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Statement on the Introduction of Bachelor's and Master's Study Courses in Psychology
The Introduction of Bachelor's and Master's Study Courses in Psychology
A Statement by the German Psychological Society (DGPs, henceforth the Society) Executive Committee and the chairman of the Association of German Professional Psychologists (Berufsverband Deutscher Psychologinnen und Psychologen; BDP).
The phasing out of Diploma courses and the introduction of consecutive Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Psychology in line with Bologna Process reforms is a controversial issue among psychology experts. They fear that introducing the Bachelor's degree as the standard qualification will lead inevitably to deterioration in the currently high level of training. The central problem is the decision to make the Bachelor's the standard first degree, providing students with the qualifications for their profession, and that the number of available spaces in the Master's Program in Psychology should be drastically reduced. As a result, and many who successfully complete a Bachelor's course would be denied admission to the Master's program.
Therefore, the Executive Committee of the German Psychological Society and the Board of the Association of German Professional Psychologists (BDP) endorse the statements released for subjects previously teaching Diploma courses both in the natural sciences - in this case, by the German Physical Society and the German Mathematical Society - and by the Technical Universities. They take the following stance on the introduction of Bachelor's and Master's courses in psychology at the universities:
(1) Because the diploma programs in psychology have gained not only international recognition but also have proved their worth in both professional practice and research, the Master's of Science in Psychology must be the standard qualification in the future. A quota system allowing only a relatively low number (e.g., 50%) of Bachelor's admissions to continue to a Master's Degree is unacceptable. This is in line with the example of Switzerland, where the Master's in Psychology has become the standard degree. Incidentally, the planned quote system in Germany shows no correspondence with the Bologna Declaration that does not specify any limits on the number of admissions to the second cycle. Such a system runs counter to the vision to which the Bologna Process aspires of a \"Europe of Knowledge\" with the resulting commitment to offer competent students a high quality education. We consider that plans for a quota system have a purely financial motivation, and that they blatantly contradict the much-cited claim that, as a country poor in natural resources, Germany's future economic success will depend on highly educated citizens.
(2) We believe that replacing the diploma program with a consecutive study in psychology has one major advantage: It will become easier for students with a Bachelor of Science in psychology (providing them with basics in methodology, professional skills, and general knowledge) to switch to more or less specialized (depending on the specific university) Master's programs. At the same time, it will also become possible for bachelor graduates with sufficiently high qualifications in other subjects to commence interdisciplinary Master's courses. The individual universities should be free to decide which entry qualifications they require.
(3) Even if graduates with a Bachelor's in psychology may seem able to carry out unsupervised psychological work in selected practical fields, independent professional practice as a psychologist requires a course of study - like the existing diploma - providing broad methodological competencies, extensive general knowledge and in-depth expertise in selected fields. Only this combination guarantees that psychologists will be able to practice their profession in the fields of health, education, organizations law, and science in a way that meets society's justified need for sound psychological expertise.
(4) Developments in research on the foundations of human behaviour and perception in, for instance, the field of neuroscience will lead to increasing demands on education. This expansion of knowledge calls for not only professional further training and lifelong learning but also high-quality study courses that lay the foundations for later continuing education. These trends can already be predicted today, and it would be devastating to respond to them by offering as many students as possible a worse rather than a better education.
(5) The Executive Committee of the Society has appointed a commission that is currently developing concrete models for Bachelor's and Master's Degree programs in psychology at universities. The goal is to design a general, nonspecialized Bachelor of Science program with a comparable basic structure across all universities. This course should provide basic training in methods and subject matter as well as - in line with the guidelines set by the Standing Conference of German Ministers of Education (Kultusministerkonferenz)- basic professional qualifications. However, a Bachelor of Science degree would qualify its holder only for a selection of limited professional activities and not for independent practice within a professional context. Successful graduation with a Bachelor's in Psychology is the entrance requirement for a Master's Degree in Psychology. Although the content of this MSc may vary according to local specializations, it would be desirable for all MSc courses to have an equivalent basic structure. The final qualification is a Master of Science in Psychology, with a specialized qualification documented in the "Diploma Supplement."
The Executive Committee of the Society and the Board of the BDP encourage all university-based psychological institutes that are currently going through the transition to bachelor's and master's programs to ensure that no quotas are set for the number of master's places, and that the Master of Science in Psychology is the standard form of graduation. As in the natural sciences and the engineering subjects, we believe that the high standards attained with the diploma degree should not be compromised in any way that would impair technical knowledge and comprehensive methodological expertise.
November 22, 2004