MDBI – Master's degree in Diagnostics, Counselling and Intervention (Information and downloads for students)
The consecutive extra-occupational Master’s programme in ‘Social Work – Assessment, Counselling and Intervention’ is characterised above all by its interdisciplinary nature. Graduates of social work, early years education and other educational degree programmes, as well as nursing, social innovation management, psychology, law and related disciplines, can gain further qualifications in the field of counselling children, young people and families facing multiple challenges, thereby meeting the demands of the professional world. Furthermore, the course content is presented using case-based teaching methods, thereby ensuring a close integration of theory and practice.
The next intake will start in the 2026/27 winter semester
Structural organisation
The Master’s in Social Work – Assessment, Counselling and Intervention is offered as a consecutive, extra-occupational degree programme. The standard period of study for the programme is six theoretical semesters, including the Master’s thesis.
Structure of the content
The master's degree programme comprises 15 modules, including the Master’s thesis.
1st semester
In the first semester, students explore psychosocial multiple stressors as an academic subject and interdisciplinary approaches to case work through three modules. In addition, they examine counselling standards and (revisit) the fundamental principles of relationship-building. In the courses, they reflect on their approach to psychosocial multiple burdens through practical exercises and the case-based supervision provided. As a further fundamental area of study, they examine the legal framework governing counselling.
2nd semester
In the second semester, students acquire and consolidate their diagnostic knowledge through both a theoretical foundation module and a practice-oriented, case-based module. In addition, students deepen their understanding of the developmental trajectories of children, young people and adults within families and the wider community. To this end, they learn about healthy and atypical development, as well as developmental risks and resources within families and the wider community. As a normative framework for counselling, the ethical principles underpinning the process and those required to build a sustainable and constructively structured relationship are explored, with the focus of analysis on the counsellor or counsellors. Furthermore, by reflecting on their own life stories during a self-awareness weekend, students can come to understand the significance of these stories for their counselling work.
3rd semester
In the third semester, students explore key topics in clinical psychology, such as health and illness and the factors underlying them. They learn about major clinical conditions, their diagnosis in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, possible explanatory models, and the conditions necessary for change, taking into account the social environment or support network. In the one-semester compulsory elective module, students deepen their understanding of and reflect on the practice of psychosocial counselling within a specific thematic area: youth welfare within the context of the juvenile justice system (Advanced Context), psychosocial family counselling in the context of children’s welfare and risks to children’s welfare, or clinical social work with adults, including, where relevant, work with older people and their families. The skills, abilities and fundamental attitudes required to establish a relationship in challenging counselling situations and to shape it constructively within the counselling process form a further key focus of the module. Students also reflect on these processes through (small-group) exercises. In addition, they are able to assess individual problem situations within the context of socio-structural conditions, as well as the implications for available support options.
4th semester
In the fourth semester, students learn the fundamentals of intervention research from various disciplinary perspectives and become familiar with intervention approaches that take the family and the social environment into account, as well as their effectiveness. In the area of practical case work and counselling, they work with case studies and practise practical approaches through (small-group) exercises and case-based supervision. Alongside the theoretical knowledge and practical exercises, they explore the normative implications of interventions.
5th semester
In the fifth semester, a research-based approach to the subject areas of diagnosis, counselling and intervention is explored in greater depth in a research workshop, and students develop their own research projects, which they can then further refine – in terms of both content and methodology – in a colloquium as part of a module leading to their Master’s thesis.
6th semester
In the sixth semester, students undertake their own research projects as part of their Master’s thesis, in accordance with academic standards.
Applicants for admission to six-semester degree programmes worth 180 credit points (ECTS) must make up the missing 30 credit points in accordance with the Study and Examination Regulations. Further information can be found in this document,
or by members of the examination board and the programme support staff.
For information on training in child and adolescent psychotherapy, please refer to the Psychotherapists Act of 15 November 2019. The details of the transitional arrangements can be found in Section 7: https://www.buzer.de/gesetz/13617/b33129.htm
As part of the 2020 re-accreditation process, the master's degree programme was accredited until 30 September 2028.
The following assessments of the degree programme can be summarised from the expert report on the MDBI produced as part of the 2020 accreditation process.
The master's degree programme has a distinctly transdisciplinary focus and is ideally suited to fostering students’ abilities to disseminate and deepen their knowledge, as well as to solve problems. As outlined above, the programme’s concept appears convincing in terms of its overall structure and the organisation of its modules.
Overall, there is a diverse range of forms of teaching and learning that ideally support students’ education and the development of a professional identity, along with the practical skills required for their chosen career.
Students consider the support they receive on organisational and academic matters – through programme assistants, the Student Advice Centre, project coordination and individual support from lecturers – to be excellent.
Overall, the panel of experts rates the quality assurance and further development of the MDBI master's degree programme as very good.
The programme’s design as an extra-occupational part-time course of study is in line not only with the objectives of Hochschule München, but also with the students’ everyday lives and working realities.
(Quoted from the ACQUIN evaluation report)
Conclusion:
The reports particularly highlight the programme’s excellent organisation and the supportive information and advisory services it offers. Overall, the accreditation body considers this to be a highly innovative and needs-based concept of study programmes, which is implemented to a high standard thanks to the strong commitment of the lecturers.
Programme Coordination
