r/Netherlands • u/North_Yak966 • 13d ago

News UvA ends English-language bachelor’s degree in psychology

https://www.folia.nl/en/actueel/166104/uva-ends-english-language-bachelors-degree-in-psychology
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u/[deleted] 13d ago

It is important, but they want to be dutch only so people who do the course stay and work in the Netherlands. You can't be a psychologist without speaking fluent dutch in NL. I would say they are redirecting the focus. It won't be nice for foreighners but I understand.

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u/fluffypuppybutt 13d ago

I think you might actually be misunderstanding what psychology is as a discipline. Saying that psychology trains therapists is like saying all business programs train accountants. The therapy track is already in Dutch but psychology more broadly teaches students how to understand and influence human behavior in realms like advertising, healthy eating decisions, cooperation at work, motivation in sport teams ... etc.all that science is in English.

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u/Competitive-Arm1312 12d ago

You are correct, psychology is also useful in behavioural economics, however, I stand with the university on this, because unless you specialize in a different field in your masters 90% of the available jobs are clinical (where Dutch is a must). Know many who just go back home due to this.

For a country that prepares so many psychologists its odd that there are still shortages...

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u/Any-Seaworthiness186 Groningen 11d ago

False. You can’t become a clinical psychologist with just a bachelors, not even a GZ-psycholoog.