Admission

Keep in mind that the study program is multidisciplinary and offers a comprehensive education that integrates data science with principles from sports medicine, health sciences, as well as training and movement sciences - both in theory and practice.

Therefore, it is expected that you bring knowledge in at least one of the areas mentionend above, with the willingness and interest to work at the intersection of these areas.

(1) The prerequisite for admission to the Master's program Data Science in Sports and Health is:

1. a Bachelor's degree in a relevant program in the fields of Computer Science and Statistics from TU Dortmund University,
2. a Bachelor's degree in the teacher education program for Physical Education (Gymnasium/Gesamtschule/Berufskollegs) at TU Dortmund University,
3. a Bachelor's degree in a relevant sports science program, or
4. another equivalent degree from a comparable program of at least three years (six semesters) at a state or state-recognized university within the scope of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz), or at a university outside the scope of the Basic Law, provided that the examination board has determined that there are no significant differences compared to the degrees and programs listed in paragraph 1, letters a, b, and c. Please confirm if you degree is suitable in advance by sending all necessary information to dssh.fk16@tu-dortmund.de

(2) In addition to the requirements specified in paragraph 1, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. A minimum final grade of 2.5 (good) must have been achieved in the qualifying degree according to paragraph 1, or in the case of a foreign degree, an equivalent grade in the respective national grading system.
2. Applicants must provide proof of good English language skills equivalent to at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Proof is generally provided through the certificate of the general university entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife). If proof cannot be provided through the university entrance qualification, alternative evidence may be accepted, such as an internationally recognized language certificate, the completion of an English-language school, or the completion of an English-language degree program.
3. Applicants must demonstrate their specific academic aptitude for the Master's program Data Science in Sports and Health at TU Dortmund University. This specific academic aptitude must be proven by the independent and successful completion of the qualification examination (see Step 2).

Proof of German language skills is NOT required. The entire study program can be completed without knowledge of the German language.

Please note that other criteria such as Master's degrees, professional experience and certificates from (professional) further education according to legal regulations will not be used for assessment.

The examination will take place once a year in the summer semester as an online examination on our Moodle platform. In 2025, the examination can be taken between June 9 (00:00 CEST) and June 15 (23:59 CEST) and will take approximately 3 hours to complete.
To be admitted to the examination test, you must register yourself using this form no later than May 31 (23:59 CEST). All fields are mandatory.
After successful registration and verification of your data, we will send you an access key for the examination platform, which you can use to log into the examination room during the testing period mentioned above.
There, you will find all further information regarding the exact examination procedure. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with these procedures well before the testing period begins.

The examination consists of three parts:

(1) Multiple-choice exam in Training and Movement Science & Sports Medicine (20 questions)
The questions are derived from the following topics and areas of focus:

• Models and concepts of athletic performance and training
• Features of athletic performance and their training
• Load/workload models, performance diagnostics, and training control in the areas of conditioning, technique, and tactics
• Motor development and trainability
• Approaches and models in movement science (biomechanical, holistic, functional, and skill-oriented)
• Basics and objectives of movement analysis
• Approaches to structuring and describing movements
• Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of movement
• Basic concepts and principles of sports biomechanics
• Fundamentals of motor learning
• Biological foundations of athletic performance and movement
• Active and passive musculoskeletal system
• Neurophysiology of motor control
• Cardiovascular system
• Respiration
• Energy metabolism

(2) Multiple-choice exam in Data Science (20 questions)
The questions are derived from the following topics and areas of focus:

• Concepts and principles of artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Fundamentals of statistics
• Statistical inference and data analysis
• Theories and concepts of statistical learning
• Methods, types, and algorithms of machine learning
• Concepts and fundamentals of data engineering
• Basics and concepts of deep learning
• Principles of programming and scientific computing

(3) Interdisciplinary Case Study
A case report based on a topic provided by the examiner must be prepared and submitted as proof of special knowledge in the context of the topics mentioned above. The following key aspects must be addressed by processing case study:

• Basic knowledge and skills to address an interdisciplinary research topic
• Why should one be interested in solving this problem? Brief description of the problem and the candidate's own approach to solving it
• Formulation of possible research questions, if applicable based on current scientific literature on the topic
• Detailed description of possible sports science data collection methods as well as mathematical and statistical methods that can or should be used to answer the research question(s)
• Description of the expertise currently contributed to the project based on the candidate's personal background and completed bachelor's degree
• Description of the expected expertise to be contributed to the project upon completion of the master's program
• Outlook on the most important potential results and consequences of the project

Detailed information and a list of references to prepare for the topics mentioned above can be found here.

Along with the submission of the tasks, applicants must submit a statutory declaration. In it, they must solemnly affirm under oath that they completed the tasks independently and, in particular, wrote the case study independently, used no sources or aids other than those indicated, and properly cited all direct and indirect quotations. Furthermore, the candidates affirm that they did not use any AI-based methods to complete the tasks.

We inform you about the results, and provide a certficate of passing the exam in case you have obtained the minimum points. The certificate is needed for all further steps.

(1) Within Germany and you are already enrolled at TU Dortmund University

1. Procedure: Fill out the application for change of studies and submit it to the Registrar's Office.
2. Deadline: Friday before the start of lectures
3. Required documents: The completed application, your (preliminary) degree certificate, a proof of your English language skills, certificate about the passed qulification examination, module handbooks of your bachelor studies.
4. Procedure: The Student Secretariat forwards your application to us for verification of the criteria in step 1 (usually within a few days). If this is given, you will be automatically enrolled. We recommend a timely application a few weeks before the start of the semester.
5. Contact person in case of formal problems: We can NOT help you with this. Please contact the Student Secretariat.

(2) Within Germany and you are not enrolled at the TU Dortmund University:

1. Procedure: apply online at the Student Secretariat, use the campus portal for this purpose.
2. Deadline: Friday before the start of lectures (We recommend a timely application a few weeks before the start of the semester).
3. Required documents: The completed application, your (provisional) degree certificate, proof of your English language skills, certificate about the passed qualification examination, proof of German health insurance, a certified copy of your university entrance qualification, module handbooks of your bachelor studies.
4. Procedure: The Registrar's Office will forward your application to us for review of the criteria in step 1 (usually within a few days). If this is given, you will receive a notice of admission, after which you can enroll within the deadline given on the notice of admission.
5. Contact person for formal problems: We can NOT help you with this. Please contact the student secretariat.

(3) Within the EU:

1. Procedure: apply at the International Office.
2. Deadline: Friday before the start of lectures.
3. Required documents: A list of required documents can be found on the website of the International Office linked above. Furthermore, the following documents are required for the Master in Data Science: English language certificate, certificate about the passed qualification examination, module handbooks of your bachelor studies.
4. Procedure: You first apply online at the International Office, no documents will be sent by mail. The International Office will forward your application to us for review. Since there are many international applicants, this can take several weeks or even months. Afterwards, you will receive the admission decision from the International Office and may enroll in our program. You can find all information about enrollment here
5. Contact person for formal problems: We can NOT help you with this. Please contact the International Office.

Important notice: We are NOT informed about the current status of your application.

(4) Outside the EU:

1. Procedure: apply at the International Office , the application itself takes place via uni-assist.
2. Deadlines: The program only admits students once a year, in winter semester. The application period statrs from approximately mid-March and the deadline is approximately up until mid-July (application for winter semester). We recommend an early application, as we need a few weeks to process your applications and you may still need to take care of a visa and an apartment in Germany afterwards.
3. Required documents: A list of required documents can be found on the website of the International Office linked above. Furthermore, the following documents are required for the Master in Data Science in Sports and Health: English language certificate, certificate about the passed qualification examination, module handbooks of your bachelor studies.
4. Procedure: You first apply online at the International Office. There is no provision for documents to be sent by post. Your application will be forwarded to us for review. Since there are many international applicants, this can take several weeks or even months. Afterwards, you will receive the admission decision from the International Office and may enroll in our study program. You can find all information about enrollment here.
5. Contact person for formal problems: We can NOT help you with this. Please contact the International Office.

Important notice: We are NOT informed about the current status of your application.

1. Study organization: there will be orientation events at the beginning of your studies. These will take place at the beginning of October. Participation is highly recommended as you will receive a lot of useful information regarding your studies and get to know your fellow students and the campus.
2. You can find a lot of information for international students on the website of the International Office.