Master programme in Psychology

Duration: 2 years
Starts in: October
Number of ECTS credits: 120

Degree Title: Master of Arts in Psychology (magister psihologije / magistrica psihologije)

Accreditation

The Slovenian National Awarding Committee for the EuroPsy Certificate confirmed that the Master’s programme in Psychology at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, meets the European standards for the education of psychologists. The title Master of Psychology enables graduates to obtain the EuroPsy – the European Certificate in Psychology.

A publication containing the information listed below, including the curriculum and short course descriptions, is available here.

The latest versions of the course syllabi for the Master’s Programme in Psychology (Slovene and English version run in parallel) can be found here.

Programme aims
The Master’s Programme in Psychology aims to:

• provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in psychology and related disciplines,
• build on knowledge from the undergraduate studies, strengthen research abilities, and train students in the use of diagnostic tools and advanced psychological interventions,
• develop both general and subject-specific competences required for independent professional practice in psychology.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates are qualified to practice psychology independently in any professional domain. They are trained to develop and apply psychological principles, knowledge, models, and methods in an ethical and scientifically sound manner. Their work is grounded in professional ethics, personal maturity, and a commitment to promoting progress, well-being, and effectiveness of individuals, groups, organisations, and society.

General competences
(For a more detailed description, see the official prospectus.)

Graduates will develop the ability to:

• think analytically and critically, synthesize knowledge, and anticipate solutions,
• carry out research and project work,
• exercise (self-)critical judgement and reflection,
• apply knowledge in practice and solve professional problems,
• demonstrate information literacy and use modern ICT tools,
• communicate effectively and work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams and international contexts,
• manage projects and their own professional development,
• act independently, proactively, and with ethical responsibility,
• organise, market, and ensure the quality of psychological services.

Subject-specific competences
(For a more detailed description, see the official prospectus.)

Through their studies, students acquire and enhance knowledge and skills necessary for competent psychological practice, including:

• in-depth understanding of psychological theory and practice,
• the ability to address complex psychological problems using scientific methods,
• mastery of advanced psychological knowledge across different fields,
• deeper insight into the emotional, cognitive, social, and physical aspects of human development,
• the ability to investigate and apply findings on interpersonal relationships,
• competence in counselling individuals, groups, and organisations,
• ability to design and deliver programmes of psychological support,
• effective use of ICT tools and systems in psychology,
• knowledge, understanding, and respect for ethical and professional standards.

Competences are demonstrated in the ability to carry out competent psychological interventions. Graduates develop:

• the capacity to interact appropriately with clients, analyse their needs, and define the goals of psychological intervention,
• the ability to conduct psychological assessment and treatment,
• the ability to design and implement appropriate interventions,
• the ability to evaluate the adequacy of interventions,
• the ability to communicate outcomes in a manner that meets clients’ needs and expectations.

Masters of psychology can work as psychologists carrying out independent psychological practice and/or as psychologists carrying out scientific research work. 

They can work in schools (in school counselling service, as psychology teachers in secondary schools), health care (after further specialisation, working as clinical psychologists), social welfare, care facilities (nursery schools, old people’s homes), the army and police, civil protection, penal institutions and administration of justice (as court experts), companies and other organisations (in personnel service, marketing service, public relations and in departments for development in companies), in agencies for market research, in sports organizations, in institutions for research, in humanitarian organizations, in public administration (e.g. in the area of road safety, in negotiating teams), in state administration (in ministries and their offices, e.g. Education Development Office, Office for Drugs, Office for Youth) and government offices (e.g. Ombudsman), in non-governmental organizations, in institutions and services of the European Union, in journalism etc., as well as beyond this, in the area of activity organisation and general psychological counselling: organization of work, organization and management of development projects, career counselling service, conducting interviews, in publishing and media (e.g. as editors, counsellors at shows e.g. for children). They can carry out motivational trainings, work in after school programmes and the school care, run youth workshops, work on the help line, with refugees…

According to the information of the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia, the psychology graduates find employment in various areas, especially in the public administration, education, health care, and social care.

The anticipated number of admission places is 90 for full-time study. A part-time option is not offered. The exact number of places is determined annually and published in the official Call for Enrolment for the following academic year.

Eligible for admission are:
1. Graduates of a first-cycle programme in psychology.
2. Graduates of a first-cycle programme in a related field, provided they have completed up to 60 ECTS of bridging requirements essential for continuing studies.

Related fields include: social work; pedagogy and andragogy; social pedagogy; special and rehabilitation pedagogy; tiflopedagogy and pedagogy of specific learning difficulties; biopsychology. Candidates may complete these requirements during their undergraduate studies, through additional training programmes, or by passing specific exams before enrolment in the Master’s programme.

Graduates of related fields must complete specific undergraduate courses from the accredited first-cycle Psychology programme at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana (FF UL). These include Multivariate Methods (5 ECTS), Test Theory (7 ECTS), Motivation and Emotion (6 ECTS), Cognitive Psychology (9 ECTS), Introduction to Clinical Psychology (4 ECTS), and Work Psychology (8 ECTS).

Additional requirements are set depending on the undergraduate programme completed:

• Social Work: Developmental Psychology of Childhood (6 ECTS), Adolescent and Adult Psychology (5 ECTS), Psychology of Learning (7 ECTS).
• Pedagogy and Andragogy: Psychology of Social Power and Influence (5 ECTS), Construction of the Social World (6 ECTS), Attitudes, Social Cognition, and Representations (6 ECTS), Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy (3 ECTS).
• Social Pedagogy: Personality Psychology (7 ECTS), Psychology of Social Power and Influence (5 ECTS), Attitudes, Social Cognition, and Representations (6 ECTS).
• Special and Rehabilitation Pedagogy / Tiflopedagogy and Pedagogy of Specific Learning Difficulties: Personality Psychology (7 ECTS), Psychology of Social Power and Influence (5 ECTS), Social Psychology: Interaction, Group, Application (5 ECTS), Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy (3 ECTS).

Graduates of Biopsychology at the University of Primorska must also complete a set of bridging courses, which vary depending on the year of enrolment (2010/11–2014/15 or 2015/16 onwards). These include courses such as Developmental Psychology of Childhood, Applied Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology: Interaction, Group, Application, Work Psychology, Multivariate Methods, and others, amounting to around 50 ECTS.

3. Graduates of other first-cycle programmes may apply if their degree included at least 50 ECTS of psychology-related content and if they complete an additional 10–60 ECTS of required bridging courses. The Departmental Council of Psychology proposes, and the Faculty Senate decides, whether a given degree is sufficiently related and determines additional requirements to be completed before admission.

4. Graduates of foreign first-cycle programmes meeting equivalent criteria may also apply. The equivalence of foreign qualifications is determined through the official recognition procedure, in accordance with the Statute of the University of Ljubljana.

What If my programme is not listed above?

Before contacting the Department, candidates are asked to review their study programme and check how many courses are directly comparable to those in the first-cycle Psychology programme at FF UL (with credit points visible in the undergraduate curriculum). Admission is only possible if at least 50 ECTS of psychology-related courses are included.

Why such requirements?

The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) has adopted guidelines for academic training necessary for psychologists to obtain EuroPsy – the European Certificate in Psychology. Slovenia follows these standards, ensuring that graduates meet the minimum requirement of 300 ECTS in psychology (first + second cycle). Of these, at least 285 ECTS must be psychology-specific, with up to 15 ECTS from non-psychological fields.

Because the profession of psychology carries high responsibility, these requirements safeguard that Slovenian psychologists are trained to the same standard as their European colleagues. Candidates who do not meet these criteria after completing other first-cycle programmes must enrol in the first-cycle Psychology programme in order to qualify as psychologists.

If the number of applicants exceeds available places, selection is based on:

• performance in the entrance examination (50%),
• the grade point average in the relevant undergraduate programme (50%). For candidates from non-psychology programmes, differential exam grades are also included in the calculation.

All candidates must demonstrate Slovene language proficiency at level B2 (CEFR) with appropriate certification. Acceptable proof includes:

• a certificate of a Slovene language exam at B2 level (or equivalent),
• certificate of completion of primary or secondary education in Slovene,
• matura certificate including Slovene,
• certificate of bilingual (Slovene and foreign language) secondary education,
• diploma from a Slovenian higher education institution with a statement confirming that the programme was completed in Slovene.

The transfer to the study programme in psychology is possible:

1. between universities from the master’s study programmes of psychology or within the University of Ljubljana from the second-level study programmes from different but related specialist area (e.g. social work, pedagogy, andragogy, sociology – e.g. analytical sociology, sociology of culture, social informatics, personnel management – social pedagogy, special and rehabilitation pedagogy, primary teacher education, medicine):

• to transfer to the university-level master’s study programme of Psychology, the candidates must satisfy the admission requirements for enrolment in an advanced year of the second-level study programme where they are enrolled,
• the applicants must satisfy admission requirements for the first year of the university-level master’s study programme of Psychology,
• the Senate of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana decides on the possibility for transfer to the proposed academic programme and must decide on candidates’ fulfilment of the conditions for the transfer,
• based on the opinion of the Department of Psychology, the Senate of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana determines applicants’ placement tests and other requirements (from the list of basic courses of the university-level master’s study programme of Psychology, totalling up to 60 ECTS points) that need to be fulfilled.

2. from university-level old (pre-Bologna) study programmes of psychology. Based on the opinion of the Department of Psychology, the Senate of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana recognizes the candidates’ academic obligations, totalling 60 ECTS points; in the individual programme, the Senate determines to the candidates additional academic obligations (60 ECTS points) which are necessary for the acquisition of the Master’s Degree in Psychology.

Faculty of Arts may recognize candidates’ knowledge, qualifications or abilities which correspond content-wise and difficulty-wise fully or in part to the general or subject-specific competences defined by the 2nd-level study programme in Psychology.

Faculty of Arts recognizes knowledge, qualification or abilities acquired through formal, informal or experiential learning. Recognition includes:

• taking into consideration certificates and other documents (“non-typical certificates”, portfolios, documents on completed courses and other forms of education),
• assessment of the products, services, publications and other copyrighted works of students,
• assessment of the knowledge, acquired by students through self-education or experiential learning,
• taking into consideration relevant work experience.

The recognized knowledge, qualifications and abilities may be allocated credits according to ECTS criteria for credit allocation of study programmes and are recognized as a finished study obligation (e.g. as a part of exams, midterm exams etc. – without participation in lectures, exercises or seminars; recognition programme study units that are based on work practice and experience). With the usual procedure, the Faculty of Arts handles students’ individual applications for accreditation of knowledge, qualifications and abilities, acquired through formal, informal or experiential learning. The application, submitted to the Student Office is forwarded, to decide upon it, to the Department of Psychology which proposes credit allocation to knowledge, qualifications and abilities with ECTS credit points and the manner of its recognition.

The basic criterion for recognition or non-recognition is the comparability of the knowledge and competences acquired with the content and competences in study units of the undergraduate study programme of psychology. The decision on students’ applications is made by the Student Affairs Committee(with reference to the opinion of the Department of Psychology).

To proceed to the second year of the postgraduate study programme, students must complete at least 90% of the prescribed ECTS (i.e. 54 out of 60 ECTS per year).

In exceptional cases (Article 153 of the Statute of the University of Ljubljana), students who complete at least 85% of requirements (51 ECTS) may be allowed to advance upon approved petition. The Committee for Student Affairs decides, after consulting the Department. Any missing obligations must be completed before enrolment in the following year.

Students who do not meet the requirements for progression may repeat one year during their studies, provided they meet the conditions defined by the programme. To repeat a year of the Master’s in Psychology, students must have completed at least 30 ECTS (50%) of the obligations of that year.

To complete the programme, students must fulfil all of the requirements defined by the curriculum, amounting to 120 ECTS. This includes successful completion of a professional placement (practical training) and the preparation and defence of a Master’s thesis.

Students’ knowledge is examined and assessed by individual courses, therefore the learning process at every course ends with the final examination of knowledge and skills acquired.

The examination system is in accordance with the Statute of the University of Ljubljana and the Rules on taking examinations of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana.

The forms of knowledge evaluation are: oral and written examination, midterm examinations, essays or seminar papers and other written tasks, practical tasks or products, project works and reports on completed practical training, Master’s thesis and its defending.

Grading scale:

• 10 – excellent: exceptional results with minor mistakes,
• 9 - very good: above-average knowledge, however with some mistakes,
• 8 - very good: good results,
• 7 – good: good knowledge, however with some major mistakes,
• 6 – sufficient: knowledge meets the minimum requirements,
• 5 to 1 – insufficient: knowledge does not meet the minimum requirements.

Professional placement (practical training) is assessed by the internal supervisor on the basis of the student’s placement report and the external supervisor’s report. Performance is graded on a pass/fail scale.

Internal electives
In the third semester, students may choose one out of three specialist modules offered, amounting to 15 ECTS points.

External electives
Students may complete 2 courses (6 ECTS points, i.e. 5 % of the entire programme) offered by other study programmes at the Faculty of Arts or at the other faculties at the University of Ljubljana.

Mobility
Students are allowed to transfer 30 ECTS points of the programme (a semester of studies, regardless of obligatory courses or electives) from any kind of psychology programmes that are carried out at respected European universities in accordance with the Bologna Declaration.