Clinical Psychology

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!

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!

Hello all, I’m Tristan! I am currently participating in the Dutch Master's programme of Clinical Psychology. Rotterdam has a certain allure for me; it’s a city that prides itself on not just losing yourself in theory but looking for ways to apply this knowledge in real life. The Dutch view Rotterdam as a hard-working city, which stems from its losses during World War II: the city was bombed. However, after the war, Rotterdam rebuilt itself and successfully revived as one of the (if not the most) important cities in the Netherlands. The story of Rotterdam has always intrigued me and is one of the reasons why I decided to continue my studies here. Taking a stroll around town, being surrounded by historical context, and imagining how things played out in the past is one of my favourite pastimes.

Regarding the Clinical Psychology programme, I found the courses quite attractive. The course coordinators broaden your view and get interesting people to share their perspectives during the lectures. I don’t know whether I was just lucky, but during the courses, an entire lecture was dedicated to the practical application of the course content. For example, during the addiction block, a person with an addiction got to share his past and his experience with rehab and its limitations. During the personality disorder block, somebody came to tell us what it’s like to work with people with severe personality and dissociative disorders. These lectures are supportive in nature and not mandatory, but they provided me with valuable insights nonetheless. The clinical track practicals were insightful. The most useful practical was the CBT course since it clearly provides you with some “instruments” to use in the field. During my practical internship, I found out that CBT can offer a lot of support and stability during face-to-face sessions with clients. The little CBT toolkit definitely proved itself useful. All in all, I’d recommend people join this programme if they are attracted to the courses offered!

My plans for the future? The Master's programme has offered me a lot of material, but I feel like it is time to apply some of it. Unsurprisingly, I'd like to start working as a psychologist, help out my clients, and grow as a professional. I'm considering going abroad, yet staying in the Netherlands wouldn't be bad either. When I finish my thesis, I'll take some time off to consider things properly.

Hi all, I'm Ilse! I just finished the Clinical Psychology specialisation for the psychology master's 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 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. I noticed that I loved the conversations with patients and 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's at EUR. Luckily, that went very well. Years passed quickly, and now, I look where I am: I have graduated.

I found the course of the Clinical Psychology programme quite interesting. 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's programme in 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. 
I have interned at the Bipolar Disorder department at PsyQ. The practical skills and theoretical knowledge I learned in this master's programme were very helpful and made my internship a valuable experience.

My future plans? Find a job. I look forward to getting started, gaining a lot of experience and keeping on learning. About myself, other people, new treatments, and much more. Do you also like to learn more about addiction, personality disorders, several therapies and working as a clinical psychologist? I would really recommend joining the Clinical Psychology master's programme!