Psychology: a comprehensive introduction

Minor

Language of Instruction

This minor is offered in English.

Course period

The courses in this 30 EC minor are offered in the first semester.

Objectives

Delve into the foundations and frontiers of psychological science with the Minor Psychology: a comprehensive introduction. This multidisciplinary programme introduces students to core psychological theories and contemporary real-world applications.

Beginning with Introduction to Psychology, students gain a solid grounding in the major perspectives of psychology—neural, cognitive, social, and evolutionary—setting the stage for more specialised topics.

Examine the impact of modern stress on health and well-being in Stress, Health and Disease, and explore the powerful, often unconscious influence of media in Psychology of Advertising.

Consciousness tackles fundamental questions about the mind, awareness, and free will, while also developing critical academic skills like scientific writing and peer review.

In Group Dynamics, students analyse how individuals behave in groups, from leadership to conflict resolution, using established psychological theories.

Finally, Psychological and Neurobiological Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect examines the deep, lasting effects of childhood maltreatment on the brain and behavior, incorporating biological, cognitive, and therapeutic perspectives.

This minor is ideal for students seeking insight into human behaviour across health, communication, education, and social policy.

Contact

For questions about the content of the courses, see the tab 'Courses' or contact the individual course coordinator for specific questions.
For questions about registration, see the tab 'Registration' or, for specific questions, contact the Students Services Centre
For questions about the Rules and Regulations, see the tab 'More Info' or contact the Psychology study adviser

Courses

When students opt to only take the 15 EC minor, the following courses will be included:

Introduction to Psychology
Psychology of Advertising
Psychological and Neurobiological Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect

Method of Instruction and Examination

See the individual course pages for details about learning objectives, mode of instruction, and assessment method. These may differ from what you are used to in your own study programme.

To arrange special examination accommodations, you must provide official documentation to the Psychology study adviser at least three weeks before the start of the examination period. This is also needed when you are already allowed these accommodations at your own study.

The registration for courses in the minor will be done by the Student Service Centre. This includes all classes, the final exam and resit.

Course	EC	Semester 1	Semester 2
Introduction to Psychology	5
Stress, Health and Disease	5
Psychology of Advertising	5
Consciousness	5
Group Dynamics	5
Psychological and Neurobiological Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect	5

Registration

You can register for this minor in eduXchange. The period of registrations differs per type of student (see below) and is between 15 May and 30 June 2025.

Maximum amount of participants: 25 students

Due to the limited amount of participants, students who apply for the full minor of 30 EC will be prioritised over students who apply for the 15 EC minor.

For students of Leiden University, see the minor page at the student website.
For students of TU Delft or Erasmus University: more information about the minor offers and registration can be found here.
For students from other universities: more information about minor offers, registration and placement can be found here.
Please note: this minor is not open for HBO-students (university of applied sciences).

After the application period is over, the Student Service Centre will registre students for the courses. This includes all classes, final exams and resit.

More info

The Board of Examiners of Psychology is authorised to examine this minor. This minor follows the Rules and Regulations of the Institute of Psychology. Students enrolled in this minor are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of our Faculty and Study programme regulations.

Rooms in Pieter de la Court

In the building, the rooms are marked as follows:
The floor is marked as: S = basement, 1 = first floor, etc
This is followed by the letter A, B or C:

the left side of the building is A, which is the side of the restaurant
the right side of the building is B, which is the side of the library
the sides and rooms connected to the central hall are C

The last two numbers indicate the number of the room.