Psychology MA (long cycle)

After completing your studies in psychology, you can find a job in both the public and private sectors in positions where working with people is a key element. These include work in educational and upbringing institutions, healthcare institutions, HR, business, social services, institutions related to the justice system, non-governmental organizations, or in institutions conducting scientific research. It is also possible to run your own business. The choice of specialization that you make before the fourth year of studies will partly affect the area in which you will look for a job. Remember that psychological studies are often not the last stage of education. Especially in the field of clinical psychology, you have to take into account the need to undertake additional training.

Are there different specialties and specializations at the field of studies

This field of study offers specializations, which are blocks of classes focused on a selected subject area, preparing for professional work. Recruitment for specializations takes place at the end of the third year of studies, mainly based on the average grades from compulsory subjects completed during the first five semesters of studies. You can find a list of available specializations below:

• Clinical Psychology (track Neuropsychology and track Psychotherapy)

The specialization Clinical Psychology – track Psychotherapy is based on the idea that psychological well-being and psychological disorders are best understood by combining insights from different psychological disciplines. Psychological disorders are not solely a matter of mental issues, nor is it only being rooted in abnormal brain processes; pathologies exist on a continuum that includes the mental and the biological. The scope of this specialization therefore is broad and integrative

• track Neuropsychology

You will learn about assessment, diagnosis and treatment as practices within the field of clinical psychology in general and topics particularly relevant in clinical neuropsychology: specific neuropsychological conditions, normal and abnormal neuropsychological development throughout the lifespan, research methods and issues related to ethics and working with in a multicultural environment. At several moments you will have contact with clients /patients and will learn about clinical neuropsychology in practice. You will get to know a broad background that affords to not only understand phenomena from different angles, but also allows to better understand and communicate with other professionals from related disciplines.

• track Psychotherapy

You will learn about assessment, diagnosis and treatment as practices within the field of clinical psychology in general and topics particularly related to psychotherapy as a form of treatment. The focus lies predominantly on the Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral psychotherapeutic approaches. You will experience psychotherapy as a client and  gain first experience in conducting psychotherapy with real clients, under the supervision of an experienced psychotherapist.

• Business Psychology

The Business Psychology specialization is a combination of the fields of Economic Psychology and Organizational and Work Psychology. The aim of the specialization is for students to learn about applied psychology as encountered most commonly in commercial as well as non for profit organizations. You will develop a broad understanding of psychological mechanisms and processes connected with advertising and marketing, consumer behaviour and financial decision making. Courses are taught by specialists from different disciplines: Psychology, but also Economics and Management. In the part focusing on Organizational and Work Psychology you will gain knowledge and develop skills that will help succeed at working with employees in different contexts in organizations, ranging from recruitment and selection, motivating, training and coaching employees, to managing processes of working in groups, organizational change, and conflict resolution.

• Social Research Specialization

The Experimental Social Psychology specialization is organized around three main themes: social psychology, research methodology and statistics. We offer advanced training in social cognition, intergroup relations, experimental and survey design and the appropriate related statistical methods. This specialization has the explicit aim to train future researchers: both in academic and practical sense. Though the specialization is research oriented, it is suitable not only for those with plans for a scientific career but also for those intending to work on topics related to program evaluation, public opinion, conflict resolution, tolerance, education, including anti-discriminatory education.

• General Specialization

In this specialization you can choose courses belonging to different specialization modules listed above. Passing the general specialization is approved by the vice-dean of student affairs. The basis for this is an application specifying the passed specialization courses.

What will you learn during the studies

Psychology studies are carried out in a popular scheme of division into basic and specialist education. During the first three years of studies, you will mainly participate in obligatory classes, lectures, seminars and exercises. You will learn, among others, the history of psychology, basic academic skills, biological foundations of mental and behavioral processes, as well as developmental psychology, personality, emotions and motivation, social psychology, clinical psychology, health psychology, cognitive processes, methods of psychological diagnosis, research methodology and statistical methods in psychology. During the third year of studies, you will also participate in an empirical seminar, during which, under the supervision of a tutor, you will design, implement and describe an empirical study. The skills acquired in this way in designing research and writing a scientific paper will be helpful in preparing a master's thesis in the fourth and fifth years of studies. In the fourth year of studies, you will learn, among others, ethics in the profession of psychologist, as well as participate in a master's seminar and specialist classes, which will be continued in the fifth year of studies.

Will you pursue internship during the studies

Internships are not obligatory. However, those interested in completing an internship will receive support from the faculty coordinator for internships.