Why this programme

Hi there! My name is Natacha, and I’m currently finishing my master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.

Choosing to do my master’s degree at Erasmus was an easy decision to make because as a former student, I was already acquainted with the university’s lovely atmosphere. In addition, I love living and studying in Rotterdam, since this beautiful and dynamic city is also one of the most diverse cities in The Netherlands!

I’ve always enjoyed the process of delving deeply into a subject and I’m fascinated by how research can help increase our understanding about people, and by extension, about the world. I also find clinical practice particularly rewarding and I aspire to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to help and support other people, as they learn to help and support themselves. Because I have a shared passion for research and clinical practice, I decided to follow both the research and the clinical training tracks.

What I liked most about this master programme is that the courses are structured in a way that do not only encourage deep critical thinking but also stimulate personal reflection. I also appreciate how much emphasis was put on the importance of treating people as multi-faceted individuals, and not as a cluster of symptoms. For example, during several courses we got to hear individuals with particular disorders (e.g., psychosis and addiction) elaborate on the complexities of living with a mental illness. Some of my favourite moments during this programme include a lecture in which we participated in a short session of dance therapy and the movie nights in which we watched clinicians that specialise in the treatment of personality disorders apply different types of therapeutic techniques.

Regarding the practical trainings, in the research training track we learned to analyse statistical data using R, gained practical experience collecting EEG data and learned to programme experiments using E-prime. In the clinical training track, we got acquainted with several intervention skills and interviewing techniques which are relevant when working with couples and people who experience sexual problems and learned to apply several cognitive-behavioural techniques. I particularly enjoyed the role-plays of the clinical practical trainings, in which we practiced therapeutic skills with our peers, in a safe and encouraging environment.

All in all, during this master programme I gained knowledge and practical skills. But most importantly, I gained a better understanding of what type of psychologist I want to be and how I want to contribute to this field.

Diversity, curiosity, growth… all of these and many more can be found in EUR. When I started studying in the clinical track, I had certain expectations, such as learning more extensively about psychopathology and basic therapeutic techniques for such pathologies. Yet, the experiences and perspectives I gained through this course went above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Thanks to the fantastic staff of EUR, I felt heard, seen and supported. All of the professors and tutors I had during my master's, listened to me about my concerns or questions. They guided me closer to my goals by giving advice, sharing scientific literature and helping me to form new connections that proved to be immensely valuable in my pursuit of academic excellence. Additionally, it was such a precious moment for me when I saw one of our professors including her pronouns in her presentation. Even though it was such a small detail, its positive impact on students was much bigger in terms of inclusivity. 

To elaborate on the insights I gained during my studies, EUR welcomed a variety of guest lecturers who brought very personal and profound aspects of clinical practice. To give some examples, hearing about psychosis from someone who experienced it five times, learning more about gender dysphoria from a therapist who went through gender transitioning herself, and taking part in a group dance that an art therapist guided were all utterly unique experiences that greatly influenced both my personal and academic growth. Moreover, most professors and tutors have backgrounds as therapists, which brought such valuable perspectives to the classroom that couldn't be obtained from books.

As for the future, this master’s program offers many opportunities in various areas, such as education, psychotherapy, research and more. For my plans, I realized that I don't want to leave the campus for a bit longer; therefore, I will continue working as a tutor at EUR for psychology bachelor students. I am thrilled to see what life will bring and how I will incorporate the skills I gained during my studies. I wholeheartedly recommend the Clinical Psychology Master program at EUR if you're looking for a master's program in which you can progress both academically and personally!

What is it like to follow the Master's in Clinical Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam? Definitely a question running through your mind when visiting this page. At that time, I was faced with the same question. Now, a year later, I can tell you more from my own experience! My name is Sanne Vollenberg and I graduated from Erasmus University this summer. I did my bachelor's degree in Psychology here as well, so I was already familiar with the campus. Back then, I also really liked studying in Rotterdam because of the many options on campus, the good accessibility and life in Rotterdam. The campus has many places where you can have a drink with friends, its own gym, study places with a view over the campus and its own supermarket. In addition, by tram, metro or scooter, you are in no time in the city centre where you have many more options for eating, relaxing or shopping. So if you are looking for a vibrant city to study in, Rotterdam is definitely a good option!

I definitely recommend this Master's programme if you are interested in working as a basic psychologist in a clinical setting. During the study you will learn more about specific themes that are important for your work, including skills such as statistics if you would like to work as a researcher. Additionally, the course offers enough academic challenges, where you also gain practical experience through practicals and a possible internship at the end of the year. I will honestly admit that this was the first time I really got an idea of what working as a psychologist entails. Therefore, you can see this Master's as a more in-depth year where you are much more focused on your future job. Moreover, the courses are taught by lecturers who enthusiastically talk about their field of work, which gives you more insight into, for instance, work in addiction care, personality problems or work as a scientist. I highly recommend it if you want to gain more theoretical and practical insights into your profession as a psychologist!

Taking a further educational step and deciding where to specialise and obtain a master’s degree could be a difficult time. Remembering myself as soon-to-be graduate in BA psychology I was eager to find a university and postgraduate programme which would deliver top-quality education in one years’ time. Thankfully, my dear friend recommended looking into clinical psychology programme offered by Erasmus University Rotterdam, which instantly felt like a perfect match. The programme has a strong focus on practical skills and theoretical knowledge regarding adult’s psychopathology and its research. With two possible tracks to choose from: clinical or research, I believe that anyone is able to find what matches their interests best. Personally, I followed the clinical track which has taught me a variety of treatment techniques within couple and behavioural-cognitive therapy and confidently prepared me for the future counselling.

Nevertheless, it is an intensive programme, requiring a lot of individual and group efforts to solve problems that are encountered in the field. We were often given material which required deeper and unconventional thinking and inspired us to dive into topics that are a current or future focus in psychology. And if in doubt, thankfully the professors and tutors who had extensive experience and were highly skilled professionals themselves, were always happy to help and navigate through the unknown. If you would like to become a skilled clinical psychologist and acquire up to date knowledge within the mental health field, the Clinical Psychology master at EUR is just for you!

Hi all, I’m Ilse! I am currently following the Clinical Psychology track of the Psychology master at EUR and I would love to share some of my experiences with you! It took me a while to figure out that Psychology was the study I wanted to do.  After graduating from high school, I started studying Medicine, also at the EUR. I was going to be a doctor. Although I found the study content very interesting, after a few years I found myself doubting if working as a doctor in a hospital was really my dream. (still don’t know if being a psychologist is my dream job, but until now I like the idea ). What I did notice was that I loved the conversations with patients, and also enjoyed my part-time job at the psychiatry department. After a while, I decided to stop ignoring my ongoing restlessness, took the plunge and enrolled in the Psychology bachelor at EUR. Luckily that went very well. Years passed quickly, and look where I am now: almost graduated.

I experience the course of the Clinical Psychology programme as quite interesting. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, all lessons were given online. Nevertheless, most teachers managed to make something interesting out of it very well, by giving room for interaction and questions. The personality disorders block was my favourite one, because I learned a lot about all kinds of disorders, how they arise and what kind of treatments are available to offer. The block ‘Severe mental illness in urban context’ made you think about current mental health policies. There was plenty of room for discussion and questions, and the course helped in keeping you sharp. Not to keep doing things a certain way because you learned so, but to keep thinking about what is best for the patient.

During the master Clinical Psychology, you will also get acquainted with several practical elements, such as schema therapy, couples therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. The practicals teach you the basic techniques of CBT. In addition, you learn to reflect on your own functioning as a psychologist, by giving and receiving feedback from fellow students.  

For the past six months, I did an internship at the Bipolar Disorder department at PsyQ. The practical skills I learned in this master along with the theoretical knowledge were very helpful and made my internship a valuable experience.

My future plans? First, beat my thesis struggle, then find a job. I look forward to really getting started, gaining a lot of experience and keep on learning. About myself, other people, new treatments, and much more. Do you also like to learn more about addiction, personality disorders, several treatments and working as a clinical psychologist? Then I would really recommend joining the Clinical Psychology master!

When I chose to study the Clinical Psychology master track at EUR, I had high hopes that the course would not just expand upon my existing knowledge base, but offer a multitude of opportunities for both personal and academic growth. Thankfully, the course did not disappoint – I regularly felt challenged in new and exciting ways, with self-reflection being promoted at every corner, ensuring I was never bored. For me, one particular highlight of the course would be the Severe Mental Illness in Urban Context module. These classes placed the scientific status quo of clinical psychology under a more critical lens, tearing down perceptions of what is taken for granted in the field, in a way that I would never have expected to be addressed academically.

The staff at EUR also offer incredible support whenever you need it; especially whilst writing my thesis, my project supervisor was always eager to share resources and explore ideas collaboratively. Furthermore, I really valued opportunities to meet with other research team members, to discuss our projects and share our own perspectives with each other. A huge draw to EUR is the large international community, and the Clinical Psychology master track provided many platforms to meet and interact with other students from diverse backgrounds, which I was grateful for.

This course enabled me to put many skills relevant to working in mental health into practice, from utilising a variety of CBT techniques, to performing exposure therapy (with live spiders!). I feel that I have come away from this degree not only with a deeper understanding of psychological disorders, but I have also learned so much more about myself, and developed a skill set that will serve me well in future endeavours. Ultimately, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to study Clinical Psychology at EUR, and I have many great memories of my time here.

I have always been fascinated by the human mind and how it shapes our conscious experience. I wanted to comprehend both the psychological and a biological perspective and their respective research methods. Therefore, I focused my studies on the interface between both fields. After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I aspired to continue to learn and to conduct high-quality research which contributes to our scientific understanding of such important issues.

Therefore, I chose to join the Clinical Psychology master programme at EUR. Thus, I was able to continue to learn passionately about human behaviour, as well as sharpen my skills as a researcher. I found the Clinical Psychology master programme to be an enriching experience, as it allowed me to explore topics at the interface between Psychology and Neuroscience, such as addiction, which I find fascinating. I also like to learn from group discussions which are part of the problem-based learning method. In particular I like the international student environment as all students have very different backgrounds. All in all, the Clinical Psychology master programme at EUR was a great fit for me and it meant a crucial step in my journey as a psychologist and researcher.