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The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Medical Professions under the number 129903. Who this German-taught Bachelor suits – and what you need to qualify
This part-time distance-learning degree suits experienced health professionals who want to turn their vocational training into an academic qualification and move into leadership, education or public health. Typical profiles include: a full-time registered nurse or geriatric nurse aiming for ward or quality management; a physiotherapist or occupational therapist looking to add research and management skills; a paramedic, speech and language therapist or medical-technical assistant planning a switch into health education or service development. The programme is taught in German and runs fully online, with optional on-campus sessions in Hannover (mandatory classroom days only if you choose the specialisation in health education).
Admission requirements
To enrol you must combine a recognised healthcare qualification with a higher-education entrance route. In detail:
- Completed 3-year vocational training in a state-recognised health profession (e.g. nursing, geriatric nursing, paediatric nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, paramedic/emergency services, midwifery, medical laboratory or radiography assistant, dietetics).
- And one of the following higher-education entrance options:
- General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) or university of applied sciences entrance (Fachhochschulreife), or
- Master craftsperson examination, or
- Middle school leaving certificate plus a qualified, at least 3-year recognised vocational training (final grade 2.5 or better), or
- Completion of an advanced professional qualification (≥400 hours) at a Fachschule or academy (per Hesse regulations), or
- State-recognised healthcare vocation, at least 2 years related work experience and a separate higher-education access test.
- Foreign qualifications: international school and vocational certificates are admissible if their equivalence is proven. Official recognition/assessment is required.
- Language: the programme is delivered in German; you need proof of adequate German proficiency (usually upper B2–C1) to follow courses, sit exams and write your thesis. The university specifies accepted evidence during admission.
Credit recognition: 60 ECTS are typically awarded for your completed 3-year vocational training, reducing the part-time study length to 5 semesters (180 ECTS in total).
Personal requirements
Studying remotely while working calls for solid habits. Plan for 15–20 hours per week across self-study, live online sessions and assessments. You will benefit if you:
- Manage time realistically around shifts; reserve fixed study slots and buffer weeks before exams.
- Are self-directed and persistent: distance learning rewards steady progress, reading scientific texts and meeting deadlines.
- Have reliable internet, a quiet workspace and basic digital skills (learning platform, video calls, referencing tools).
- Bring sufficient academic German to read research, discuss cases and write assignments; everyday conversational German is not enough.
- Can attend occasional on-site days in Hannover if you choose the health education specialisation; factor in travel time and costs.
Professional curiosity, willingness to reflect on practice, and clear career goals in management, education or public health will help you stay motivated and apply what you learn immediately at work.
What will you study in the Medical Professions (B.A.) at DIPLOMA University of Applied Sciences?
The programme is taught in German. You need very good German for lectures, seminars and exams; common proofs of proficiency include TestDaF, DSH or a Goethe-Zertifikat at advanced level. The degree awards 180 ECTS, with 60 ECTS typically credited from your completed three-year healthcare training, so you study over five part-time semesters.
You build an academic foundation for advanced practice: scientific work and empirical research, statistics and evidence appraisal sit at the core. Typical modules here include scientific methods and writing, empirical social research and statistics, and evidence-based medicine.
You deepen clinical decision-making and the societal context of care. Content spans Clinical Reasoning, health policy and systems, medical sociology and health psychology, as well as law and ethics in healthcare. Newer topics address hospice and palliative care, interprofessional emergency care and mental health.
You add management and digital capabilities for leadership roles. You will study business administration in healthcare, organisational development and quality management, plus Digital Health, E-Health and design thinking for smart service delivery.
Electives let you tailor your profile: choose one focus from Corporate Leadership and Management, Health Education, Public Health, or Hand Rehabilitation. The Health Education track includes on-site seminars. The programme concludes with a Bachelor’s thesis and a colloquium. DIPLOMA is a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) and the degree is staatlich anerkannt (state-recognised).
How does studying in the Medical Professions (B.A.) work?
German-taught distance degree: language skills you will actually use
Teaching is in German across all modules, exams and academic writing. To succeed, you need advanced academic German, including for live online seminars and written assessments. Recognised language certificates such as TestDaF, DSH or Goethe-Zertifikat at a high level are commonly used to document this competence.
Study model and where learning happens
This is a part-time distance-learning programme over five semesters. You can study 100% online or combine online study with optional on-site teaching at the Hannover study centre. Regular study starts are in April and October; an individual start may be possible after review.
Learning format, cohort rhythm and personal support
You learn with structured study materials, a digital campus and 12–14 live sessions per semester delivered online or on-site (depending on your elective). The format suits working professionals; plan for around 15–20 hours per week for self-study and sessions. You have direct contact with lecturers and academic staff for guidance and feedback.
Assessments and final thesis
Exams are held online or at a DIPLOMA exam centre. The programme finishes with a Bachelor’s thesis and a defence (colloquium). As a German distance programme, it also holds ZFU state approval for distance learning (no. 129903).
If you plan on-site attendance in Germany
You can complete the entire degree online from abroad. If you choose the Hannover on-site option (e.g. for Health Education seminars), you will need to organise travel and any stays in Germany yourself.
What does the Medical Professions (B.A.) cost?
Tuition is spread over your chosen payment plan. Current options are €137 per month (60 months), €157 per month (48 months) or €217 per month (30 months), plus a one-off €695 examination fee. As an orientation, the 60-month plan totals roughly €8,915 including the exam fee. You can extend your study time by up to four semesters without extra tuition (model-dependent), and you can test the programme for four weeks.
International students studying remotely avoid relocation and daily commuting costs. If you opt for on-site elements in Hannover, budget for travel and short stays. For full relocation to Hannover (not required for this programme), typical living costs are approximately €900–1,200 per month including rent, health insurance, food and transport, depending on your lifestyle.
What careers and recognition does the Medical Professions (B.A.) offer?
The programme is accredited by AHPGS until 30 September 2027 and awards 180 ECTS under the Bologna system. DIPLOMA is a state-recognised university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule), so your Bachelor of Arts is an official German university degree. ECTS credits enable international comparability and access to many Master’s programmes in Germany and across the EU. As a distance degree, it also holds German ZFU approval, signalling structured quality in distance delivery.
Career outcomes reflect your professional background plus the academic upgrade. Typical roles include:
- Team lead or ward/therapy unit lead in hospitals, rehabilitation or outpatient care
- Quality manager or process coordinator in healthcare providers and networks
- Practice manager or founder in physiotherapy/ergotherapy/logopedics
- Health educator in vocational training centres or in-service education
- Public health coordinator in prevention, community health or health promotion
- Specialist hand therapist (with the Hand Rehabilitation track)
With the B.A., you can continue into Master’s degrees in health sciences, management, pedagogy or related areas, enhancing access to higher-level leadership or specialised roles.
Who is the Medical Professions (B.A.) right for – and who not?
This programme targets qualified healthcare professionals who want to build on their vocational training with an academic, management- and evidence-focused degree they can complete alongside work.
- You already work in nursing, therapy or another recognised healthcare field and want an academic upgrade.
- You need a flexible distance format (fully online, with optional on-site sessions) that fits shift work.
- You plan to move into leadership, quality management, health education or public health.
- You value a state-recognised, accredited German degree with ECTS for future Master’s options.
- You want management and digital health skills anchored in your clinical background.
Equally important: there are situations where another programme will fit better. Read the points below carefully before you apply from abroad.
- You do not speak German at an advanced academic level; the entire programme, seminars and exams are in German.
- You are looking for a first-licensure nursing degree (a grundständiges Pflegestudium, often B.Sc.) or access to regulated medical professions.
- You specifically want an English-taught programme or an on-campus student experience in Germany with a study-visa pathway.
- Your goal is a purely clinical qualification without management, research or health systems content—this degree combines all of these.
- Low or no tuition is your top priority; private universities in Germany charge fees, unlike most public universities.
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