Psychological Sciences and Techniques

The degree programme aims to achieve the followinglearning outcomes:
(a) acquisition of basic theoretical knowledge in all the areas of psychology;
(b) enhancement of soft skills aimed at the diagnosis of situations and(learning and work) contexts in which the students find themselves during theirstudies;
(c) development of pre-professional skills (observation of individual and smallgroup interviews, drafting of technical reports);
(d) acquisition of skills for monitoring and evaluating competences useful forthe effective management of the students' own studies and for the planning ofsubsequent developments in terms of training and professional career;
(e) knowledge of the various characteristics of the working contexts in whichpsychologists work with a view to the development of a personalisedprofessional career.

Taking into account the complex objectives, the degree programme is structuredas follows:
• in the first year, emphasis is placed on the acquisition of solid basicknowledge in the field of psychology and some basic skills in English (levelB2) and the study method are reinforced;
• in the second year, the teaching focus is placed on the in-depth study of thesubjects pertaining to the various subject groups into which psychology isdivided;
• finally, in the third year, the possibility of further in-depth study ofspecific sectors is envisaged, both to complete some general knowledge and inrelation to students' interests and orientations in their choice ofsecond-cycle degree.
Over the three-year period, the degree programme is completed with theacquisition of conceptual frameworks and intervention techniques from relatedand supplementary subject areas with respect to psychology according to a logicthat goes from the general towards the specific and from metacognitive reflectiontowards experimental application.
A further characterising element of the degree programme is the activation ofvarious workshops (from the enhancement of study methods to the experimentationof IT packages for data processing, to the knowledge of the psychologist'sworking contexts), which envisage the active participation of the student andthe presence of major external testimonials.
Completing the training of the graduate in psychology is the acquisition ofpractical skills in the knowledge and application of assessment andintervention techniques and tools related to the psychological profession inits various contexts and fields of application through 10 credits ofprofessional internship with evaluation.

Admissionto the Degree Programme is subject to the possession of either a five-year highsecondary school diploma or other suitable qualification obtained abroad.

Onealso needs high-school-level knowledge of subjects relevant to the degreeprogramme syllabus, especially in the following five areas: understanding atext in Italian; logical reasoning and problem-solving; rudiments of thescientific method; general knowledge and current affairs; knowledge of Englishto B1 level (anyone shown by the language test to be lower than that level willbe set an Additional Learning Requirement, known as an ‘OFA').

Theoverall knowledge requirement is tested by a written admission exam inmultiple-choice form. The criteria and procedure will be stated in the Call forapplications published each year by the Degree Programme Board, as foreseen thedegree programme teaching regulations.
The degree programme restricts the number of students according to theresources available. The number of students who may enrol and the process ofselection will be published every year by a special Call for applications.
The Call also states the pass-mark for the admission test to thisrestricted-access degree programme as a reference point for the assignment ofOFAs.
Students who score below the pass-mark, yet are admitted, will be assigned OFAsand have to fulfil these requirements:
- compulsory attendance of General Psychology I for at least 70% of thelessons.
- compulsory participation in training activities scheduled by the DegreeProgramme Board.
- pass the exam of General Psychology I within the winter exam session of thefollowing year.
The following categories of student are exempt from OFAs but must pass theadmission test: those enrolling via a switch or transfer of programme, unlessthe switch or transfer occurs in the same year in which they register; studentswho already possess an academic qualification (degree or university diploma),including foreign degrees. Students who take the option of converting from oldto new degree system in Psychological Science and Techniques are exempt fromboth the admission test and OFAs.