The Role of the Psychologist 3 - Understanding, Skills Training and Practice

The four courses comprising The Psychologist Role (30 credits total) aim to provide students with knowledge and experience of different types of psychological work. Students will also gain a broad understanding of the personal and relational prerequisites as well as professional competence required of psychologists, in addition to the ability to develop and reflect on the importance of these factors.

This series of courses is central to the ongoing suitability assessment, cf. Regulations on suitability assessment in higher education, § 2 and 4. An ongoing suitability assessment is carried out throughout the course of one’s studies, as it is based on the student's professional and personal disposition for working as a health professional.

Core topics in this course are attitudes, ethics and human rights, and as related to the psychologist profession. Along with observational training, students will also gain knowledge and experience of the health and welfare system's organization and of the psychologist role in first line service.

Knowledge:

• The students have acquired basic knowledge of models for cooperation and collaboration in the healthcare system, with special focus on the first line service.
• The student know about of low-threshold interventions in mental health at the individual, group and system level.
• Students have acquired knowledge of human rights in health promotion work, including knowledge of marginalization and the promotion of social engagement and integration through education, work and other arenas.
• The student knows about themes like inclusion, equality, and non-discrimination, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion and worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and age, such that students contribute to ensuring equal services for all groups in society.

Skills:

• The student can analyze and relate critically to their own values, roles and functioning in meetings with users and collaborators.
• The student can identify and analyze ethical issues and dilemmas that may arise in psychological activities and suggest relevant measures and solutions.
• The student demonstrates a good ability to use the Norwegian language clearly and effectively when interacting with fellow students, patients, relatives, and colleagues, and adapts their communication to the situation and the recipient.

General competence:

• The student can reflect on knowledge that contributes to an equal offer of services for everyone, including Sami patients.
• The student is aware of and has the ability to reflect on the connection between personal and relational prerequisites and professional competence for exercising the role of psychologist.

With the exception of some joint lectures and observational training in first line service, the students are divided into groups of approximatively 10 students led by a teacher. The group activities consist of exercises and discussions that are related to the learning objectives, as well as preparatory and finishing work tied to observational training.