Varied teaching
– It felt very natural for me to study psychology, Alessia says.
Main content
– I have always been interested in taking care of people and talking about their problems. The psychology student has been in Bergen for almost two semesters.
She is especially interested in cognitive psychology and neurosciences.
– These fields are well developed here in Bergen, she says.
She’s also been able to take courses such as Preventive Health Psychology and Culture and Psycopathology; Mental Health in a Cross-Cultural Perspective during her stay.
Alessia is also interested in music, and has included music therapy in her psychology degree.
Science and psycology
The psychology students encounter varied teaching methods, with lectures, group discussions, lab work and even some practical activities at the university hospital.
– There’s a strong link between science and psychology, and I think it’s interesting that the approach to psychology is so medical in Norway, Alessia says.
She also emphasises the open environment.
– You can speak freely, even with the teachers. The students participate actively with questions during the lectures and we get new ideas and perspectives from each other in the discussion groups.
Alessia has also been following lectures at the master’s level.
– It’s a bit harder and I have to do a lot of reading, but it feels great to be able to adapt to that level.
The students often study in the library at the Faculty of Psychology.
– It’s a nice environment to work in, with good facilities and lots of books.
Multitude of student organisations
Alessia speaks of a well-organised welcoming week at the beginning of the semester.
– We were organised in groups and discovered the city together during the first week.
She also noticed the multitude of student organisations when she arrived.
– All the organisations were recruiting new members.
I play the violin and quickly found an organisation to take part in. There’s something for everyone.
– A good thing about Norway is that everyone speaks English so well. That means it’s easy to be a foreigner here, she says.
– I even found a part-time job here in Bergen!