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- These private colleges offer psychotherapy studies
- These are the requirements for studying psychotherapy
- What are the polyvalent bachelor's degrees in psychology?
- In these cities, private psychotherapy studies are offered
- Becoming a psychotherapist without a degree: what are the options?
- Is there a distance learning course in psychotherapy?
With the new Psychotherapists Act, new rules for the training of psychotherapists have applied since September 2020. In future, anyone wishing to work as a psychotherapist will complete a university Bachelor's degree in psychology, a consecutive Master's degree, which concludes with the first partial state examination, and then 4 years of further training to become a specialist psychotherapist.
The private universities will be required to offer a Bachelor's degree in psychology, a consecutive Master's degree, which concludes with the first partial state examination, and then 4 years of further training to become a specialist psychotherapist.
Private universities have now adapted to the change in the law and offer numerous Bachelor's and Master's degrees that enable PT training.
I present all these degree programmes and opportunities here.
Overview of all Courses
We have a total of 13 courses in the field of Psychotherapy.
Psychology with an emphasis in clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Medical School Berlin
Psychology with an emphasis in clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Medical School Hamburg
Psychology - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
Berlin School of Psychology
Psychotherapy Science
Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane
Behavioral Therapy
Berlin School of Psychology
Psychotherapy
Health and Medical University
Psychotherapy Science
Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin
Mental Health and Psychotherapy
SRH University of Applied Health Sciences
Psychology - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
Berlin International Psychoanalytic University
Psychotherapy
Medical School Hamburg
These private colleges offer psychotherapy studies
NC-free psychotherapy degree programmes, or Bachelor's and Master's degrees, for PT training are offered by numerous private universities in Germany. Important: You must complete a Bachelor's and Master's degree at a private university. You cannot take the required state examinations via a university of applied sciences degree programme.
You can currently study for a Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in psychology with a focus on clinical psychology and psychotherapy at these private universities or higher education institutions that are equivalent to universities:
Charlotte Fresenius University: The Charlotte Fresenius University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognised university with equivalent status to a university and is located in Wiesbaden. The sponsoring company of CFH is Fresenius University of Applied Sciences gemeinnützige GmbH, one of the largest private presence universities in Germany. Since 2022, the universities have offered a polyvalent, nc-free Bachelor's degree in psychology at their Wiesbaden and Munich campuses.
Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane: MHB is a private, state-recognised university with municipal and non-profit sponsorship based in Neuruppin, Brandenburg. The university was founded in 2014, and a total of 524 students were enrolled at the university in the winter semester 2020/2021. As a university, the university offers medical studies as well as a polyvalent Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in psychology or clinical psychology.
Witten/Herdecke University: Witten/Herdecke University was founded in 1982 as a non-profit limited company and is the oldest private university in Germany. The university is located in Witten in North Rhine-Westphalia. In the winter semester 2020/2021, a total of 2,739 students were enrolled at the university. Special feature: As a university, Witten University is also entitled to award doctorates. At its Faculty of Cultural Reflection, the university offers a Bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics and economics, among others.
Berlin School of Psychology: The PHB, located in Berlin-Mitte, is a university and was founded in 2010 by the Professional Association of German Psychologists. In the winter semester 2019/2020, a total of 458 students were enrolled at the university. The university offers both Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in the field of psychology as well as the opportunity to complete psychotherapy training.
Medical School Hamburg: MSH is a private, state-recognised university based in Hamburg. The university was founded in 2009, and in WS 2019/2020 a total of 3,023 students were enrolled in one of the 4 faculties. The Faculty of Human Sciences has the status of a scientific university, i.e. it is equivalent to a university. Among other things, the Faculty offers the Bachelor's degree programme in Psychology. A Master's degree in psychotherapy is planned.
Health and Medical University: The Health and Medical University Potsdam is a private, state-recognised university based in Erfurt with a campus in Potsdam, Brandenburg. The university was founded in 2019. At its Faculty of Health, the university offers, among others, a university-based B.Sc. in Psychology and a university-based M.Sc. in Psychotherapy.
Berlin International Psychoanalytic University: The IPU is a private, state-recognised university located in Berlin-Moabit. The university was founded in 2009, and in the winter semester 2019/2020 a total of 700 students were enrolled at the university. In addition to various Master's programmes in the field of psychology, the university offers the undergraduate Bachelor's programme Psychology Plus. Plus means that students additionally acquire a certificate in psychodynamic interviewing during their studies.
Medical School Berlin: Medical School Berlin - Hochschule für Gesundheit und Medizin (MSB) is a private, state-recognised university. The university was founded in 2012 and is located in Berlin-Wilmersdorf on Rüdesheimer Straße. In WS 2019/2020, a total of 1,650 students were enrolled at the university. The MSB consists of 2 faculties: the Faculty of Natural Sciences is a university faculty, the Faculty of Health Sciences is a university of applied sciences faculty. The psychology courses are organised by the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin: SFU Berlin is not a university under German law, but a campus of Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin in Austria. SFU was founded in 2005. In addition to Berlin, the accredited university has branches in Vienna, Linz, Paris, Milan and Ljubljana. The university offers both a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in psychology. In addition, one can study psychotherapy science at SFU, the degree objectives in each case are BA. pth. (Bakkalaureus/Bakkalaurea for Psychotherapy Science) as well as the Mag. pth., both degrees according to Austrian law.
These are the requirements for studying psychotherapy
With the Act on the Reform of Psychotherapist Training, which was passed at the end of 2019, and the new Psychotherapists Act, new rules for the training of psychotherapists have been in force since September 2020. According to the new legislation, the path to psychotherapeutic practice is as follows:
- You complete a Bachelor degree in psychology at a university.
- You then complete a Master's degree in psychotherapy or in psychology with a focus on clinical psychology and psychotherapy. At the end of the Master's programme, you take your state examination. After passing the state examination, you will have acquired your first licence or partial licence to practise psychotherapy.
- Following the state examination, you complete further training to become a specialist psychotherapist. The further training lasts 5 years and concludes with the second state examination.
- Finally, you can apply for entry in the medical register.
The requirements for the Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Clinical Psychology vary from university to university. Study programmes at private universities are usually NC-free. Here is an overview of the prerequisites for the most important Bachelor's degree programmes:
| Course of study | University | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) | MSH Medical School Hamburg | General university entrance qualification/Abitur or comparable qualification according to §37 HmbHG |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) | Medical School Berlin | Authorisation to study according to § 10 BerlHG (General authorisation to study) or programme-related authorisation to study according to § 11 BerlHG |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) | Witten/Herdecke University | University entrance qualification; written application and personal selection procedure; three-month internship or confirmation of an internship in a clinical institution or counselling centre |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) | Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin | Baccalaureate or university entrance qualification; relevant admission examination |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) | Medical University Brandenburg Theodor Fontane | Baccalaureate or university entrance qualification; two-stage selection procedure |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) | Charlotte Fresenius University | University entrance qualification; university's own selection procedure |
For a subsequent Master's degree in psychotherapy or psychology with a focus on clinical psychology, for example, these requirements apply at private universities:
| Course of study | University | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology with a focus on clinical psychology and psychotherapy, Master of Science (M.Sc.) | Medical School Berlin | Successfully completed Bachelor's degree in Psychology (usually average grade of at least 2.5), which is adequate to the curriculum of the Bachelor's degree programme in Psychology of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the MSB Medical School Berlin. |
| Psychology with a focus on clinical psychology and psychotherapy, Master of Science (M.Sc.) | MSH Medical School Hamburg | Successfully completed Bachelor's degree in psychology (usually average grade of at least 2.5) |
| Psychology - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapi, Master of Science (M.Sc.) | Berlin School of Psychology | Bachelor's degree in psychology that meets the requirements of the reformed Psychotherapists Act; letter of motivation |
| Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Master of Science (M.Sc.) | Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane | Bachelor's degree in psychology that meets the requirements of the reformed Psychotherapists Act; personal selection interview |
What are the polyvalent bachelor's degrees in psychology?
Polyvalent Bachelor's degrees are particularly suitable for those who do not want to decide at the start of their studies whether they want to go into psychotherapy or pursue other career paths later on. With a polyvalent Bachelor, you can therefore only decide in the course of your studies whether you want to go down the path of PT training.
In principle, most psychology bachelor's degrees at private universities or at private higher education institutions that are equivalent to universities are polyvalent. Here is an overview of the most important polyvalent bachelor's degrees:
| Course | University | Study site | Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science On-campus program | Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane | Neuruppin | from 29880 € total from 830 € monthly | |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science On-campus program | Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin | Berlin | from 32148 € total from 893 € monthly | |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science On-campus program | Medical School Hamburg | Hamburg | from 25020 € total from 695 € monthly | |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science On-campus program | Charlotte Fresenius University | Wiesbaden, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf or Munich | from 35100 € total from 975 € monthly | |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science On-campus program | Witten/Herdecke University | Witten | from 25308 € total from 703 € monthly | |
| Psychology, Bachelor of Science On-campus program | Medical School Berlin | Berlin | from 25020 € total from 695 € monthly |
In these cities, private psychotherapy studies are offered
Since there are not too many private universities with psychotherapy degree programmes, the choice of study cities is quite small. In principle, however, you can study psychology NC-free in all major cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich.
Here is an overview of the most important study cities:
| City | Livingcosts | Livingquality | Populationdensity | Universities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munich | 66.53 | 176.16 | 4,736 | Charlotte Fresenius University |
| Hamburg | 56.32 | 162.48 | 2,447 | MSH Medical School Hamburg, |
| Berlin | 54.18 | 160.49 | 4,115 | Berlin International Psychoanalytic University, Medical School Berlin, Sigmund Freud Private University Berlin, Berlin School of Psychology |
| Wiesbaden | 50.36 | 160.89 | 1,367 | Charlotte Fresenius University |
| Potsdam | 46.45 | - | 967 | Health and Medical University Potsdam |
Becoming a psychotherapist without a degree: what are the options?
Psychotherapy training is very long, similar to medical studies: 3 years of Bachelor's studies, 2 years of Master's studies and another 4 years of further training. This alone - apart from the NC at state universities - deters many from studying psychology.
The only alternative for those who want to work as a psychotherapist is, in principle, a health practitioner training programme specialising in psychotherapy.
This training takes an average of 15 months and concludes with state examinations in accordance with the Heilpraktikergesetz (HPG).
A minimum age of 25 years, an intermediate school leaving certificate and mental health are required for the exams.
Further information: Training to become an alternative practitioner of psychotherapy according to HPG part-time: all courses, all info
Is there a distance learning course in psychotherapy?
There is no distance learning programme in psychotherapy in Germany. There is also no university in Germany that offers a bachelor's distance learning programme with modules in clinical psychology.
There is, however, a distance learning programme in psychotherapy.
But there are numerous part-time Bachelor's and Master's programmes in psychology, most of which are offered by private universities of applied sciences.
Here is an overview of the most interesting courses:
About the Author Christian Wolf
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