The content of the curriculum for the doctorate with professional qualification for early career professionals is applicable to the entire spectrum of the field of child and adolescent psychology and is based on the current state of academic knowledge. The professional curriculum has been compiled in accordance with the requirements of school psychology practice, educational counseling and developmental diagnostics and takes into account the quality standards for graduate educations of the National Associations of School Psychologists and the International School Psychology Association as well as the provisions of the FDHA Ordinance on the Scope and Accreditation of Continuing Education Courses in the Psychology Professions(AkkredV-PsyG). The courses offered can be credited towards the specialist title "Specialist Psychologist in Child and Adolescent Psychology FSP".

During the developmental phase of the doctoral program, some of the courses are offered together with the professionally oriented continuing education program Master of Advanced Studies in Developmental Diagnostics and Psychological Counselling(MAS DDPC) at the University of Basel.

Focal areas

The aim of the professional curriculum is to qualify child and adolescent psychologists with leadership interest and potential in the following key areas:

• Psychology and educational
• Diagnostics and intervention
• Transnational school psychology
• Vocational education, professional conduct and professional ethical values
• Interpersonal and leadership skills

Learning objectives

The learning objectives of the professional curriculum are aligned with the objectives of the doctorate with professional qualification and the focal areas and are defined in the course descriptions. PhD students receive regular feedback on the achievement of the learning objectives. As part of the final evaluation, it is checked whether the PhD students mandate the knowledge, action and social skills relevant for achieving the objectives of the doctorate with professional qualification.

Lecturers

The lecturers are academically recognized members of Swiss and foreign universities, qualified experts from institutions providing psychosocial care for children, adolescents and adults as well as qualified private experts. Detailed information on the appointments of the lecturers can be found in the document CV Lecturers.

Courses

The course program is announced at least one semester in advance. You will find information on the content of the courses in the course descriptions.

Typical course contents

Practical professional activity

Graduates of the doctorate with a professional qualification must, in addition to continuing education (professional curriculum), be employed for at least 40 percent of their time in a child and adolescent psychology facility for at least 4 years. The professional practice activity is evaluated annually by the direct supervisor using the form Evaluation of professional practice activity (pdf follows).

Practical supervision and evaluation

At the end of the doctorate with professional qualification, graduates must be able to provide proof of at least 200 units* of practical supervision and evaluation. Of these, at least 80 units must be supervision in the strict sense, of which at least 20 units must take place in an individual setting. The remaining units may pass through other forms of practice supervision and evaluation (e.g. case studies, practice research, 360-degree feedbacks). The supervisors must be on the list of the Swiss Association for Child and Adolescent Psychology (SKJP).

* in accordance with AkkredV-PsyG, Annex 2

Practice colloquium(brown bag lunch)

In order to support the transfer of knowledge and skills learned in the professional curriculum into competence in school psychology, the implementation of this knowledge in everyday school psychology (case studies, preparation of guidelines, etc.) is discussed in a monthly practice colloquium (brown bag lunch) in the presence of PhD students, members of the graduate training program and occasionally consulted experts.