Distance learning program Applied Psychology for Managers (M.Sc.) – HSF

Requirements and Target Audience

The Master's programme in Applied Psychology for Leaders is aimed at individuals who are already working in a leadership position or who specifically wish to prepare for a management role. The target audience includes professionals from business, administration, social services, or health management who want to deepen their psychological skills in the areas of leadership, change management, or organisational development. It addresses both graduates of a first degree with an interest in leadership tasks and experienced professionals with managerial responsibilities who want to apply psychological methods and leadership tools in a practical way.

Which admission requirements must you meet?

There are three possible routes of admission to the Master's programme in Applied Psychology for Leaders at Hochschule Fresenius:

• Direct admission with a first degree (consecutive): You need a Bachelor, Magister, or Diploma degree with at least 180 credit points (CP). A specific field of study is not necessarily required; depending on your prior qualifications, you will take additional basic modules at the start of the Master's.
• Further education admission with professional experience: With a Bachelor's degree (any subject, at least 180 CP) plus at least 1 year of qualified professional experience in the relevant field, you can choose the further education admission route.
• Professional admission without a degree: Admission is also possible with a completed vocational training, at least 2 years of relevant professional experience, and a passed aptitude test (e.g., term paper, motivation letter, admission interview). Proof of training, professional experience, and consultation must be submitted.

Depending on your previous qualifications, entry or supplementary modules, e.g. on business or psychological basics, may be necessary. In individual cases, proof of English skills (e.g., B2) or credit points in specific subjects may be requested. The final decision is made by the university after an individual assessment.

You should have an interest in psychological issues in everyday leadership and be willing to apply scientific methods in practice. Important personal requirements include a high degree of self-reflection, communication skills, as well as openness to other perspectives and feedback. Experience in (project) management, basics in business administration or human resources management, as well as an affinity for change processes in organisations are advantageous. For the online study, self-motivation, time management, and digital competencies are required.

Detailed Study Content

In the Master's programme in Applied Psychology for Leaders, you will systematically acquire psychological expertise with a clear practical relevance to management and leadership. The study content includes both fundamental psychological theories and concrete tools for leading and advising people in organisations. You will engage with topics such as cognitive foundations of behaviour and experience, self-reflection and self-leadership, inter- and intrapersonal resources, as well as psychological communication and counselling. Intensive modules in applied psychology and leadership psychology prepare you to lead teams effectively, resolve conflicts, and competently support change processes.

Through the elective areas, you can set individual focuses, for example in:

• Management of complex leadership situations
• Physical and mental health
• Organisational consulting and change management
• Personnel recruitment and development
• Leadership and organisation in the digital age
• Decision Making

The final phase includes a colloquium and the master's thesis, in which you will work on an independent, practice-relevant project from your area of interest.