Why study Psychology in Nijmegen?
A challenging research project every year: you decide on the topic you wish to explore and on how to conduct your research. This will allow you to become the independent professional that prospective employers are looking for. From the second year on, you may compose your personal learning path, which is designed to fit in with your interests and preferred professional field. During the third year, you’ll have the opportunity to complete part of your studies abroad. Are you already picturing yourself in Australia, Japan, or South Africa, for example?
You are not treated like a number! In addition to lectures, you will attend weekly work groups and practicums in groups of twenty students. There is a relaxed atmosphere and informal collaboration between students and teachers. Furthermore, as a first-year student you will have your own teacher-mentor, who will guide you through the first year and who will be there for you to answer any questions you may have.
Our study programme is ranked top 50 worldwide in its field (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019).
Housing is offered to admitted students who do not live in the Netherlands and apply before the deadline (see details).
Your research environment is unique. Radboud University is the place for leading research in the areas of brain & cognition, language & communication, children & parenting, and behaviour & health. Psychology is an exciting discipline that is up-to-date and rapidly evolving!
You will obtain an internationally recognised diploma that meets both the guidelines of the European Certificate in Psychology and the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (2015).
Our Bachelor's and Master's programmes collaborate closely with the only academic Post-Master's Healthcare Training programme in the Netherlands (Dutch-taught).
Overview
Why is it so hard to resist temptations? What motivates us to study? Are we more than just our brains? In the Bachelor’s programme in Psychology, you will study the behaviour, mind and emotions of humans. You will learn how the brain controls our behaviour and how we develop from infancy to old age. Moreover, you will learn how our environment and the social groups of which we are a part, influence the way we think, feel and act. The Bachelor's programme in Psychology will help you become a health care psychologist, behavioural change advisor, a trainer or scientific researcher.
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Course details
Curriculum and courses
The Psychology Bachelor’s programme focuses on three domains:
Brain & cognition
How does the brain work and what role does it play in our behaviour? In this domain you will learn about the anatomy of the brain. You will study language, learning, memory, perception, and emotions. You will also focus on disorders such as strokes and dementia.
Development & Mental Health
What developmental changes do humans go through during the course of their life, from infancy to old age? In this domain you will study the cognitive, motor, moral, and social-emotional development of humans. You will learn how our social context (family, school, work, culture) influences our wellbeing and you will practice how to recognise and treat psychological disorders in children, adults, and the elderly.
Behaviour & Environment
How do groups and (sub)cultures influence our thoughts, emotions, and our behaviour? This domain will teach you all you need to know about interpersonal relationships, group behaviour, stereotypes, and prosocial and antisocial behaviour. You will study the ways in which humans interact with each other and how they influence each other, for example, in families, at the sports club, or at work.
Academic and professional Skills
Next to the theoretical part, you will practice the following skills: Research skills; Academic skills and Professional skills, including: analysing everyday psychological problems and devising them, and looking for relevant, effective solutions and interventions. You will be able to practice the following skills: observation, interviewing, diagnostic testing, and consulting with colleagues.
Entry requirements
If you have completed or will complete a study programme outside of the Netherlands, then your previous education will be assessed on an individual basis to determine whether it is of sufficient level. This will be done both by the Admissions Office and by the faculty. If the level is sufficient, you could be directly admissible or additional conditions may apply (such as taking an English or Mathematics test).
When you apply for the Psychology Bachelor's programme, there are several admission requirements you should meet. You need to have completed sufficient previous education proven by a diploma, and you need to be proficient in English, in most cases proven by a language certificate. Finally, an additional requirement has been set for mathematics. Your level of mathematics should be equivalent to Dutch vwo mathematics A, B or C. Mathematics C is considered the leastchallenging form of mathematics, and is our minimum entry requirement. However, mathematics A is considered to be the best preparation for our Psychology programme.
English Language Test:
We accept the tests mentioned below. Per test you will find the minimum required result: IELTS Academic: overall score of at least 6.0, all four sub-scores at least 6.0; TOEFL iBT: total score of at least 80, all four sub-scores at least 20; Cambridge C1 Advanced: minimum mark C; Cambridge C2 Proficiency: minimum mark C; RATEr: the Radboud Academic Test of English (RATEr) Certificate with a pass on all four sub-scores.
Detailed information concerning the Admission Requirements can be found here: https://www.ru.nl/english/education/bachelors/psychology/admission-requirements/students-with-an-international-degree/
Career outcomes
More than half of our graduates work in the health care sector, for example in mental healthcare institutions, hospitals, or nursing homes. Some graduates run their own private practices. They may specialise in working with children, young people, adults, or senior citizens.
Psychologists work in a diverse range of professional fields and contexts, such as education, study and career advice services, reintegration counselling, recruitment and selection of employees, human resource management, mediation, or as a career advisor or health-safety-environment advisor and others.
Keep in mind that for all of these professional roles, you will need to have at least completed a Psychology Master’s programme after your Bachelor’s programme, and in some cases you may also need to have additional post-Master’s qualifications, which may take several years to complete.
