Bachelor Programme – Psychotherapy Science

Application & admission period
Winter semester 2021/22: until 30th October 2021
→ Late applications are accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Admission Requirements
The prerequisite for application is a university entrance qualification. The following is required for admission:

a) Proof of a university entrance qualification such as a secondary school leaving certificate (Abitur / Matura), a vocational certificate (Berufsreifeprüfung), university entrance qualification examination or an admission examination.
For information on admission tests for applicants without a secondary school leaving certificate, contact us at office@sfu-berlin.de.

b) Candidates must undergo two admission interviews with two members of SFU’s permanent academic staff and participate in an admission seminar.
→ You will be accepted if the permanent staff members conducting the interview and the head of the degree programme agree. Feedback will be given one week after the individual interview.

Please note: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we have changed the admission procedure in accordance with the recommendations by the Federal Ministry of Science. After your online registration, you will therefore receive three appointments for video calls from us. As soon as you have completed these, you will receive the result of the admission procedure by email. The originally planned admission seminars will not take place until further notice.

Step 1: Online admission 
Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we have changed the admission procedure in accordance with the recommendations by the Federal Ministry of Science. After your online registration, you will therefore receive three appointments for video calls from us. As soon as you have completed these, you will receive the result of the admission procedure by email.
→ The originally planned admission seminars will not take place until further notice.

Step 2: Announcement of results, study contract
The announcement of a possible admission and thus an acceptance or rejection of the study place is made within 14 days after the test date by email. In case of acceptance, you will receive the study contract from us.

The bachelor’s degree programme in psychotherapy science is a basic study programme and teaches the fundamentals of psychotherapy science. The programme teaches the scientific basics with regard to healthy and pathological human development, the diagnostics of healthy and sick phenomena, the basics of scientifically founded treatment of experience-related clinical pictures – including the psychological, medical, sociological and anthropological dimensions. The students acquire basic knowledge of research methodology and receive an overview of legal, economic and social framework conditions.
To achieve the study objective, practical knowledge is also necessary in the form of a practice to be reflected upon and the reflection and development of one’s own person.
The degree programme is to be completed with the specialisation “Psychotherapy”. The chosen specialisation “Psychotherapy” is aimed at and prepares students for the in-depth postgraduate Master’s degree. It represents an introduction to the clinical application of psychotherapy. With the bachelor’s degree, the so-called Austrian propaedeutic course (Propädeutikum) is acquired.

Introductory study phase
The module is at the beginning of the degree programme and is intended to explain the concept of psychotherapy science to students and to provide insight into the expected subject matter of psychotherapy and psychosocial counselling, both as a profession and as a science.

• Folder (PDF, in German)
• Curriculum (PDF, in German)

In the Bachelor degree programme in psychotherapy science, students acquire basic skills in shaping the therapeutic relationship professionally and communicating in an age-appropriate manner. In the practical training, the focus is on participating in counselling and information talks with patients and clients of all age groups. In addition, experience with diagnostics in the psychosocial field as well as with psychological, (socio-)educational and psychotherapeutic interventions based on observations and documentation will be gained in practice. Practical training in the Bachelor degree programme includes participating in practice-oriented courses, observation and documentation of initial interviews and anamneses with patients of all age groups, conducting psycho-diagnostic examinations under supervision, observation of interventions with all age groups as well as participating in counselling and information interviews including their documentation.
In order to evaluate the theoretically acquired knowledge and the practically applied knowledge on the one hand and to guide and correct the students in their practical work on the other hand, accompanying reflection events take place.

• Well-founded basic scientific training that prepares students for the in-depth consecutive Master’s programme
• Initial experience in contact with patients
• Preparation for the “Heilpraktiker*innen” examination in psychotherapy
• Course leader licence for prevention courses

Acquisition of the first academic and professional-practical training module towards becoming a psychotherapist.

Per semester: 5,370 €* (if paid at the beginning of the semester).
Quarterly: 2,711.85 € (incl. administration fee)
Monthly: 912,90 € (incl. administration fee)

*valid for new enrolments as of winter semester 2021/22

Payment models
Model a): Payment of the entire tuition fee (BA.pth.) in advance (6 semesters). Discount: 2%.
Model b): Payment of the tuition fee for one academic year in advance (2 semesters). Discount: 1%.

In case of an early termination of the studies, the remaining amount will be refunded. The completed semester will be charged without a discount.

The tuition fees include the following costs:
1. theory courses
2. major part of self-awareness
3. supervision
4. internship in the university outpatient clinic
5. examination fees

The total tuition fees are limited to the number of semesters of the standard study duration (Bachelor’s degree / BA.pth.: 6). An extension of the study programme by 1 year does not increase the total costs of the study programme.

Double degree programme: BA.pth. Psychotherapy & BSc. Psychology
a) Psychology + 4,660 € + Psychotherapy 4,660 € per semester
b) Psychology + approx. 792 € + Psychotherapy approx. 792 € per month
(36x instalments incl. 2% instalment processing fee)

4 degrees after 6 semesters:
1) Bachelor Psychology (BSc.)
2) Bachelor/Baccalaureate Psychotherapy Science (BA.pth.)
3) Psychotherapeutic Propaedeutic Course (AT)
4) Preparation for the restricted “Heilpraktiker” examination (DE)

Costs for admission and enrolment: 150 euros
This includes the processing of the documents, two interviews, participation in a seminar, crediting procedure of previous education, information interviews etc. In case of positive admission, the enrolment fee will be credited to the 1st tuition fee due.

Tax deductibility
If the course of study constitutes a further education measure or a retraining measure, the tuition fees can be claimed under the Income Tax Act. The entire tuition fees are then tax-deductible.

BAföG
PTW students are entitled to BAföG payments if they meet all the requirements set out in the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG).

Options for financing your studies
SFU Berlin offers a comprehensive and continuously updated brochure with information on student loans, scholarships and cultural funding opportunities. Contact us any time for more details. 

Contact us about financing options:

SFU Berlin
Nanette Neumann
Study Service Center SFU Berlin
nanette.neumann@sfu-berlin.de
Tel.: + 49(0)30 695 797 28-0

Following the applicable criteria, Sigmund Freud University awards scholarships and grants every year.
We will be happy to advise you personally about other options for financing your studies (scholarships, Bafög, student loans, etc.) at office@sfu-berlin.de.

Application & admission period in the winter semester 2021/22: 1st Feb. 2021 – 30th October 2021

• Information event (in German)
• Academic year
• Timetable

The Bachelor’s degree programme was accredited by the Austrian Accreditation Council in 2005.
All SFU Accreditation Reports are available on the website of SFU Vienna.

SPO as of winter semester 2020/21

Psychotherapeutic training is regulated by law in Austria and Germany. With the entry into force of the Act on the Reform of Psychotherapeutic Training in Germany, new framework conditions apply to the qualification as a psychotherapist. The licence to practise as a psychotherapist is obtained upon application to the licensing authorities after completion of the PTW programme, the contents of which are defined by the licensing regulations – 82 ECTS for the Bachelor’s programme and 120 ECTS in the Master’s programme. After completing the Master’s programme in Psychotherapy Science at SFU Berlin, a corresponding application can be made to the relevant licensing authorities in accordance with §12 PsychThG for the granting of a licence to practise as a psychotherapist.
The theory seminars and practical exercises are conducted exclusively by licensed psychotherapists with the appropriate professional qualifications. In both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, the course management is the exclusive responsibility of licensed psychotherapists who are licensed under German and Austrian law and have a specialist qualification.
PTW Berlin Wien Linz Graduates who were/are enrolled before winter semester 2020/21 can complete the established licensing and specialist training as a psychological psychotherapist or child & adolescent psychotherapist at the Psychotherapeutic Training Institute of the SFU Berlin after successfully completing their studies in accordance with the transitional paragraph §27 PsychThG.

• Psychotherapy Training Institute

Regulations abroad

Foreign students who study psychotherapy science and wish to practise the psychotherapeutic profession independently in their country are subject to the legal regulations of their country of origin. It is therefore important to inform yourself about the regulations governing the practice of the profession.

Head of the Bachelor Programme in Psychotherapy Science
Ass.-Prof. Dr. Katharina Reboly
kathy.reboly@sfu-berlin.de

Studies Service Center
Nanette Neumann
nanette.neumann@sfu-berlin.de
Tel.: + 49(0)30 695 797 28-0