Your distinctive profile

You can combine your specialty courses, domain electives and free electives in one cohesive entity that reflects a clearer profile of you and your own interests and future professional goals: this is your personal profile.

Below are ten examples of such profile paths. Please note:

• The ten profile paths are merely suggestions to help you on your way. Many other combinations are possible. You can also just take some of the courses included in the suggested learning path.
• All courses with “PSB”-code are offered by Psychology. Courses that do not begin with this prefix are offered by other programmes. Check the Prospectus of the programme in question for the latest information, to see whether you (will be able to) satisfy the prerequisites. Make sure that the course fits in with your personal timetable. Take into account that the registration procedure may differ from the Psychology procedures.
• Ensure that the course that you choose from another programme does not overlap with your Psychology courses. Here is a list (available in short notice) of the courses that overlap and are therefore not permitted.
• Many courses are taught in English (in italics), some are still in Dutch but will be in English as of 2018-2019, and some are Dutch-only.

> Work & Organisation
> Work & Health
> Influence, Language and Communication
> Development, Learning and Education
> Wellbeing, Health and the Good Life
> Diversity, Gender and Behaviour
> Healthcare and Mental Healthcare
> Clinical Neuropsychology
> Introduction to Cognitive Neurosciences
> Sport & Exercise Sciences.

Profile: Work & Organisation

Behaviour in work organisations is an important social and scientific issue. How do organisations and employees organise their work so that the company remains innovative and competitive while, at the same time, employees remain healthy and motivated? How do different groups of employees evolve?

For psychologists, this is a learning path that builds on a range of courses which includes the Behaviour & Environment 2 and on the specialty courses Motivation & Performance and Mental Load and Stress. This learning path also provides good preparation for the Master’s specialisation in Work, Organisation and Health (as of 2019-2020 in English; website in Dutch and English). Once you have gained your qualification and the necessary practical experience and supervision, you can then go on to qualify with the Dutch Association of Psychologists (Nederlands Instituut van Psychologen, NIP) as an Arbeids- en Organisatiepsycholoog NIP [Dutch Only - NIP Work and Organisational Psychologist].

This is also a relevant learning path for students from the following programmes: Business Administration, Human Resource Management (HRM), Business Communication Studies and Medicine.

Profile: Work & Health

Work has a big impact on our lives. A large part of our day is spent working and we spend a large part of our lives at work. This brings us satisfaction and results in income and status; but it also leads to anxiety and can sometimes make us feel very stressed. How do organisations help to keep their employees healthy? What is a good work-life balance? How do potential health risks change during the course of our lives? How can organisations deal with employees who are suffering from work-related problems and other types of health problems?

For psychologists, this is a profile that builds on courses like Behaviour & Environment 2 and on the core theme courses Motivation and Performance, Mental Load and Stress, and Emotion. This learning path also provides good preparation for the Master’s specialisation in Work, Organisation and Health (as of 2019-2020 in English; website in Dutch and English). Once you have gained your qualification and had the necessary practical experience and supervision, you can then go on to qualify as Occupational and Health Psychologist (Psycholoog Arbeid en Gezondheid NIP).

This is also a relevant learning path for students from the following programmes: Business Administration, HRM and Medicine.

Profile: Influence, Language and Communication

Communication and language play an important role in human behaviour and behavioural change. Which principles lurk behind the strategies that aim to influence behaviour and how are messages framed by the media, business world and government in order to persuade and motivate people? This profile provides good preparation for positions at Bachelor’s level in the areas of communication, information, advertising, media, marketing and neuromarketing.

For psychologists, this is a learning path that builds on a range of courses which includes the Behaviour & Environment 1 & 2 domain courses and the core theme courses Language and Communication, Culture and Behaviour, Eating Behaviour and Conscious and Unconscious Processes. This learning path also provides good preparation for the Master’s specialisation in Behaviour Change (English-taught as of 2019-2020; website in Dutch and English).

This is also a relevant learning path for students from the following programmes: Communication Science, Sociology, Business Communication Studies, Business Administration, Economics and HRM.

*) = This is an intensive skills course for which there are only a limited number of places available.

Profile: Development, Learning and Education

Are you interested in how children and young people develop and learn? Would you find it challenging to work as a psychologist in the field of education, where your work would range from diagnostics and pupil and family guidance to advising management on policy issues? Then this combination of subjects will certainly be to your liking. You can make a choice from the courses offered below.

For psychologists, this is a profile that builds on the Development & Mental Health 1 and 2 domain courses and, for example, also the core theme course Learning & Behaviour. This learning path also provides good preparation for the Master’s specialisation in Gezondheidszorgpsychologie (in Dutch), in Onderwijskunde (in Dutch), in Diversities in Youth Care (in English) and the Research Master’s in Behavioural Science (in English; selective; 2 years). Once you are graduated and working in schools, you might want to the post-Master’s programme in School Psychology (postmasteropleiding Schoolpsycholoog; in Dutch).

This profile is also relevant to students from the Pedagogy and Educational Science programmes.

Profile: Wellbeing, Health and the Good Life

Sometimes it seems Psychology is all about diagnosing and treating disorders. But what factors do influence wellbeing and health? In this learning path, the essential elements of everyday life such as friendship, relationships, sexuality, work, lifestyle, religion and the meaning of life are the subject of scientific study.

For psychologists, this profile supplements the Development & Mental Health 1 and 2 and the Behaviour & Environment 1 and 2 domain courses, the core theme courses Emotion, Religion & Spirituality and Motivation & Performance as well as the Psychological Ethics course.

This psychological-philosophical learning path may be an interesting choice for you if you want to develop further as a psychologist in the areas of positive psychology and coaching or if you are interested in the Master's specialisation in Work, Organisation and Health (as of 2019-2020 in English) and the Master’s specialisation in in Behaviour Change (English-taught as of 2019-2020).

This profile is also relevant for students from the following programmes: Philosophy, Religious Studies, Business Administration and HRM and for anyone who wants to gain more insight into personal development, coaching, self-management and leadership.

Profile: Diversity, Gender and Behaviour

Would you like to study in more detail the relationships between gender and ethnic identity and behaviour? Are interested in mechanisms like socialisation, stereotypes, inclusion/ exclusion and power? Do you care for cultural change and social innovation? Would you like to contribute to the development and inclusion of every type of person, all sexual and cultural identities? Then this combination of courses is the one for you. You can make a choice from the courses offered below.

This learning path is relevant for all behavioural scientists and social scientists, and also provides good preparation for the Master’s specialisation in Diversities in Youth Care (in English; one year).

Profile: Healthcare and Mental Healthcare

This combination of courses offers you the opportunity to take a more in-depth look at the origin, course and aetiology of mental disorders and their treatment. You can make a choice from the courses offered below. With this profile, we advise you to pay attention to the selection procedure for the Master’s specialisation in Gezondheidszorgpsychologie (GZP; Dutch only). Also pay attention to the recommended courses that must be taken in order to satisfy the requirements for this selection, as well as the requirements for the Basisaantekening Psychodiagnostiek (BAPD) [Basic Psychodiagnostics Certificate] and for the VLOGO [the theoretical preliminary training for the postmaster programme that qualifies to work in Dutch Mental Health Institutions].

For psychologists, this is a profile that builds on the Development & Mental Health 1 and 2 domain courses and on the core theme course Emotion.

Profile: Clinical Neuropsychology

This combination of courses offers you the opportunity to take a more in-depth look at the origin, course and aetiology of neurological disorders, their diagnosis and their treatment. You can make a choice from the courses offered below. With this profile, we advise you to pay attention to the selection procedure for the Master’s specialisation in Gezondheidszorgpsychologie (GZP; Dutch only) and to the recommended courses that must be taken in order to satisfy the requirements for this selection, as well as the requirements for the Basisaantekening Psychodiagnostiek (BAPD) [Basic Psychodiagnostics Certificate] and for the VLOGO [the theoretical preliminary training for the postmaster programme that qualifies to work in Dutch Mental Health Institutions].

For psychologists, this is a profile that builds on the Development & Mental Health and Brain & Cognition 1, 2 and 3 courses and on the specialty courses Emotion, Learning & Behaviour, Conscious and Unconscious Processes and Language and Communication.

Profile: Introduction to Cognitive Neurosciences

In this combination of courses you will look closely at the neurological processes and networks that underlie human behaviour. This learning path is a good addition to the Brain & Cognition subdomain courses and also provides good preparation for the Research Master’s in Cognitive Neuroscience (CNS). You can make a choice from the courses offered below.

For psychologists, this is a profile that builds on the Brain & Cognition subdomain courses. For psychologists, biologists and life scientists and AI students, this learning path provides good preparation for the (selective) Research Master’s in Cognitive Neuroscience (in English; research master; two year; selection applies).

Profile: Radboud International Minor Sport & Exercise Sciences

Are you interested in the physical, neural and motivational processes that underlie exercise and sports? Would you like to take a closer look at what pushes people and athletes towards motivation and performance? Do you want to know more about sports participation and sports policy? Then these are the courses for you.

The following applies to psychologists who choose this profile: completing both this minor and certain courses in the Master’s programme satisfies the requirements for the Basisaantekening Sportpsychologie [Basic Sports Psychology Certificate] from the Vereniging Sportpsychologie Nederland (VSPN) [Dutch Association of Sports Psychology]. This means that Psychology students are automatically admitted to the Postacademische Opleiding tot Praktijksportpsycholoog [Postgraduate Training programme for Sports Psychologists] at VU University Amsterdam.

This learning path is also relevant for students from the following programmes: Sociology, Biology, Medicine and Exercise Studies and for anyone interested in coaching athletes, sports management and suchlike.