Distance Learning

Faq practice project for state recognition in the social work study programme

Unfortunately no, previous work activities can not be recognised for credits.

However, if you have already completed a recognised internship as part of a previous social work degree programme, you are welcome to apply for recognition. This can be done at any time.

Please contact our recognition department at the following email address: anerkennung@iu.org.

Partial recognition possible before 01.09.2021 only for enrolled students. Please note: After this deadline, it will no longer be possible. 

All further questions and answers on this subject can be found here

Recognition Internship: Social Work BASA-03 (DLBSAAP01)

The scope is 20 ECTS (1 ECTS point = 30 working hours). A recognition internship amounting to a total of 600 h (at least 100 days with 6 working hours each) must be completed. In the case of part-time work, this is calculated accordingly.

Additionally, a practical reflection must be submitted.

1. You look for a suitable practice/internship partner independently.

2. You conclude a practice agreement with your practice/internship partner.

3. IU International University of Applied Sciences verifies the practice/internship partner as well as the professional qualification of the supervisor.

4. You complete the recognition internship (and in parallel online tutorials from IU International University of Applied Sciences to reflect on theory-practice transfer).

5. You write a practice reflection. This is examined and evaluated by IU International University of Applied Sciences.

You can begin the module “Recognition Internship: Social Work BASA-03” (DLBSAAP01) once you have achieved 30 ECTS credits. From that point on, you can enrol in the DLBSAAP01 course on myCampus. There, you will find all relevant information and documents.

Additionally, the practice/internship partners must have been reviewed by the university and the practice agreement must have been accepted by the university. After that, you can start your accredited internship.

Please send your completed internship agreement in a collected PDF file by email to the Praxisamt (praxisamt@iu.org) BEFORE the start of your internship.

You must complete a total of 600 hours, but at least 100 days with 6 working hours each. In part-time, this is calculated accordingly.

It is up to you how you organise your working hours. The weekly working hours, therefore, depend on the contractual agreement with your practice/internship partner.

Please note that the internship may not be less than the minimum of 100 days. Even if you have agreed on 8 hours per day, the minimum number of days to be worked is still 100.

Yes, as long as your work activity is in the field of social work AND
the institution meets the requirements for practice/internship partners and supervision AND you have achieved at least 90 ECTS.

Yes, you can also complete your recognition internship with several practice/internship partners. For each practice/internship partner, an individual practice agreement must be sent to the Praxisamt before the start of the practice.

Please make sure that the total of 600 hours and a minimum of 100 days and a practice reflection are documented.

The practical reflection serves to record in writing one's own confrontation with the practice/internship partner, with new professional tasks and activities, one's own procedures and the related expectations, ideas and feelings. This is done especially against the background of theoretical knowledge already acquired.

The collective reflection on professionally relevant experiences with the supervisor and the lecturers in the online tutorials can be used to integrate essential insights into one's own development directly into the practical report.

All information on how to work on the practical reflection can be found in the booked course in myCampus.

You upload the written practical reflection to myCampus/Turnitin after completing the recognition internship. The examination for the recognition internship is based on the written work in the form of a practical report assessment (pass/fail) - there is no grading.

Remuneration is not required by law. As a basis for negotiation, we recommend the orientation framework provided by the Federation of Regional Employer's Associations (VKA). A remuneration of 500 to 600 euros is recommended here.

Yes, if the institution where you would like to complete the practical project meets the requirements for German practice/internship partners and the supervisor has the necessary professional qualifications. Furthermore, you must independently provide the relevant proof of aptitude and the certified translation.

The 600 hours, and a minimum of 100 days, of your recognition internship, are purely "net working time", from which no holiday entitlement can be derived. Holidays are not counted as working hours. You can arrange and negotiate your working hours individually with your practice/internship partner. If holiday days are included in the agreement, these must be additionally agreed upon and contractually confirmed.

Please note that the internship may not be less than 100 days. Even if you have agreed on 8 hours per day, the minimum number of days to be worked is 100.

Since you have decided to obtain state recognition as a social worker, the recognition internship is curricular. Therefore, it is a prerequisite for your successful graduation. This means that the recognition internship must be completed during your standard period of study.

The original extended police clearance certificate (§ 72a SGB VIII) must be submitted before the certificate for “State-recognized social pedagogue / social worker” is awarded and serves as proof of your personal suitability. State recognition will not be granted if the extended certificate of good conduct is not submitted or if there are convictions for criminal offenses listed in § 72a SGB VIII. The certificate must not be older than 3 months.

Students who have completed the Social Work degree program can print out an application for an extended certificate of good conduct on myCampus. You submit this to the relevant residents' registration office and then receive the certificate of good conduct by post. All information and documents can be found on myCampus in the course DLBPPSA02.