New at HFU - Occupational Therapy

In Winter Semester 2025, Furtwangen University (HFU) will be expanding its range of courses in the field of healthcare − with the first state degree programme in occupational therapy in Baden-Württemberg. HFU is a pioneer in the academisation of the healthcare professions, responding to the increasing demand for academically trained specialists in healthcare and to developments in the international field.

“We are delighted to be able to set up this forward-looking degree programme at our university,” says Prof. Dr. Stephan Lambotte, Dean of the Faculty of Health, Safety and Society. “The increasing demands on specialists in the healthcare sector make it essential to offer an academic education in professions such as occupational therapy. Our university has always stood out by offering innovative and practice-oriented degrees − the new occupational therapy degree confirms this once again.”

As the first state-run occupational therapy degree programme in the country, the programme marks a significant step in the further development of the healthcare professions. “There is a growing need for university-trained occupational therapists in the healthcare system. By academising occupational therapy training, we can provide students with a sound professional basis at university level, preparing them in an ideal way for the challenges of the profession, at the same time facilitating their entry into further academic training," adds the future Dean of Studies, Prof. Dr. Melvin Mohokum.

Applications for the 44 first-year places will be accepted from spring 2025. The bachelor's degree programme will be characterised by close integration of science and practice, including clinical internships and intensive partnerships with healthcare facilities. “Our aim is to offer students a comprehensive university education that is also very much geared towards practical application,” emphasises Prof. Mohokum. “Occupational therapists play a central role in the rehabilitation and promotion of independence for people of all ages.” The course will be interdisciplinary and combine the theory and practice of therapy, movement, health, and occupational and social sciences, as well as of medicine, psychology and health economics. Practical elements such as laboratory work and clinical internships and also included. A partnership with the Ergotherapie Akademie Südwest gGmbH is currently being set up.

With the introduction of the occupational therapy programme, HFU is actively contributing to the academisation of the healthcare professions, in a field that has traditionally been strongly practice-oriented. Scientific qualifications are becoming increasingly important in order to meet the requirements of modern healthcare.

“The introduction of this degree is an important step towards meeting the requirements of modern healthcare,” emphasises HFU President Dr. Alexandra Bormann. “With this programme, we are helping to ensure that in the future, more highly qualified occupational therapists can be trained, who are able to meet the increasing challenges in this professional field. It is important for us to make in this way, a central contribution to the further development of the healthcare professions in Baden-Württemberg and to the social requirements in this field.” With the new occupational therapy degree programme, HFU is expanding its extensive range of health-related programmes and further developing this focus. HFU was already one of the first universities in the state to offer the Midwifery Science programme.