FAQ - Career Opportunities with M.A. Psychology English Track

As IPU psychology graduate, you earn the German title 'Psychologist' (Psychologe/Psychologin) - a protected professional designation. The psychologist job title assumes mastery of core psychological disciplines, including clinical work. No specialization labels (e.g., 'clinical') are required - it's the broadest and most recognized psychology qualification. Other allowed titles are “clinical psychologist”, ”Klinischer Psychologe/Klinische Psychologin”, “Psychologe/Psychologin” and “Your Name, Psychologie M.A.”

Our M.A. Psychology has a focus on clinical psychology explores one of the most differentiated and contemporary perspectives of the human psyche, and one of the most modern of the human sciences.

Its curriculum is based on the recommendations of the German Psychological Society (DGPs) and the focus of the programme is on learning to apply fundamental diagnostic, counselling and therapeutic competencies as well as research methods, social psychology and psychoanalysis as a cultural theory. The study course has been approved and officially accredited by the Berlin Senate.

This master's program is fully aligned with the legal and curricular requirements defined by the German Psychotherapists Act (Psychotherapeutengesetz, PsychThG) prior to its reform in 2020.

There are several ways to work in mental health care with the IPU Master's degree in Psychology without Approbation license. Psychologists without Approbation do clinical work in a variety of settings, like:

• Psychiatric, psychosomatic and rehabilitation clinics (employed)
• Psychiatric outpatient clinics („Psychiatrische Institutsambulanz“, employed)
• In-between places in need of clinical knowledge (e.g. refugee shelters, crisis intervention centers, psychosocial support programs in schools and NGOs)
• Furthermore: Private Practices with private paying patients, outpatient setting as Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie

Pro tip: A clinical internship in a German hospital during your studies doubles as both experience-building and networking. It is very useful if you seek applying for the Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie license, too!

Postgraduate training options for your clinical work as a psychologists without Approbation licensure

• Trauma Therapy like EMDR, Somatic Experiencing (6–12 months).
• Neuropsychology Diplomas with focus on brain injury/dementia assessment (e.g., via DGKN in Germany).
• Psychosocial Counseling.
• Neuropsychology.
• Prevention and health promotion.

A Psychologischer Psychotherapeut (PPT) is a psychologist who took a rigorous, state-regulated training (officially 3-5 years, typically 4–10 years) which is ending in a final exam and Approbation licensure. The title comes with the eligibility to a) provide psychotherapy autonomously in b) a private practice and c) bill the German public health insurance directly. However, the system is being phased out and is currently being replaced by a new system. 

The IPU M.A. Psychology is accredited for the old system. Last Approbation exams take place in 2032 (in hardships 2035). Considering the requirements for this training, the time window is too narrow. Many institutes already end their programs. We cannot recommend pursuing this path if you start our M.A. Psychology program after 2024.

For becoming a PPT within new system, you have to complete a specialized German bachelor's and master's degree. Please note that these programs require a C1 german level.

Who can still become a PPT within the old system?

Anyone who

• has started a fundamental degree course (e.g. Bachelor's) in clinical psychology or equivalent (recognized in Germany) before September 1, 2020
• has successfully completed a Master's degree in Psychology (e.g. the Master's in Psychology at IPU Berlin) or equivalent (recognized in Germany)
• completes the Psychotherapist training before the last exams in 2032 (in hardships 2025)
• has or acquires B2 German level and C1 technical language level in psychology at the end of training. 

Please note that the licensing training itself will be very demanding and financially costly. Please also note that a lot of psychologists are currently trying to get into the old system, so there is a lot of competition. Overall, the legal situation is volatile and we recommend seeking individual advice. If you are not sure, don't hesitate to contact us: career.service(at)ipu-berlin.de

Unlike state-regulated psychotherapists (PPT), the Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie-license operates under the Heilpraktikergesetz. This allows greater freedom in therapeutic methods – but also lacks standardized training or quality control.

Patients pay out of pocket and some private insurers may cover costs. Many Psychologists choose this path to avoid public insurance restrictions; for example, Lacanian psychoanalysts often work under this framework. Others specialize in areas like trauma therapy.

Find more information here. 

Psychosocial counseling includes help with everyday problems and life issues, taking into account the entire life context of the target group - people with support needs.

We found this website helpful (even if a little outdated):

https://medium.com/life-is-complicated/a-practitioners-guide-to-understanding-what-psychotherapy-and-counselling-means-to-your-work-in-f7c6c73677cb

Important facts for IPU M.A Psychology graduates:

• Psychosocial counseling roles don’t require Approbation (psychotherapy license).
• Certifications enhance employability - further postgraduate training is recommended.
• Language Requirements: German (C1) is typically needed for public schools, but international schools may hire English speakers. Look for jobs at international kindergartens or EU-funded education projects.
• Visa Note: These roles often qualify for residence permits if tied to your degree.

Psychosocial counseling supports adults facing personal crises, daily challenges, or bureaucratic hurdles, servingas a first point of contact for those not yet ready for clinical therapy.

Rooted in social work principles by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW, 2014): “Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people.”

Unlike Clinical Psychology (job field A), psychosocial counseling does not diagnose or treat mental illnesses. Instead, it supports mentally vulnerable adults (e.g., those with chronic mental health challenges, addiction, or cognitive impairments) in managing everyday life.

• Social navigation: Accessing community resources, understanding legal rights.
• Crisis stabilization: De-escalation, safety planning.
• Daily assistance: Integration into community, budgeting, housing applications.

Important facts for IPU M.A Psychology graduates:

• Your training in assessment, communication, and intervention is directly applicable.
• Roles don’t require German licensure (Approbation), making them accessible for international graduates.
• Some jobs may require German (e.g., for bureaucracy help), but multicultural services value multilingual staff.

Work Settings in Germany (exemplary):

• Therapeutic residential community (TWG) and assisted individual living (BEW)
  Clients may include: People with disabilities, schizophrenia, severe addiction or chronical illness
  Psychologist's role: Often close to social work, counseling (individual/group setting), daily activity planning, help access healthcare and social benefits.
• Contact and counselling services (“Kontakt- und Beratungsstellen”, a staple in the Berlin psychiatric care system outside of hospitals)
  Clients may include: Refugees, people with addiction, people in crisis.
  Psychologist's role: Long time support, psychoeducation, relapse prevention, assess therapy need, assist with practical barriers, cultural-sensitive support.
• Elderly care centers 
  Clients may include: Dementia patients and their relatives
  Psychologist's role: Family counseling, activity planning, cognitive assessment.

Key words/Search terms:
Soziale Arbeit, Psychologe, psychosoziale Beratung, Streetworker, Suchthilfe, Flüchtlingshilfe, Migrationsberatung, Wohnungslosenhilfe, Krisenintervention, Familienberatung, Betreuung, Sozialdienst, Eingliederungshilfe. 

A blend of psychology and education focused on child development, learning processes, and improving educational systems. This is a work with high impact, since you directly work with children and teenage students and shape a supportive learning environment.

Psychologists in this field:

• Design age-appropriate, evidence-based teaching methods.
• Support children’s cognitive, emotional, and social growth.
• Advise educators/parents on developmental challenges (e.g., ADHD, giftedness).

Work Settings in Germany (exemplary):

• Early Childhood Education in Kindergartens, daycare centers (Kindertagesstätten).
  Psychologist's role: Assess learning readiness,t rain teachers in inclusive education (e.g., for children with disabilities), develop play-based learning programs.
   
• School-Based Roles like school counseling (Schulpsychologie) in public or private schools.
  Psychologist's role: Crisis intervention and addressing of acute issues (e.g., bullying, school refusal, family trauma) with short-term counseling or referrals, multi-actor coordination of students in need, teachers, parents, school principals, social workers, or external specialists, running social-skills workshops (e.g., anti-bullying programs).
   
• Educational Research & Policy like in government agencies, NGOs, publishers.
  Psychologist's role: Evaluation and improving of teaching curricula, advocation for trauma-informed schools.
   

Key words/Search terms:
Schulpsychologe, Pädagogische:r Psycholog:in, Schulpsychologischer Dienst, Erziehungsberatungsstelle, Kindergarten, Kindertagesstätte, Kita, Nachhilfe, Inklusionspädagogik, Hochbegabtenförderung, Elterncoaching, Mobbingprävention, Bildungsberatung

The IPU master’s degree in Psychology is being widely recognized by employers within the following fields:

• Companies, NGOs and consulting
• Human resources
• Authorities, public service, non-profit organizations
• Educational system

Important facts for IPU M.A Psychology graduates:

• Corporate work roles don’t require Approbation (psychotherapy license).
• Certifications enhance employability - further postgraduate training is recommended.
• Language Requirements: German (B2) may be helpful in Germany based companies while internationally operating employers may be happy about your english skills.
• Visa Note: These roles often qualify for residence permits if tied to your degree.

Psychology M.A. graduates can work in HR/management roles by applying their expertise in behavioral analysis, communication, and intervention strategies. This job field is ideal for psychologists who enjoy structuring workflows, coaching teams, and creating healthier workplaces.

This includes:

• Talent development: Competency assessments, leadership coaching.
• Organizational psychology: Team dynamics, conflict resolution.
• Employee well-being: Burnout prevention, crisis intervention.

Work Settings in Germany

• Corporate HR Departments: HR Business Partner, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development. Employers: SAP, Zalando, Siemens.
• Consulting & Coaching Firms: Leadership training, systemic coaching (e.g., Rheingold Institut).
• Public Sector & NGOs: Examples: HR for Berlin administration, diversity/inclusion roles.
• Startups who need Employer branding, agile team development.

Key words/Search terms:
Personalentwicklung (Potentialförderung, Kompetenzanalyse), HR Business Partner, Coaching/Supervision, Führungskräfteentwicklung, Bewerbermanagement (Assessment-Center, Personalbeschaffung), Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement (BGM), Konfliktmanagement, Resilienztraining, berufliche Wiedereingliederung.

Overlapping with HR, Managment and Coaching, this job field demands attention of it’s own. Psychology M.A. graduates bring valuable skills to corporate consulting and organizational development, including:

• Process optimization: Using data-driven methods to improve workflows.
• Change management: Supporting teams through transitions.
• Leadership coaching: Enhancing managerial effectiveness.
• UX research: Improving user experiences through behavioral insights.

This field is ideal for those who enjoy problem-solving, data analysis, and strategic advising in business settings.

Work Settings in Germany

• Management Consultancies (e.g., McKinsey, BCG – often in HR or organizational design roles).
• Corporate Strategy & Development (e.g., Siemens, Zalando, SAP).
• NGOs & Public Sector (e.g., GIZ, WHO Berlin – focus on policy evaluation, program development).
• Startups & Tech (e.g., UX research, agile coaching).
• Freelance Consulting (e.g., independent change management or leadership training).

Key words/Search terms:
Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, Change Management, Prozessoptimierung, Unternehmensberatung, Qualitätsmanagement (QM), UX-Beratung / User Experience Forschung, Digitale Transformation, Business Coaching, Projektmanagement, Evaluationsforschung, Diversity & Inclusion Beratung, (nachhaltige) Organisationsentwicklung

Media Psychology explores how people perceive, interpret, and are influenced by media content – from advertising and branding to news, social media, and entertainment. It’s about understanding deep psychological mechanisms behind what captures attention, builds trust, shapes opinions, and drives behavior. That makes it an exciting career path for psychologists who are curious about how meaning is created and how audiences respond.

Consumer & media impact research include Qualitative/morphological (e.g., deep psychological motives, symbolic meaning in brands – aligns with IPU’s psychoanalytic strengths) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, A/B testing).

Non-creative emphasis lays the focus on analysis (not campaign design) – ideal for psychology-trained critical thinkers.

Key Employers

Media organizations and polling institutes (e.g., Allensbach Institute, Infratest dimap). Specialized institutes are Rheingold, concept m, innersense, Rheingold Salon (in-depth qualitative studies) and Nielsen, GfK, Kantar (quantitative-heavy roles). Also explore Corporate sectors: Marketing/PR departments (e.g., behavioral insights teams) and NGOs & public service (e.g., media literacy programs).

Key words/Search terms:
Marktforschung, Marktpsychologie, Medienpsychologie, Markt- und Medienwirkungsforschung, Imageanalyse, Motivforschung, Verhaltensanalyse.

The master’s program in Psychology from IPU Berlin opens doors to the academic path: at IPU Berlin, in any Germany university or abroad.

Whether you’re passionate about research, teaching, or shaping the future of psychological and psychoanalytic science, get started here. Contribute to cutting-edge knowledge, work in international research teams, and build a career in universities or think tanks.

Check out our new IPU doctoral programs – including ideas and first steps on starting your academic career.

Tips to start in academia:

1. Discuss PhD options with your professors – sometimes with more than one. Tell them about your passion, interests and ask about specified grad school programs.
2. Explore funded positions (DAAD, DFG, EU grants).
3. Think about publishing your thesis work - even as a preprint.

In addition to the careers listed above, the following presents a selection of other interesting professions that can also be pursued with postgraduate training.

Verkehrspsychologie (traffic psychology)

This field focuses on road safety, driver behavior, and accident prevention. Traffic psychologists often assess a person’s fitness to drive—particularly after medical or legal issues—and may also design public awareness campaigns in collaboration with transport authorities.

Typical employers: TÜV, Dekra, public sector transport departments.

Key words/Search terms: Verkehrspsychologe, MPU Gutachten, Verkehrssicherheitsarbeit, Verkehrserziehung, Prävention, Eignungsdiagnostik

Politische Psychologie (political psychology)

Political psychology explores topics such as voting behavior, radicalization prevention, and the psychological impact of political policies. Professionals in this area may work in research roles for political think tanks or in NGOs that promote democratic values and civic education.

Typical employers: Think tanks (e.g., Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik), federal government agencies and ministries (e.g., Bundesministerium des Innern, Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung), political foundations affiliated with parties (e.g., Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung), non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups focused on democracy, human rights, and civic engagement (e.g., Amnesty International Germany, Demokratiezentrum), research institutes and universities (e.g., Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung – WZB, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Politikwissenschaft).

Key words/Search terms: Politisches Verhalten, Wahlverhalten, Wahlpsychologie, Radikalisierungsprävention, politische Einstellungen und Meinungen, politische Entscheidungsfindung, politische Bildung, bürgerschaftliches/zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement, politische Sozialisation, politische Kommunikation, Think Tank, politische Risikoanalyse.

Forensische Psychologie (forensic psychology)

This field focuses on the assessment and rehabilitation of individuals within the criminal justice system. Forensic psychologists may be involved in criminal profiling, risk assessments, or therapy within forensic psychiatric clinics and correctional institutions.

Typical employers: Forensic clinics, correctional facilities, research institutions/universities.

Key words/Search terms:
Forensik, Justizvollzug, Strafvollzug, Psychologischer Dienst, Deliktorientierte Therapie, Psychologische Begutachtung, Maßregelvollzug, Gefährlichkeitsprognose, Täterarbeit / Opferarbeit

Gesundheitspsychologie (health psychology)

Health psychology focuses on how psychological factors influence health, illness, and healthcare. It addresses prevention, health promotion, patient support, and behavioral change in diverse settings.

Typical employers: Public health institutions and health insurance companies, NGOs and organizations in health promotion and prevention, corporate health management and occupational health services.

Key words/Search terms: 
Prävention, Gesundheitsförderung, Verhaltensmedizin, Public Health, Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement, Rehabilitationspsychologie, Gesundheitscoaching, Bewältigung chronischer Erkrankungen, Palliativpsychologie.

If you're planning to work in clinical psychology, it's good to know that the job market in cities like Berlin is currently quite competitive. Many psychologists who are still following the older licensing pathway (Psychologischer Psychotherapeut) are accepting low-paid clinical positions, which adds to the competition—especially in larger cities.
 

Our tip: Try expanding your job search beyond the big cities. Many clinics in smaller towns regularly post openings on major job boards, and they are often more open to international applicants. In some cases, fluent German isn’t even required—a B2 level is often enough, and occasionally B1 may be acceptable, depending on the role.
 

If you're able to offer counseling in English or your native language, the situation in bigger cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, or Munich looks more promising. There is high demand for multilingual services, and you'll find an active and supportive community of international mental health professionals.
 

For those not pursuing a clinical path—such as careers in research, HR, coaching, or related fields—the German job market tends to offer more flexibility and a broader range of opportunities.
 

Important: Make sure to check the visa and residence permit rules if you’re planning to stay in Germany after graduation. For support, feel free to reach out to our Welcome Center at International Office – we’re here to help!

• IPU Connect: Connections platform for students, alumni, employers, internship organizations, training and further education institutes, cooperation partners. Regular job offers! https://connect.ipu-berlin.de/

• For Psychology Bachelor’s: Explore job openings at social service providers and advisory centers in Berlin. These organizations often have part-time („Minijob“) roles suitable for students, particularly in psychology-related fields (social work, support for people with addiction, refugee counseling etc.)
  https://kommrum.de/de/jobs-praktika/
  https://www.albatrosggmbh.de/informationen/stellenangebote.html
  https://www.eh-berlin.de/hochschule/careerservice/jobboerse/soziale-arbeit-1
  https://www.pinel.de/ueber-uns/arbeiten-bei-pinel/stellenangebote/
• Online counseling via Betterhelp, Instahelp, It’s complicated, Selfapy, HelloBetter and Lyra (some may require a course in online conseling)
• StudierendenWERK Berlin: The job platform Stellenwerk lists jobs specifically for students, including academic roles. https://www.stw.berlin/en/kompetenzwerk/job-und-career/studentjobs.html
• University Portals & Career Services: TU Berlin offers job boards like Stellenticket, Jobber, and Studentenjobs24 - starting points for working student or research assistant positions. https://www.tu.berlin/en/international/students-1/international-students/international-degree-seeking-students/work-opportunities-for-international-students