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The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Psychology under the number 1105219. Who this Master suits – and what you need to apply
This German-taught, distance-learning Master in Psychology is ideal if you want to deepen a first degree in psychology while working. Typical profiles include: psychologists in healthcare or social services aiming to progress into clinical, health or environmental psychology; professionals in HR, organisational development or coaching who seek a rigorous A&O specialisation; and market or user-research practitioners who want academic grounding in market and advertising psychology. If you live outside Germany, you can complete the programme fully online; on-site seminars are optional.
Admission requirements
To be admitted you need a relevant first degree and sufficient German for academic study. Key points at a glance:
- First degree: Bachelor’s in Psychology or a psychological programme with at least 180 ECTS. Eligibility is checked individually against the curriculum.
- With a foreign Bachelor’s: admission is possible if your degree is comparable to a German psychology Bachelor (scope ≈ 180 ECTS) and includes core psychology and methods; recognition is decided case by case.
- Language of instruction: German. You need advanced German, typically level C1, evidenced by a recognised certificate. Common proofs include TestDaF, DSH, telc C1 Hochschule or a Goethe-Zertifikat (exact proofs are confirmed during admission).
- Studying from abroad: the programme is designed for remote study; exams and learning activities are online. Optional in-person seminars may be offered but are not mandatory.
- Planning psychotherapy training in Germany under the legal transition? This Master can be suitable only if your Bachelor was started before 01/09/2020 and you complete Clinical Psychology; further conditions apply outside the university’s admission rules.
Personal requirements
Remote Master’s study rewards structure and stamina. Expect an average workload of about 29–30 hours per week during teaching periods, including statistics-intensive modules and academic writing in German. You should be able to plan realistically alongside a job, protect regular study slots, and work through research literature independently. Reliable internet access, comfort with quantitative methods (e.g. multivariate analyses) and solid academic German are essential for reports, assessments and your Master’s thesis. A supervised practical placement (12 ECTS) forms part of the curriculum; if you live outside Germany, ensure you can secure a suitable host organisation and supervision in your country. Finally, resilience helps: complex diagnostics, research projects and exam preparation require perseverance and steady progress week by week.
What will you study in the Psychology (M.Sc.) at SRH Distance Learning University – The Mobile University?
The programme is taught in German. You should be able to study, write assignments and take exams in German at an advanced level. For international applicants this typically means C1-level German. The degree is a Fernstudium (distance learning) at a Fachhochschule (a German university of applied sciences), and it is approved by the ZFU, the German state authority that certifies distance-learning programmes.
You build a strong scientific-methods core. Typical modules here include Psychological Diagnostics (testing, assessment, expert reports), Multivariate Analysis Methods, and Special Research and Evaluation Methods. You also train how to communicate scientific results precisely.
You deepen psychological foundations and applied analysis. Expect courses such as Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, and Work and Health Psychology Research. This combination links theory to evidence-based application.
You gain intervention-oriented insight. A dedicated module on the framework and procedures of behaviour therapy introduces key psychotherapeutic approaches and their evidence base. In parallel, you work on a project that connects methods with practice.
Practice, thesis and colloquium are part of the programme. A professionally oriented internship (Berufspraktikum) gives you supervised exposure to real tasks. You conclude with a Master’s thesis and a final colloquium, showcasing your research competence.
Electives: You shape your profile by choosing three application specialisations from eight options: Clinical Psychology; Health and Environmental Psychology; Market and Advertising Psychology; Occupational, Organisational and Personnel Psychology; Gerontopsychology; Legal and Forensic Psychology; Traffic Psychology; Children and Youth Psychology. In addition, you choose one cross-disciplinary elective (e.g., Coaching, Business Intelligence, Digital Marketing, Project & Change Management) to add complementary skills.
How does the Psychology (M.Sc.) distance programme work?
This is a flexible Fernstudium (distance-learning master) with a standard duration of 4 semesters (120 ECTS), monthly start options and an approved ZFU admission number 1105219. As a fully remote degree, no visa is required to study from abroad.
Teaching language and language certificates
The teaching and all assessments are in German. You need the language proficiency to read academic literature, write reports and sit exams in German. The provider does not list specific certificate types; as an international applicant you should plan for advanced (C1) German to succeed.
Learning format and study materials
Learning is designed for working professionals: structured self-study with digital materials, online resources and guided tasks. As a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences), the didactic focus is on applying scientific methods to practice, supported by academic supervision and virtual learning environments.
Exams and taking them from outside Germany
Assessment formats vary by module and include written exams, reports and project work, plus the Master’s thesis and colloquium. The university delivers the programme as distance learning; optional in-person seminars are offered. You can complete your studies from abroad; where a specific exam format requires presence, the university schedules it accordingly. Plan ahead for time-zone differences.
On-site sessions in Germany
The ZFU-approved study plan includes optional on-site seminars in Germany. There are no mandatory attendance blocks communicated for this master’s; the core learning path can be followed online.
Weekly workload, time models and time zones
For a full study pace, plan around 25–30 hours per week of self-study on average. Starts are possible every month. The standard duration is 24 months with the option to extend by up to 24 months at no extra tuition in the published pricing models. Live sessions, when scheduled, follow Central European Time (CET/CEST); students outside Europe should factor in time differences.
What does the Psychology (M.Sc.) cost?
Total tuition in the standard 120-ECTS track depends on your payment model. At regular list prices (without temporary promotions), the Flex 1 option equals €15,096 in total over 24 instalments (about €629 per month). The Flex 2 option spreads payments and sums to €16,164 in total over 36 instalments (about €449 per month). Both models cover study materials and supervision; the university states no extra examination fees for the master.
You can pay from abroad via standard international methods accepted by German institutions. The standard duration is 24 months; both pricing models include a free extension of up to 24 additional months, which effectively reduces monthly study pressure without extra tuition. Budget separately for personal expenses such as hardware, books beyond the provided materials, or optional travel to in-person seminars.
What careers and recognition does the Psychology (M.Sc.) offer?
You earn a European master with 120 ECTS under the Bologna Framework. The programme is institutionally accredited via the German Accreditation Council’s system accreditation and is accredited until 30 September 2027. SRH Distance Learning University is state-recognised in Baden-Württemberg, and the programme is ZFU-approved for distance learning. These signals support international recognition of the degree for further study or employment.
The master is listed by the Berufsverband Deutscher Psychologinnen und Psychologen (BDP), which enables full membership and supports eligibility for the European Certificate in Psychology (EuroPsy). EuroPsy is issued under the umbrella of the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations and is widely consulted across Europe as a quality benchmark.
Career paths include:
- Clinical and health settings: prevention, rehabilitation, counselling, programme evaluation (note: psychotherapist licensure follows national rules)
- Work and organisational psychology: talent assessment, leadership development, occupational health, change projects
- Market and consumer psychology: user and consumer research, behavioural insights, media analysis
- Legal/forensic and traffic psychology: assessments, expert opinions, safety interventions
- Research roles in universities, institutes and R&D units, focusing on study design, data analysis and impact evaluation
Psychotherapy pathway in Germany: If your psychology bachelor started before 1 September 2020, the transitional regulation may allow a post-graduate psychotherapy training after this master in selected German federal states, provided you complete Clinical Psychology and meet the institutes’ criteria and the training is finished by 2032. If your bachelor started later, this master does not lead to psychotherapy licensure in Germany under the new law.
Who is the Psychology (M.Sc.) right for – and who not?
This distance master is designed for professionals who want a rigorous German-language psychology degree they can complete from anywhere, with flexible pacing and recognised quality seals for credibility in Europe and beyond.
- You want a German-taught master that you can study fully online without a visa.
- You already have a solid grounding in psychology and want to deepen methods and diagnostics while shaping an applied specialisation.
- You value official quality signals: state recognition, system accreditation, ZFU approval, and BDP listing with EuroPsy eligibility.
- You need flexibility for full-time work and prefer monthly starts plus a generous, tuition-free extension window.
- You plan to work in Europe and want an ECTS-based degree that aligns with the Bologna Framework.
There are also clear limits. Read these carefully to avoid costly mismatches, especially if you apply from outside Germany.
- You need a programme taught in English. This master is delivered and examined in German.
- You expect automatic eligibility for psychotherapist licensure in Germany or abroad. Under the new German law, this master does not lead to licensure if your bachelor began on/after 01.09.2020; other countries have their own licensing rules.
- You cannot study or take exams in German at an advanced academic level (reading research papers, writing reports, oral colloquia).
- You require guaranteed in-country exam centres outside Germany for every assessment. While the programme is distance-based and seminars are optional, specific exam formats may have fixed arrangements.
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