MSc in Psychology

The Masters’ programme MSc in Psychology is a one-year programme. It focuses both on in-depth study of theory and on the acquisistion of professional and research skills.

Starting a master in September 2011?

Information on the master's programmes and enrolment for the courses of the first semester of 2011-2012 takes place on the Masterday. Meet you there, at the Master's enrolment day Thursday 1 September 2011

MSc in Psychology - Aim of the master's programme

The distinctive feature of the Leiden programme is that the teaching is not restricted to only the functioning of psychological processes; these processes are always connected to their behavioural consequences, with the aim of understanding self-regulation and behavioural control. In this way, students not only develop their knowledge of psychology as a science, but also learn to apply this knowledge in order to understand practical problems and to develop effective interventions for dealing with these problems. 

Curriculum


Specialisation: description and application
Within this Master's programme students choose their specialisation from nine specialisations. For a description of each specialisation and information how to apply, please visit Master's Programmes Psychology

Courses: description and timetables
For an index of the curriculum, including course descriptions and timetables, please visit our e-Prospectus Psychology

Applied Cognitive Psychology

Are you interested in addressing and remedying important practical problems in society? You can use the knowledge you acquire in this programme in the following areas:
- Developing accident-prevention programmes, e.g. safety research in industry and traffic
- Developing user-friendly tools and interfaces: cognitive ergonomics
- Improving decision-making processes: psychology and law, including the topics of eyewitness memory, false confessions and jury decision-making
- Studying the effects of drugs on human performance

 

Child and Adolescent Psychology

Children and adolescents are known to experience a wide range of psychological and educational difficulties. The aim of this specialisation is to acquire in-depth knowledge about:
- Theoretical models of social and cognitive development and the interplay of risk and protective factors in atypical development
- Ways to differentiate atypical from typical development and the use of classification systems of childhood disorders
- Choosing and applying the most appropriate intervention strategy for each problem area.

 

Clinical Neuropsychology

The master’s specialisation in Clinical Neuropsychology provides a theoretical background and practical training in neuropsychology and (clinical) neuropsychological research. There is increasing recognition of the role neuropsychologists play in the management of brain diseases. The demand for their services is becoming greater as the population ages and medical (neuro)technology advances. Neuropsychologists assess and treat the cognitive, emotional and behavioural consequences of brain dysfunction.

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is about the assessment and treatment of mental disorders. The Clinical Psychology specialisation of the professional Master’s Programme in Psychology is a one-year programme that focuses both on in-depth study of theory and on the acquisition of professional and research skills.

 

Economic and Consumer Psychology

Our days are filled with countless decisions and the consequences of these decisions. And if this is not already hard enough by itself, companies and organisations try to influence our choices and decisions, through marketing and advertising. But how do we decide? How rational are our choices? How do we sell our own products and ideas to others? As economic behaviours overlap to a large extent with social behaviours, the master’s specialisation in Economic and Consumer Psychology has a lot to offer in answering these questions.

Health Psychology

Would you like to be involved in this new and rapidly developing sub-discipline of psychology? Health Psychology can be described as:
“the aggregate of the specific educational, scientific and professional contributions of the discipline of psychology to the promotion and maintenance of health, the prevention and treatment of illness, the identification of etiological and diagnostic correlates of health and illness and related dysfunction, and the analysis and improvement of the health care system and health policy” (Matarazzo, 1982).

Methodology and Statistics in Psychology

Are you interested in applying and understanding the most up-to-date methods and statistics in psychological research? The curriculum of the one-year Master’s specialisation in Methodology and Statistics focuses both on in-depth study of theory and on the acquisition of professional and research skills.

Occupational Health Psychology

Are you interested in the new but rapidly developing area within psychology, Occupational Health Psychology (OHP)? This specialization refers to the application of psychology to protecting and promoting the safety, health, and well-being of workers. The purpose is to improving the quality of working life. OHP is designed to reflect the contemporary societal concerns for occupational health and safety.

Social and Organisational Psychology

Do you want to understand how people function in groups and organisations? In the Master’s specialisation in Social and Organisational Psychology you study behaviour in formal and informal groups, such as sports or work teams. You discover how people’s thoughts, feelings and decisions are influenced by other people.

For more information see Master's programmes - Psychology

MSc in Psychology (Research)

The Leiden Research Masters Programme in Psychology is a two year program which gives students the opportunity to:

  • Acquire hands-on research experience in one of Europe's leading psychology labs 
  • Get involved in, and learn how to carry out cutting-edge research 
  • Improve methodological and statistical skills in a broad range of research areas 
  • Learn about scientific writing and presentation from world class researchers 
  • Prepare for a career as a top researcher in psychology

For more information see Master's Programmes - Psychology (Research)

Web editor Psychology
Last Modified: 18-05-2011