Psychology Master’s Programmes in European Universities and Their Association with Times Higher Education Rankings

Abstract

This study provides an overview of psychology master’s degree programmes across European universities with the aim of exploring how universities design practitioner-oriented psychology curricula. Additionally, the study examines whether the allocation of credits between research-oriented and practitioner-oriented courses is associated with university ranking scores, specifically from the Times Higher Education (THE) 2024 World University Rankings in the field of psychology. The sample consisted of 185 universities from 26 European countries. The findings indicate a trend where higher ranking universities tend to allocate more credits to research-oriented courses and while a decrease in practitioner-oriented credits is observed as THE scores improve. These findings suggest a potential trade-off between academic prestige and the practical orientation of psychology master’s programmes, highlighting the tension between research excellence and professional training in higher education.