Health Sciences

Health sciences are a relatively young field of study. The first study opportunities were available as part of dual study programs in the nursing sector. The academization of the nursing and health professions has become necessary due to demographic change, epidemiological changes and medical progress. In terms of content, they partially overlap with medical courses, but lead to a non-medical profession.

Universities, technical colleges and dual universities offer the courses and impart knowledge of nursing, healthcare, business administration, human resources, nursing science and medicine. Students learn to develop concepts for nursing, pediatric and geriatric care, including the nursing process and nursing documentation.

The course takes place as a full-time course or as a part-time course. There is also the option of distance learning.

• The courses in the area of nursing and health management deal with health economics issues. The course provides broad knowledge of the business and structural conditions of the respective industry and service environment and qualifies you for management tasks in healthcare. The aim is to design processes in the healthcare system in such a way that fewer resources are used while maintaining the same or even improved quality.

• The study area of health promotion/health education, on the other hand, deals with the planning and implementation of health promotion measures and aspects of prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.

• The Midwifery Studies course imparts scientific and practical skills in pregnancy, birth and child health. Students gain basic knowledge in anatomy, physiology, counseling, obstetrics, pediatrics and law. The aim is to prepare for scientifically based and situation-specific care for pregnant women, those giving birth or those who have recently given birth.

• Degree programs in the field of nursing education impart knowledge in the areas of educational management, ethics in health and medicine, management methods and instruments, medical psychology and sociology as well as educational psychology. Students also acquire basic nursing and health science principles.

 • The academic examination of the medical and rescue services includes scientific and practical knowledge in accident medicine, acute diagnostics and acute therapy as well as rescue services and disaster control.

Depending on the subject-specific focus of the course, the bachelor's program offers modules on the following topics: nursing science and nursing research, basic principles and concepts for nursing and obstetrics, medical, scientific and social principles of nursing and obstetrics, epidemiology, psychology, theories and methods of nursing science, pedagogy for Health professions/nursing education, economics of the health care system, health sciences/public health, health management, prevention and health promotion, consulting and behavior modification, legal and business principles, professional ethics in nursing, quality management in the health care system, personnel development, operational control processes, cost and performance accounting, statistics, IT.

The master's program broadens the basics or specializes.

In addition to a university or technical college entrance qualification, nursing science courses often require completed relevant vocational training and one or more years of professional experience (see also “Further education courses”). There are also dual study programs that require a training contract in addition to a university or technical college entrance qualification. There are also a few model courses that provide primary qualifications, whereby the training takes place at a university, supplemented by practical content, the proportion of which corresponds to the legally stipulated number of hours for the state examination in accordance with the professional laws.

Nursing specialists trained and further trained at universities primarily find employment as nursing experts in nursing service management in hospitals, sanatoriums, nursing homes and in outpatient services. You take on management tasks or the corporate management of health and social services companies.

Nursing scientists work predominantly in research and teaching and as consultants at health promotion institutions, health and social policy institutions, at authorities and associations, or they take on management positions in nursing facilities.

In particular, graduates of nursing education courses find jobs at vocational schools and health care schools.

The Health Management degree program qualifies graduates for areas of application in outpatient and inpatient health care, health and nursing care insurance, in the area of health promotion and information as well as in the pharmaceutical industry and in the pharmaceutical trade.