Education Sciences

Abstract

The master of education sciences programme consists of the base course and one core study area. In the base course, the students take a module aimed at developing their research skills and a themed module on current challenges in academic and social education.
Students have a choice of five electives for their core study area: «Innovation in Education and Training», «Intercultural and Comparative Education», «Globalisation and Education», «Early Childhood Education and Child Research», «Pedagogy/Psychology».
The Pedagogy/Psychology» elective is taught jointly by the Departments of Education Sciences and Psychology.

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    Profile of the study programme

    The education sciences deal with learning processes and the global issue of social and academic education in children, adolescents and adults. The programmes teach the theoretical bases of social and academic education, developmental psychology and educational psychology.

    The Education Sciences programme is divided into three sections: A base course, consisting of a module which teaches students research skills, and a themed module on current challenges in social and academic education.

    The base course is identical for all master's students, in addition to which they also take one core study area. Here, the possible variants are:

    • Intercultural and Comparative Education
    • Innovation in Education and Training
    • Globalisation and Education
    • Early Childhood Education and Child Research
    • Pedagogy/Psychology

    The Pedagogy/Psychology elective is taught jointly by the Departments of Education Sciences and Psychology. It consists of two modules each, one in the field of Education Sciences and one in the field of Psychology.

    The compulsory modules in the Education Sciences are those which teach students advanced and specialist research skills. These build on the knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods that students acquired at the bachelor level.

    The module covering current challenges in social and academic education teaches students the bases for systematic, comparative investigation into the question of how the education system is dealing with current social challenges.
    In Psychology, the following modules are offered: foundations of psychology, advanced cognitive psychology, advanced occupational and organisational psychology, and clinical psychology.

Studies organisation

Structure of studies

90 ECTS credits + 30 ECTS credits as an option in a minor study programme freely chosen or in a specialisation programme, 3 to 4 semesters

Curriculum

Admission

Master's degree programmes are built on the knowledge and abilities that were acquired when obtaining a bachelor's degree.

Holders of a bachelor's degree awarded by a Swiss university are admitted to a master's degree programme without any preconditions if they have earned 60 or 90 ECTS credits – depending on the chosen master's degree programme – within the corresponding discipline. However, additional requirements can be required. The same applies to holders of a bachelor's degree awarded by a foreign university, provided that the bachelor's degree is recognised and considered equivalent by the University of Fribourg.

Holders of a bachelor's degree awarded by a Swiss or a foreign university, provided that the bachelor's degree is recognised and considered equivalent by the University of Fribourg, who do not fulfil this condition can be admitted to a master's degree programme with preconditions (which must be successfully completed before starting the master's degree programme) and/or additional requirements (which can be completed during the master's degree programme). The preconditions and/or additional requirements may not exceed 60 ECTS credits in total. The same applies to holders of a bachelor's degree awarded by a Swiss university of applied sciences, according to existing agreements.

The respective conditions of admission for each master's degree programme are reserved.

Alternatives

Also offered as a minor study programme and as a specialisation programme (30 ECTS credits).

Minor study programmes to be chosen

Key points

Degree conferred

Master of Science in Education Sciences

Languages of study

Possibility to study in French, in German or in French and German. Some courses are offered in English.

Options

For information on the optional award of the distinction «Bilingual curriculum, French/German», please contact the relevant Department (see Contact).
Various options available:

  • Globalisierung und Bildung;
  • Pädagogik der frühen Kindheit und Kindheitsforschung.

Commencement of studies

Commencement of studies in the Autumn Semester (September) or in the Spring Semester (February)

Access to further studies

Ph.D.

Contact

Faculty of Humanities
Department of Education Sciences
Xavier Conus (French)
xavier.conus@unifr.ch
https://studies.unifr.ch/go/fr-educationsciences
Dr Doris Gödl (German)
doris.goedl@unifr.ch
https://studies.unifr.ch/go/de-educationsciences