Prospectus

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Psychology: School Psychology

Description

The mission of this Master’s specialisation in School Psychology is to create positive learning environments to support talent development and potential for learning in all students regardless of their initial intellectual level and mental health problems.

Objectives

This master’s specialisation responds to and prepares our students for a number of recent changes in the care for children and adolescents: Dutch legislation concerning Inclusive Education (‘Wet op Passend Onderwijs’) and Youth Care (‘Jeugdwet’). One of the consequences of this new Dutch legislation is that schools are responsible for an optimal development of all students, including those with special needs. It is to be expected that schools (primary and secondary) will consult or hire more specialists, such as school psychologists, in order to meet the criteria for inclusive education, for teacher training, and for developing school policy. Visit our Masters In Leiden page for more information about School Psychology.

Curriculum

The curriculum of 60 EC offers a variety of courses and a supervised master thesis. The specialisation consists of:

  • 4 mandatory courses (20 EC)

  • thesis (20 EC)

  • internship (10 EC) ánd 10 EC elective course(s) or an internship (20 EC)

Master's Kick Off

At this day (31 August 2023 for students starting in September and 1 February 2024 for students starting in February) your attendance is strongly advised.

During the Master's Kick Off you will be handed important information on how to organise your studies at Leiden University. The coordinator of your specialisation will be present. You do not want to miss this!

You can find the event page of the Master's Kick Off on the right-hand side of this page.

First year

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Compulsory coursework

School-based Prevention and Intervention 5
Educational Neuroscience 5
Needs Based Assessment at School 5
Coaching in Inclusive Education 5
Master Thesis in MSc. Psychology 20

Choose one of the following options as internship

Clinical Practical Internship Psychology 20
Internal Practical Internship (IPI) 10
Internship Psychology 10

Recommended elective

See overview of all electives

Giftedness and Talent Development: A Transactional Perspective 5

More info

Additional information

Contact

Mentor

Dr. Esther van den Bos bosejvanden@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Thesis coordinator

Dr. Kiki Zanolie c.k.k.zanolie@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Internship coordinator

Femke Stad, MSc f.e.stad@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Student representative

Find your student representative in the overview of programme committee members: Student representative

Career Perspective

Career preparation in the master specialisation School Psychology

In addition to offering you a solid university education, Leiden University aims to prepare you as well as possible for the labour market, and in doing so contribute to the development of your employability. In this way, it will become easier for you to make the transition to the labour market, to remain employable in a dynamic labour market, in a (career) job that suits your own personal values, preferences and development.

'Employability' consists of the following aspects that you will develop within your study programme, among others:

  1. Discipline-specific knowledge and skills
    Knowledge and skills specific to your study programme.

  2. Transferable skills
    These are skills that are relevant to every student and that you can use in all kinds of jobs irrespective of your study programme, for example: researching, analysing, project-based working, generating solutions, digital skills, collaborating, oral communication, written communication, presenting, societal awareness, independent learning, resilience. But also think of job application skills: preparing a CV, formulating a cover letter, compiling a LinkedIn profile, networking, practising job interviews, preparing and holding a pitch.

  3. Self-reflection
    This involves reflecting on your own (study) career (choices), reflecting on your own profile and your personal and professional development. Gaining insight into, among other things, your competences and personality, your (work) values and motives. what can you do with your knowledge and skills on the labour market?
    Who are you, what can you do well, what do you find interesting, what suits you, what do you find important, what do you want to do?

  4. Practical experience
    Gaining practical experience through practical and social internships and work placements, external research internships and projects, practical assignments, which are integrated into an elective, minor or graduation assignment, business challenges etc.

  5. Labour market orientation
    Gaining insight into the labour market, fields of work, jobs and career paths through, for example, guest speakers from the work field, alumni presentations and experiences, career events within the study programme, the use of the alumni mentor network, interviewing people from the work field, and shadowing/visiting companies in the context of a particular subject.

Employability in the master specialisation School Psychology

In your programme, you will also find these employability elements.

Subject-specific and transferable skills
These skills are addressed in the various courses of the programme. Check the specific course descriptions in the study guide to see which skills are involved.

Examples of courses that pay attention to the other employability elements are:

Self-reflection

  • Needs Based Assessment at School

  • Coaching in Inclusive Education

  • Internship

Practical experience

  • School-based Prevention and Intervention

  • Educational Neuroscience

  • Needs Based Assessment at School

  • Coaching in Inclusive Education

  • Internship

  • Master Thesis

Labour market orientation

  • School-based Prevention and Intervention

  • Needs Based Assessment at School

  • Coaching in Inclusive Education

  • Internship

  • Relevant elective(s): Giftedness and Talent Development: A Transactional Perspective

Activities to prepare for the labour market outside the curriculum

Every year, various activities take place, within, alongside and outside of your study programme, which contribute to your preparation for the labour market, especially where it concerns orientation towards the work field/the labour market, (career) skills and self-reflection. These may be information meetings on decision moments within your programme, but also career workshops and events organised by your own programme, the faculty Career Service or your study association.

For example:

Career Service, LU Career Zone and career workshops calendar

Faculty Career Service
The Career Service of your faculty offers information and advice on study (re)orientation and master's choice, (study) career planning, orientation on the labour market and job applications.

Leiden University Career Zone Leiden University Career Zone is the website for students and alumni of Leiden University to support their (study) career. You can find advice, information, (career) tests and tools in the area of (study) career planning, career possibilities with your study, job market orientation, job applications, the Alumni Mentor network, job portal, workshops and events and career services.

Workshops and events
On the course calendar you will find an overview of career and application workshops, organised by the Career services.

Links: