Welcome


to the Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Muenster. We study human behavior and cognition in sports (causes, conditions, objectives) and try to predict and influence the behavior of athletes. On the following pages, you will find information on our current research projects, courses, examinations, our team, and links. Further, you can find information on sport psychological support and counseling. If you are interested in an internship, please send a motivational letter, CV and a transcript of records via email to Birte Brinkmöller.

You can find a list of the latest publications of our team here: publications (2006 - today)

We hope that you will find all the important information you need. In case there are any questions left, please do not hesitate to talk to us directly.

Prof. Bernd Strauss
Head of the Department

© Bastian Redmann

Elite sports schools

On October 7, 2025, Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt and Laura van de Loo informed around 100 participants about current scientific findings in the field of dual careers at the NRW Sports School Meeting in Bielefeld. A particular focus was on the critical transitions between school and university.
In a subsequent workshop on dual careers, key aspects were explored in more detail, and concrete starting points for practical implications were developed in a small group.

© Mathias Hornberger

Psychological aspects in school sports: 11th Paderborn School Sports Day

"Psychological Aspects in School Sports" was the title of the 11th Paderborn School Sports Day on Wednesday, October 1, at Paderborn University. Over 70 teachers from all school types, full-time teachers, and coaches from the region participated in the event to learn about current developments in this field and to deepen their knowledge in subsequent workshops.

© Barbara Halberschmidt

FISU World Conference in Bochum

Laura van de Loo presented data from the project on the scientific investigation of the compatibility of studies and elite sports (https://www.uni-muenster.de/Spitzensport/DualeKarriere.html) funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the German Association of College Sports (adh) on July 18th during the FISU World Conference (https://rhineruhr2025.com/en/world-conference). The FISU World Conference is embedded in the FISU World Games, the largest student sports event worldwide this year.
►Information booklet of the FISU World Conference

© S. Bünemann

AB Sportpsychologie represented at the NASPSPA

From June 3–5, 2025, Dr. Valeria Eckardt and Stephanie Bünemann attended the annual NASPSPA conference. This year, they had the opportunity to present their research in the beautiful setting of Lake Tahoe. They also engaged in many exciting and inspiring conversations with both new and familiar colleagues.