Learning more in less time – how to cut the Gordian Knot in Psychology Education

Like in Greek mythology it is not easy to solve the following problem: on the one hand we are confronted with the continiously growing psychological knowledge. On the other hand we want to reduce the time our students need to reach an university degree. In Germany most of the psychology students need about 6-7 years until they finish their studies (with the degree: „Diplom-Psychologe“). When the young professional psychologists start working they are about 30 years old.

The Sorbonne Declaration in 1998 and the Bologna Declaration in 1999 gave the German university system a fresh impetus: assimilating international standards the university degrees will change. The „bachelor“ and „master“ degrees should be adopted.

This will have some important implications for the psychology curriculum: the first degree will be a „Bachelor“ after 3 years. The students should have a professional qualification to enter the labour market. The next degree (including a more scientific qualification) the „Master“ should be reached after additional 1,5-2 years.

Even in the „Universities of Applied Sciences“ (former Politechnics) it will be able to study psychology and reach a degree in about 4 years. Pros and cons of the different ways to study a psychology in Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences will be discussed in the panel.