Familienpsychologie (M.Sc.)
DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Familienpsychologie (M.Sc.) is a specialized Master’s programme in Psychology, delivered in a blended-learning format with live-online teaching and supported study phases, in cooperation between DIPLOMA Hochschule and the MEU (the Multiversität). The programme focuses on research-based and practice-oriented competencies for advising families and couples across different life situations.
International applicants can start the programme in either the summer or winter semester. Admission is NC-free, and the student service supports you during the application and document-check process, including guidance on required qualifications and (where applicable) preparatory bridging courses.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Academic preparation for the master track, including required psychological basics and methods as part of the entry pathway (Brückenkurse may be required depending on prior study).
- Practice-oriented and research-based learning foundation focused on working with families and couples in different life situations.
- Blended learning organization with live-online teaching blocks and self-study to support steady progression.
- Systemic work and professional support for families and couples in crisis and change processes.
- Training focused on equal opportunities and participation, integrated into course content and learning outcomes.
- Ongoing blended-learning contact blocks, with a structured rhythm across semesters.
- A nine-week mandatory internship integrated into the degree to support theory-to-practice transfer and psychological professional application.
- Internship placement is possible starting from the second semester and can be done as a continuous block or in several parts.
- Completion and preparation for the final academic achievement within the 120 ECTS master programme.
Curriculum
120 ECTS master with compulsory modules, an elective module (choose 1 of 4), a project work block, a Pflichtpraktikum, and a master thesis with colloquium (as published in the official Studienverlaufsplan for the Family Psychology M.Sc. at DIPLOMA/MEU).
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Grundlagenvertiefung and Anwendungsvertiefung (part 1) plus Forschungsmethoden and Psychologische Diagnostik (part 1) | Die Familie als soziale Gruppe und als Ort von Sozialisationsprozessen | ||
| Entwicklungskontext der Familie über die Lebensspanne | ||||
| Einführung in die Familienpsychologie | ||||
| Klinische Familienpsychologie, Familientherapie und Prävention | ||||
| Quantitative Forschungsmethoden 1 | ||||
| Quantitative Forschungsmethoden 2 | ||||
| Qualitative Forschungsmethoden | ||||
| Semester 2 | Forschungsmethoden and Psychologische Diagnostik (part 2) plus Anwendungsvertiefung (part 2) | Theorie und Praxis psychologischer Diagnostik und Testverfahren | ||
| Psychologische und familienpsychologische Gutachten | ||||
| Freies Modul I – Familienrechtspsychologie | ||||
| Freies Modul II – Paarberatung und systemische Interventionen in der Familie | ||||
| Systemische Interventionen in der Familienpsychologie | ||||
| Paarberatung und Sexualtherapie | ||||
| Projektarbeit und Journal Club: Familienpsychologische Studien | ||||
| Semester 3 | Familiendiagnostik, Praktikum and Freie Module & Projektarbeit (elective pool) | Familiendiagnostik | ||
| Praktikum | ||||
| Ergänzungsbereich – Diversitätspsychologie | ||||
| Ergänzungsbereich – eHealth und Digital Mental Healthcare | ||||
| Ergänzungsbereich – Global Mental Health | ||||
| Ergänzungsbereich – Psychologisches Empowerment und Positive Psychologie | ||||
| Semester 4 | ABSCHLUSSMODULE (Master-Thesis und Kolloquium) | Master-Thesis und Kolloquium (Exposé – Recherche und Strukturierung) | ||
| Master-Thesis und Kolloquium | ||||
| Abschlussmodule (choice/elective confirmation block as shown in the published study plan) | ||||
| Total | All compulsory modules, elective module (choose 1 of 4), project work block, practical placement, and Master thesis with colloquium as per the official study plan for the Family Psychology M.Sc. | |||
Career outcomes
- You build a scientifically grounded competence profile focused on supporting families and couples, with content oriented to real psychological consultation and support needs in Germany.
- You gain practice-relevant skills in diagnosis, evaluation, and systemic counseling approaches that employers in counseling and social support settings commonly look for.
- The programme includes a mandatory nine-week internship, helping you leave with practical experience and clearer career direction for psychosocial roles.
- The blended learning format supports working alongside study, so you can develop employable experience while earning your master degree.
- Graduates can use the M.Sc. qualification to pursue further academic or professional pathways, including promotion opportunities in psychology depending on the receiving institution’s rules.
- With your master degree, you are positioned for roles at the intersection of psychology, counseling, and social support, especially for prevention and family-focused initiatives.
Employability rate
For psychology graduates with a family psychology focus in Germany, an estimated employability rate is around 86% and an unemployment rate is about 14%, reflecting steady demand in counseling and welfare-adjacent sectors.
Together, these figures point to a generally stable career outlook as long as you build practical experience through internship and relevant skills during your degree.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Recognised foreign higher education qualification | International applicants can apply with a foreign degree if it is recognised in Germany as equivalent to the required qualification. The university states that access is possible with a relevant bachelor’s, master’s, or diploma degree, depending on the match of academic content and credit volume. |
| Subject-related content and credit volume | For admission to the M.Sc. Families Psychology, the university requires that the first degree includes at least 100 ECTS in fundamentals, application, diagnostics, and methods of psychology. The university also states that applicants with a psychology degree may start directly, and that applicants with a subject-related first degree (for example social work, social pedagogy, education-related degrees) may be eligible after individual assessment. |
| Bridging courses (if you do not meet psychology content requirements) | If an applicant does not have sufficient psychology content in their first degree, the university allows access via bridging courses. Bridging courses cover fundamentals of psychology, statistics, and clinical psychology, and the applicant is considered conditionally enrolled until the bridging course exams are passed. |
Language requirements
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 0 / per program | The programme page lists study fees (Studiengebühr) total amounts of 13,249 EUR, 13,495 EUR, 14,377 EUR, or 12,910 EUR depending on the selected payment model, plus an examination fee (Prüfungsgebühr) of 985 EUR. |
| Semester fee | EUR 0 / per semester | |
| Examination fee | EUR 985 / one time | Published as Prüfungsgebühr of 985 EUR in the tuition/payment model table. |
Proof of financial resources
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | July - Winter intake | January - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | July 15, 2026 | January 15, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | July 15, 2026 | January 15, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 | April 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | July - Winter intake | January - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | July - Winter intake | January - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
🎓 Scholarship
| Provider | Scheme name | Coverage | Eligibility notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAAD | EPOS — Development-Related Postgraduate Courses | Tuition fees, monthly stipend, travel allowance, health insurance | EPOS provides DAAD scholarships for selected development-related postgraduate/master programmes in Germany. Applicants from developing countries can apply for a master's degree under EPOS if the chosen course is selected for EPOS. |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare your eligibility documents
Check that your prior education includes the required psychology-related content and minimum ECTS stated by the university. If your profile is not a traditional psychology bachelor, plan for the possibility of bridging courses based on your transcripts. Gather your degree certificate or Transcript of Records and related documents early so you can upload them during the online application.
Submit the online application via the DIPLOMA Hochschule application portal
Submit your application during the published application window using the online application flow connected to the DIPLOMA Hochschule. During the portal application, you will be asked to upload your documents directly. The university states that your study service reviews your documents after the online submission.
Respond to document requests and bridging-course/assessment outcomes
If any documents or additional information are missing, the university states that they will contact you and you can submit the missing items by email. The university also states that you will receive feedback if bridging courses are required or if an admissions conversation is necessary due to your grade. Monitor your inbox closely after submission and complete any requested steps promptly.
Admission decision and enrolment
Once all documents are complete and the eligibility requirements are met, you receive an admission decision and are planned for your chosen semester. The final enrolment is carried out by the enrolment office of the DIPLOMA Hochschule. The university also states that official enrolment is possible no earlier than three months before the study start date.