Social Education

Are you a person sensitive to social issues, to the protection of unprotected and disadvantaged people, as well as to environmental issues themselves? Well, maybe Social Education is an excellent university study option for you and that's why we want to tell you a little more in depth about what this degree is about.

What is Social Education?

The Revista de Educación, in its issue 336, indicates that the fundamental task of Social Education “is the insertion of the individual into his environment”. It continues later saying that this discipline seeks “to lead the individual to act correctly in the social field, so that he integrates into society in the best possible way, and is capable of improving and transforming it”.

The publication ends by pointing out that from a global perspective, it can be indicated that Social Education aims to:

• Achieve social maturity
• Promote human relations
• Prepare the individual to live in society.

Social Education professionals usually work with people of different profiles. Thus, we can see them helping young people with low economic resources, people with disabilities and elderly people with a limited support network.

Although their field of work is the issue of social inequalities, we can also see them in educational centers talking about topics such as environmental education, sustainability and respect for nature.

The history of Social Education dates back to the times of the great Greek philosophers and thinkers, when Plato said that man should be educated for society.

Centuries later, specifically in the 18th and 19th centuries, in Germany, cradle of Social Pedagogy, it was said that education was an essential dimension for the development of the community.

In the mid-19th century, Social Education was linked to helping the population, until social aid centers were created and social initiatives increased due to the problems generated by the Industrial Revolution, such as shelter houses, laws to adopt abandoned children and foundations for workers and employees, among other initiatives.

Since the second half of the 20th century, and as a result of problems brought about by the postwar period, such as work problems, refugees, child abandonment, lack of food and housing, among others, care institutions were created and volunteer work was promoted.

What is the profile of a Social Educator like?

The Social Education professional must be accustomed to diversity, since he is a person who must work with people of different profiles. That is why he must:

Have empathy with people who are at risk of social exclusion: We are referring to groups such as refugees, homeless people, people with addiction problems, people with disabilities and in general all those who because of their condition suffer some type of rejection or who are at a disadvantage when facing a problem.

Show interest in social and educational issues: Anyone who wants to study Social Education must be a person who is sensitive to the issues that affect society and that keep a group of the population away from the possibility of integrating and being part of the change to improve it.

Have the ability to understand the social structure: That is, understand the form taken by the system of relationships between individuals in a society or group.

Be emotionally stable and capable of cooperation: As its name suggests, they must be an emotionally stable person, given the problems of other people they will have to deal with and that can often affect those who have to deal with them.

Be a communicative, dynamic and flexible person: Although they will have to deal with people who often have traumas, that should not stop the Social Educator, so they must be a person who communicates easily and is dynamic and flexible in seeking and finding solutions to other people's problems.

Most frequently asked questions about the Social Education degree

How long does the degree last?

In the vast majority of universities in Spain the Social Education degree lasts 4 years, although there are schools where it is studied for 5 years and, in the case of the Universidad de Salamanca, it is studied for 6 years.

What is the price of studying Social Education?

The cost per course varies depending on the university with prices ranging from €590 to €6,900.

What cutoff grade do I need to get into Social Education?

The cutoff grade will depend on the university you want to enter to study Social Education. The highest so far is the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, with a cutoff grade of 9,602. From there on it decreases, as is the case of the Universidade da Coruña, with one of 7,200, or the universities of Salamanca, Huelva and many others with a cutoff grade of 5.

General subjects in the Social Education degree

Like many other university degrees, Social Education has many subjects in common and many others that vary depending on the university you choose to study it. In general terms, the subjects will be:

• Psychology
• Theory of education
• Social services
• Introduction to social sciences
• Pedagogical anthropology
• Pedagogy
• Modern languages: English and French
• Planning and evaluation in the field of social education
• Sociocultural animation
• Models of socio-educational action
• Mediation and conflict resolution
• Group dynamics
• Training and socio-labor integration
• Justice, conflict and social education
• Family and social education
• Intercultural education
• Violence: prevention and socio-educational action
• Care and social support
• Globalization and migratory movements
• Sociology of exclusion
• Adoption and foster care

Career paths and salary of the Social Educator

According to the Informe de Inserción Laboral of the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, a person recently graduated from the Social Education degree starts with a gross annual salary of €21.179. That same study indicates that people with more experience and years since graduation earn €36.000 per year.

The possibility of finding work as a Social Educator, both in the private sector and in the public sector, is varied. This professional usually has a wide variety of offers in public institutions and NGOs that take care of people with problems integrating into society. This is how you can work as:

• Social assistant.
• Manager of a supervised housing facility.
• Community services technician.
• Educator of children and adolescents.
• Youth information officer.
• Advisor to women victims of gender-based violence.
• Educator in prisons.
• Technician in social intervention and integration programs.

How can I know if Social Education is for me?

If you are a person with extraordinary social sensitivity, dynamic, flexible, with strong communication skills, who is interested in social and educational issues and at the same time you are an empathetic person, then most likely studying Social Education is the most suitable for you.

Although every degree requires you to be a studious person with a high capacity for reading, Social Education may be one of those careers that will require you to always be reading a little more than usual not only to be knowledgeable about the subjects that make it up, but also to be aware of the current problems affecting our society.