Program overview

Main Subject

Psychology

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

The Master in “Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication”, jointly offered by the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and the Faculty of Psychology of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan (UNISR), presents a Master degree programme in cognitive psychology with interdisciplinary training in psychology, neuroscience, health communication, organizational behaviour and management. The programme focuses on the intersection between the theoretical bases of cognitive psychology and of communication applied to the context of health. Cognitive psychology is the study of all mental processes which drive simple or more complex behaviours, either normal or pathological. These include, among the many, verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, implicit and explicit memory, perception, attention, consciousness, problem-solving, decision making, gratification, etc. Students who are admitted into the programme will receive an advanced theoretical background in neuroscience and modern psychology, will learn advanced research methods in psychology and health communication including a large variety of and statistical techniques and tools that can be used for the analysis of human behaviour in research labs, clinical departments, health frameworks and companies. A central goal of this programme is to familiarize students with the latest research and practice in these areas of research and help them translate and apply this knowledge in many different working environments including health psychology, communication, management, and marketing.

_{Awarded degree}

Upon successful completion of their studies, students will be awarded the Master of Science in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication degree from the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (UniSR). This degree is fully recognized as a Master's Degree in Psychology in both Italy and Switzerland, providing students with access to a wide range of career opportunities in Psychology in both countries.

In Italy, the Master's degree grants access to the Psychological Professional Association Registry (Ordine degli Psicologi). Students enrolled before 2023/2024 will gain access to the registry after successfully completing the mandatory internship and passing the exam to become a licensed psychologist.

For students enrolled from 2023/2024 academic year onwards, the two-year Master's programme offers numerous opportunities for internships (Tirocinio Pratico Valutativo) with various external partners in Switzerland and Italy. The internship is valid for the final interview to become a licensed psychologist under the Italian reform (see Decreto DM 554 06.06.2022, D. Interm. N567 20.06.2022, D. Interm n654 05.07.2022).

The Master's programme has also been included in the Europsy circuit, which is a quality certification based on European standards of academic and professional training developed by EFPA (European Federation of Psychologists' Associations). Therefore, the Master's degree is fully recognized in all European countries.

In Switzerland, the Master's degree has been formally recognized by the Commission for the Study of Psychology at Swiss Universities (KPSYCH) and the Ticino Cantonal regulations. Thus, the Master's degree provides access to internships for clinical psychologists in the health sector and to schools of psychotherapy.

Program overview

Main Subject

Psychology

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

The Master in “Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication”, jointly offered by the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences of the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and the Faculty of Psychology of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan (UNISR), presents a Master degree programme in cognitive psychology with interdisciplinary training in psychology, neuroscience, health communication, organizational behaviour and management. The programme focuses on the intersection between the theoretical bases of cognitive psychology and of communication applied to the context of health. Cognitive psychology is the study of all mental processes which drive simple or more complex behaviours, either normal or pathological. These include, among the many, verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, implicit and explicit memory, perception, attention, consciousness, problem-solving, decision making, gratification, etc. Students who are admitted into the programme will receive an advanced theoretical background in neuroscience and modern psychology, will learn advanced research methods in psychology and health communication including a large variety of and statistical techniques and tools that can be used for the analysis of human behaviour in research labs, clinical departments, health frameworks and companies. A central goal of this programme is to familiarize students with the latest research and practice in these areas of research and help them translate and apply this knowledge in many different working environments including health psychology, communication, management, and marketing.

_{Awarded degree}

Upon successful completion of their studies, students will be awarded the Master of Science in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication degree from the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (UniSR). This degree is fully recognized as a Master's Degree in Psychology in both Italy and Switzerland, providing students with access to a wide range of career opportunities in Psychology in both countries.

In Italy, the Master's degree grants access to the Psychological Professional Association Registry (Ordine degli Psicologi). Students enrolled before 2023/2024 will gain access to the registry after successfully completing the mandatory internship and passing the exam to become a licensed psychologist.

For students enrolled from 2023/2024 academic year onwards, the two-year Master's programme offers numerous opportunities for internships (Tirocinio Pratico Valutativo) with various external partners in Switzerland and Italy. The internship is valid for the final interview to become a licensed psychologist under the Italian reform (see Decreto DM 554 06.06.2022, D. Interm. N567 20.06.2022, D. Interm n654 05.07.2022).

The Master's programme has also been included in the Europsy circuit, which is a quality certification based on European standards of academic and professional training developed by EFPA (European Federation of Psychologists' Associations). Therefore, the Master's degree is fully recognized in all European countries.

In Switzerland, the Master's degree has been formally recognized by the Commission for the Study of Psychology at Swiss Universities (KPSYCH) and the Ticino Cantonal regulations. Thus, the Master's degree provides access to internships for clinical psychologists in the health sector and to schools of psychotherapy.

Admission Requirements

IELTS

5.5+

In order to be admitted to the Joint Master degree programme (MSc) in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication, candidates must possess:

a Bachelor's degree in Psychology or a Major in Psychology granted by a recognised university. Italian candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree in Psychology equivalent to former Ministerial Decree n. 270, Classification L-24 "Scienze e Tecniche Psicologiche" or to former Ministerial Decree n.509/99, Classification L-24 "Scienze e Tecniche Psicologiche" or to the former five-year degree programs in Psychology
at least 88 ECTS within the various field of psychology
an average mark equal to or higher than 24/30 (Italian score) or 8/10 (Swiss score)

Candidates who have not graduated yet may submit their application if they complete all the exams by September 16, 2022, and obtain the final academic qualification by December 16, 2022. Attendance to classes is, in any case, compulsory from the beginning of the first semester.

Candidates are admitted to the Master's Degree in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication according to the chronological order of applications. Up to 30 students will be admitted to the master's programme.

For more detailed information, please carefully read UNI-SR Competition Regulation .

Application Deadline

30 Apr 2024

Program Duration

2 Years

Starting Month(s)

Sep

Tuition Fee and Scholarships

Domestic Students

Tuition Fee/year

2,000 CHF

Tuition Fee (Out of State)

-

International Students

Tuition Fee/year

4,000 CHF

Other Expenses

-

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.