A control device and electric heating device having such a control device are disclosed. The control device has a control housing which surrounds a printed circuit board, which has a partition wall provided with a cooling element, and which accommodates at least one power switch that makes contact with the printed circuit board and that is applied in a heat-conducting manner against the cooling element via a hold-down device. The power switch and the hold-down device are realized in a pre-assembled module connected to the cooling element.