Bachelor’s and Master’s Level Psychology Courses in Germany for International Students
German universities offer a number of English-taught programs in psychology. This makes Germany an attractive destination to study psychology-related courses. According to the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) database, 53 English-taught psychology programs are available at the bachelor’s and master’s levels in Germany. The bachelor’s programs are 3 to 3.5 years long whereas master’s programs are 1 to 2 years long.
Business Psychology, Occupational Psychology, Organizational Psychology, and Business Management Psychology are expanding subfields of psychology. Giant firms employ psychologists to train, inspire, and promote positive workplace behavior. Additionally, they help enterprises understand consumer behavior and create persuasive marketing campaigns to attract customers. Considering this demand, many German universities are offering a variety of business-related psychology courses.
Note: This article discusses psychology degrees exempt from the German Medical Association’s licensing requirements. These graduates are not permitted to prescribe medications like psychiatrists but may work as psychologists or counselors.
Overview of Psychology Programs in Germany
| Undergraduate degree type | B.Sc. and B.A. |
| Duration | 3 to 3.5 years |
| Post-graduate degree type | M.Sc. and M.A. |
| Duration | 1 to 2 years |
| Average salary for Psychologist (euros/year) | 46,299 (source: PayScale) |
Why study Psychology in Germany?
A degree in psychology is worth studying in Germany. Here are some reasons why.
- Shorter duration of courses (3 years for a B.Sc. in Psychology in Germany vs 4 years in the US)
- Affordable tuition fees
- English-taught programs for international students
- Wide range of courses at bachelor’s and master’s levels in the psychology field (Business Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Psychology, and Management, etc.)
- Affordable cost of living (867 euros per month)
- Germany is a safe and a diverse country
- Highly ranked universities
- Good mix of teaching and research
- Career counseling services by German universities
- Residence permit of up to 18 months for international students to search a job after graduation
- Scholarships
- Thriving economy with high employment rates
Popular Psychology Universities in Germany
German colleges provide both undergraduate and graduate-level psychology programs. While undergraduate courses are taught as Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees. Postgraduate courses are offered as Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees. You can pursue general psychology studies or other specializations like business psychology or psychology-related business management at the bachelor’s level. The specialized courses focus exclusively on psychological aspects relevant to business and industry.
Popular bachelor’s in Psychology courses in Germany
| University Name | Course Name | Duration (years) | Tuition Fees (Euros/year) | Tuition Fees (USD*/year) |
| University of Europe for Applied Sciences | Psychology, B.Sc. | 3 | 12,100 | 12,113 |
| Business Psychology, B.Sc. | 3 | 12,100 | 12,113 | |
| Leuphana University Lüneburg | Psychology, B.Sc. | 3 | 642 | 642.7 |
| Psychology and Society (minor subject), B.Sc. | 3 | 642 | 642.7 | |
| Cologne Business School | Business Psychology, B.Sc. | 3 | 7,290 | 7,298 |
| Furtwangen University – computer science, technology, economics, media, health | Business Management and Psychology, B.A. | 3.5 | 3,000 | 3,013 |
| Jacobs University Bremen | Integrated Social and Cognitive Psychology, B.A. | 3 | 20,000 | 20,091 |
| Karlshochschule International University | Social Psychology: Organization, Management, Counseling, B.A. | 3 | 8,415 | 8,453 |
| WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management | Bachelor in Business Psychology, B.Sc. | 3 | 7,500 | 7,534 |
*Note: The tuition fees are converted based on the current exchange rate, i.e., 1 Euro = 1.001 USD. Exchange rates can fluctuate from time to time.
Popular master’s in Psychology courses in Germany
The DAAD lists more than 30 master’s programs in psychology. Most courses are two years long. They come in a variety of specialties within the subfields of psychology like
- Business psychology
- Neurocognitive psychology
- Social science psychology
- Environmental psychology
- Sports science psychology
| University Name | Course Name | Duration (years) | Tuition Fees (Euros/year) | Tuition Fees (USD*/year) |
| Cologne Business School | Business Psychology and Management, M.Sc. | 2 | 7,920 | 7,929 |
| IU: International University of Applied Sciences | Industrial and Organizational Psychology, M.Sc. | 1 to 2 years (depending on time model) | 1,200 | 1,201.3 |
| International Psychoanalysic University Berlin | Psychology, M.A. | 2 | 11,800 | 11,818 |
| Psychology focusing on Organisation – Transformation Processes in Work, Society and Environment, M.A. | 2 | 11,800 | 11,818 | |
| HMKW University of Applied Sciences for Media, Communication and Business | Business Psychology, M.Sc. | 2 | 8,340 | 8,353 |
| University of Oldenburg | Neurocognitive Psychology, M.Sc. | 2 | 16,201 | 16,275 |
| Leuphana University Lüneburg | Psychology & Sustainability, M.Sc. | 2 | 735 | 738 |
| Ludwig Maximilians University Munich | Cognitive Neuropsychology, M.Sc. | 2 | 276 | 277 |
| University of Hamm-Lippstadt | Intercultural Business Psychology, M.Sc. | 1.5 | 580.8 | 583 |
| University of Cologne | Sociology: Economic and Social Psychology, M.Sc. | 2 | 618.3 | 621 |
| Steinbeis University | Economic and Organizational Psychology, M.A. | 2 | 622 | 624.8 |
| Sports University of Cologne | Psychology in Sport and Exercise, M.Sc. | 2 | 607.8 | 610 |
*Note: The tuition fees are converted based on the current exchange rate, i.e., 1 Euro = 1.001 USD. Exchange rates can fluctuate from time to time.
Living cost in Germany
The average cost of living in Germany is 861 Euros per month. A breakdown of living costs includes the following
| Particulars | Cost in euros/month |
| Rent | 350 |
| Food | 154 |
| Utilities | 32 |
| Transportation | 116 |
| Health insurance | 96 |
| Personal expenses | 113 |
Thus, the average annual living cost in Germany is around 10,332 Euros or 10,379 USD.
Admission requirements to Study Psychology in Germany
Academic requirements for a bachelor’s level degree
- High school diploma or German university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- German language skills (few public universities)
- English language proficiency
- Passport
School curriculums in some countries might not be equal to a German university entrance qualification. In this situation, students must enroll in a Studienkolleg / preparatory course. To check your eligibility for higher education in Germany, click here.
After completing the preparatory course, you must take the Feststellungsprüfung (FSP), a test qualifies you for admission to a German University. If you pass, you can enroll in any undergraduate psychology course at a German university of your choice. You can apply to German universities via Uni Assist or via Gyanberry.
Academic requirements for a master’s level degree
- A Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or general psychology or in a specialized area of psychology
- For lateral entrants (social and economic science fields or another field) sufficient knowledge of psychology
- English language proficiency (IELTS >5.5, TOEFL >85, Cambridge English: Grade A to C)
- German language skills (required for a few public universities)
- Passport
Additionally, some universities ask for specific skills, experience, and extracurricular accomplishments, such as serving as a school representative, traveling abroad, or volunteering. Finally, students must demonstrate that they have the financial resources to cover their tuition and living expenses in Germany.
Career scope for Psychology graduates in Germany
A graduate with a German degree in psychology can get employed as a therapist, counselor, or psychologist anywhere in the world. But many international students choose to live in Germany after graduation and find employment there. Germany’s booming economy provides various opportunities for skilled graduates. Additionally, there are a number of large corporations in Germany which hire psychologists.
Here are some of the career options for a psychology graduate.
- Business psychologist
- Industrial psychologist
- Organizational psychologist
- Behavioral neuropsychologist
- Rehabilitation psychologist
- School psychologist
- Social psychologist
- Sports psychologist
Many psychologists work in research; if your interests lie in this area, consider pursuing a doctorate. Germany provides substantial financial aid for Ph.D. and master’s degrees. To know more about scholarships offered by German universities click here.
