PSYCHOLOGY

FACULTYOF LAW
DEPARTMENT PSYCHOLOGY
PROFESSIONAL AREA PSYCHOLOGY

Speciality: psychology

Awarded qualification: Psychologist

Level of qualification: Bachelor, level 6B on the NQF.

Length of programme: 4 years (8 semesters) for full-time study, 4,5 years (9 semesters) for part-time study.

Number of credits: 240

Field(s) of study (ISCED-F): 0313 Psychology

Specific admission requirements: Secondary education and an admission examination.

Specific arrangements for recognition of prior learning:
The ECTS coordinator of the Psychology major, Assoc. prof. Daniela Andonova, PhD e-mail gradiva@abv.bg, informs the students about the possibilities for recognizing and awarding credits. This happens in two ways: 1. The student presents documents for prior education:
- an academic transcript or diploma;
- international diplomas and foreign language certificates (English: Cambridge FCE, TOEFEL; German - Zertifikat Deutsch, Sprahdiplom, Zweite Stufe; Russian – ТРКИ; French - DELF; Spanish - DELE);
- international computer skills diplomas and certificates corresponding to the ECDL (The European Computer Driving Licence).
2. The student states willingness to sit for exams for the certification of skills and knowledge acquired in prior education. Knowledge and skills in a foreign language are certified by the Department of Foreign Languages; computer skills and knowledge are certified by the Technological Institute; specific professional knowledge and skills are certified by the Social Sciences Department.
Based on the documents presented and the results from the certification examinations, the Social Sciences Department awards the number of credits in accordance with the program of the Psychology major. The ECTS coordinator prepares an individual study program for the student, which reflects the number of credits awarded.

Qualification requirements and regulations, including graduation requirements*: In order to obtain the professional qualification of Psychologist, educational-and-qualification degree of Bachelor, the students need 240 credits, of which 176 credits are from the compulsory courses, 42 are obtained from elective courses, 12 are obtained from optional courses and 10 are obtained from the state exam.

Profile of the programme:
The main objectives of the program are:
- mastery of fundamental knowledge about the factors and regularities valid about the psyche and behavior of living systems and social communities;
- formation of practical skills for professional realization and teamwork;
- formation of attitudes for professional development and further education and professional qualification;
- formation of individual orientation to a particular theoretical and practical field of psychology and the formation of basic skills in planning and conducting psychological research.

Programme learning outcomes:
Theoretical knowledge
The students know and understand the key concepts in psychology, the classical theories and current trends in the development of psychological science. They know the specifics of the various psychological schools, trends, orientations. They have attained competence on the structure, functions and features of the human psyche and methodology for its theoretical and practical research. They can discuss fundamentals and objective laws applicable to the psyche and behaviour of living systems. The students can exchange information and ideas to identify problems and seek solutions to problems in the field of psychology. They have built individual orientation towards particular theoretical and practical field of psychology.

Practical Skills
The students have developed skills for individual professional development and teamwork. They possess skills in psychodiagnostic in norm, limit and pathology, and in the context of socio-psychological relationships. They have basic skills in counseling individuals, groups and families as well as basic skills for psychological analysis of processes in education, politics, advertising, management and social work.

Ability to scientific-and-creative and research work:
The students can conduct independent psychological research with practical significance. They can put in writing and defence their own research project.
The students finishing educational-and-qualification degree of "Bachelor" have acquired knowledge and skills that would allow them to continue their education with a high degree of autonomy - educational-and-qualification degree of "Master" and have developed attitudes towards professional development.

Programme structure diagram with credits *:

№	ECTS Code	Course Title	Lectures and seminars	Out-of-class workload	Number of credits
1	INF1023	Informatics - Part I	30	60	3
2	PSY1070	Physiological psychology	45	90	4,5
3	PSY1051	Introduction to Psychology	75	150	7,5
4	PSY1008	History of psychology	45	90	4,5
5	PHI1005	Logics	45	90	4,5
6		Foreign Language	60	120	6
Total for semester I			300	600	30
1	INF1024	Informatics - Part II	30	60	3
2	PHI1008	Philosophy	60	120	6
3	PSY1011	Cognitive psychology	90	180	9
4		Foreign Language	60	120	6
5	SPO1007	Sports	30	60	3
6		Optional course 1	30	60	3
Total for semester II			300	600	30
		Total for year 1	600	1200	60
1	PSY1004	Experimental psychology - Part I	60	120	6
2	PSY1135	Methods of collecting, processing and analyzing data in psychological research – Part I	60	120	6
3	SPO1007	Sports	30	60	3
4		Optional course 2	30	60	3
5		Optional course 3	30	60	3
6		Elective course 1	45	90	4,5
7		Elective course 2	45	90	4,5
Total for semester IІІ			300	600	30
1	ECO1010	Globalization of the economy and development	45	90	4,5
2	PSY1030	Personality Psychology	90	180	9
3	PSY1005	Experimental psychology - Part II	60	120	6
4	PSY1136	Methods of collecting, processing and analyzing data in psychological research – Part II	60	120	6
5		Elective course 3	45	90	4,5
Total for semester IV			300	600	30
		Total for year 2	600	1200	60
1	PSY1069	Psychopatology	45	90	4,5
2	PSY1044	Social psychology	75	150	7,5
3	PSY1021	Psychological measurements	90	180	9
4	PSY1039	Work Psychology	45	90	4,5
5		Elective course 4	45	90	4,5
Total for semester V			300	600	30
1	PSY1056	Clinical psychology	60	120	6
2	PSY1003	Diferential psychology	60	120	6
3	PSY1034	Psychology of development in childhood and adolescence	75	150	7,5
4		Elective course 5	60	120	6
5		Elective course 6	45	90	4,5
Total for semester VІ			300	600	30
		Total for year 3	600	1200	60
1	PSY1035	Psychology of adult development	75	150	7,5
2	PSY1060	Educational psychology	60	120	6
3	PSY 1120	Ethnopsychology	45	90	4,5
4	PSY1057	Counselling psychology	75	150	7,5
5		Elective course 7	45	90	4,5
Total for semester VІІ			300	600	30
1	PSY1017	Organizational psychology	60	120	6
2		Optional course 4	30	60	3
3		Elective course 8	45	90	4,5
4		Elective course 9	45	90	4,5
5	SPO1007	Sports	20	40	2
6		State Exam or Defence of Bachelor's Thesis	100	200	10
Total for semester VІІІ			300	600	30
		Total for year 4	600	1200	60
		Total for the entire course of study :	2400	4800	240
		Elective courses , choose 10 from 19
1	PHI1003	Ethics	45	90	4,5
2	SOC1025	Sociology	45	90	4,5
3	FLE1005	Foreign Language - specialized course	45	90	4,5
4	PSY1200	Psychology of Manipulation and Social Influence	45	90	4,5
5	QMS1010	Statistical Programs for Processing Empirical Data in Psychology - SPSS	45	90	4,5
6	PED1006	Pedagogy (Theory of Education and Didactics)	45	90	4,5
7	PSY1269	Social Relationships	45	90	4,5
8	PSY1036	Psychology of religions	45	90	4,5
9	PSY1053	Legal psychology	45	90	4,5
10	PSY1047	Cross-Cultural Psychology	45	90	4,5
11	PSY1058	Theory and practice of working with children at risk	45	90	4,5
12	PHI 1004	Aesthetics	45	90	4,5
13	PSY 1148	Phenomenological psychology	45	90	4,5
14	LAW1053	Basics of Law	45	90	4,5
15	PSY1220	Psychology of helping behaviour	60	120	6
16	PSY 1095	Social identity and social practice	50	100	5
17	PSY 1230	Psychological interventions in a crisis situation	60	120	6
18	PSY 1141	Psychology of optimal functioning	50	100	5
19	PSY1055	Political psychology	60	120	5
20	SOC1089	Education and Upbringing in Socio-Cultural Environment	45	90	4,5
21	PHI1108	Eastern philosophical and psychological teachings	45	90	4,5
		Optional courses , choose 4 from university set (each course – 3 credits)	120	240	12

* In Varna Free University, a credit equals 30 lessons, of which 10 contact hours (lectures and seminars) and 20 hours independent work.

Mode of study: full-time, part-time

Examination regulations and grading scale: During the classes, the students receive individual and group tasks such as summarizing bibliography or writing course papers, essays, reports. A grade reflecting their participation and activity during the classes is added to the above. The training in the various courses ends with a final examination or test.

Obligatory or optional mobility windows (if applicable) - no

Work placement(s) (if applicable) - no

Work-based learning
Practice in out-of-class workload in some disciplines

Occupational profiles of graduates
Graduates of Bachelor's degree in Psychology are qualified to work in state, municipal and non-governmental organizations and in private sector. They can work with individuals, groups or communities of different ages and with different difficulties by providing psychological approach to problems, conduct psychological surveys and provide psychological support.

Access to further studies:
The graduates who have obtained the professional qualification of Psychologist and the educational-and-qualification degree of Bachelor can continue their education for the educational-and-qualification degree of Master – in Master degree programs in psychology – Applied Psychology, Psychology and Psychopathology of Development, Psychological Consulting, Master degree programs in other scientific and professional fields, as well as in qualification courses.

Head of Department: Assoc. Prof. Daniela Karagyaurova
tel.: +359-52-359-567
e-mail: psychology@vfu.bg