A course that focuses on persons-in-contexts and the community at large such as cities, neighbourhoods, virtual, workplace, and school communities. By activating the resources present in the community itself, the course offers the theoretical models of social, general, developmental, clinical and health psychology to identify, for preventive purposes, areas and groups of those at risk. Students will gain theoretical knowledge needed to encourage social change and the promotion of pro-social attitudes to develop projects that prevent mental, physical and social health problems by detecting the needs of groups and communities and to prevent risky behaviour and aggressive conduct. Students will be able to evaluate the mental, physical and social health problems of groups and operate interventions in the psycho-social fields adaptable to the situation.
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Characteristics and objectives
Pursuant to Law no. 163 of 8 November 2021 and subsequent implementation decrees, the holders of a Master's degree in Psychology of Community, Wellness Promotion, and Social Change are qualified to work as professional psychologists in Italy. The second cycle degree course in Psychology of Community, Wellness Promotion, and Social Change is characterized by a strong multidisciplinary approach to the design of professional interventions in the field of prevention and health promotion, that can influence the interaction between the individual and the environment. Major areas of study and intervention are the persons-in-contexts and the communities at large: cities, neighborhoods, local communities and virtual communities, the workplace, healthcare organizations and schools. The main objective is to promote civil cohabitation, quality of life and individual as well as collective well-being.The training course provides students with basic knowledge and skills about the main theoretical models of social psychology, general psychology, developmental psychology, clinical and health psychology to identify areas and groups of people at risk in order to take action in terms of prevention, possibly using and activating the resources present in the community. Specifically, the student will acquire a solid theoretical knowledge and skills to promote both social change (e.g. the overcoming of stereotypes and inequalities) and the promotion of pro-social attitudes (e.g. sense of justice, civic responsibility, solidarity attitudes and cooperation). The student will also acquire solid skills in the design and implementation of projects aimed at the prevention of health, mental health and social problems (e.g. depression), the recognition of the needs of different groups and communities (in order to improve the welfare of 'individual and the entire community) and the targeting of at-risk behaviors (e.g. sexuality-related problems and substance abuse) and of aggressive and violent behaviors (think for example about the phenomenon of bullying in schools or negative attitude towards migration in the neighborhoods).
Occupational opportunities
The second cycle degree course in Psychology of Community, Wellness Promotion, and Social Change train professionals in the following skills: a) assess the main health, mental health and social problems in specific social groups and communities through scientifically validated tools and investigation techniques; b) design psychosocial interventions that are culturally sensitive to the contexts (e.g. the critical aspects of virtual communities, bullying in schools, cultural integration in neighborhoods and cities) based on the main theoretical models of the scientific literature. Graduates will become specialists and proficient in the profession of Psychological Sciences and, after registering to the professional Order of Psychologists, will be able to work and function as a Psychologist (with the possibility to carry out the psychotherapeutic profession after further studies in graduate schools enabling the exercise of Psychotherapy). The graduate can also work as a professional in the social and public health facilities (consistent with applicable rules for access to the role of psychologist in the National Health System) and private (local associations, national and international social cooperation agencies), and as a professional psychologist, in particular in the field consulting and advising for the design of social and health policies, and in evaluating the effectiveness of prevention projects.