Child Psychology and Psychotherapy

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Master’s programme in Child Psychology and Psychotherapy is based on an oral examination in Psychology. The examination syllabus is available in the Admissions section.

Programme Objective

The programme aims to prepare specialists equipped to address theoretical, methodological, and applied issues in child psychology and psychotherapy. Graduates will be able to study patterns of child development and contemporary approaches to understanding developmental processes; examine the characteristics of child development in order to contribute to improvements in the field of education; organize psychological support services by conducting psychodiagnostic, psychological correction, and developmental interventions at different stages of childhood, as well as providing counselling and psychotherapeutic services to children and adolescents experiencing developmental, psychological, behavioural, emotional, or family-related difficulties.

Key Advantages

Graduates of the programme will be able to demonstrate fundamental knowledge of the characteristics, processes, and patterns of development across different stages of childhood; identify contemporary theories and methodological foundations of child psychology; explain the principles and methods of conducting psychodiagnostic and psychological correction interventions with children and adolescents; describe the principles and specific features of counselling and psychotherapeutic interventions in cases involving various psychological difficulties; identify the factors contributing to developmental disorders and determine appropriate approaches to intervention; design applied research programmes addressing contemporary issues in child psychology; examine child development in the context of sociocultural factors and analyze the role of the family in personality development; apply psychodiagnostic methods when working with children and adolescents with both typical development and psychological or developmental difficulties; apply psychological correction and psychotherapeutic methods when working with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing various developmental difficulties; provide counselling and psychoeducational services in relation to a range of issues, both to children and to adults working with them.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Master’s programme in Child Psychology and Psychotherapy may pursue careers as school psychologists; developmental psychologists; child and adolescent counselling psychologists; child clinical psychologists; family psychologists.

Graduates may work in primary and secondary schools; educational institutions implementing special educational programmes; specialized schools for children with developmental disorders; child care and protection centres; child rehabilitation institutions; psychological service centres; career guidance and vocational counselling centres.

The knowledge and competencies acquired through the programme enable graduates to provide individual and/or group counselling, developmental, psychodiagnostic, and preventive psychological services in the above-mentioned settings. They may also provide parenting and family counselling, as well as psychological assessment and rehabilitation services across a range of institutions. The programme also enables graduates to establish private practices providing psychological services to children and adolescents. Graduates may continue their academic studies in doctoral programmes at the Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology of Yerevan State University.