The KU’s Postgraduate Program in Adult Education provides interested students and adults who are already in employment with the opportunity of a comprehensive academic further qualification in adult education. Against the backdrop of current social transformation processes, students are enabled to meet the associated challenges with scientifically substantiated teaching-learning methods and to actively help shape the educational landscape. The further qualification opens up access to a wide range of tasks and areas of work in various professional fields of adult and continuing education. In order to enable students to study flexibly while working, courses are offered as hybrid courses if required.

The program can be studied in full-time (3 semesters) or part-time (6 semesters).

Admission requirements

• Proof of a first university degree
• Proof of German language skills at B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• Proof of professional experience of generally at least 4 months after obtaining the university degree. In exceptional cases, professional experience can be acquired after the start of the course until the end of the standard period of study.

Degree

After successfully completing the postgraduate course in adult education, students receive a continuing education certificate upon written application to the Examinations Office. Passing the postgraduate course in adult education does not confer an academic degree.

Contents

The increasingly rapid social and technological transformation processes make lifelong learning a necessity – even in adulthood. In this context, there is the increasing necessity of a further professionalization in adult and continuing education in the context of an academic training that prepares for specific task and fields of activity adequately. The offer gives students the possibility of acquiring a fundamental subject-scientific, pedagogical qualification based on their initial training, which ensures both acquisition of founded knowledge from adult education and skills related to the respective professional fields. Building on the theories of adult and continuing education, the program enables students to acquire basic pedagogical skills, methodological-didactic skills in the context of diversity and practical professional knowledge from the field of dialog-based HR and organizational development. The overarching qualification goal is to enable students to act professionally as teachers in different areas of adult and continuing education taking into account the conditions of social heterogeneity.

The postgraduate course in adult education offers a close, reflective link between theory and practice. This contains, among other things, work shadowing in the practice field, practice consultation and practice guidance by full/part-time coworkers of the local institution. At the same time, it enables self-guided learning in vocational practice. In addition, students have the opportunity to analyze and reflect on their practical experience against a theoretical background in a seminar accompanying their internship.

Career prospects

Numerous employment opportunities are open to graduates in state and non-state institutions (e.g. church sponsors, independent sponsors, associations, trade unions, commercial enterprises), including (departmental) management of an educational institution, lecturing and lecturing activities, activities in the field of HR, team and organizational development, in educational management and (continuing) educational counseling.