GRADUATE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY
CONCENTRATION:
HEALTH & COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
The MSc program in Health and Counseling Psychology at UACS provides students with a foundation of knowledge across a broad range of mental health symptom categories, and knowledge through an examination of empirically-supported assessment, diagnostic and treatment methodologies for child and adult psychopathology. A variety of schools of therapy and counseling are discussed and students practice clinical interviewing and basic counseling skills. The subjects additionally emphasize the psychophysical bases of health and illness, including an examination of the causes of stress, as well as an introduction to coping and adaptation as applied to pain and illness.
- We create professionals who are capable of dealing with modern-day challenges in the areas of psychology, especially the ones related to health psychology and counseling.
- Our courses are carefully designed to tackle some of the most important issues in health psychology and counseling.
- We have a well-balanced combination of theoretical and practical knowledge delivered interactively by professors, experts and practitioners.
- We create a vivid environment for continuous interchange of professional experience among international professors, guest speakers and students.
- We offer an exceptional mix of the best practices of European and American educational systems.
- We involve our students in international research projects and activities.
- Our students benefit from the opportunity to take part in the Erasmus+ European Mobility Program and spend a study semester at one of our partner universities in Europe
- Our School is the only internationally recognized school in Macedonia
- Our School has excellent professors
- Our School employs the most advanced teaching philosophy
- The student/teacher ratio guarantees individual attention to every student.
- Marjan I. Bojadjiev, PhD– UACS Provost, Professor of Organizational and Consumer Behavior, former CEO in the finance industry
- Prof. Elizabeta Mukaetova Ladinska, PhD, Professor in Psychiatry of Old Age, Institute of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, UK
- Evica Delova Jolevska, PhD – Adjunct Professor of Statistics, Director of Supervision and Licensing at the National Bank of Macedonia
- Venka Simovska, PhD – Visiting Professor of Educational Psychology, Aarhus University
- Prof. Ana Tomovska-Misoska, PhD – Professor of Social and Developmental Psychology, and Human Resources Management
- Prof. Ilijana Petrovska, PhD – Professor of Marketing Psychology
- Prof. Ivan Dodovski, PhD – Professor of Research Methodology, Dean of the School of Political Science
- Assoc. Prof. Venera Krliu-Handjiski, PhD – Vice Rector for Education, Associate Professor of Organizational Psychology
- Prof. Ljupcho Efremov, PhD – Assistant Professor of Psychology and Statistics
- Prof. Maja Korubin-Kjorluka, PhD – Assistant Professor of Personality Theories and Psychological Counseling
- Prof. Kate Trajkova, PhD – Assistant Professor of Management Psychology and Psychology of Communication
- Prof. Dimitrinka Jordanova Peshevska, PhD– Assistant Professor of Health and Counseling Psychology, Senior Consultant at the World Health Organization
- Prof. Emilija Georgievska, PhD– Visiting Assistant Professor of Health and Clinical Psychology, Saint Louis University in Madrid
- Blagica Rizoska-Vanikj, PhD – Professor of Practice in Cognitive Psychology, Counseling and Stress Management
By the end of the program students should be able to:
Gain knowledge and understanding of:
- Psychosocial foundations of health, illness and disease;
- Theory and practice of counseling and therapy;
- Psychological processes of acute and long-term conditions and health care delivery;
- Applications of health psychology;
- Conceptualization and articulation of personal evolving model of couple and family therapy, children and adolescents counselling;
- Basic concepts relevant to the theory and practice of counseling and therapy from historical/foundational and postmodern perspectives;
Develop cognitive and specific skills:
- Evaluate evidence regarding the relationships between psychological factors, physiological and pathological factors and health, illness and disease;
- Evaluate research outcomes on the psychological correlates of health and illness behaviours;
- Analytical reasoning related to the complexity of the issues of health, illness, therapy and counselling
- Translation of psychotherapy process information into applied treatment directions and therapy goals in ways that are consistent with systemically oriented theoretical perspectives.
- Discuss in-depth issues in health psychology and counselling by drawing on relevant evidence;
- Comprehensively and critically evaluate research and theories in health psychology and counselling.
Develop practical skills:
- Plan, conduct and write-up research that addresses important and relevant applied health psychology issues;
- Design health-related interventions;
- Critically evaluate interventions or services;
- Make decisions about patients’ needs and welfare through evidence-based reasoning;
- Identify and apply clinical skills and interventions in counselling and psychotherapy;
- Take an ethical and reflective approach to their practice as a health psychologist.
Students gain knowledge and understanding through interactive lectures and workshops involving significant learner activity, which allows students to engage with the material and encourages a deeper approach to learning. Some of the learning methods anticipate active involvement, such as: case study, role play, problem solving, learning by doing, individual and team projects, and simulations.
Carrier opportunities in health psychology and counselling psychology are rapidly expanding. Areas of employment include:
- health promotion at the workplace, in community or public health;
- counselling in business, school or family environments;
- addiction counselling, including smoking cessation;
- stress management;
- management of chronic illness including pain, cardiovascular disease or HIV;
- research and teaching.
Consequently students may work in a variety of settings including the national health system, public health, private clinics, schools, non-governmental sector, international organizations, industry and academia, or pursue further postgraduate training or study.
THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Courses:
- Advanced Research Methods
- Advanced Statistics for Psychologists
- Advanced Health Psychology
- Elective course
- Elective course
- Elective course
- General elective course
- MA Thesis Writing Workshop
- MA thesis
Elective courses:
- Approaches to Counseling and Psychotherapy
- Psychopathology
- Couple and Family Counselling
- Counseling Children and Adolescents
- Addiction Counceling
- Sport Psychology and Counseling
- Human Resources Development
- Advanced Organisational Behaviour
General elective courses:
- Advanced Organisational Behaviour
- Business Communication
- Positive Psychology
- Cross-cultural Psychology
- Psychology of Creativity
- Advanced Psychology of Communication
Two-year academic program (3+2) – courses in Year One:
- Major Theories in Psychology
- Key Issues & Controversies in Psychology
- Elective course
- Elective course
- Elective course
- General elective course
- General elective course
- Research project
- Internship
Elective courses:
- Advanced Biological Psychology
- Advanced Lifespan Development
- Advanced Psychology of Communication
- Advanced Clinical Psychology
- Advanced Educational Psychology
General elective courses:
- Advanced Organisational Behaviour
- Business Communication
- Positive Psychology
- Cross-cultural Psychology
- Psychology of Creativity
Two-year academic program (3+2) – courses in Year Two:
- Advanced Research Methods
- Advanced Statistics for Psychologists
- Advanced Health Psychology
- Elective course
- Elective course
- Elective course
- General elective course
- Thesis Writing Workshop
- MA thesis
Elective courses:
- Approaches to Counseling and Psychotherapy
- Psychopathology
- Couple and family counselling
- Counseling Children and Adolescents
- Addiction Counceling
- Sport Psychology and Counseling
- Human Resources Development
- Advanced Organisational Behaviour
General elective courses:
- Advanced Organisational Behaviour
- Business Communication
- Positive Psychology
- Cross-cultural Psychology
- Psychology of Creativity
- Advanced Psychology of Communication
Note: UACS reserves the right to offer a selective list of elective courses.