This text is part of the special section Higher education
More than ever, our society needs psychology graduates to help people meet the challenges of modern life. UQAM has overhauled the bachelor’s degree in psychology in order to offer training more suited to current issues.
“The complexity of life is greater than before, and psychologists must equip themselves differently to face it and be able to help people,” affirms Nathalie Houlfort, full professor and director of the program unit of 1er cycle of the Department of Psychology of the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). In addition, beyond psychotherapy and therapeutic counseling, many other ways of practicing psychology have greatly developed over the past 20 years. Work psychology, among others, has taken off, and more and more work and organizational psychologists are being hired. “
There are also community psychologists, more present to do work in the field and within organizations. Psychology is also increasingly present in other fields, such as video games and virtual reality. Thus, psychology graduates are hired by game studios to examine the human factors involved and assess user experience, among other things.
“We had to revise our baccalaureate to offer a greater diversity of courses in these fields,” says the professor. It was important to adapt our training in the light of the new needs of society. A training in psychology can also prepare for graduate studies in other disciplines. “
New courses and profile
The new program in psychology therefore includes 16 new courses, while 13 courses in the old program have been withdrawn.
“We have revised our course offering to incorporate these new interests and reflect where the discipline is in 2021, compared to what it was 20 years ago. For example, we have new courses in positive psychology, on the human-animal relationship and on psychological health at work. We also have a course related to the end of life and bereavement, important issues with demographic changes and the aging of the population. “
The changes are also intended to better meet the needs of students. The new program includes an introductory profile in applied psychology, which will allow students to go into the field in observation, to better understand the various aspects of their discipline in different environments. This profile will be available from fall 2022.
In addition, the changes made to the baccalaureate reflect the expertise of the Department of Psychology at UQAM. “We are a little over 70 professors, which makes us one of the largest psychology departments in North America, and one of the great advantages is that our entire faculty represents a significant critical mass in nine areas of expertise in psychology. We have neuropsychology, psychodynamics, humanistic, community, developmental, educational, work and organizational, social and personality psychology, and the cognitive and behavioral approach ”, specifies Nathalie Houlfort.
Avenues for graduates
In Quebec, the title of psychologist is reserved and requires having obtained a doctorate as well as professional accreditation from the Ordre des psychologues du Québec. However, even if about 200 students, on average, are admitted to the baccalaureate at UQAM each year, only about 12% subsequently obtain a doctorate and the title of psychologist.
Those with a bachelor’s degree in psychology who are not heading towards a doctorate still have many options before them.
“We are working to open other avenues to our students, who either do not want to obtain a doctorate or do not have access to it. They can move on to other areas at the master’s level, for example in change management, organizational development, sexology, social work, counseling. Some, with their baccalaureate, will be able to become relationship agents in community organizations, psychotechnicians, interveners in the social services network. By finishing their baccalaureate, they still have interesting tools and opportunities for the job market, ”concludes Nathalie Houlfort.