M.A. Educational Sciences with focus on Educational Research and Educational Management (DE)

We are delighted that you are interested in studying for a Master's degree with us!

You can find all the key information about the Master's program on the LMU programme page.

You are also welcome to take a look at the section DURING YOUR STUDY. There you will find further insights into the content and modules of our Master's program.

Application for the aptitude test: April
Aptitude procedure (selection interviews): June to July
Notification of admission/rejection: approx. mid-July
Enrolment/change of subject: probably approx. mid-August to the end of October (specific dates can be found on the Student Administration Office homepage)
International students: Please also note the dates of the International Office (application, admission, enrollment)

Application for the first semester

Please note: The Master's program is only offered in German!

• Professionally qualifying university degree
  • Completed first degree (e.g. Bachelor, Magister, Diplom, state examination) in the field of education / educational science or a first degree in a (closely) related field (e.g. psychology, sociology).
  • Overall grade of the first degree (2.50 or better): Proof of an overall grade of 2.50 or better achieved in the first degree course must be provided for admission to the Master's degree course. Proof is provided by submitting the degree certificate.

• 12 ECTS credits or 8 SWS in the field of research methods: Proof of training in the field of quantitative and / or qualitative research methods (e.g. courses in statistics, empirical social research, research methods for social sciences, interpretative and reconstructive methods) integrated into the first degree course amounting to at least 12 ECTS credits (or 8 SWS in the case of non-modularized first degree courses, such as Diplom / Magister).
• In addition, a final thesis can be submitted as proof in the application process, insofar as it is an empirical thesis (= application of empirical research methods).
• Note: It is not possible to obtain additional qualifications or make up missing ECTS points.

ECTS credits in the current degree course: If you are applying from the 6th semester, you must have achieved at least 120 ECTS credits in your first degree course at the time of application.

Please note: To apply, you will need a transcript of records signed and sealed by the relevant examination office. You will usually receive this document together with your degree certificate.

• If you do not yet have a degree certificate at the time of application, you must request the transcript of records from the responsible examination office of your first degree program (usually in writing):
  • This transcript must contain a) the level of achievement after the 5th semester of the first degree program of at least 120 ECTS, b) examination achievements in the field of research methods amounting to at least 12 ECTS, c) the provisional average grade and d) the signature and seal of the responsible examination office.
  • Some examination offices may take a while to issue the document (four weeks is not unusual). To avoid unnecessary delays, it is advisable to apply in good time before completing the online application!

Successful participation in the aptitude test is a prerequisite for admission to the Master's degree program.

You must fulfill the following requirements:

• Timely application for the aptitude assessment procedure
• Complete proof of the admission requirements in the application for the aptitude assessment procedure.
• Successful participation in the aptitude test.

Application for the aptitude assessment procedure in the application portal (April)

• The application takes place exclusively online via our online application portal. There you can upload all relevant documents in electronic form.
• The application portal will be reactivated in April 2026 (the link to the online application will appear here).
• All applicants who have provided evidence that they meet the requirements by submitting suitable documents with their application will receive an invitation to take part in the aptitude test. Otherwise, you will receive a rejection letter by e-mail.

Please note: Incomplete applications or applications submitted outside the application period will not be considered!

Important information for foreign students (applicants with a nationality other than German who have obtained their university entrance qualification at a foreign school and foreign students):

• Please note that you must also submit an application for admission to studies and proof of sufficient German language skills in person or by post to the Department of International Affairs at LMU Munich by July 15 at the latest.

Aptitude test (June/July):

• The purpose of the aptitude procedure is to determine whether you meet the subject-related motivation and aptitude for the special qualitative requirements of the Master's degree program in Education.
• The aptitude procedure takes the form of personal selection interviews. The interviews last 20-30 minutes. The topics covered include motivation to study, general pedagogy, social science research methods and knowledge of the Master's degree program.
• The personal selection interviews regularly take place between mid-June and the beginning of July.
• Individual appointments will be sent by e-mail after successful review of the application documents with an invitation to the interview and documents for preparation.
• The appointments take place in person or, in certain cases, online via Zoom.
  

Applicants who are unable to take part in the aptitude assessment procedure in justified exceptional cases (e.g. illness) must submit an application for an alternative date by the start of the set date and provide a corresponding certificate.

Please note: An unsuccessful aptitude test can be repeated once, but not earlier than the next enrolment date. A further repetition is excluded!

Notification of admission/rejection (mid-July)

• You will be informed of the result of the aptitude assessment procedure after the interview and by email (notification of admission/aptitude for the Master's degree program or notification of rejection).

Statutes on the aptitude procedure

The statutes on the aptitude procedure contain all regulations and therefore important information on the aptitude procedure.

• The first statutes on the aptitude procedure for the Master's degree program (PDF, 33 KB) “Education with a focus on educational research and educational management” were published on 04.07.2011.
• The first statutes amending the statutes on the aptitude procedure (PDF, 18 KB) were published on 15 May 2012.
• The second statutes amending the statutes on the aptitude procedure (PDF, 20 KB) were published on 11 February 2014. They contain significant changes to the required overall grade and the required performance level in the first degree program.
• Please note the current statutes on the aptitude procedure (PDF, 97 KB), which were published on February 12, 2025 and contain significant changes to the aptitude procedure!

A total of 120 ECTS credits must be earned over the course of four semesters.

The program offers the following two areas of specialization:

Focus 1: P2 Research on Learning and Continuing Education

• Topics from teaching, learning and training research as well as continuing education and training research
• Theories and findings on learning and continuing education as well as training and media research
• Research on participants and target groups

Focus 2: P4 Youth and Educational Pathways

• Topics of childhood and youth research as well as educational and educational trajectory research
• Socialization, upbringing and educational processes in childhood and adolescence as well as with a view to the entire lifespan
• Functions and (intended and unintended) modes of action of various educational and socialization instances

While in the first two semesters you will attend courses in both specializations (P2, P4), from the 3rd semester onwards you will be able to focus on your desired specialization (P9, P10).

Compulsory modules:

P3: Training Methods

• Traditional forms of training, e.g. expository teaching methods, forms of group work, individual one-to-one tuition, media-supported learning
• New forms of training, e.g. quality circles, coaching, mentoring or supervision

P5: Intercultural Pedagogy and International Educational Research

• Fundamentals and approaches of international educational research
• Basic aspects of the cultural imprint of ways of thinking and acting

P6 & P8: Counseling methods and Educational Management

• Personal and organizational guidance, guidance institutions, international perspectives on guidance
• Networking of educational institutions, educational monitoring, educational reporting, educational transitions

P7: Research Methods

• Methods of education, further education and teaching-learning research, program and provider analyses, methods of measuring and certifying competencies and evaluating educational measures

Compulsory elective modules:

WP1: Interdisciplinary Discourse with a focus on Philosophy

• Basic questions of philosophy, epistemology, philosophy of language, anthropology, theory of action and ethics, reflection on historical and social roots

WP1: Interdisciplinary Discourse with a focus on Religions

• Basic anthropological concepts of religions, their value orientations and ethical foundations as well as their understanding of the relationship between religion and politics

WP1: Life situations, Phases of Life, Learning Contexts

• Special features of different development phases, age-graded transitions in the education system, conditions and consequences of different educational careers in the course of life, relevant risk and protective factors, role of social background for educational processes

WP1: Psychology

• Applied Social Psychology or Work and Organizational Psychology or Market, Consumer and Economic Psychology

WP2: Labour Law

• Individual labor law and collective labor law

Organizational Matters on LSF
You can register for courses and examinations on the LSF platform.There you will find all the relevant modules and can register for these or the associated examinations.

In the LSF you will also find all the necessary information about the courses (dates, rooms, lecturers, etc.) as well as examinations already taken and transcripts of records.

Content on Moodle
As a rule, lecturers use Moodle to provide course materials. They will also provide you with the registration keys for the courses.

The Master's thesis should demonstrate that students are able to work independently on a problem from their subject using scientific methods within a specified period of time.

The Master's thesis can be written at any time during the first four semesters in accordance with Annex 2 of the Examination and Study Regulations for the Master's in Education. The examination and study regulations recommend the 4th semester. The processing time is 20 weeks and 30 ECTS points are awarded.

The registration periods for the Master's thesis are announced by the Examination Office.
Detailed information on the Master's thesis can be found in the Moodle course “MA Thesis in Education” (formalities, supervision, current calls for Master's theses and answers to FAQs) (registration code: “Abschlussarbeit”). You can register for the Moodle course at any time and obtain information independently, even if you are not yet planning to write your thesis in the following semester.

A semester abroad offers students the unique opportunity to gain international experience, strengthen intercultural skills and at the same time expand their professional and language skills. It is therefore a valuable enrichment for both their studies and their personal development.

The Department of Educational Sciences and Rehabilitation offers you exciting opportunities to explore Europe within the framework of ERASMUS or to gain international experience outside Europe via LMUexchange. You can also obtain further information from the International Office.

Note: Early planning of a semester abroad is recommended. You are welcome to contact the study coordinator in this regard. Before your semester abroad, please also clarify which credits you will be taking abroad and whether these can be recognized.

The examinations to be taken as part of the degree programme are specified in Appendix 2 of the examination and study regulations for the respective degree programme. In principle, examinations from higher semesters can be taken earlier, although in this case it cannot be guaranteed that there will be no overlap in terms of timing.

Which examinations do I have to register for?

Regardless of the type of examination (written examination, presentation, term paper, portfolio, etc.), you must register for the examination online via LSF for all courses in which you are required to take an examination. Otherwise, no ECTS credits can be earned or recorded.

An examination marks the completion of a module. Only register for the examination once you have successfully completed all parts of the module.

Please note: Registration for the module part examination ‘Colloquium’ and the module part examination ‘Master's thesis’ is done separately and not via LSF. Talk to your supervisor about the specific procedure. Further information is available at the information event for final theses.

You must register for the examination via LSF during the examination registration period. This period runs from the 4th to the 5th week of lectures each semester. This also applies to repeat examinations.

Late registration can only be carried out by the Examination Office. This can only be approved by the examination board in special cases (e.g. upon presentation of a medical certificate for illness during the entire registration period) and is expressly not permitted for trivial reasons (e.g. ‘oversleeping’ the deadline).

• You can register for the examination in the LSF course catalogue.
• You log in to LSF with your user ID.
• You can register for the examination via the ‘Examination registration and deregistration’ tab in the left-hand bar.

After registering for the examination, create a registration confirmation ‘Info about registered examinations’ in LSF, check it for correctness and take a screenshot (or print it out).

When do the examinations take place?
Most examinations take place during the examination period. This usually lasts three weeks: from the last week of lectures to the second week of the semester break.

When are the exam dates set?
The exam dates are usually set at the beginning of the respective semester (in coordination with the minor and teaching subjects). They are finalised by the beginning of the exam registration period at the latest.

Where can I find the exam dates and rooms?
As soon as the exam dates are fixed, they will be announced via the corresponding LSF event. The rooms are also specified there (at the latest about one week before the exam date).

In order to claim compensation for disadvantages, a corresponding certificate from the Examination Office is generally required. Please send this as a scan by email to the examination officer at least 4 weeks before the respective examination date, stating for which examination you would like to claim compensation for disadvantages.

You can withdraw from the examination without good reason within the examination registration period via LSF.

In the event of illness or for good reason, you can withdraw from the examination via PAGS up to the day of the examination, see Application for withdrawal from examination. Please note the information on ‘Medical certificate’ under PAGS A-Z!

Review of exams
If necessary, you can review the correction of your exam. Two collective appointments are offered for exam review at the end of the examination phase or at the beginning of the following semester. (It is not possible to arrange individual appointments.) If you wish to take advantage of this offer, registration is mandatory.

Which examinations can be viewed?

• Theories and methods of educational research and educational management
• Qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Youth and educational trajectory research
• Educational trajectories and intercultural pedagogy (profile area)
• Pedagogy in dialogue

How does registration for examination review work?
Mandatory registration for review takes place via a specially set up Moodle course. All exam participants will receive the link and registration key by email.

Repeating exams
The repeatability of each exam is specified in column 17 of Appendix 2 of the examination and study regulations. As a rule, exams (if failed) can be repeated as often as desired. The exception to this is the final thesis, which can only be repeated once at the next date.

When can I retake (failed) examinations?
Failed exams can be retaken on the next date on which they are offered. Courses are generally held either in the summer or winter semester. However, exams are usually offered every semester – either as regular exams (for the corresponding course) or as repeat exams (which refer to the course from the previous semester).

When do the repeat examinations take place?
Repeat examinations usually take place (like regular examinations) during the examination period. In isolated cases, the date may be slightly earlier (around the middle of the semester). Registration takes place as usual via LSF during the examination registration period (see Registration).

Can I retake exams I have already passed in order to improve my grades?
It is possible to retake exams you have already passed in order to improve your grades within the scope of the free examination attempt. To do so, you must first pass the exam (at the latest) in the semester specified in the examination regulations and can then retake it at the next possible regular date (usually one year later). (Repeat examinations cannot therefore be used to improve grades.) If the examination consists of several parts, only individual parts can be repeated to improve grades. Registration takes place as usual via LSF during the examination registration period.

The LMU Career Service supports you in preparing for your career start and offers networking opportunities as well as seminars for acquiring career-relevant skills.

The pedagogy degree qualifies students for a wide range of professional activities:

• Child and youth work (extracurricular educational institutions, e.g. preschool educational institutions, youth centers, open youth work)
• Personnel development and counseling
• Education, media and quality management (quality development and assurance)
• Advisory (consulting, supervision, further education advice and career guidance)
• Conceptual, planning or teaching activities in adult education and in-company continuing education, further education, training (general (e.g. VHS), denominational/church, political and vocational/company adult education)
• International and intercultural educational development (international educational/development institutions, UNESCO educational institutes)
• Knowledge management (e.g. in public institutions, (operational) companies, corporate development, etc.)
• (Educational) research (university, university of applied sciences, research institutes)

A Master's degree in psychology also qualifies you for a career in science and research. The first step after a Master's degree towards an academic career is usually a doctorate.

Information on formal requirements for a doctorate at the Department of Educatinal Sciences and Rehabilitation LMU can be found at the LMU Graduate Center. It offers a wide range of information and support services for doctoral candidates.

Doctorates generally last at least 3 years and are usually carried out as part of a position as a research assistant (e.g. in a third-party funded project or a professorship).

• LMU job advertisements can be found on the job portal.

Another option for financing a doctorate is to apply for a scholarship. You can find an overview of scholarship and funding opportunities here.