Psychology, B.Sc.

This includes research into basic psychological functions such as perception, learning, memory, language, emotions and the control of behavior. In addition, psychology is concerned with the study of social factors influencing human behavior and the study of the intellectual, social and emotional development of people over the lifespan. She also deals with the research of personality traits and inter-individual differences in experience and behavior up to the research of mental disorders as well as their diagnosis and therapy.

Due to the natural scientific understanding of psychology, the foundations of scientific work, such as the experimental testing of hypotheses, knowledge from scientific theory and statistics also play an important role.

A variety of different methods are used in psychological research. Subjective data are obtained through mostly standardized self or external surveys, for example through questionnaires or interviews. Behavioral observation and measurement, such as reaction times or latencies, are also used. Physiological variables such as skin conductivity or EEG are also recorded. Imaging techniques have become increasingly important in recent years.

The Institute of Psychology at the University of Würzburg was founded in 1896 by Oswald Külpe. The Würzburg Institute is one of the oldest psychological institutes. Oswald Külpe and his team succeeded in establishing a research direction that became world-famous as the "Würzburg School of Psychology of Thought" and which had a major influence on the development of psychology as a modern science. Today, the Psychological Institute of the University of Würzburg is regularly distinguished by top positions in numerous university rankings.

A natural list of the sub-areas of psychology, as taught at the University of Würzburg, is of course general psychology, biopsychology, differential and personality psychology, developmental psychology, the history of psychology, social psychology, diagnostics, test theory and test development, clinical psychology, interventional psychology, neuropsychology, educational psychology, business psychology, ergonomics and traffic psychology.

The job description of psychologists reflects the diversity of the subject.

Most psychologists are active in the field of clinical psychology, i.e. therapy and counseling approaches are at the forefront of the professional activity. This is particularly the case in hospitals and when working independently in a practice, but also in counseling centers and special educational institutions. Often, however, the three to five-year additional training in "Psychological Psychotherapy" is required in this area of ​​work, for which a master's degree in psychology is necessary.

The second largest field of activity for psychologists is research and teaching, usually in higher education.

One area of ​​employment that has grown in importance in recent years is work, business and organizational psychology. Here, psychologists typically work in personnel selection, development and in-house further training. Employment in the field of market research and advertising has also increased.

Other areas of employment include traffic psychology, forensic psychology and emergency psychology. You can also work as an employed psychologist in schools. Overall, the job situation can be described as good. Although the proportion of part-time jobs is over 40 percent above average compared to many other occupational fields, the unemployment figures are well below the average unemployment of the academic professions.

Psychological psychotherapists diagnose and treat psychological and psychosomatic disorders with disease value in humans using scientifically recognized psychotherapeutic procedures. Psychological psychotherapists work in psychotherapeutic practices, in hospitals, psychosomatic institutions or psychiatric clinics. Universities, health care organizations and counseling facilities offer further employment opportunities.

The labor market situation can be assessed as very good.