M. Sc. Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition (PEN)

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The Pillars of Health: Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition

Healthy nutrition and physical activity are core elements of healthy development, maintaining health and preventing disease, both at the level of the individual and at the population level.

The interdisciplinary Master’s program Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition (PEN) provides in-depth subject and methodological knowledge in the field of health, exercise and nutrition sciences and, as a research-oriented program, aims to provide students with interdisciplinary scientific training and enable them to conduct independent empirical research.

This gives them access to doctoral opportunities, research activities in universities and non-university institutions, as well as advisory activities in authorities and associations.

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Fact Sheet

  • Topics: Society & Health, Public Health, Exercise Science, Nutrition Science
  • Orientation: interdisciplinary and research-orientated
  • Duration: 4 semesters (full-time, part-time study possible)
  • ECTS: 120
  • Participation: from winter semester 2024/25
  • Type of Master’s program: consecutive

Contents, program and module overview

The unofficial translation of the German study and examination regulations as well as the admission regulations for the Master’s degree program in Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition can be found here:

The official study and examination regulations as well as the admission regulations for the Master’s degree program in Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition in German can be on the website of the University of Potsdam: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/ambek/index/2024/ausgabe-18/2024-vom-20062024

The Master’s program Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition is based on 4 disciplines: (1.) Society & Health, (2.) Public Health, (3.) Exercise Science and (4.) Nutrition Science.

In the first semester (starting winter semester 2024/25), theoretical and methodological basics (basic part) are taught in all 4 disciplines, on which the education of applied methods and advanced analyses is based in the specialization part (2nd semester). In the 3rd semester (elective part), students choose two from the four disciplines for a research internship, in which they apply their knowledge from the basic and specialization part of the program in the research of the specific departments and laboratories. The Master’s thesis is written in the 4th semester.

Aims of the Master’s program

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At the end of the MA degree program, students have in-depth knowledge of

  • physiological and molecular causes as well as the spread of lifestyle-related physical diseases,
  • causes, conditions and measures for maintaining mental health,
  • ethical, legal and social aspects of health research,
  • care of patients suffering from lifestyle-related physical diseases and poor mental health,
  • scientific working methods to elucidate the prevalence, physiological and molecular correlations in the development, detection, characterization and care of lifestyle-related physical diseases and the promotion of mental health.

Students are able to

  • develop scientific questions and justify their relevance,
  • apply scientific working methods adequately and independently in planning and implementing research projects,
  • classify scientific findings, analyze them critically and communicate them in a well-versed manner,
  • to contribute constructively to teams with their knowledge,
  • to represent professional positions and research results in discussions in a clear and differentiated manner, in account to current theories.

Admission requirements and application

You can find a brief overview of the degree program and admission requirements on the following pages:

On these pages, you will find information on how to apply for a Master’s degree at the University of Potsdam:

On these pages, you will find information for international students:

Career prospects

The Master’s in Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition qualifies graduates in particular for research activities in the fields of health, exercise and nutritional sciences in university and non-university institutions as well as in industry. Other possible fields of activity and careers include higher management positions in the areas of health promotion, health counselling and prevention, whether in the sports sector, consumer organisations, associations, health insurance companies, professional societies or ministries, clinics and rehabilitation facilities or in humanitarian aid.

Studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg

The Faculty of Health Sciences emerged from the “Brandenburg Health Campus” initiative and was established in June 2018 as a faculty of three supporting universities: the University of Potsdam, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane. In addition to cooperation between the sponsoring universities, collaboration in research and teaching with academics from other institutions in the state is encouraged and expressly desired.

The Faculty of Health Sciences aims to strengthen cooperation between university and non-university scientists in the state by intensifying joint research activities. In this way, effective concepts for improved healthcare can be developed in the long term.

The Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition Master’s degree program was initiated as the second degree program in the Faculty of Health Sciences and is based at the University of Potsdam. The University of Potsdam is in the top third of German universities in almost all relevant rankings. According to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the University of Potsdam is one of the institutions that favors scholarship holders from abroad for research stays. An expression of cosmopolitanism and internationality.

The commissions of the degree program at the faculty can be found on this website.

Sanne Houtenbos
Sanne Houtenbos
Course Coordinator 'Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition' and Research Associate for Medical Sociology and Psychobiology
phone: +49 (0)331977 153039
Joint faculty
The University of Potsdam, the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg