Study psychology in Germany

Both psychiatrists and psychologists understand how the brain, our emotions, feelings, and thoughts work. Both can treat mental illness with psychological therapies (talk therapy).

Before we start our article, you should know the three main differences between studying psychology in Germany and psychiatry:

1. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, psychologists are not.
2. Psychiatrists prescribe medications, while psychologists do not.
3. Psychiatrists diagnose, manage treatment and provide a range of treatments for complex and serious mental illnesses. Psychologists focus on providing psychotherapy (talk therapy) to help patients.

Many people confuse psychiatrists and psychologists.

However, psychiatrists attend medical school and become doctors before doing specialized training in mental health. Because they are doctors, psychiatrists understand the links between mental and physical problems. They can also prescribe medications.

Study psychology in German universities

In terms of content, psychology majors in Germany are oriented within the behavioral field but the main focus is determined by the university individually.

During a psychology program in Germany, you will usually specialize in one of the major areas of psychology:

• psychology
• Psychological research
• Methods of data collection and analysis
• Basics of scientific work
• Developmental psychology
• Educational psychology
• Social Psychology
• diagnose
• Conflict and interference options

Depending on the university, some offer subjects such as health psychology or economic psychology, while others also offer the possibility of taking interdisciplinary elective modules and combining psychology with an additional subject such as:

• Business Management.
• Educational sciences.
• Gender studies.
• philosophy.
• Law.

In addition, at many universities and colleges you will have the opportunity to experience psychoanalytic therapy exercises just as you saw them in the movies while sitting on the famous “sofa.”

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Psychology subjects in Germany

• General psychology
• Biological psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Personality psychology
• Social Psychology
• Differential psychology
• Psychiatric diagnoses
• Scientific work
• Qualitative research
• statistics
• Clinical psychology
• Educational psychology
• Industrial and organizational psychology
• Health psychology
• Media and communication psychology
• Market psychology and advertising
• Rehabilitation psychology
• Educational psychology
• Psychological prevention
• Sports psychology
• Corporate health management

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What are the best psychology majors in Germany?

1. School psychology.
2. Clinical psychology.
3. Clinical child psychology.
4. Clinical health psychology.
5. Clinical neuropsychology.
6. Psychology of marriage and family.
7. Forensic psychology.
8. Rehabilitation psychology.
9. Psychology of addiction
10. Sports psychology

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Is a psychology degree recognized?

In theory, there is no need to worry about accreditation for a psychology degree, provided it is an accredited course at a state-recognized university. 

For the degrees and certificates you obtain through distance learning, you can find out whether the distance learning psychology course is accredited at the university of your choice on the information pages of the university, university of applied sciences or academy.

Read also: Registration for vocational training is free

The best psychology universities in Germany

According to popular university rankings, these are some of the best universities in Germany where you can earn a psychology degree:

Jacobs University Bremen

For Jacobs University, the highest standards in teaching mean strong professor-student interaction and offers a three-year Bachelor of Science program in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, which meets established guidelines for an accredited degree. 

Jacobs University's cognitive psychology and neuroscience majors study structural, functional, and physiological aspects of humans and biological systems. In the first two years.

•  Classification: Private university
•  Preparatory year: There is no preparatory year at this university
•  Expected installments: from 1200 to 3500 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university does not usually give conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: English TOFEL, English Iltes
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study Master's study

University of Bochum

Located in the center of a dynamic and hospitable urban area in the Ruhr, in the heart of Europe. The Faculty of Psychology is an internationally oriented, research-based institute with thousands of students enrolled. The college consists of nine departments, each led by a full professor as well as four assistant professors and approximately 40 scholars and research assistants.

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: G-course, M-course, S-course, T-course, W-course. This university has a preparatory year
•  Expected tuition fees: Tuition fees range from 500 to 1200 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university usually gives conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: Admission can be given without language certificates
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study PhD study Study Fellowships | Master's study

University of Mannheim

The Department of Psychology at the University of Mannheim is one of the leading research and teaching institutions in Germany. It mainly focuses on the research areas of economic psychology, social psychology and cognitive psychology. 

One of the department's prominent goals is to connect and expand these areas of research through the creation of new and innovative academic facilities. The Department of Psychology offers bachelor's and master's degree programs. The undergraduate program (BA Psychology) imparts knowledge and skills in both basic and applied areas of psychology, including experimental methods and test theory. 

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: There is no preparatory year at this university
•  Expected tuition: The tuition fee is 1500 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university does not usually give conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: English TOFEL, English Iltes, language certificate for level B2
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study Master's study

University of Dresden

In the current university classification, it is one of the few psychology departments in any German university that is distinguished by strength and modernity in all dimensions. 

To reach all four dimensions (research, application reference, universality and student orientation) in the senior group, the duration of obtaining an international and national university degree is 5 years in Psychology to obtain a professional qualification in Psychology. 

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: There is no preparatory year at this university
•  Expected tuition fees: Tuition fees from 500 to 1000 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university usually gives conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: Language certificate for level B2
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study PhD study Study Fellowships | Master's study

University of Constance

Psychology is one of six majors in the College of Science. Its research activity makes it one of the most active and successful departments of psychology in Germany. 

In terms of research and teaching, the university focuses on future challenges so it emphasizes the importance of neuroscience and social sciences to the public.

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: T-course, W-course
•  Expected fees: Tuition fees are 1500 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university usually gives conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: Language certificate for level B1, admission can be given without language certificates
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study PhD study Master's study

University of Jena

The Institute of Psychology at the University of Jena is based in conductive research. The University maintains a close relationship with the above through the Alumni Association, special events, professional exchanges or internships. Through internal improvement and external quality control.

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: G-course, M-course, S-course, T-course, W-course
•  Expected tuition fees: tuition fees from 500 to 1000 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university usually gives conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: Language certificate for level B1
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study PhD study Master's study

University of Giessen

Gießen University is among the oldest institutions of higher education in the German-speaking world. The Department of Psychology currently has about 850 students majoring in psychology in Germany. 

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: There is no preparatory year at this university
•  Expected tuition fees: tuition fees from 420 to 800 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university usually gives conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: English TOFEL, English Iltes, language certificate for level B1
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study PhD study Master's study

University of Freiburg

The Department of Psychology at Albert Ludwig University Freiburg has begun offering the Bachelor of Science degree program in Psychology. 

•  Classification: Public university
•  Preparatory year: There is no preparatory year at this university
•  Expected fees: Tuition fees are 1500 euros
•  Conditional Admission: This university usually gives conditional admission
•  Required language certificates: Language certificate for level B1
•  Study in English: Yes, offers are offered in English
•  Academic degree: | Bachelor's degree study PhD study Study Fellowships | Master's study

University of Ulm

The Institute of Education and Educational Psychology at Ulm University was founded in the mid-1980s with the purpose of offering supplementary subjects in the Media and Computer Science program as well as teacher training programmes. 

That is why the Institute of Psychology and Education (as it is called today) belongs to the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. Students who are introduced to the basics of psychology and methodology get an overview of different application areas. 

Chemnitz University

Learning by research – this is one of the main characteristics of studies at Chemnitz University of Technology. A large number of interdisciplinary courses are influenced by many subjects: for example, the Bachelor of Psychology in Germany as well as the Master of Psychology can be studied at this university.

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Costs of studying psychology in Germany

There are no tuition fees to study a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Psychology in Germany within public universities. You need to pay the semester subscription fees, which amount to between 200-700 euros per semester, except for the universities of Badenfutemberg and Bayern, which are only 1500 euros.

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Requirements for a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology

• Obtaining a high school diploma with a grade not less than 60% of the total grades.
• You must pass the preparatory year exam for social specializations
• Submitting the German or English language certificate required for at least level B1
• Registration at the university through the Uni-Assisst Foundation.

Read also: Study a master's degree in Germany

Requirements for a Master's degree in Psychology

• Submitting the German or English language certificate required for at least level B1
• Registration at the university through the Uni-Assisst Foundation.
• The applicant must obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, or a similar specialty, with a grade point average of no less than 69%.
• You will not need to study a master's degree in psychology in Germany to study the preparatory year.

To register for university admission in psychology, watch the following video:

Read also: Deadline for registration in German universities

Training while studying

While studying for a master's or bachelor's degree in psychology in Germany, it is common to get a job for three to six months. The basic requirements for these practical training periods often vary from one university to another but the main requirement is that they be supervised by a psychologist.

Most students undertake work placements in hospitals or psychiatric wards but you can work in companies (human resources), social services or prisons for example. Usually you can only spend half the time on research projects.

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Distance universities to study psychology

The psychology major can be studied remotely via the Internet at two German universities

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Where can you work after graduation?

Where can psychology graduates in Germany find job opportunities after completing their studies? Most of them work as human resources scientists or psychotherapists. Positions such as traffic psychologists or school psychologists are very rare.

To obtain a license to practice psychotherapy, you must obtain training at one of the many private psychotherapy schools in Germany. Training takes between three and five years (plus studies!).

After doing this additional training and passing the final state exam, you work just like a doctor, but without prescribing medication.

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Psychology salaries in Germany

All salary information listed is for guidance only

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After examining the various branches of psychology in Germany and determining your career goals, charting an educational path to help get there becomes much easier.