Reform of the post-graduate education as a psychological psychotherapist
(As of 30/11/2021)
At the University of Hamburg, the reformed bachelor's degree in psychology, which qualifies for the license to practice medicine, has been introduced in the winter semester 2020/21!
The new polyvalent bachelor's degree in Psychology, adapted to the PsychThG, started at the UHH in the winter semester 2020/21. This reformed course meets the legal requirements for future psychotherapist training. The accreditation has been granted (subject to conditions); the professional recognition is in preparation.
Students who started their Bachelor of Science Psychology before the winter semester 20/21 can complete their license to practice as a psychotherapist according to the previous system until 2032.
The authority for science, research, equality and districts and the University of Hamburg have jointly decided on a viable solution to qualify interested students in the Psychology degree for the reform of the post-graduate education in psychotherapy. Post-qualification will be offered for two years from the summer semester 2022.
The new master’s degree in clinical psychology and psychotherapy is still dependent on the approval of the financial means by the BWFBG and is in preparation, so that it can probably start from winter term 2023/24.
To trace general developments we recommend to visit the website of DGPs and the website of the Federal Ministry of Health - on this page you also find the legal text. Additional information can be found also on the website of the “Bundespsychotherapeutenkammer“.
What happened?
The post-graduate education as a psychological psycho-therapist and consequently, the Psychotherapy Act (Psychotherapeutengesetz - PsychThG) have been reformed. That impacts our Institute of Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement at Universität Hamburg. At this point, we regularly inform you about current developments.
Short introduction
Since 1998, the Psychotherapy Act (Psychotherapeutengesetz - PsychThG) governs the post-graduate education as a psychological psycho-therapist and as a child and youth psychotherapist. In the 18th legislative period (2013-2017), the coalition agreement of the parties CDU, CSU and SPD specified that the Psychotherapy Act (Psychotherapeutengesetz - PsychThG) as well as the conditions of admission for the post-graduate education as a psychological psycho-therapist have to be revised fundamentally. On September 26, 2019, the law has been adopted at the Bundestag.
What else will happen ?
The reformed law will become effective on September 1, 2020. Therefore, this date is the earliest possible starting date for the adapted degree programs. By then, a lot of points have to be clarified:
- negotiations between federal states and higher education institutions have to be conducted,
- as the case may be, some interim arrangements have to be determined and
- degree programs have to be accredited and much more.