildung, Jugend und Sport des Landes Brandenburg) summarises the documents to be submitted for state recognition as a childhood educator.

The degree programme takes part in the central allocation of study places, the Dialogorientierten Serviceverfahren (DoSV) via hochschulstart.de. To do this, you must register with hochschulstart.de for the winter semester from 15 May to 15 July and then create and submit your application in the MyCampus university portal of the FH Potsdam.

Let us guide you step by step through the procedure and use our DoSV guide.

Documents to be submitted

Please submit the following documents in PDF format with your online application in the MyCampus university portal:

• University entrance qualification, if applicable
• Proof of professional or other previous experience relevant to your professional field, if applicable
• If applicable, university degree certificate and justification for taking up a second degree programme
• Proof of service, if applicable
• If applicable, proof(s) of hardship application or application for compensation for disadvantages

Checklist

After completing your online application in the MyCampus university portal, you will receive a personalised checklist with the following information:

• A list of all supporting documents that you have uploaded as PDF files in accordance with the information you provided in your online application
• Information on the further course of the procedure

Selection procedure

Applicants who fulfil the admission requirements take part in the procedure for the allocation of study places.
The result of the university selection procedure is determined on the basis of the following criteria (weighting in brackets):

• Average grade of the higher education entrance qualification (80 %)
• Previous professional or occupationally relevant experience (20 %)

Admission

Following the university selection procedure, places are allocated in the dialogue-oriented service procedure via hochschulstart.de. Applicants with a correspondingly high ranking will receive a temporary offer of admission on hochschulstart.de, which they can actively accept. Further information on the coordination phase on hochschulstart.de can be found in our DoSV guide.

Once you have accepted the offer of admission, you will receive your letter of admission from hochschulstart.de. If you do not accept the offer of admission within the deadline, the ranking list will continue to be processed and the study place will be reallocated.

Have you accepted your study place via hochschulstart.de? Then you have the opportunity to submit an enrolment application for the winter semester in the MyCampus university portal of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam .

Following online enrolment, upload all required documents as PDF files via the upload portal. Enrolment is only valid once all documents have been uploaded in full and on time.

Documents to be submitted

• University entrance qualification
• If applicable, further documents according to the enrolment application

Do you have any questions about the enrolment procedure at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam? Our Enrolment page offers you further information and a FAQ section on all aspects of admission and enrolment.

Starting your studies

Once you have successfully completed the application process, we recommend that you take a look at the study start page of the Department of Social and Educational Sciences. There you will find important information and dates for starting your studies at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam at the beginning of the semester.