Psychology and Psychopathology of Development

FACULTY OF LAW
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Speciality: Psychology, Master Program “Psychology and Psychopathology of Development”

Awarded qualification: Psychologist

Level of qualification: Master, Second cycle, level 7

Length of programme: 2 years (4 semesters)

Number of credits: 120

Field(s) of study (ISCED-F): 0313: Psychology

Specific admission requirements: A higher education degree and an admission examination.

Specific arrangements for recognition of prior learning: The ECTS coordinator of the Psychology major, Assoc. prof. Daniela Andonova, e-mail gradiva@abv.bg, informs the students about the possibilities for recognizing and awarding credits. This happens in two ways:
1. The student presents documents for prior education.
- an academic transcript or higher education diploma;
- international diplomas and foreign language certificates (English: Cambridge FCE, TOEFEL; German - Zertifikat Deutsch, Sprahdiplom, Zweite Stufe; Russian – ТРКИ; French - DELF; Spanish - DELE);
- international computer skills diplomas and certificates corresponding to the ECDL (The European Computer Driving Licence).
2. The student states willingness to sit for exams for the certification of skills and knowledge acquired in prior education. Knowledge and skills in a foreign language are certified by the Department of Foreign Languages; computer skills and knowledge are certified by the Technological Institute; specific professional knowledge and skills are certified by the Social Sciences Department.
Based on the documents presented and the results from the certification examinations, the Social Sciences Department awards the number of credits in accordance with the program of the Psychology major. The ECTS coordinator prepares an individual study program for the student, which reflects the number of credits awarded.

Qualification requirements and regulations, including graduation equirements*: In order to obtain the professional qualification of Psychologist, the students need 120 credits, of which 91,5 credits are from the compulsory courses, 9 are obtained from elective courses, 4,5 are obtained from optional courses and 15 are obtained from the state exam. Students who have obtained the professional qualification of Psychologist in prior education need 60 credits, of which 30 credits are obtained from the compulsory courses, 6 are obtained from elective courses, 9 are obtained from optional courses and 15 are obtained from the state exam.

Profile of the programme: The main objectives of the programme are:
- preparation of highly qualified specialists to work in the field of human development in theoretical and applied aspects who are able to provide psychological help and to apply methods of psycho-corrections regarding psychopathologic, social and life-situational issues;
- formation of attitudes to professional development and further education.

Programme learning outcomes: The students who have obtained the professional qualification of Psychologist and the educational-and-qualification degree of Master:
Theoretical knowledge
The students are able to make an interpretation, a comment and critical theoretical analysis of the leading ideas in specific subject areas of classical and modern developmental psychology across the life span. Тhey have theoretical knowledge of the nature and potentialities of the basic approaches in psychological counselling and psychotherapy.
Practical skills
The students are able to define independently a research issue, to formulate hypotheses, to conduct empirical research, to analyze and interpret empirical results of personal research projects. They can select an adequate set of research tools for solving a particular research problem and to create their own methods. They possess the necessary skills for diagnostics, assessment, psycho-counselling and psycho-corrective work with individuals of normal, with difficulties or impaired development at individual and group levels. They know the range of application of psychological intervention, they are able to formulate and realize a proper intervention strategy or to direct a client to other fields specialists depending on the specifics of the certain case. The students possess skills for independent scientific-research activities. The students, obtaining the educational-and-qualification degree of Master, have acquired knowledge and skills which would allow them to continue their education at a higher level of independence - the educational-and-qualification degree of Doctor (Ph.D.) – and have formed attitudes to professional development.

Programme structure diagram with credits *:

№	ECTS code	Course	Lectures & seminars	Out-of-class workload	Credits
1	PSY3030	Psychological Development Indicators in Life Cycle	15	30	1,5
2	PSY3037	Health Psychology	30	60	3
3	PSY3234	Psychodiagnostic of Development	30	60	3
4	PSY3060	Development of Leadership Qualities and Skills	30	60	3
5	PSY3105	Interpersonal Relationships Development Across the Life Span	30	60	3
6	PHI3002	Ethics of Family Relationships and Moral Development of Personality	30	60	3
7	PSY3016	Gender Roles and Gender Identity	30	60	3
8	PSY3110	Communicative Techniques of Psychodrama in Counselling	30	60	3
9	PSY3313	Crises in psychosocial development of personality	15	30	1,5
10	PSY3314	Psychological interventions in working with children and adults victims of domestic violence	15	30	1,5
11		Optional course	30	60	3
Total for semester I			*285*	*570*	*28,5*
1	PSY3001	Generalized Disorders of Development	30	60	3
2		Elective course	30	60	3
3		Elective course	30	60	3
4		Elective course	30	60	3
5		Optional course	15	30	1,5
6	PSY3216	Practice	30	60	3
7		State Exam/writing and defence of a Master's Thesis			15
Total for semester II			*165*	*330*	*31,5*
		Total for the course of study:			60
		Elective courses (3 of 5)
1	PSY3067	Stress and Personality Changes	30	60	3
2	PSY3062	Family Psychotherapy and Counselling	30	60	3
3	PSY 3120	Deviant Behavior and Legal Protection of Minors	30	60	3
4	SOC3009	Social Identity of Individuals, Families, Groups	30	60	3
5	PSY3010	Cultural Models of the Normal and the Pathological	30	60	3
		Optional courses (4,5 credits)
1	PSY3029	Global Stress and Counseling	30	60	3
2	MAN3033	Project Management in the Social Sphere	15	30	1.5
3	PSY3130	Aesthetic and Artistic Formation of Personality	30	60	3
4	QMS3006	Statistical Programmes for Processing Empirical Data in Psychology SPSS	15	30	1.5
5	INF3501	Internet Addictions	15	30	1.5
Module of equivalency courses for holders of Bachelors`s degrees in other majors
1	PSY3068	Introduction to Psychology	45	90	4.5
2	PSY3070	Physiological Psychology	30	60	3
3	PSY3006	Cognitive Psychology	60	120	6
4	PSY3005	History of Psychology	30	60	3
5	PSY3004	Experimental Psychology	45	90	4.5
6	PSY3041	Personality Psychology	60	120	6
7	QMS3003	Methods of Collecting, Processing and Analyzing Data in Psychological Research	30	60	3
Total for semester I			*300*	*600*	30
1	PSY3052	Psychopathology	30	60	3
2	PSY3047	Social Psychology	60	120	6
3	PSY3026	Psychology of Development	60	120	6
4	PSY3015	Psychological Measurements	45	90	4.5
5	PSY3065	Educational Psychology	30	60	3
6	PSY3014	Organizational Psychology	45	90	4.5
7	SOC3012	Cross-cultural Psychology	30	60	3
Total for semester II			*300*	*600*	30

* In Varna Free University, a credit equals 30 lessons, of which 10 contact hours (lectures and seminars) and 20 hours independent work.

Mode of study: full-time

Examination regulations and grading scale: During the classes, the students receive individual and group tasks such as summarizing bibliography or writing course assignments, essays, research papers, reports. A grade reflecting their participation and activity during the classes is added to the above. The training in the various courses ends with a final examination or test.

Obligatory or optional mobility windows: none

Work placement(s): schools and clinics

Work-based learning: none

Occupational profiles of graduates: The graduates who have obtained the professional qualification of Psychologist and the educational-and-qualification degree of Master can work successfully both in state institutions and in the non-governmental sector:
- in the educational system as school psychologists and teachers of psychology, logics, philosophy, ethics and law;
- in resource centres for the integration, education and raising of children and students with special educational needs;
- in medical institutions as clinical psychologists;
- in NGOs providing social services for children and families; for drug-addicted individuals; for working with aged and disabled people and people with mental disabilities; for working with families at risk – as psychologists or volunteers.

Access to further studies: The graduates who have obtained the professional qualification of Psychologist and the educational-and-qualification degree of Master can continue their education for the educational-and-qualification degree of Doctor (Ph.D.) in three accredited scientific programmes – “General Psychology”, “Educational and Developmental Psychology”, and “Social, Organizational and Counselling Psychology”, as well as in post-graduation qualification courses.

Head of Master’s Degree Programme: Prof. Galya Gercheva, D.Sc
тел. 052/359-502
e-mail: gerchevag@yahoo.com