The teaching of Psychology in ItalyAnna Emilia Berti e Chiara Nicolini

University of Padova ae.berti@unipd.itchiara.nicolini@unipd.it

Psychology courses in Italy: a short history

Until relatively recently, Italian Universities did not offer a formal degree in Psychology. It was only in 1971 that a 4-year curriculum in psychology (extended to 5 years a few years later) was approved by the Ministry of Education. It was then offered by the Universities of Padova and Rome, each attracting several thousand students. The rapid increase in interest in Psychology and the Social Sciences which took place in Italy during the 1960s) led to the enrolment of massive numbers of students. The situation was further facilitated by two characteristics of the Italian University system. First, in those years, Italian legislation did not make it possible to limit the number of students enrolled in any Faculty of the University. Second, the Psychology degree was offered by the Faculty of Magistero (similar to Education), in which students were neither compelled nor expected to attend lessons, and a degree could be attained by simply going to the University a few days a year to take examinations. When the first Italian Faculties of Psychology (grouping the Departments of Psychology) were set up in Rome (1991) and Padova (1992) this did not change expectations about students actually attending lessons. From the 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s there was a slow increase in the number of Universities offering Psychology courses, becoming a total of seven in 1992. At that time, all university curricula were decided by the Ministry of Education, and were very similar across Italy. The 5-year Psychology academic curriculum concluded with a degree (called laurea). One year of supervised practice (6 months in a professional context and a further 6 months in a different professional context) was necessary to pass the state examination required to become a member of the Ordine degli Psicologi and thus becoming a Chartered Psychologist (see below).Great changes took place in the Italian University or at the end of the 1990’s), when a series of laws was passed. One of the first (Law 264, 2nd August 1990) introduced a compulsory restriction on numbers in some degree courses (Medicine, Architecture, Primary school Education), and made this restriction possible in all other courses when justified for teaching or organizational reasons (such as the availability of places in laboratories or computing systems). However, a second law (Law 341, 21st November 1990) confirmed that a course could be attended by up to 250 students (similar to the situation in the past). A third law (Decree 509, 3rd November 1999) developed new curricula according to the Bologna Agreement (1999) and promoted the autonomy of Universities. Among other things, this involved the possibility for Universities to set up new degree courses.These laws could have promoted a better organization of Psychology Courses. Instead, they led to an unrestricted increase in the number of Universities offering Psychology Courses, resulting in a similar increase in the number of students, graduated, and Licensed Psychologists (see Fig. 2).

It can be seen that in the last decade the increase in the number of Chartered Psychologists is around 10% per year. For instance, in 2009 there was one psychologist for every 808 people in Italy, one of highest ratios in Europe.

The number of Psychology graduates is very high (5698 il 2008-9), considering the Italian population as a whole (about 59m people). Second, the trend of an increasing number of psychology graduates persists after the Bologna Agreement, at least up to 2006.

Note: The data presented in this figures are kindly provided by the National Board of Italian Psychologists (Ordine Nazionale degli Psicologi).

0

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

60.000

70.000

80.000

Enrolled

Graduated inpsychology

licensed psychologists

Fig. 2. Number of students enrolled and graduated in Psychology second degree courses (5 years courses before the Bologna Agreement) and of licensed psychologists

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Universities

Courses

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Universities

Courses

Fig. 1. Number of Universities offering first level (BA) and second level (MA) Psychology degree courses

First level Second level

First degree courses (BA) offered by the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Padua, and the number of students enrolled

Courses No of students *

Cognitive Psychology and psychobiology

200

Developmental and Educational Psychology

200

Social and Work Psychology 200

Psychology of Personality and Interpersonal Relationships

290

Social psychological research (distance Learning degree)

110

Total number of students enrolled in the 2009-2010 academic year: 4224

Note: *Students accepted in the first year (limited number).Source: Administration Office of the Faculty of Psychology, Padua University

Second degree courses (MA) offered by the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Padua and the number of students enrolled at first year level

Courses No. of students*

Experimental psychology and cognitive sciences

18

Clinical psychology 103

Neurosciences and rehabilitation

83

Developmental and Educational psychology

111

Social, Work and Communication Psychology

120

Dynamic clinical psychology 310

Community Psychology 15

Note: *The number of enrolments is not limited, but only students who graduate with a final mark of at least 95 can enrol.Source: Administration Office of the Faculty of Psychology, Padua University

Given the limited degree of autonomy Italian Universities are allowed to, the university curricula are heavily constrained by the Ministry of Education, that has categorized the teaching courses of each university curriculum into four kinds: Basic courses, characterizing courses, integrating courses, and “other activities”. In the first degree (180 ECTS), at least 27 ECTS should be devoted to the basic courses and at least 43 ECTS to the characterizing courses. At least 18 ECTS should be spent on the o-called integrating courses, consisting mostly of non-psychological disciplines (e.g., Economics). Finally, at least 30 ECTS should be devoted to “ther activities” such as acquisition of academic and work-related skills (e.g., English, computer science, stage).The same four kinds of courses cover the 120 ECTS of the laurea magistrale

General psychology

Developmental psychology

Social psychology

Psychobiology

Psychometrics

Applied biology

One exame at choice among one of the following:

•Principle and methods in pedagogy,

•History of phylosophical and scientific thinking,

•General sociology,

•Social Anthropology

Basic teaching courses (common to all first degree

Psychology Courses)

The new curriculum started in 2001 in most Universities. There were two consecutive phases: A 180 ECTS (3 year) first degree called Scienze e Tecniche Psicologiche

(Psychological Sciences and Techniques) leading to the qualification of laurea (roughly equivalent to a BA), and a second 120 ECTS (2 year) degree called Psicologia (Psychology) leading to the qualification of Laurea Specialistica (now called Laurea Magistrale, roughly equivalent to a BA). An example of this organization is given with reference to the Faculty of Psychology at Padova University

Psychology curriculum following the Bologna Agreement

The profession of Psychologist is regulated by Law 56, 18 February1989. This law decrees that to become a Chartered Psychologist, and to be a member of the Ordine degli Psicologi, it is necessary to complete one year of supervised practice (6 months in a professional context and a further 6 months in a different professional context) after the 5-year degree, as well as to pass a state exam. The laws also defines what a Psychologist can do and makes a distinction between Psychologist and Psychotherapist:

Article 1. The profession of Psychologist involves the use of cognitive instruments and interventions in the areas of prevention, diagnosis, habilitation-rehabilitation and support within the psychological field aimed at individuals, groups, social organisations and the

community. It also includes experiment, research and teaching activities within the same

field.Article 3. (The practice of psychotherapy). The practice of psychotherapy is linked to specific professional training acquired after graduating in Psychology or in Medicine and Surgery by means of specialized courses of at least 4 years duration, which provide appropriate training in psychotherapy, [...], in university specialist schools or recognized institutes [....].

According to the law (D. 509, 11 December 1998), a specialist school cannot enrol more than 20 students a year. In order to be “recognized”, a school “has to document the validity of its methodological and theoretical approach, and to provide scientific evidence of its efficacy” to a “Ministerial technical board”. The school must also show that it can provide its students with training opportunities in the public or private sectors, and that it offers qualified teachers. After an Institute has been “recognized”, it has to establish a “scientific board” of experts, one of whom should be University professor, with the task of compiling a report on the activities of the school for the Ministry of Education every year.With these lax conditions for setting up and running a specialist school, it is little surprise that the number of these schools has increased exponentially from the 39 recognized between 1992 and1994, to 341 schools as of May 2009. On the other hand, the number of specialization courses offered by Universities does not exceed 20.

Approaches of “authorized Specialisation Schools

The specialist (post-graduate) schools

The increase in number of schools is paralleled by an increase in the number of students attending them, and an increase in Chartered Psychotherapists. In 2009, there were more than 37,000 psychotherapists in Italy, one for

every 1844 people. It should be noted that the schools currently open in Italy offer a number of first year courses (7,802) which exceeds the number of students attaining a degree. University courses in Psychology and private specialist schools therefore seem to form a closed system, the first providing fuel for the second, which, in turn, provides jobs as teachers and supervisors for psychologists

They really want to become

psychotherapists.

They feel their laurea did not provide them with adequate preparation.

They are unemployed and therefore continue studying, turning themselves into professional students

They are unemployed or dissatisfied with their job, and do whatever they can to enrich their CV.

Why do so many psychologists attend specialist schools? Here are some tentative (not mutually exclusive) answers

Available data on the employment of psychologists suggests that many are not well paid in their job. Our experience as members of the State Examination Board (which has the opportunity to talk with candidates about their plans) has taught us that most students,

How to become a Charted Psychologist in Italy

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

grad. 2006 grad. 2004

Ph.d

Specialisationschool

University MasterCourse

Other kiinds ofMasters

Pofessional trainigcourse

Percentages of graduated who enrolled in other courses after graduating (Source: ALMALAUREA)

Employment situation of students who attained a MA in Psychology (or a 5-year curriculum for 2004 graduates) in 2006 and 2004 (3 and 5 years after graduating) according to ALMALAUREA

survey (www.almalaurea.it)

Sample description

Grad. 2006

Grad. 2004

Number interviewed 859 991

Male 18.5 % 15.7 %

Female 81.5 % 84.3 %

Average age at MA graduation

28.6 27.3

Average final marks 101.4 102.8

Duration of studies (average years)

8.1 6.8

Notes. Final marks can range from 66 to 110. It should be noted that the Bologna Agreement led to an increase in the length of studies

Grad.2006

after 3 years

Grad. 2004

after 5 years

Self-employed 15.8 % 26.3 %

Permanent position 28.5 % 39.3 %

Total 44.3 % 65.6 %

Other types of employment (not permanent)

55.7% 34.4 %

Part-time 55.1 % 47.1 %

Area of employment

Public sector 18.0 % 20.5 %

Private sector 82.0 % 79.4 %

Current employment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Grad. 2006 Grad. 2004

Percentage ofemployedgraduates

Continuation in pre-graduationemployment

Non-continuation inpre-graduationemployment

Started work aftergraduation

Time elapsingbetween graduationand first job (inmonths).

Entry into the workforce

Economic sectors in which psychologist works

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Grad. 2006

Industry

Trade

Credit, insurance

Transport,advertising,communicationsConsultancy

Informationtechnology

Other serviceindustries

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Grad. 2006 Grad. 2004

MaleFemaleTotal

Average wage (in Euros)

In Italy, a very important part of teaching psychology and the psychologist’s education takes place outside the University and without any effective verification procedure or guarantee of quality. There is a striking contrast between the open or loosely programmed access to University degree courses (which in many cases allows only traditional teaching methods) and the small sized classes in post-graduate specialist schools.

It is absolutely necessary to control access to courses and to bring the training of psychologists within the University to increase the

efficacy of the training while reducing the duration.

Concluding remarks

AcknowledgementsWe thank Vittorio Rubini and Claudio Tonzar for providing us with many data. We are grateful to Caroline Clark, for her linguistic revision of our English.