Record number of beginners in psychology

Neuruppin, 06.10.2017

The Department of Psychology started the new semester with a record number of entrants. MHB welcomed 67 new students of psychology – 59 Bachelor and 8 Master students – with an official ceremony attended by ca. 200 guests in the main building of the Ruppin clinics. Corresponding figures for last year were 36 Bachelor and 7 Master students.

Vice Dean Dr. Gerhard Danzer underlined the special qualities of MHB curricula in psychology as reasons for steadily rising numbers of prospective students and applicants: small groups, modern formats of teaching and learning, integrated practical training, clinic days and regular patient contacts. This combination of student education and research, theory and application with maximum orientation towards practice, patient needs and later job requirements is unique in Germany, so Danzer.

Dean Prof. Dr. Edmund Neugebauer mentioned the current debate on direct training in psychological psychotherapy which would shorten training periods for future psychology students: “MHB is well placed to benefit from innovative and up-to-date degree programmes.”


Werner Nüse from the district administration Ostprignitz-Ruppin expressed pride in MHB for boosting the attractiveness of town and region. Despite its small size the university offers particular opportunities, so Nüse; the general shortage of physicians in rural areas, and of psychologists as well, promised good job prospects for the beginners whom he wished a good start and successful completion of their studies. Mario Zehle from the foundation of the regional savings bank praised the MHB focus on personality in selection procedures and the strong practice orientation in curricula.

Prof. Dr. Reinhold Kliegl (general psychology/Potsdam University) as keynote speaker congratulated the new students on their choice of discipline. In his lively and inspiring speech on “what the eyes reveal about the dynamics of the mind” he addressed the interaction of mind, culture and nature and gave insights into findings from his interdisciplinary studies of eye-tracking measurements.

Psychology students Rebecca Hoffmann and Norman Jung, co-organizers of the ceremony together with MHB Prof. Patrick Khader, welcomed their new fellow-students who were then called up individually. As in all previous welcome ceremonies, each beginner received an MHB scarf as a symbol of belonging. 

The ceremony was musically accompanied by the Susanne Grimm Quintet (Susanne Grimm/vocal, Julian Volk/piano, Peter Nader/double bass, Henry Wüstemann/drums, MHB Prof. Johannes M. Albes/tenor sax).

The 67 beginners come from all over Germany, with the largest group of 22 Bachelor and 2 Master students from Berlin and Brandenburg. They form the 4th class of psychology students in the Bachelor programme Psychology (B.Sc.) and the third cohort of students in the Master programme Clinical Psychology (M.Sc.). They raise the total number of students enrolled at MHB to 284 in the winter term 2017/18 – again a new record.