Starting in the 2026/27 winter semester/fall semester: The new bachelor's degree program in Health Psychology
Understanding, promoting, and scientifically shaping mental health.
With the full-time bachelor's degree program in Health Psychology (B.Sc., 180 CP), we prepare you for a career in one of the most important and interesting fields of activity in health care. Diverse social developments and legislative changes are currently creating new areas of activity for health psychologists, particularly in health promotion and counseling, prevention, rehabilitation, and health science research and development.
Bochum University of Applied Sciences is responding to this with its newly designed degree programme in Health Psychology. The program will start in the winter semester/fall semester 2026/27 in the Department of Nursing, Midwifery, and Therapy Sciences.
The program is aimed at prospective students who want to study psychology with a clear applied focus on healthcare. Alumni/as will acquire the skills to advise, train, and coach on the basis of current health science findings, as well as to plan, implement, and evaluate health psychology measures and projects. In addition, you will be enabled to work in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary manner with other professional groups, such as therapists and physicians, in the aforementioned fields of activity.
| Department | Nursing, midwifery, and therapy sciences |
|---|---|
| Degree | Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) |
| Type of programme | Full-time, consecutive |
| Standard period of study | 6 semesters |
| Credit Points | 180 ECTS |
| Costs | Semester contribution, no tuition fees |
| Application | restricted admission (local NC planned) |
| Start of studies | each winter semester |
| Module handbook, course plan, examination regulations | (folgt) Dokumente zum Download (PDF) |
Prospects after graduation
Upon successful completion, you will have acquired the specialist knowledge relevant to health psychology fields of activity in basic psychological subjects such as general psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, communication psychology, and neuropsychology. The focus is on the psychological dimensions of health promotion and counseling, prevention, and coaching. The range of courses also places special emphasis on personality development and career orientation for students. Students qualify for health promotion in various settings and developmental phases (childhood and adolescence, adulthood, old age).
Study counseling
Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Michael Schuler
Professur „Forschungsmethoden in den Gesundheitsberufen“
Fachbereich Pflege-, Hebammen- und Therapiewissenschaften
Etage 3, Raum 3413
Phone +49 234 36186-9523
Course content
The program has a standard period of study of six semesters: It is formally divided into three phases: basic studies (semesters 1+2), advanced studies (semesters 3+4), and final phase (semesters 5+6). The curriculum is divided into the following six subject areas:
Scientific Work and Social Research Methods
- Introduction to scientific work & quantitative methods and test theory, evaluation research including qualitative methods and psychometrics, practical research project, topic selection and journal club bachelor`s thesis with colloquium
Human Experience and Behavior Across the Lifespan
- General and differential psychology, developmental psychology across the lifespan, health psychology measures and interventions in the field of child and adolescent health, rehabilitation psychology
Health Management, Care, and Intervention
- Legal foundations in prevention, rehabilitation, and counseling, fundamentals of health care and health care provision, fundamentals of life-world-oriented health promotion, project and intervention planning.
Health Psychology, Interaction, and Communication
- Introduction to social psychology, health psychology, communication psychology, communication psychology, and health counseling.
Bio-Psychosocial Determinants of Health and Illness
- Introduction to general pathology, cognitive and neuropsychology, clinical psychology, and diagnostics across the lifespan.
Personality Development and Career Orientation
- Mentoring, biographical work, self-reflection, practical training, elective modules, and preparation for career entry.
An external practical training placement is completed in the 5th semester. A stay abroad during the course of study is possible and is supported by the university.
Formal requirements
The formal requirements for studying are clearly summarized for you. Please click below on “Formal requirements at a glance" (in german).
Why should I study health psychology at Bochum University of Applied Sciences?
- There is a growing social need for experts who are well trained in both theory and practice in the field of mental health.
- A wide range of career fields await you, including clinics, companies, insurance companies, the public health sector, research and development, consulting, and many more.
- Study an exciting combination of psychology, health sciences, and health management.
- Study in a scientifically sound, practice-oriented, and future-oriented manner.
- Earn a degree in health psychology at a state university without tuition fees.
Prospects after graduation
As alumni of the Bachelor's program in Health Psychology, you can work in the following fields:
- Health counseling, training, and coaching on prevention and risk behavior, including patient counseling and training
- Health promotion for children, adolescents, adults, and families, as well as for chronic diseases
- Counseling on (vocational) rehabilitation and case management
- (Occupational) health promotion and health management
- Health science-based planning, implementation, and evaluation of health psychology interventions, projects, campaigns, and training
- Health information, communication, and public relations for health psychology topics and the field of health policy
The Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Health Psychology is a state and internationally recognized university degree and enables subsequent master's studies (and, if applicable, access to a doctorate, PhD).
Note: According to the current legal situation (Psychotherapist Act and Psychotherapist Licensing Regulations), this degree does not entitle the holder to obtain a license to practice as a psychotherapist. Therefore, subsequent admission to a specific master's degree programme in psychotherapy is not possible. Other psychological master's degree programmes without a psychotherapeutic specialization can generally be chosen after successful completion of the bachelor's program in health psychology. This also applies to master's degree programmes offered at universities.
Awards
