Psychology

In the Bachelor of Psychology Program, students have the opportunity to learn:

• basic psychology studies (introduction to the science of psychology, psychological biological basics, developmental psychology, personal psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, methodology, research methods, patho-psychology, neuropsychology, experimental psychology, etc.),

• courses in sub-sectors of psychology where students mainly deepen their knowledge in various practical fields of psychology (psychological counselling and ethics, family psychology, health psychology, organizational psychology, legal psychology, pedagogical psychology, stress management, etc.), as well as research work – coursework and bachelor's thesis.

• general education courses where students extend their academic focus to other fields of science (critical thinking, foundations of genetics, sociology, English, mathematical statistics),

• counselling, basic skills for group management and improving communication and communication skills.

During studies, the following teaching methods shall be used:

• lectures and seminars involving discussions, group work, etc. active forms of training;

• social-communicative skills and personal development training;

• own-initiative activities (papers, essays, observation and analysis, interviewing and analysis, preparing presentation);

• development and presentation of research projects, experiments;

• development and defence of research activities.

As part of the international ERASMUS + programme, students have the opportunity to study in more than 16 European universities - in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, etc.

Graduates have the opportunity to continue their studies in a master's or professional master's degree programmes in psychology, or in higher-level study programmes in a broad spectrum of social, humanities and educational sciences (e.g. community leadership, filology, pedagogies, librarians, diplomacy, communications sciences, policy science, sociology, theology, philosophy, history, etc.) in Latvia and abroad. Graduates can enroll in studies at different research institutions and work in professions where good communication skills are required. However, working as a psychologist requires a professional master's education in psychology.

General requirements:

Secondary education

Admission criteria for persons who have acquired secondary education after 2004:

• CE in Latvian *
• CE in English, French, German, Russian *
• CE in Mathematics *
• Grade Point Average (GPA) of all the centralised exams*

*The following coefficients are applied to ensure the mutual comparability of the results of the CE:

• for exams at the optimum level of learning, a coefficient of 0.75 is applied, to compare to the advanced level;
• a coefficient of 0,50 shall be applied to exams at the general level
• the results of the centralised examinations obtained before 2022 shall be aligned with the examinations of the optimum level of learning and shall be assigned a coefficient of 0.75.

For individuals who had acquired secondary education before 2008, the centralised examination in Math may be replaced by an final grade in Math (or the average grade in algebra and geometry) in the certificate of secondary education.

Competition criteria for persons who have obtained secondary education up to 2004 (not including), as well as for persons who have obtained secondary education abroad and persons who have been exempted from the CE arrangement:

• GPA in Latvian and literature
• Final grade in English, French, German, or Russian
• Final grade in Mathematics
• GPA in compulsory subjects

Preference is given to the Latvian secondary school students - holders of Level 1 and 2 certificates in Students’ Scientific Conference in Psychology gained in 2022 and 2023.