M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition (German programme)

The topic of health is becoming increasingly important in our society. Lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet, for example, increasingly promote the development of diseases. But nutrition is also playing an increasingly important role in competitive and popular sports. What influence do exercise and nutrition have on health? What does optimal sports nutrition look like? And what differences are there here, for example, between different sports and age groups?

The need for qualified, interdisciplinarily trained specialists is increasing both in the health care sector and in competitive sports as well as in the fitness and lifestyle sector. In the Master of Science Sport, Exercise and Nutrition at the German Sport University Cologne you will combine exactly these sciences and qualify for leading and highly qualified positions in this field.

You will study the Master of Sports, Exercise and Nutrition part-time with a standard study period of 4 semesters. Self-study phases alternate with attendance phases at the Sports University (see calendar for details). This way you can optimize your career opportunities without having to give up your job. The program begins each year in September, and the application deadline is the end of May.

The contents of the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition are taught in an application-oriented manner with a high practical component.

• 1st semester: separate teaching for sports/movement and nutrition scientists in order to acquire important basic knowledge in the other subject area.
• Curriculum for nutritionists: Exercise and training science, sports medicine, and performance physiology and diagnostics.
• Curriculum for sport and exercise scientists: Nutrition, food, nutritional medicine and applied nutritional science.
• From the 2nd semester onwards: joint teaching for professional and methodical consolidation, specification and teaching of scientific as well as personal and social competences
• In the 3rd semester there is a job shadowing (70-80 hours) and an internship (85-95 hours)
• The 4th semester is used to write the master's thesis.

Graduates of a first degree in sport, exercise or nutrition (at least 180 credit points) who have at least one year of professional experience in the field of sport and/or nutrition can apply for a study place.

The job opportunities after graduation are diverse: In addition to research and teaching at universities or the internationally recognized doctorate, for example, the supervision of competitive athletes, a managerial position in health care or in the fitness and lifestyle sector, as well as the path to self-employment is possible.

The German Sport University Cologne is Germany's only and Europe's largest university that is exclusively dedicated to the subject area of sport and exercise and thus occupies a leading position both nationally and internationally. The closely related topics of health and nutrition are also of great importance in the research and teaching activities of the German Sport University Cologne. The profound expertise of our lecturers, the excellent facilities on campus and the internationally recognized degree are just three of the 10 good reasons for studying at the German Sport University Cologne.

The tuition fee for the Master of Science Sport, Exercise and Nutrition programme is € 2,850 per semester. The fee has to be transferred by the students before the beginning of the respective semester. The total costs for the entire programme therefore are € 11,400. This includes the registration fee and all examination fees.

Below you will find all the important information about admission, application, deadlines and dates.

Admission - General requirements
The general admission requirements for the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition are regulated in the Examination and Admission Regulations.

The following admission requirements apply for admission to the programme:

• Completion of a first degree in sport, exercise or nutrition science (at least 180 credit points) or proof of an adequate academic degree.

AND

• at least one year of professional experience in the field of sport, exercise or nutrition.

In addition, the following requirements apply to the completion of the degree:

• Proof of externally achieved achievements with up to 30 credit points to register for the Master's thesis. These can be completed before or during the course of your studies (see examination and admission regulations)*.

Important: If you have already completed this type of work, please be sure to submit the relevant evidence with your application.

* To obtain a Master's degree, you need a total of 300 credit points (CP). For the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition programme you will receive a total of 90 CP. Depending on the number of CP acquired in your first academic degree programme (possible are 180 CP to 240 CP), you may have to acquire additional CP (maximum 30 CP) from achievements to be recognised in order to obtain the Master's degree (300 CP). This is possible through achievements such as subject-specific further and continuing education or additional qualifications (e.g. further education as a nutritionist), coaching activities in competitive sport or activities in the scientific field. The credit catalogue shows you exemplary possibilities of thematically suitable further education, activities in competitive sport or in science. For clarification, you will find two examples below. The examination board of the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition programme decides on the recognition of possible CP.

Example 1: Degree with 210 - 240 CP

Together with your application for the M.Sc. in Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, you submit the Bachelor's degree certificate and the Transcript of Records of a higher education institution confirming the completion of a study programme in sport, exercise or nutrition science with a total of 210 - 240 CP. With the successful completion of the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition programme, you acquire 90 CP and thus prove the 300 CP required for the Master's title. The acquisition of further CP through additional achievements outside the degree programme is not necessary.

Example 2: Degree with 180 CP

With your application for the M.Sc. in Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, you submit the Bachelor's degree certificate and the Transcript of Records of a higher education institution for the completion of a degree in sport, exercise or nutrition science with a total of 180 CP. With the successful completion of the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition programme, you acquire 90 CP. You have thus acquired a total of 270 CP. The 30 CP that are still missing for the Master's degree must be obtained by registering your Master's thesis in the M.Sc. Sport, Exercise and Nutrition programme via additional achievements outside the programme at the latest. You can find examples of possible credits in the credit catalogue.

Admission - Foreign applicants

Applicants with a degree acquired abroad can be admitted if the equivalence with a degree according to §4, paragraph 1 of the Examination and Admission Regulations is proven. The equivalence agreements approved by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Rectors' Conference or corresponding legal regulations are to be taken into account when deciding on the equivalence of foreign degrees.

Admission - Language skills

The language of instruction in this degree programme is German. English texts are also used. You should therefore be able to understand the English language well, but do not have to actively speak English. Foreign applicants must provide proof of German language skills in order to study at a German university, i.e. they must have passed one of the following two university language examinations to prove their language level approximately at level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:

• DSH: At least level 2 ("Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber").

OR

• TestDaF: At least level 4 (C1) (The "TestDaF" is a language test at an advanced level. It ranges from level B2 to C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and is the language qualification recognised by all German universities as a prerequisite for admission).

The application documents must include in total:

• Relevant supporting documents (see "Admission - General Requirements", and if applicable see "Admission - Language Skills" )
• Tabular curriculum vitae
• Proof of fitness for sports (certificate from family doctor sufficient)

The complete application documents for the winter semester 25/26 must be submitted in digital form in a PDF file by the deadlines specified below via our campusmanagementportal mySpoho.

Apply now!

Application period: April 15th until June 15th