European Credits

60 European Credits (ECs) are the equivalent of a full year of study or work. Please note that in The Netherlands, 1 EC represents 28 hours of work.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is designed to make it easier for students to move between countries and to have their academic qualifications and study periods abroad recognized.

Levels

• Level 1: comparable to UvA bachelor year 1, basic, introductory courses in the field.
• Level 2: comparable to UvA bachelor year 2, comprehensive, intermediate courses.
• Level 3: comparable to UvA bachelor year 2/3, advanced, more specialized courses.

Level 3 of the UvA bachelor refers to level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework. 

Applicants need to demonstrate sufficient knowledge and skills in the main fields of Psychology as shown by academic course modules on the transcript.

The selection committee requires all students to have basic knowledge of the broad range of subjects within the field of Psychology at least at level 1 (comparable to UvA bachelor year 1, basic, introductory courses).

You can meet this requirement by showing you have passed (basic) courses on several subjects in Psychology: e.g., Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Clinical Psychology (often called Psychopathology), Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Educational Psychology, Organizational or Industrial Psychology, et cetera.

At level 2 or 3

You need to demonstrate sufficient advanced knowledge and skills in the field of your intended major specialization, as demonstrated by academic course modules on the transcript. This background knowledge is required to successfully participate in the advanced specialized courses.

These courses have to be at level 2 (comparable to UvA bachelor year 2, comprehensive, intermediate courses) or 3* (comparable to UvA bachelor year 2/3, advanced, more specialized courses).

The major is to be selected out of the following six specializations:

• Clinical Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Methodology and Statistics
• Brain and Cognition
• Social Psychology
• Work and Organizational Psychology

* Level 3 of the UvA bachelor refers to level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework.

At level 1/2/3

of which ≥ 21 EC on quantitative research and ≥ 4 EC at level 2 or 3

• The selection committee requires all candidates to have completed ≥ 24 EC courses on Methods and Statistics (M&S), preferably Psychological methods and statistics, but M&S courses on the broader field of social sciences are accepted as well. Since our research master’s programme is focused on quantitative research (as opposed to qualitative research), at least 21 of the required 24 credits needs to be about quantitative research. This requirements assures you will have the knowledge/skills you need in the programme.
• Concerning methodology, the selection committee looks for information indicating you have a good understanding of the following topics: observational versus experimental studies, (quasi-)experimental designs, randomization, sampling, confounding, bias, test construction, measurement error, test reliability, and test validity. You should also be able to explain what type of conclusions can be drawn from different types of study designs (and what not), and should be able to analyze the quality (i.e., reliability and validity) of a psychological measurement instrument.
• Concerning statistics, the selection committee looks for information indicating you have a good understanding of the following topics: descriptive statistics, (conditional) probabilities, random variables, populations versus samples, sampling distributions, inferential statistics, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. You should also be able to summarize univariate and bivariate data distributions, and should be able to test null hypotheses (t-tests, ANOVA – factorial/mixed, ANCOVA, MANOVA, correlation, regression, moderator/mediator analysis), do PCA, non-parametric testing, etc.
• The book that reflects the level of statistical knowledge that is needed is: Statistics: The Art and Science of Learning from Data by Agresti & Franklin (2012).

To find out whether you possess the skills and knowledge required to follow the advanced research methods and statistics courses, we offer you this test:

Methods and Statistics self-diagnostic test 

The 20 questions in this test are based on the book "Statistics: the art and science of learning from data" by Agresti & Franklin (2012). The test is purely self-diagnostic and designed to give candidates insight in the skills and knowledge required to successfully follow our advanced methods and statistics courses. The results of this test are not revealed to us and will in no way affect the selection of candidates for the Research Master ’s programme.

In order to ensure that you have sufficient research skills to start the master’s, the selection committee wants you to demonstrate that you have done an empirical research project of ≥ 9 EC on a subject within Psychology or a related social science and have written an individual research report about it in APA-style. 

You should have had research experience other than theoretical, (e.g., research project during bachelor, supervised experiments, etc. This can be demonstrated by modules on the transcript (candidates must at least be enrolled in a bachelor thesis or project, although this does not have to be completed yet).

Please note: A literature review does not suffice; you must have carried out empirical research, i.e., collected and analysed data.

Additional research experience (e.g., lab training, research assistant, publications, etc.) can be put on the curriculum vitae / resume: in a paragraph ‘research experience’. More information about the curriculum vitae can found here: more information about the required documents'.

One section of the motivation statement will ask you to describe a potential research study design and this will evaluated for scientific writing skills, by examining the adequacy of the research design as well as the structure, logic, and strength of argumentation, as well as grammar and spelling.

In addition to the academic requirements, the selection committee assesses the relevance and quality of your motivation statement. Applications may get rejected in case the motivation does not sufficiently match the content of the programme. The motivation statement consists of answers to four specific questions regarding the programme. See header 6 upload required documents for the motivation statement format.

Applicants who would like to apply for the special study track ‘Clinical route / health care requirements’, need to fulfil more requirements. Please read the following to see who is eligible and how this should be demonstrated: https://studiegids.uva.nl/xmlpages/page/2022-2023/zoek-opleiding/opleiding/7260/250206