Why study Psychology at VU Amsterdam?
Start broad, then choose your direction
Psychology is a broad field. In the first two years, you will build a strong foundation in areas such as biological and cognitive psychology, human development, stress and mental health. In the third year, you choose a learning pathway that allows you to specialise further. Each pathway approaches the same fundamental question from a different angle: why do people think, feel and behave the way they do?
- Clinical pathway
How can you help someone struggling with anxiety, depression or trauma? How do you conduct an effective therapeutic conversation, and which interventions can help? In this pathway, you will learn how psychological problems are assessed and how to support people in a therapeutic setting. - Psychopathology, Health and Prevention
Why does one person develop mental health problems while another remains resilient? How can problems such as stress, addiction and depression be prevented? You will take a broad look at how psychological problems develop and how they can be prevented or reduced. - Social and Organisational Psychology
Why do people behave differently in a group than they do on their own? How do social media, peer pressure and organisations influence our behaviour? You will investigate how people influence one another in society and explore what helps create healthy, motivated organisations. - Genes, Cognition and Behaviour
What happens in your brain when you learn, make a decision or experience an emotion? What role do genes play in behaviour and health? You will investigate how biological processes and cognitive functions such as memory, attention and decision-making shape the way people function.
Learning by doing
From your first year onwards, you will combine theory with practice. You will learn how human behaviour works and how to apply psychological knowledge in real-life situations. In the conversation skills course, for example, you will practise having confidential conversations, listening actively, giving and receiving feedback, and reflecting on your own behaviour.
You will learn not only from lecturers and leading researchers who also work in professional practice, but from fellow students with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
Brain & Behavioural Lab
Can you measure what someone is feeling? What happens in the brain when you make a decision? At the Brain & Behavioural Lab, you can see what psychological research looks like in practice.
Study in the heart of an academic and professional environment
You will study on an inspiring campus next to Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, where education, research and professional practice come together. Lecture halls, study spaces, a cinema and plenty of places to eat and drink are all close at hand. Amsterdam UMC and several research institutes are also within walking distance. You will be studying in an environment where new knowledge is being created every day.