There is a high demand for qualified specialists and managers. At the same time, the world of work is changing rapidly: digitalisation, artificial intelligence and new professional requirements make lifelong learning more important today than ever before. For many working professionals, therefore, studying whilst working is an attractive way to gain further academic qualifications without giving up their job. This allows new academic insights to be applied directly to day-to-day work and career opportunities to be expanded in a targeted manner.
Studying alongside work: flexible and personalised
Part-time academic further education is now as diverse as people’s career paths. Depending on personal goals, a range of formats are available – from part-time Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programmes and university certificates to compact further education formats such as micro-degrees, which allow individuals to develop specific skills in a targeted manner.
However varied the formats may be, they offer working professionals the opportunity to gain an academic qualification or a scientifically sound additional qualification and to apply what they have learnt directly in their day-to-day working lives. Face-to-face sessions, digital teaching formats and self-study periods help to ensure a flexible balance between study, work and personal life.
Who benefits from part-time study?
Part-time study is aimed at people in a variety of professional situations: at professionals wishing to deepen their knowledge, at experienced professionals planning their next career move, or at those wishing to gain qualifications for new areas of responsibility. Even those who, after several years’ professional experience, wish to return to academic work, gain new perspectives or refine their professional profile will find a wide range of opportunities in academic continuing education.
Why a part-time degree programme is worthwhile
A part-time degree programme is an investment in your own professional and personal development. It offers the opportunity to acquire academically sound knowledge, discover new perspectives and actively shape your own professional future.
Ostfalia supports working professionals in their academic development and in balancing their studies, career and personal life. With a part-time degree programme, you can:
- Expand your knowledge and apply it directly
A part-time degree programme combines theory and practice in a unique way: new academic insights can be directly applied to your day-to-day working life. This enables you to deepen your specialist knowledge, develop new approaches to problem-solving and better tackle professional challenges. - Open up new career prospects
Additional qualifications can create new opportunities – for example, by taking on more demanding tasks, specialising in a particular field or preparing for future career requirements. - Continue learning flexibly whilst remaining active in your career
Part-time study programmes are designed to fit in with the demands of both work and private life. A variety of teaching and learning formats make it possible to integrate further education flexibly into your daily routine. - Strengthening personal skills
Studying alongside work not only broadens your specialist knowledge; it also develops skills such as self-organisation, academic working methods and the ability to look beyond the boundaries of your own field of work.
An overview of all Ostfalia’s continuing education programmes is available on the Continuing Education overview page.
If you have any questions about study programmes, entry requirements or how the programme is organised, Ostfalia’s Central Student Advisory Service ( ) is on hand to provide personalised advice.