Early Life Care
Profile

The goals of this part-time continuing education program and university course are to facilitate interdisciplinary knowledge transfer, foster multiprofessional collaboration, and prepare participants for leadership roles in expanding and enhancing comprehensive support, counseling, and treatment services. The program places a special emphasis on innovations and research to advance practical applications in the field.

Professional objectives

• Provide further training in skills development and effective communication for professionals from various backgrounds within support systems, preparing them to take on key roles in building and implementing early intervention services across Austria.

Sociopolitical objectives

• Improve primary prevention efforts
• Offer tailored support for pregnant women, parents, and families to fill gaps in perinatal healthcare
• Enhance support services for high-risk areas
• Develop strategies to embed cooperative, interdisciplinary support systems, improving early life care services
• Promote the development and networking of a structured local, regional, and national system of mobile facilities and centers of excellence, staffed by multiprofessional and interdisciplinary teams
• Establish quality standards for Early Life Care facilities

Scientific objectives

• Prepare participants for scientific research
• Facilitate knowledge transfer across disciplines
• Encourage interdisciplinary exchange in research, practice, and media resources
• Advance research and teaching

The Early Life Care university program covers a total of 120 ECTS credits.
The program is a part-time, seven-semester program.
The course is designed to allow students to balance their studies with their professional lives. Classes take place on four block weekends per semester (Friday to Sunday), combined with self-study and structured learning time.

This flexible learning model, with a mix of block weekends and self-guided study, enables students to organize their studies around their careers without disruption.

Level I

Basic interdisciplinary program

• Duration: 4 semesters
• Credits: 60 ECTS
• Qualification: Certified Expert in Early Life Care

Level II

Advanced interdisciplinary program

• Duration: 3 semesters
• Credits: 120 ECTS (including 60 ECTS from the basic course)
• Qualification: Master of Science continuing education - MSc (CE)

The curriculum for Level II was revised in 2024 and is currently under review, with enrollment opening soon. Each level of the program accepts a maximum of 30 participants.

Graduates of the Early Life Care Program bring a strong foundation of knowledge and interdisciplinary skills to their workplaces, using innovative approaches to improve daily interactions with families and children. They are well-prepared to advance health care and promotion during the essential early years of life.

Our graduates stand out for their practical expertise, social responsibility, and strong problem-solving skills. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, effective communication, and patient-centered care, as well as the ethical and social values integral to professional practice.

The university program is structured as a part-time, seven-semester course. Students complete the first four semesters to earn the title of "Certified Expert" and can continue for three more semesters to obtain a Master’s degree. The program can be completed in stages, allowing students to achieve a qualification after each level, making it flexible to individual learning goals:

• Level I
  Semesters 1-4
  Qualification: Certified Expert
• Level II 
  Semsters 5-7
  Qualification: Master of Science continuing education (MSc (CE))
  (The curriculum for Level II was revised in 2024 and is currently under review.)