Psychology

When you think of psychology, do you think of ‘talking to people who have problems’? In this Bachelor’s programme in Psychology you will notice that psychology is much broader than just that.
The field of psychology is exciting and constantly evolving. Brain research in particular is prompting us to think differently about the interaction between body and mind, between cognition and emotion and between disorder and treatment. At Radboud University, you will be educated by top researchers from the Behavioural Science Institute, the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Every day, these people work on discoveries that will change our future.
In the Bachelor’s programme in Psychology you learn to analyse people’s behaviour, thoughts and emotions from three different perspectives:
• The biological perspective: how does the brain direct our behaviour?
• The developmental and clinical perspective: how do people develop, from infancy to old age? Why and how do mental, emotional and behavioural disorders develop? And how do we treat such disorders?
• The social and cultural-psychological perspective: how does the social and physical environment influence us? What impact do groups and (sub)cultures have on our thoughts, feelings and actions?

The three-year programme consists of a theoretical learning path and three skills learning paths. In the theoretical learning path, you will master the most important concepts and theories in:
• Brain and Cognition: you will learn how our brain is structured, how it works and supports functions such as thinking, talking, remembering, moving around and sleeping.
• Development and Mental Health: you will learn which developmental leaps people make during the course of their lives. You will also learn to recognise psychological disorders in children, adults and the elderly and how to
treat these disorders.
• Behaviour and Environment: you will learn how people relate to and influence one another, for example in the family, the classroom, the sports club or at work. You will also learn how human behaviour and culture/subcultures affect one another. 

During the programme you will develop an inquisitive, critical, systematic and independent working attitude. The skills you will practise and develop are: 
• Academic skills: academic writing, presenting and debating; systematically searching and critically reading literature; analysing scientific paradigms and ethical dilemmas; providing and processing feedback.
• Professional skills: analysing everyday psychological problems and devising and justifying relevant and effective solutions and interventions. You will practise: observing; interviewing; diagnostic testing; conversations
to clarify problems, give advice and coach; consultation with colleagues.
• Research skills: you start with a simple question and research design; step-by-step, the research methods become more complex. Data analysis techniques, among which statistics, are important methodological subject areas.

International educational qualifications

If you have completed, or will complete a study programme abroad, then your previous education will be assessed on an individual basis to determine whether it is of sufficient level.

Please note: for this programme an additional requirement has been set for Mathematics. Furthermore, we also advise to take Biology as a course in your final examinations. Please download and carefully consider the 2019-2020 Admission Requirements English-taught Bachelor's Programme in Psychology (pdf, 1.1 MB) from our website to check whether you can be admitted directly or additional conditions may apply (such as taking an English or Mathematics test).

Should you require an additional English or mathematics certificate, then this should be sent in before 31 July 2019 (or before 31 August 2019 if you apply for a postponement). You will not be needing these certificates during your application in Studielink, nor during the Selection & Placement process. Please note that non-EEA students should send in additional mathematics- or English certificates (if applicable) before 1 June 2019 in view of their visa application. Just like EEA students, non-EEA students have until 31 July 2019 to send in their diploma (and they can also request for a postponement until 31 August 2019).

Students with a German Abitur applying for the Bilingual Psychology Programme, can consider the 2019-2020 German Admission Requirements Bilingual Psychology Programme (pdf, 821 kB). Alongside the Mathematics and English language requirements, they should also meet the Dutch language requirements. All of the requirements should be met before 31 July 2019 (or before 31 August 2019 if you apply for a postponement). You will not be needing these certificates during your application in Studielink, nor during the Selection & Placement process. 

Governmental student finance: EU/EEA students might qualify for a student loan from the Dutch government. To be entitled to this loan, you need to work for fourteen hours a week (56 hours a month) in the Netherlands (next to your studies). If you are entitled to receive the student loan from the Dutch government, you may receive up to € 1,000 per month, in addition to your salary. After graduation, you will need to pay back the loan. In order to determine how much you need to pay back each month, the Dutch government will take your financial situation (such as income) into account. More information is available on www.duo.nl