Study Program
Population-Based Medicine
Master of Science (M.Sc.)

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Phone number: 07071 29 87111

Address: Geissweg 5/1
72076 Tübingen
Mailing address

E-mail address: pbm.studium@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Application information

Health beyond the individual

The Master’s Program Population Based Medicine (PBM) offers a challenging program at a competitive international level for which high individual effort and performance are required. We strive to prepare students to respond to both challenges and opportunities to improve health within and across populations. Our goal is to train future population health experts with outstanding methodological knowledge and interdisciplinary expertise to address the full range of factors influencing health and disease. Population-Based Medicine works with big datasets and epidemiological and statistical methods to identify patterns in the diseases and health of large populations.

The Population-Based Medicine program in Tübingen is a 4-semester full-time program completely offered in English. One of the most important features of the program is a mandatory practicum in the third semester which can be completed in Germany or abroad. The master program is accredited and applies the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

Online Information Event 2027
21 January 2027, 5:00 pm (CET – German time)

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key figures

4

Semester full-time study

120

ECTS

20

study places

14

weeks internship

Teaser

Why study Population-Based Medicine in Tübingen

Population-Based Medicine includes the designing, implementation and evaluation of intervention programs for health problems (e.g., lifestyle modification strategies and stress management), the development of prevention strategies at the population level (e.g., for diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer), as well as the development of policy recommendations, health education and outreach at community and population level (e.g., digital health technologies).

Current information

Online Information Event 2027

We will be hosting an online information event in 2027 for the intake winter semester 2027/2028. Wednesday, 21 January 2027, 5.00 pm (CET - German time). If you'd like to register, please send an email to pbm.studium@med.uni-tuebingen.de - the link will be sent out shortly before the information event.

For international students
from visa countries

If you are an international applicant from a visa country, consider booking yourself a visa appointment right now since in some countries it takes exceptionally long to even get an appointment. We therefore recommend you to book a visa appointment for the end of May, since a decision regarding admission is expected to be made around mid-to end-May.

Your PBM Studies

The PBM program is built around four key pillars: a strong research orientation, hands-on experience through the practicum, interdisciplinary and interprofessional learning, and individual mentorship. Together, these elements guide students throughout the program and connect academic learning with practical experience and professional development.

Students build a strong foundation in population-based medicine and develop key skills in epidemiology, statistics and research methods. They explore health from different perspectives and learn how to investigate the factors that shape health and disease in populations.

Students put their knowledge into practice during a 14-week full-time practicum in Germany or abroad. They gain hands-on experience in a professional setting and discover how population-based approaches are applied in research and practice.

Students bring together what they have learned in their Master’s thesis. They develop and carry out their own research project and explore a topic in population-based medicine in greater depth.

To train future population health experts with outstanding methodological knowledge and interdisciplinary expertise to address the full range of factors influencing health and disease.

Insights into the program

News

First Master's degree

in Population-Based Medicine in Tübingen!

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SPIRIT-Lehrpreis 2025

Dr. Mahdieh Shojaa erhält SPIRIT-Lehrpreis 2025

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Summer get-together

Connecting beyond the classroom

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Career Opportunities

A Master’s Degree in Population-Based Medicine opens a variety of paths to pursue. Students will have acquired skills and techniques in a wide range of health-related areas, as well as collaborative team working, communication and research methodology. Career options could include working at:

  • Local planning and government offices (e.g., Public Health Officer)

  • Hospitals (e.g., Health Promotion Specialist, Communication Officer)

  • Consulting companies (e.g., Health Policy Analyst)

  • Health insurance companies (e.g., Health Data Scientist)

  • National and international (health) organizations (e.g., Program Manager)

  • Pharmaceutical companies (e.g, Population Health Scientist)

  • Universities and research institutes (e.g., Research Coordinator)

  • Non-governmental organizations (e.g., Strategic Partnership Analyst).

  • Various companies (e.g., Occupational Health Manager)

The program also provides a solid foundation for PhD studies.

Our lecturers

Study in Tübingen - Population-Based Medicine M.Sc.

Increasing health levels and fostering well-being across whole populations is the goal of Population-Based Medicine. This specialized Master’s program at the University of Tübingen provides graduates with all the skills and knowledge to really make a difference in the health sector, be it health research, health economy, health policy or community outreach.

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Award-Winning Teaching in Population-Based Medicine

Our lecturer Dr. Mahdieh Shojaa received the Faculty of Medicine's 2025 Teaching Award in the “International” category. This video offers a glimpse into how she and the PBM program bring together students from different countries and academic backgrounds, helping them build on and connect their diverse knowledge and experiences.

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Program Director & Contact

Program Director

Prof. Dr. Norbert Schmitz

Head of Department Population-Based Medicine

E-mail address: norbert.schmitz@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Contact person

Dr. Tanja Seifried-Dübon

Program Coordinator

E-mail address: pbm.studium@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Phone number: +49 7071 29-87111

Going abroad during your degree? Here's what you need to know!

The practicum/intership in the third semester oft he PBM program (a 14-week full-time practicum) is a well-suited opportunity to spend a semester abroad. Students can complete their practicum in an organization and country of their choice. Planning of the practicum should start early, students will be informed about all the necessary steps already in the first semester in a kick-off-meeting. A mentor will further support with the search for a practicum organization and a practicum project.

Students should apply directly at organizations of their choice. The program supports this with an individually issued “Letter to the organisation”. 

Students can complete the practicum at any public or private organisation working in issues related to population health which is willing to offer them an opportunity to work on a practicum project.

Students are required to work on a practicum project applying the knowledge and skills obtained in their studies so far. They need to define this project together with their supervisor at the practicum organization and with their mentor in the PBM program.

After having secured a practicum place and having defined the practicum project, students need to apply for approval of both the practicum and the praticum project with the Examination Office. The application for approval of the practicum should reach the Examination Office at least one month before the start of the practicum.

The Practicum is an obligatory module in the PBM program.

In case of approval of the practicum by the Examination Office, students receive an official confirmation together with their individual submission deadline for the practicum report. The practicum report ist he final examination of this module and should cover the results and experiences of the practicum and the practicum project.

A practicum abroad can be funded by the Eramus+ Traineeship program (more information, application details and deadlines can be found here and here) or the PROMOS program (for details see here). Both scholarships are also open for international students, however, a practicum in their home country is excluded. Further links: Auslandsbafög (national students), scholardatabase (practicum) by the DAAD, link list of the University of Tübingen for funding of studying abroad.

The List of the CIVIS- and Erasmus-Partners could be found here.

An optional study abroad program is available for every degree program. You should begin planning approximately one to one and a half years before departure.

Please apply by the Department of Studies and Teaching (Dr. Elena Lebherz) by the deadline with the following application documents:

  • Letter of motivation (in English, max. 1 page)
  • Curriculum vitae (in English, in tabular form)
  • Proof of extracurricular activities (optional)
  • Transcript of records (including average grade)
  • The selection process is based on the student's grades.
It will also be taken into account that the selected candidate will represent the Faculty of Medicine abroad and play a significant role in shaping the future of their successors.

Application Deadline for the next academic year is the 31st  of January.

Additionally, to the ERASMUS-Exchange CIVIS offers a wide range of exchange opportunities, like Summer and Winter Schools, BIPS, COILS etc. 

 


Please find more Information about the Current CIVIS Exchange Opportunities 

Do you have any questions?

Our program coordinator will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have about the Master's program in Population-Based Medicine.

Dr. Tanja Seifried-Dübon

Program Coordinator

E-mail address: pbm.studium@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Phone number: +49 7071 29-87111

Are you interested?

Please familiarize yourself in advance with the most important key data about the program and the application process:

To the University of Tübingen program Application information

Further links

How to apply and further information

Frequently Asked Questions

A simple approach to bridging population-based medicine and public health: population-based medicine is the basic science of public health, much as biomedical research is the basic science of clinical medicine. Population-based medicine provides the basic understanding of how health is produced, while public health aims to apply that understanding toward building and promoting health in populations. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30207758/

Epidemiology provides essential knowledge to design, implement, and assess approaches to effectively prevent disease and improve health in populations. Epidemiological methods are the cornerstones of population health and population-based medicine, which consider the broader picture by integrating concepts, methods and evidence from behavioral, environmental, biological, social, economic, cultural, and psychological science.

You need a Bachelor’s Degree (or an equivalent degree of at least 6 semesters) in Health Sciences or a comparable subject. Examples for potentially comparable subjects are:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Nursing
  • Midwifery
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Health Economics
  • Health Policy
  • Biostatistics
  • Psychology
  • Sports
  • Sociology
  • Cognitive Sciences
  • ...


Make sure to include a Transcript of Records or similar documents which describe the contents of your Bachelor’s Degree in order to allow for assessment of the comparability of the field. A final decision can only be made based on your complete application.

Yes, good knowledge in statistics and research methods is expected and these topics will be discussed during the selection interview.

There are 20 study places in Population-Based Medicine per year.

The program starts in the winter semester (courses start mid-October).

The deadline for your application is 15th April. Applications received after this date cannot be considered in the selection process.

All courses and examinations will be held in English. You need English skills at the B2 level (CEFR). A corresponding certificate must be submitted with the application.

Although you won’t need German in your courses, German skills are useful for managing your everyday life in Tübingen or in case you would like to complete your practicum in a German organization. Consider taking German lessons at the Centre for German as a foreign language.

In the first two semesters, courses will be held according to a fixed schedule.  In the third semester you will complete your mandatory practicum and attend an online practicum seminar. In the fourth semester you will attend a Master’s colloquium and write your thesis. The detailed schedule can be found in the module handbook which is available here.

A good opportunity to spend time abroad during your master studies is the practicum/internship in the third semester. Start looking for potential practicum organizations early and use a practicum/internship abroad for getting to know yet another health system.

With a degree in Population-Based Medicine you can work in a variety of public and private organizations in the health sector (e.g., hospitals, consulting agencies), as well as NGOs. You will also be ready for pursuing PhD studies.