Psychology: Learning Sciences

Subjects: Psychology;Learning Sciences

M.Sc. | Master of Science

Course description

The M.Sc. Psychology: Learning Sciences is a prestigious, research-driven interdisciplinary program. It encourages a select group of highly motivated students to dive into cutting-edge research in the burgeoning field of Learning Sciences. This program is offered by the Munich Center of the Learning Sciences (MCLS). The M.Sc. Psychology: Learning Sciences blends essential skills and knowledge from psychology and education, with a strong emphasis on learning, research, and excellence. It equips students for roles in learning research. Many graduates continue their academic journey by enrolling in the MCLS Doctoral Training Program or pursuing other Ph.D. degrees. Others apply their expertise in learning, training, or evaluation within educational institutions and the business sector. This program is designed to foster a deep understanding of how people learn, preparing students to make significant contributions to the field. Whether continuing in academia or moving into practical applications, graduates are well-prepared to excel and innovate.

Application Requirements

Language Requirements

Correspondence table for upper B2 level of English proficiency. The minimum required score is reported for each language test or higher-education examination. IELTS 6,5 / TOEFL CBT 211 / TOEFL IBT 79 / CAE 177

Qualification Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with credits in Psychology, Education, or related disciplines; excellent English proficiency (at least Upper B2); prior knowledge in the Learning Sciences, Scientific Research Methods and Statistics, and Academic Skills.

Document Requirements

The following application documents are required in PDF format: Curriculum vitae with up-to-date information A copy of the bachelor’s certificate (or equivalent). Applicants who have not yet finished their bachelor’s studies are required to upload a letter from their university, confirming the expected date of graduation instead. Transcript of records from the bachelor’s program, which includes all completed courses and obtained grades. By the time of application, students must have completed the majority of the courses specified in their program curriculum. A Prior Knowledge Table (for template see bottom of this page) which indicates your prior knowledge and experience in the following domains. It does not matter from which degree/courses/experiences this prior knowledge comes from. Please state ALL courses that addressed one or more of the three domains mentioned below. These domains encompass: - Learning Sciences: Theoretical background, methods, and empirical findings concerning different aspects of learning and teaching in different educational contexts. These aspects encompass e.g. cognition, emotion, development, instruction, training, excellence, achievement, transfer, counseling, education, didactics, neuro-cognitive and clinical perspectives. In this field you need to prove at least 20 ECTS (1 ECTS credit equals 30 hours of work - including preparation, in-class time, homework, and examination); 30 or more ECTS credits are recommended for good chances of acceptance - Scientific Research Methods and Statistics: You should be familiar with elements, key terms and processes of research designs and strategies as well as statistics (descriptive and inferential) and preferably statistical software (e.g. SPSS). Concepts which refer to Descriptive Statistics include Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion, Frequency Distribution, Z-Scores among others. Key Terms which refer to inferential statistics are Hypotheses-testing, One- and Two-Tailed Tests, Bivariate Correlation and Regression, Method of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), One-Way Independent ANOVA and Factorial ANOVA, t-test and t-distribution and Chi-Square Tests among others. Again, you must prove at least 20 ECTS in this field; 30 or more ECTS credits are recommended for good chances of acceptance - Academic Skills: Academic skills refer to the skills necessary to find, process, understand, interpret, evaluate, discuss and present research. These skills might have been taught in courses explicitly, or might have been obtained in other classes implicitly. Either way, you need to prove at least 10 ECTS in this field; 20 or more ECTS credits are recommended for good chances of acceptance - If you do not reach the minimally required number of ECTS credits in any of the above mentioned three domains, unfortunately your application will result in a rejection! - If you fill in the table and leave any of the columns empty (i.e., you do not assign any credits to e.g. Learning Sciences), this will result in a rejection! - If you miss to provide proof for the workload associated with your university's credits and/or how they are converted into ECTS credits, unfortunately your application will result in a rejection (check the specific FAQ for more details)! - If you do not use the template for documenting your prior knowledge and experience (but provide other documents, change the layout so it cannot be efficiently scored anymore by e.g. deleting columns, etc.), this will result in a rejection! Essay (ca. 500 words) in English. It should address which specific skills, qualifications, and interests qualify you as an applicant to study in the Psychology Master’s Program in the Learning Sciences. An elaborate analysis of a specific article from a scientific journal in accordance with an assessment sheet issued by the Department of Psychology. The task of this analysis is to answer questions regarding the article available on the application tool Further information on the analysis and access to the specific article is available only on the Online Application Tool (Tab: Scientific Understanding). The tool opens in Mid January, you will not get access to it earlier! This is an essential application criterion and insufficient performance may result in a rejection. Proof of English proficiency of at least Upper B2 Level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for non-native English language speakers. Note: German proficiency is no requirement, as our program is exclusively taught and assessed in English. Different information on the International Office's website can be ignored (they apply to German programs exclusively).