Psychology 2024-2025
300 Higher Education Credits, 5 years.
To be accepted as an exchange student at Karolinska Institutet you must be enrolled at a higher education institution that has a written exchange agreement with Karolinska Institutet for the specific study programme of interest. Exchange students should be selected and nominated by their home institution, however the final decision on admission is made by Karolinska Institutet.
Find your course or rotation syllabus
To find the syllabus for the course or rotation you are interested in, follow the link to the course syllabus archive above.
You need to enter the course codes to access the syllabuses and they can be found right before the name of the courses or rotations listed on this page, under "Options in English" and "Options in Swedish".
Options in English
For exchange students without very good command of the Swedish language, the Psychology Programme offers options in English as presented below.
Certain specific requirements may also have to be met when applying for advanced courses.
Course and project overview
The psychology programme at Karolinska Institute is the only psychology program in Sweden with a strong base in the medical sciences. This five-year degree is designed for students who wish to study psychology intensively with the goal to pursue a career as a research or professional psychologist. The programme is adapted to the Bologna-process, including three-years of studies on the first level of education (Bachelor) and two years of studies on the second level of education (Master).
Please note that the options in English are limited and that a study place cannot be guaranteed.
Courses and projects available in 2024-2025
Courses available during the autumn semester 2024 and spring semester 2025
- 1EE088 Scientific project in psychology for exchange students, 19.5 ECTS credits (Bachelor level; flexible course period)
- 1EE086 Scientific project in psychology for exchange students, 15 ECTS (Bachelor level; flexible course period)
- 1EE132 Scientific project in psychology for exchange students, 30 ECTS credits (Bachelor level; flexible course period)
- 2EE101 Scientific project in psychology for exchange students, 19.5 ECTS credits (Master level; flexible course period)
- 2EE102 Scientific project in psychology for exchange students, 30 ECTS credits (Master level; flexible course period)
- 2EE105 Scientific project in psychology for exchange students, 60 ECTS credits (Master level; flexible course period)
Courses available during the spring semester 2025
- 1EE090 Reading course in Cognitive processes for exchange students, 4.5 ECTS credits (Bachelor level; flexible course period, given only in combination with 2PS029, Cognitive processes)
- 2PS024 Reading Course in Psychology, 7.5 ECTS credits credits (Bachelor level; parttime)
- 2PS041 Health Behaviour in a Sustainable World, 7.5 ECTS credits (Bachelor level, part time)
- 2PS015 Clinical forensic psychology, 7.5 ECTS credits credits (Bachelor level; parttime)
- 1EE089 Reading course in Social psychology for exchange students, 4.5 ECTS credits (Bachelor level; flexible course period, given only in combination with 2PS003, Social psychology)
- 2PS045 Disability and Psychology, 7.5 ECTS credits
- 2PS038 Alcohol and Drug Dependence - Diagnostics and Treatment from a Bio-psychological Perspective, 7.5 ECTS credits
- 2PS003 Social Psychology, 15 ECTS credits
Most courses are full-time courses and require at least 40 hours of work per week. If not specifically stated, courses are given in blocks and not in parallel, hence, a student can only attend one course at a time. All clinical courses integrate theory and practical clinical training. The performance will be graded in accordance with the ECTS grading scale and on the basis of the student´s fulfillment of the learning outcomes stated in the course syllabus
Interprofessional course
Options in Swedish
Exchange students with a good command of Swedish or another Scandinavian language are welcome to apply for the courses presented below.
General and Specific Requirements
Exchange students applying for a course at Karolinska Institutet have to fulfill general as well as specific course/rotation requirements. Specific course requirements may be required. All students have to fulfill the language requirements:
- A very good command of Swedish, corresponding to a pass in the TISUS-test
In addition to this, exchange students applying for clinical courses/courses on the second cycle leve have to fulfill the following general requirements:
- Three years of study at a study programme in Psychology
Many clinical courses are carried out in such a way that students work together with psychologists/medical doctors and directly with patients.
All courses are full-time courses and require at least 40 hours of work per week. No courses run in parallel (unless stated). A student can only attend one course at a time. All courses end with an exam. All clinical courses integrate theory and practical clinical training. The performance will be graded in accordance with the ECTS grading scale and on the basis of the students fulfillment of the learning outcomes stated in the course syllabus. All courses start every semester (both autumn and spring)
Semester 1 (autumn)
- 2PS001 Experimental psychology, 15 ECTS credits
- 2PS002 Basic biology, 7.5 ECTS credits
- 2PS000 Introduction to psychology, 7.5hp ECTS credit
Semester 2 (spring)
- 2PS004 Cognitive processes, 15 ECTS credits
- 2PS003 Social psychology, 15 ECTS credits
Semester 3 (autumn)
- 2PS005 Differential psychology, 15 ECTS credits
- 2PS006 Developmental psychology, 15 ECTS credits
Semester 4 (spring)
- 2PS008 Health psychology, 7.5 ECTS credits
- 2PS007 Clinical psychology 1, 22.5 ECTS credits
Semester 5 (autumn)
- 2PS011 Work and organizational psychology 1, 15 ECTS credits
- 2PS009 Preclinical integration, 4.5 ECTS credits
- 2PS014 Society and health, 6 ECTS credits
- 2PS010 Theory of science, 4.5 ECTS credits
Semester 6 (spring)
- 2PS015 Clinical forensic psychology, 7.5 ECTS credits
Semester 7 (autumn)
- 2PS016 Clinical Psychology 2, 25.5 ECTS
- 2PS017 Self awareness and clinical skills, 4,5 ECTS
- 1EE021 Community and home base rehabilitation 7.5 ECTS
Application
Application deadlines
- 1 May (for the autumn semester 2024, end of August to mid-January)
- 15 October (for the spring semester 2025, mid-January to the beginning of June)
Magdalena Palmquist
Administrative Officer| Curriculum Psychology 2023-2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester | Course | ECTS Credits |
| 1 | Introduction to psychology | 7.5 |
| Basic biology | 7.5 | |
| Experimental psychology | 15 | |
| 2 | Cognitive processes | 15 |
| Social psychology | 15 | |
| 3 | Differential psychology | 15 |
| Development psychology | 15 | |
| 4 | Health psychology | 7.5 |
| Clinical psychology 1 | 22.5 | |
| 5 | Preclinical integration | 4.5 |
| Scientific theory | 4.5 | |
| Human society | 6 | |
| Occupational and organisational psychology 1 | 15 | |
| 6 | Occupational and organisational psychology 2 | 15 |
| Degree project in psychology or Electives | ||
| 7 | Statistics and methodology | 4.5 |
| Clinical psychology 2 | 22.5 | |
| 8 | Psychology in practice | 19.5 |
| Clinical methods in psychology | 6 | |
| Personal therapy | 4.5 | |
| 9 | Psychological treatment methods, including psychotheraphy | 30 |
| 10 | Degree project in psychology | 30 |
More information about the study programme
Psychology is the science of human behaviour, experience, thoughts and emotions. Many of the questions that psychology aims to answer have followed mankind for a long time: How do our senses form an impression of the world? How can we maintain a lifestyle that makes us healthy? How is behaviour affected by heredity and environment? How can we reduce violence and aggression?
Scientific psychological methods have developed very rapidly, particularly in areas close to biology and medicine. Better knowledge of the brain has given us a better understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.
Karolinska Institutet's study programme in psychology has as its objective to produce psychologists with a broad range of skills in the professional field of psychology and a specific preparedness for assisting in and contributing to the development of healthcare in society. As the study programme is offered by a medical university, students also have an opportunity to make contact with other professional groups in the health care sector.
During the first three years, students gain basic knowledge of the biomedical and neuroscientific aspects of psychology. Students meet psychologists with a variety of professional responsibilities. The fourth year focuses on clinical applications of psychology, including test methodology and practice. The final year consists of a course in psychotherapy and a degree project.