A European Framework for Psychologists' Training

STRUCTURE OF FORMAL EDUCATION - GERMANY

Number of universities. Altogether some 45 German universities offer curricula leading to the degree of "Diplom-Psychologe". Their addresses, together with Austrian and German-Swiss universities, may be obtained via internet:

http://www.dgps.de/verschiedenes/adressen_a-institute.txt

Entry requirements to university. University entry is, in principle, guaranteed to everyone with a German high school degree (Abitur) or its equivalence. The constitutional right to one's choice of study and profession had to be limited for certain study fields, including psychology (numerus clausus) due to an excess of applicants (>2 for each study place). High school grade level and, for a minority of applicants, a lottery and waiting list system enables applicants to enrol in university education of psychology. The distribution of study places is organised by a central office which tries to consider students' preferences for up to three of the German universities offering diploma courses in psychology. The academic year is based on two semesters, with courses beginning around October 15 - February 15 (winter semester) and around April 15 - July 15 (summer semester). Entry to university studies of psychology is always the winter semester.

The degree structure. A national „Study Reform Commission of Psychology", in April 1985, passed a set of recommendations for a General reform of German university education in psychology. Due to the federal structure of higher education in the Federal Republic of Germany, the West German Conference of University Rectors (in February 1987) and the Standing Conference of Ministers of Culture (in Mai 1987) passed a general framework for diploma examinations in the study field of psychology ("Rahmenprüfungsordnung"). The intention of this framework was to establish study and examination norms for a diploma degree which would ensure comprehensive education of future psychologists and guarantee a general equivalence of the competencies gained by all diploma graduates from German universities. However, local universities had the possibility to adjust this general framework somewhat to their specific conditions and preferences. Thus the university education of German universities in psychology is generic in nature, but has at least small openings for specialization, for instance certain research orientations or in the three main applied areas: work & organisational, educational, and clinical psychology.

The general framework regulates the duration of studies (as a rule nine semester plus six months of practical experience) and stipulates that universities must guarantee that studies can be completed within eight semesters, the practical period not counted. It further structures university studies of psychology into a first basic study period of four semesters ending in a Pre-Diploma examination which does not qualify for practice of a Diplom-Psychologe. Only the second, the main study period of five semesters ends with the qualifying Diploma examination, the ninth semester serving as the period to write the diploma thesis and under go examinations. The practical period may be carried out either within a complete six months period or broken up into three different partial practical periods. Universities may regulate the temporal inclusion of the practical periods in local study regulations.

Credits. Most study fields in German universities, including psychology, as a rule do not practice the ECTS. The study volume of contact hours of the whole diploma study in psychology amounts to 156 semester hours/week, 76 of which cover the first and 80 the second study period.

Examinations. Pre-Diploma and Diploma examinations each can be taken by the student at one or two temporally separate examination periods. The examinations are to take place during semester breaks.

Three forms of examination exist: (1) oral and (2) supervised written examinations and (3) the diploma thesis as part of the second study period.

Pre-diploma examination. Goals of the examination are to demonstrate that the student has acquired knowledge of the bases of psychology, of its methodological portfolio of instruments and systematic orientation which will allow successful completion of studies. Conditions for participation in the examination are: Up to eight certifications of successful participation in

• an empirical practicum
• courses on methodology
• courses in general psychology I & II, developmental psychology, differential and personality psychology, social psychology, bio/physiological psychology.

Each of the subjects of (c) form the contents of seven examinations which according to local examination regulations can be conducted either as 30 minute oral or 120 supervised written exams. The candidate has passed the exam provided he has at least passed in all examination subjects. The grading scale varies from 1= "very good" to 4 = "passed" from which the final result is obtained by calculating the arithmetic mean of the results of individual subject grades.

Diploma examination. Goals of the examination are to ascertain that the candidate has acquired the requisite thorough competence necessary for professional practice, to comprehend the complexities of the field and to apply scientific methods and insights. Conditions for participation in the examination are: Certification of successful participation in courses of each of the three applied fields (1) clinical psychology, (2) educational psychology, (3) work and organisational psychology; completion of the six months practical period and requisite report(s); declarations of the candidate (1) which research oriented field he/she has chosen, (2) which non-psychological obligatory subject was chosen, and (3) which two of the three applied fields were chosen as in-depth study fields.

Diploma examination consists of the diploma thesis (to be completed within a 6 - 9 month period) and examinations in

• Clinical psychology
• Educational psychology
• Work and Organisational psychology
• Diagnostics and intervention
• Evaluation and research methods
• The chosen research oriented field
• The non-psychological chosen subject

Exams in the two chosen applied fields and in diagnostics and intervention are oral and last 30 minutes, the other fields can according to local examination regulations conducted either as supervised written problem discussions (120 minutes) or as case treatments (240 minutes).

Additional subjects may be chosen according to local examination regulations. They do not enter in the final Diploma grade. The final grade is calculated as the mean of grades achieved in the subjects a) - g) plus the degree for the diploma thesis which counts twice. External examiners are not used.

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