Dance and movement therapy Master of Arts at SRH Hochschule Heidelberg

Studied dance and movement therapy

Would you like to use your enthusiasm for dance and movement to work with people? Are you interested in acquiring therapeutic and clinical skills as well as working scientifically? In the only master's program in dance and movement therapy in Germany, practical dance therapy training is combined with critical scientific reflection.

Contents, goals and course of study

Teaching, practice and research under one roof

The course in dance and movement therapy spans two years, in which an intensive internship phase is integrated. Specific dance therapy techniques, psychological-medical expertise and scientific methods are part of the course offer.

The course enables you to use movement analysis and dance therapy techniques in a diagnostically targeted manner. Non-verbal events are reflected on using conversation techniques and related to psychological experience. As a scientifically based approach, dance therapy in acute intervention, rehabilitation and prevention contributes to the activation, stabilization and recovery of various patient groups. In practice and research there is a growing interest in the artistic-therapeutic approaches.

The master's program in Dance and Movement Therapy at the SRH Heidelberg University is the only state-recognized degree in Germany and ends with the academic degree “Master of Arts (Dance Movement Therapy)”.

This course is for you if you ...

• ... want to deal with therapy and health.
• … Strive for a social profession.
• … Are interested in psychological and medical questions.
• … Want to bring in their enthusiasm for dance and movement professionally.
• ... are interested in therapy research.

Our philosophy is to combine teaching, practice and research under one roof. Dance therapy and psychological study content is conveyed in an application-oriented manner. In the campus outpatient clinic and internships, the knowledge and skills acquired are practiced and trained under the guidance of mentors. Students have the opportunity to actively participate in the faculty's ongoing research projects, but they can also implement their own application-related research questions under supervision. It is possible to use the in-house psychophysiological laboratory and thus test the theoretical skills acquired in scientific work in a variety of ways.

Psychological-medical course content
You will acquire a sound specialist knowledge in the fields of psychology, health, therapy and neurosciences. We offer you an overview of the most important psychotherapeutic approaches as well as approaches of artistic therapies.

Scientific course content
You will be introduced theoretically to qualitative and quantitative research methods and will implement your own practical projects in the study group. In the master thesis, you combine your competencies in your own project.

Dance therapy content
We teach cross-school specific dance therapy as well as speech therapy techniques for different target groups from the adult and children's area. Students learn to plan, carry out and document a therapy process.

Self-Experience / Supervision
The master's program comprises approx. 60 hours of group self-experience and approx. 30 hours of group supervision

Career, prospects

Therapeutically effective - scientifically sound - always moving

The scientific foundations, methodological skills and professional qualifications acquired in the master dance and movement therapy enable graduates to work in a clinical, curative or special education context. The Master's degree in Dance and Movement Therapy also enables you, in addition to this multitude of practical activities, to pursue a career in research up to a doctorate.

The master's degree qualifies for clinical work when working with children and adults in the following key areas:

• psychiatry 
• Psychosomatics / Psychotherapy 
• Pediatrics, child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy 
• Neurology (early rehabilitation, rehabilitation and psychosocial aftercare) 
• Pain, psycho-oncology, palliative care