Online Learning
Distance Learning
Doctor ofPsychotherapy& Counseling(Dr.ph.Eng.)
180 ECTS credits. Language: English.
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Dr. Ph. Doctor of Psychotherapy – Advanced Counseling & Leadership in Psychotherapy
Elevate Your Expertise. Influence the Future of Psychotherapy.
Our 100% online Doctor of Psychotherapy (Dr.Ph.) is designed for experienced professionals who are ready to invest in leadership, research, and advanced clinical excellence. With years of therapeutic practice behind you, this doctoral program is the next strategic step—giving you the academic recognition and professional authority to access senior leadership roles, professorships, and high-level consultancy.
Doctor of Psychotherapy – The Essence of Counseling
Counseling in psychotherapy is the intentional and targeted use of psychotherapeutic means by a qualified expert—a psychotherapist applying scientifically grounded knowledge. The goal of psychotherapy is to achieve optimal personality development while alleviating or eliminating mental and physical suffering such as anxiety, depression, or burnout.
Historically, psychotherapy (talk therapy) has stood alongside surgery (knife treatment) and phytotherapy (herbal/pharmacological treatment) as one of the three fundamental methods of healing. Today, it is recognized as an essential pillar of modern healthcare.
Psychotherapy may occur in various forms:
Individual psychotherapy between counselor and client
Family therapy addressing shared dynamics and conflict resolution
Group therapy for collective understanding, shared healing, and solutions
In all contexts, the therapeutic dialogue seeks to uncover deeper connections, enhance self-awareness, and open pathways to resolution and growth. industries and borders.
Specialization: Psychotherapy-Counseling
The curriculum combines advanced psychotherapeutic competencies with leadership and management knowledge—crucial for those aiming at supervisory, directorial, or academic careers.
Core Subjects
Management: Foundations of managerial functions, methods, and techniques—both for leading others and self-management.
Strategic Management: Theoretical essence and methodological skills in strategic leadership, reinforced through case studies from real-world contexts.
Managerial Psychology: Applied psychology in leadership, including profiling, motivation, and performance optimization.
Specialization in Psychotherapy-Counseling: Focus on advanced therapeutic approaches, clinical diagnostics, and applied methods in individual, family, and group settings.
Your Career Transformed
With the Dr.Ph. title, you are prepared for:
Clinical Leadership in hospitals, therapy centers, and private practice networks
Academic Careers in research, lecturing, and program direction
Senior Consultancy roles in healthcare institutions, international organizations, and government advisory boards
Accredited, Recognized, Respected
This doctoral program blends academic credibility with practical relevance, ensuring that your Dr.Ph. is valued worldwide. Graduates are seen as thought leaders in psychotherapy counseling, equipped to lead, supervise, and innovate in a dynamic and evolving field.
Study flexible
Anytime and anywhere with 24/7 online exams, full- or part-time.
Learn innovatively
On your digital campus with your own AI study assistant and multimedia tools.
USA & EU - recognised
Benefit from an accredited degree with excellent career prospects.
Study Format That Flexes to Your Lifestyle
Worldwide - Flexible E-learning
Who it’s for:
Working professionals, parents, international students, and anyone balancing study with work or family.
- Proven Success: Up to 96% MBA completion rate
- International Accreditation: Globally recognised degree standards
- Modules, on-demand lectures, and mobile-friendly
- Continue earning while you learn
- Personalized progress tracking and career services
- Self-paced: Learn whenever your career and personal life allow
Work-Integrated - Dual Studies
Who it’s for:
For those supported by employers.
- Career-embedded: Direct practice with 25,000+ partner companies (worldwide)
- Tuition covered or part-covered: Employers fund your degree
- High ROI: Earn and learn simultaneously
myCIERstudy - Hybrid
Who it’s for:
Perfect hybrid for executives valuing both online flexibility and in-person connections.
- Hybrid: Online lectures + presence
- Multiple intakes: Start throughout the year
- Flexible: Switch effortlessly between online and on-site
- Blended format: scheduled on-site presence phases (seminars, labs, workshops) plus self-paced online modules
Your study programme summed up
Study programme & degree
BBA.MP Eng., 180 ECTS credits
Language: en
Full-time or part-time, 100% flexible
Application & starting date
Start from today, Online application, no application deadline
Study duration & extension
18, 24 and 36 months, depending on model Extension possible free of charge
Locations
Study programme independent of time & place, no mandatory attendance, innovative study tools available on online-campus, AI study assistant CIEAssistAI, exams online or at nearest examination centre
Study fees
Starting at 473€/month, depending on model Current discount campaign
Recognition & Approval
Study program is US & EU – approved, accredited & internationally renowned, 180 ECTS – EN: ACTD, AAHEA & EAEA
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Do you need help with your decision? Your personal study advisor is happy to help you!
+49 157 557 561 94
Available from Mo - Fr from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sa from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Completion of Studies
Upon successful completion, you will earn the prestigious professional title Doctor of Psychotherapy (Dr.Ph.), proudly placed behind your name. This credential confirms your advanced competence in psychotherapeutic counseling, opens doors to new professional opportunities, and secures high recognition in clinical, academic, and consulting settings.
Program Investment
Standard Tuition: €14,990
Premium Package: €18,990 (enhanced mentoring and academic support)
Scholarship opportunities available
Flexible installment payments ensure accessibility for high-level professionals
Why Choose Our Dr.Ph. Online?
Educational Quality: A program of the highest academic standard, guaranteeing extensive knowledge and advanced practical skills for successful application in psychotherapy.
Knowledge Base: A broad foundation in psychotherapy counseling combined with hands-on skills development.
Prestige: Delivered by a renowned educational institution with a long tradition of academic excellence.
Senior Consultant
A Senior Consultant in Healthcare Institutions is a high-level expert specializing in the integration of psychological principles into healthcare management, patient care, and institutional strategy. Professionals in this role provide evidence-based guidance on mental health programs, organizational psychology, and patient-centered care models. They collaborate with healthcare executives, clinicians, and policy makers to optimize treatment pathways, enhance staff well-being, and improve overall service delivery. With strong expertise in psychology, healthcare systems, and leadership, Senior Consultants are instrumental in designing innovative solutions that address mental health challenges, support sustainable healthcare practices, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. This career path is particularly suitable for graduates in psychology, healthcare management, and consulting who aim to shape the future of healthcare institutions through strategic psychological insights.
Clinical Leader
A Clinical Leader in hospitals or therapy centers specializing in psychotherapy is a highly skilled professional responsible for guiding clinical teams, ensuring quality standards in mental health care, and implementing evidence-based therapeutic approaches. This leadership role combines advanced knowledge of psychotherapy with strong management skills to optimize patient outcomes, supervise therapists, and coordinate interdisciplinary collaboration. Clinical Leaders play a key role in developing treatment strategies, overseeing compliance with healthcare regulations, and fostering innovation in therapeutic practices. With expertise in clinical psychology, counseling, and organizational leadership, they ensure that hospitals and therapy centers deliver effective, patient-centered care while maintaining operational excellence.
Academic Career
An academic career in research with a Dr. Ph. in Psychotherapy & Counseling is ideal for professionals who aspire to advance knowledge in psychotherapy, counseling psychology, and mental health sciences. This career path emphasizes scientific research, clinical studies, and evidence-based innovation in psychotherapeutic methods and counseling practices. Researchers in this field contribute to the academic community through publications, teaching, and interdisciplinary collaboration, while also shaping the development of new therapeutic models and approaches.
Graduates with a Dr. Ph. in Psychotherapy & Counseling are prepared for roles in universities, research institutes, and think tanks, where they lead projects in areas such as clinical psychology, psychotherapy effectiveness, trauma studies, mental health policy, and applied counseling. This academic track combines theoretical expertise with practical impact, ensuring that research outcomes influence both professional practice and public health strategies.
With its strong focus on psychotherapy research, counseling innovation, and mental health education, this career path is especially suited for those aiming to become recognized scholars, authors, and thought leaders in the global field of psychotherapy and counseling.
- Shortening your period of study: Skip individual modules or whole semesters!
- Save on tuition fees: You’ll save €30 for every recognised ECTS point
Even before you apply for an online study programme, we’ll gladly check whether we can take your previous achievements into account: 100% online, no strings attached. Simply fill in our online recognition form.
Send an email to info@cosmopolitan-institute.com to find out which previous achievements you can get recognised. Make sure you send your application before the end of your 1-month trial. You can get your previous achievements recognised during your studies. However, we can no longer grant you a cost reduction after the end of the trial month.
Admission requirements
We make it possible: At Cosmopolitan Institute of Education you can start your desired study programme – without NC, state-recognised, with or without a general A-level!
General admission requirements
- Completed undergraduate degree in engineering or engineering-related subjects with at least 240 ECTS
- Your degree must be from a state or state-approved higher education institution/university
- You must have achieved a final grade of at least “satisfactory” or Grade C equivalent to the German grade “befriedigend” in your previous undergraduate degree
Alternatives to the minimum grade (60 ECTS credits)
If you have completed your bachelor’s degree with a final grade of “sufficient” or grade D equivalent to the German grade “ausreichend” (up to 4.0), you can still be admitted to a master’s or MBA programme. For this, you need:
- A bachelor's degree (final grade 3.5 - 4.0) from a state or state-approved higher education institution/university and
- Relevant academic achievements from a master's/MBA programme at a state or state-approved higher education institution/university, relevant to the desired master's/MBA programme with a minimum of 20 ECTS credits or
- A relevant completed master's/MBA degree from a state or state-approved higher education institution/university or
- Relevant qualifications outside of academia which can be credited to you such as further education/training at GQF7 level or – for foreign qualifications such as postgraduate diplomas – equivalent to GQF7 level relevant to the desired master's/MBA programme, with a minimum of 20 ECTS credits
Tip: If you apply for recognition, we can review your relevant achievements and, where possible, credit them towards your study programme in a relevant field.
Alternative admission requirements
- with 240 ECTS from your undergraduate degree: direct access possible
- with 210 ECTS from your undergraduate degree: complete courses totalling 30 ECTS or provide proof of at least one year of full-time work experience at the start of the programme (this must be acquired after completing your undergraduate degree. Work experience from a dual study programme cannot be used to make up for missing ECTS credits).
- with 180 ECTS from your undergraduate degree: complete courses totalling 30 ECTS and provide proof of at least one year of full-time work experience at the start of the programme (this must be acquired after completing your undergraduate degree) or provide proof of at least two years of full-time work experience at the start of the programme (this must be acquired after completing your undergraduate degree. Work experience from a dual study programme cannot be used to make up for missing ECTS credits).
English language skills
Depending on your personal circumstances, you might be required to provide proof of your English language proficiency. Your skills would need to match the B2 level of the Common European Framework (CEF). We accept the following English language skills certificates*:
- TOEFL (minimum 80 points) or
- IELTS (minimum 6,0 points) or
- Duolingo English Test (minimum 95 points) or
- Cambridge Certificate (minimum Grade B)
Note: Proof must be provided before starting the study programme and must not be older than five years. Is English your native language, or have you graduated from an English-speaking school or institution of higher education? Then you do not need to prove your English language proficiency. Get in touch with our study advisors for more details.
*IU International University of Applied Sciences may accept other language certificates for English B2 (CEFR) at their discretion.
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What you get for free
- Information on study content
- Information on career perspectives
- Information on financing
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