Admission Requirements
The Family Psychology programme is one year in duration. Admission is based on an oral examination. The tuition fee is AMD 800,000.
Programme Director: Narine Harutyunyan, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor.
Programme Objectives
The programme aims to prepare specialists capable of addressing theoretical, methodological, and applied issues in family psychology and psychological counselling. Graduates will be able to: scientifically examine the developmental patterns, structural components, types, role systems, and other characteristics of the family as an integrated system; organize psychological support services by providing psychological counselling on family-related issues and conducting psychodiagnostic, psychological corrective, preventive, and psychotherapeutic interventions targeting behavioural and emotional domains with individual family members, couples, and the family as a whole.
Programme Advantages
The knowledge and competences acquired through the programme enable graduates to provide individual and/or group counselling, psychodiagnostic, and preventive psychological services. In a variety of professional settings, graduates may provide individual, family, and group counselling, as well as conduct psychological assessment and rehabilitation interventions addressing marital relationships, parent–child relationships, and other family-related issues.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Family Psychology programme may pursue professional careers as:
Family Psychologist-Counsellors
Group Psychologist-Counsellors
Marriage and Relationship Counsellors
Parent–Child Relationship Counsellors
Individual Counselling Specialists working with different age groups
Trainers
Coaches
Graduates may work in:
Governmental and non-governmental organizations that provide general or specialized psychological support services to families, including the Republican Pedagogical and Psychological Centre, Territorial Pedagogical and Psychological Support Centres (TPPSC), HOF Children’s Support Centre, Bridge of Hope NGO, UNICEF and United Nations agencies, SOS Children’s Villages, Orran Charitable NGO, general and upper secondary schools, preschools, care centres for children with disabilities, and elderly care centres;
Educational institutions that train specialists in family psychological support, including Yerevan State University, Armenian State Pedagogical University, YSU Ijevan Branch, Urartu University, Russian-Armenian University, and universities in Vanadzor, Gyumri, and Goris;
Psychological counselling centres operating under various government agencies, including centres operating under the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the Police of the Republic of Armenia;
Social, medical, and psychological centres providing support to children and families, including Shengavit Medical Center, the Research Center for Maternal and Child Health, Muratsan Hospital in programmes supporting families of children with diabetes, the Hematology Center in programmes supporting families of children with cancer, and services within the palliative care system;
Organizations developing and implementing social projects aimed at supporting contemporary families, including the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center, Recovery College, Women’s Rights Protection Center, and Center for the Prevention of Domestic Violence;
Research institutions conducting studies on a range of family-related issues, including YSU’s Research Laboratory of Personality and Professional Activity, YSU’s Research Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, and research laboratories in psychology and pedagogy at Armenian State Pedagogical University.
Graduates of the programme may continue their academic studies in doctoral programmes at the Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology of Yerevan State University.
Admission Examination Syllabus
The development of psychology as a science: major stages and contemporary directions
The development, structure, and functions of the psyche; psychological phenomena and processes; mechanisms of mental representation
The nature, functions, and substantive structure of consciousness
Sensation as the initial stage of cognition: types and principal characteristics of sensations
Perception: processes, types, and characteristics
Physiological mechanisms, functions, and types of attention
Memory: characteristics and processes
Thinking: operations of thinking and stages of problem-solving
Types of speech: psychophysiological characteristics of inner speech
Types and techniques of imagination; the development of imagination
Temperament as an individual characteristic: major findings from the studies of Rusalov, Strelau, and Merlin, as well as psychogenetic and longitudinal studies
Components of character structure and character traits
Abilities as individual characteristics: types and levels of development (giftedness, talent, genius)
Types of emotions and emotional states; classification of emotions
The nature, functions, and mechanisms of stress
Volitional activity and stages of the volitional act
Interpretations of the concept of “personality” in psychological theories; the relationship among the concepts of individual, person, and individuality
Objectives, principles, and stages of psychological counselling
Requirements and criteria for psychological research
Structure and stages of experimental research
Ethical requirements in psychological research
Classification of psychological tests and requirements for psychological testing
The concept of “age” and the problem and criteria of age periodization; developmental crises as a factor in personality development
Social groups: factors of formation and types
Factors and stages of personality socialization
Communication as a three-dimensional process: communicative, interactive, and perceptual dimensions
Family structure and functions
Stages of the family life cycle
Family roles and role relationships within the family
Forms of family compatibility
Family adaptation
Forms of parental attitudes, parenting, and parent–child relationships
Contemporary approaches to family therapy
Criteria for mental health
Theories, classification, and dynamics of conflict; strategies for conflict resolution
Methods of self-regulation: psychological regulation, autosuggestion, and self-management
Types of psychological influence: persuasion, attitudes, social influence, and psychological influence
Psychological characteristics of the neonatal period and early childhood
Psychological characteristics of preschool and primary school age
Psychological characteristics of adolescence
Development of self-awareness during adolescence and youth; personality development and life-activity challenges in middle and later adulthood
The study and typology of personality accentuations in adolescents (Lichko)
Psychological development in adulthood; psychology of older adults, care, and social support
References
Core Literature
Avanesyan, H. M. Experimental Psychology: A Textbook. Edit Print, Yerevan, 2010.
Harutyunyan, N. A. Psychological Foundations of Family Stability: A Monograph. Edit Print, Yerevan, 2018.
Galstyan, A., & Stepanyan, R. Psychodiagnostics: A Textbook. YSU Publishing House, 2012, 210 pp.
Alakhverdov, V. M. An Experience in Theoretical Psychology. St. Petersburg, 1993.
Andreeva, G. M. Social Psychology: A Textbook for Higher Education Institutions. Moscow: Aspect Press, 1998.
Vilyunas, V. Psychology of Emotions. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2008, 496 pp.
Goodwin, J. Research in Psychology: Methods and Planning. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2004.
Godfrua, Sh. What Is Psychology? In 2 volumes. Moscow: Mir, 1996.
Smirnov, A. A., Luria, A. R., & Nebylitsyn, V. D. (Eds.). Natural-Scientific Foundations of Psychology. Moscow: Pedagogika, 1978.
Zhdan, A. N. History of Psychology: From Antiquity to the Present Day. Moscow: Moscow University Press, 1990.
Izard, C. E. Psychology of Emotions. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2002.
Ilyin, E. P. Psychology of Volition. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2002, 288 pp.
Kochyunas, R. Fundamentals of Psychological Counselling. Moscow, 1999.
Craig, G. Developmental Psychology. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2000.
Krysko, V. G. Social Psychology. Moscow, 2001.
Leontiev, A. A. Psychology of Communication. Moscow, 1999.
Maklakov, A. G. General Psychology. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2006.
Malkina-Pykh, I. G. Family Psychotherapy. Moscow: Eksmo, 2005, 960 pp.
Nartova-Bochaver, S. K. Differential Psychology. Moscow, 2001.
Obukhova, L. F. Developmental Psychology. Moscow, 2007.
Parygin, B. D. Social Psychology. St. Petersburg, 1999.
Stolyarenko, L. D. Fundamentals of Psychology: A Textbook. Rostov-on-Don: Feniks, 2003.
Readings in Psychology: A Textbook. Moscow: Prosveshchenie, 1987.
Yaroshevsky, M. History of Psychology. Moscow, 1985.
Contacts
Programme Director: Narine Harutyunyan, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor
(+374)96-800-845
