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Education Master's and PhD degree programmes Theory and History of Psychology
Header image Theory and History of Psychology

Theory and History of Psychology

Theory and History of Psychology studies psychology as a science, a discipline, and a profession. It's the only programme of its kind in Europe.

Our aim is to understand why psychology became the way it is, how it has been understood, how it negotiates its boundaries with other allied sciences, and how it could be improved. We focus on the social, methodological, philosophical, and conceptual issues that underlie contemporary psychology. For this reason, our programme will appeal particularly to students who wonder why things are the way they are, dare to question established truths, and dream about how they could be different.

This is a programme for those who want to explore beyond statistical analyses of quantitative data and to learn about the various historical, cultural, and qualitative alternatives to the standard set of approaches in contemporary scientific psychology. Gaining access to a broader range of concepts, literature, and research methods will help you to identify and ask the most exciting and urgent questions, and discover new ways to consider their answers by looking at history, philosophy, public understanding, and sociology of science.

Together with faculty and fellow students, you will set to work by reading deeply in both primary and secondary sources, examining popularizations, writing your own texts, presenting your own ideas, reconsidering your reasoning, and debating the consequences. This active learning process will help you to think flexibly and well in various different contexts, conduct independent research unconstrained by current fashion, and communicate in an understandable and attractive way about ideas that have not yet been popularized elsewhere.

Facts & Figures
Degree
MSc in Psychology
Course type
Master
Duration
12 months (60 ECTS)
Croho code
60260
Language of instruction
English
Start
February, September
Faculty
Behavioural and Social Sciences
Why study this programme in Groningen?
  • A unique opportunity to study at the highest levels in the only programme of its kind in Europe, which serves as a gateway to a global community of specialists.
  • An interdisciplinary and strongly international orientation, with foreign guests who often visit.
  • Our faculty serve on editorial boards for the area's main journals, in positions of leadership in its scholarly societies, and have been recognized with numerous awards and research grants.
  • There are many opportunities for intensive collaboration between faculty and students, with personal attention and professional development in equal measure.
  • Coursework is focussed simultaneously on thinking deeply and developing practical communication skills, such as presenting your thoughts to different audiences.
  • Students will participate in the research group's monthly forum, in which new research is shared and new ideas developed.
  • None of our courses use multiple choice tests, and our pedagogical focus is on learning actively—in specialist seminars, in larger electives including non-specialists, online through discussion forums and peer reviewing, and one-on-one.
Programme

Our one-year programme consists of course units worth 30 ECTS credits, and a 20-credit Master's thesis project, as well as an internship of 10 credits.

Our compulsory course units are Conceptual Issues in Psychology, dealing with classic and theoretical readings we find essential to to this Master's programme; and Boundaries of Psychology, you will explore the boundaries of psychology as a scientific discipline.

During our course unit in Qualitative Research Methods, you will learn various research methods, for example in-depth interviewing, participant observation and ethnographic methods.

For most course units, you will do assignments, prepare a presentation and write essays. Writing is an important part of our degree programme, which is why we offer a course unit in Writing Skills. The course is scheduled in the first three blocks and will help you with your writing process and with finding your voice in various inspiring ways.

All course units are given in the first three blocks, in the last block no courses are scheduled so you can focus on finishing your Master's thesis.

The two electives are free. Discuss your interests with the Master Coordinator.
Semesters
CoursesCourse Catalog >1a1b2a2b
Conceptual Issues in Psychology (5 EC)
Writing Skills (5 EC)
Master Thesis (20 EC)
Qualitative Research Methods (5 EC)
Boundaries of Psychology (5 EC)
Master Internship Theory and History of Psychology (10 EC)

Study abroad

  • Study abroad is optional

We recommend you to take all the courses as indicated in the programme schedule. If you are interested in doing an internship or research stay abroad, you can discuss this with the master coordinator.

Entry requirements

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Your previous education and chosen master track determine the application procedure and whether you are eligible for admission to the master or a possible premaster. Check https://www.rug.nl/gmw/masters/psychology/toelatingseisen-masters-psychologie to find the admission requirements that apply to you.

language test

Depending on your background and language of the track of your choice, you will have to submit proof of your proficiency in either Dutch or English. For more information see https://www.rug.nl/gmw/masters/psychology/toelatingseisen-masters-psychologie

Registration procedure

The information can be found on the page about Application, Admission and Selection .

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students15 November 202401 February 2025
01 May 202501 September 2025
15 November 202501 February 2026
EU/EEA students15 November 202401 February 2025
01 May 202501 September 2025
15 November 202501 February 2026
non-EU/EEA students15 November 202401 February 2025
01 May 202501 September 2025
15 November 202501 February 2026

Deadline for master's tracks with selection is 1 October and 1 March Deadline for master's tracks without selection is 15 November and 1 May*.

Please note: We strongly advise non-EU/EEA students to submit the application well in advance of this deadline* (more than 1 month) to allow sufficient time to obtain or renew a visa.

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Your previous education and chosen master track determine the application procedure and whether you are eligible for admission to the master or a possible premaster. Check https://www.rug.nl/gmw/masters/psychology/toelatingseisen-masters-psychologie to find the admission requirements that apply to you.

language test

Depending on your background and language of the track of your choice, you will have to submit proof of your proficiency in either Dutch or English. For more information see https://www.rug.nl/gmw/masters/psychology/toelatingseisen-masters-psychologie

Registration procedure

The information can be found on the page about Application, Admission and Selection .

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students15 November 202401 February 2025
01 May 202501 September 2025
15 November 202501 February 2026
EU/EEA students15 November 202401 February 2025
01 May 202501 September 2025
15 November 202501 February 2026
non-EU/EEA students15 November 202401 February 2025
01 May 202501 September 2025
15 November 202501 February 2026

Deadline for master's tracks with selection is 1 October and 1 March Deadline for master's tracks without selection is 15 November and 1 May*.

Please note: We strongly advise non-EU/EEA students to submit the application well in advance of this deadline* (more than 1 month) to allow sufficient time to obtain or renew a visa.

Tuition fees
NationalityYearFeeProgramme form
EU/EEA2024-2025€ 2530full-time
non-EU/EEA2024-2025€ 20800full-time

Practical information for:

After your studies

Job prospects

Career services BSS
Where do you want to work after your studies? You can contact
Career Services already during your studies. They will help you orientate on your career, develop your skills, apply for jobs and find an internship.

Job examples

  • Historians of science

    for example in archives, as non-fiction authors, or academics

  • Government advisors

    advisors of science policy for governmental organizations

  • Academics

    researchers or teachers in departments of social sciences, philosophy or medicine

  • Science communicators

    freelance, or for editorial offices of a magazine, university or publisher

  • Qualitative researchers

    for research agencies, or governmental organizations

  • Teachers

    of psychology or related fields in schools for higher professional education, or secondary schools

Research

Research

Theory and History of Psychology is the master programme of the expertise group Theory and History of Psychology.

Our group studies the relations between Psychology (and related disciplines), the subjects they study, and the society and culture that they are part of. We draw our inspiration from History and Philosophy of Science and from Science and Technology Studies.

Did you know:

  • Student Rinske Verweij won the 'Jan Brouwer scriptieprijs' for her master's thesis The Place of Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology.
  • Annette Mülberger has twice served as president of the European Society for the History of the Human Sciences, and previously served as the director of the Centre for History of Science (as well as Vice-Dean) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
  • Stephan Schleim often writes for the public, and has published widely—including in mass media venues—about how neuroscience is understood (or misunderstood). As an active contributor to the field of “neurolaw,” he has also advised lawyers and judges on the reliability and meaning of scientific data.
  • Maarten Derksen’s book, Histories of Human Engineering (Cambridge University Press, 2017), won the prestigious Cheiron Book Prize in 2018.
  • Jeremy Burman was elected a Fellow of the American Psychological Association for his contributions, jointly, to Piaget scholarship and digital history.
  • Our retired professors, Douwe Draaisma and Trudy Dehue, were knighted by the Dutch King and Dehue received the Academy Medal of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019 for her outstanding contribution the advancement of science.



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Study associations

VIP

VIP is the study association for the Psychology students at the University of Groningen.
VIP organizes study-related and social activities. As a VIP-member, you receive a discount on study books as well as a discount on VIP activities. On this website, you can find more information about VIP, our events, committees, and the book sale.
https://www.vipsite.nl/
Read more
Student profile

You

  • like reading, thinking and writing
  • want to put your skills and knowledge in a broader context
  • want to explore why psychological concepts and phenomena are the way they are, and how they could be different
  • are interested in the historical, philosophical and theoretical aspects of psychology

Interested? Not sure? Courses such as Theory of Science, Philosophy of Psychology, or Controversies of Psychology are good introductions to this master.

Study support

In the Psychology programme, there is a strong focus on study advice. Study advisors are available for both the Dutch-taught and English-taught programmes. You can contact them as a prospective student, current student, or former student of programmes within the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences.

Study advisors can assist you with questions regarding:
• the content of the programme
• planning and organising your studies
• choices during your study
• registrations
• programme regulations
• taking courses outside your programme
• studying abroad

They are also available for personal support.
Don't hesitate to get in touch or make an appointment with one of the study advisors.

For brief questions, please email: studyadvice.psy rug.nl
You can make an appointment via the online scheduling system: https://fbss.as.me/schedule/9de94536 ,
or by phone through the education desk: +31 50 3636301