Programme content

The content of the Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology and its development are guided by the mission, vision and motto set for the programme.

Mission: Skilled and competent specialists in psychology enthusiastic about their work who provide and develop high-quality mental health services.

Vision: Promotion of mental health and prevention through expertise.

Motto: Mental health expertise, development and the service system.
The following competencies will be developed through Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology

A specialist psychologist in Clinical Mental Health Psychology:

  1. Is specialized in understanding and describing psychological, psychosocial and biological aspects of mental health and behaviour.
  2. Is able to analyse cognitive, emotional and motivational processes in human developmental and mental health.
  3. Understands the biological basis of human experience, behaviour, personality, and individual differences.
  4. Identifies social and cultural factors that affect mental health and behaviour.
  5. Knows the principles of the mental health service system and multidisciplinary work.
  6. Understands the professional ethical and regulatory aspects of clinical psychology and the service system.
  7. Is able to apply the above-mentioned elements in education and development tasks within the mental health field.
  8. Is familiar with evidence-based models for behaviour and mental disorders.
  9. Applies these models in understanding, planning treatment of, and treating mental disorders.
  10. Reflects on their own professional growth and takes responsibility for continuous professional development.
Learning outcomes

After completing the Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology, you will

  • Understand and situate your personal expertise in clinical mental health psychology
  • Be familiar with the mental health service system and the service needs of central customer groups, in addition to which you will be able to situate your expertise in clinical mental health psychology as part of the service system and your work community

After completing the Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology, you will

Be proficient in the key practices, theories and concepts of clinical mental health psychology, as well as able to integrate them into your work in a way that benefits your customers/patients and your work community

  • Be familiar with the most important research methods in clinical psychology and some of the most essential types of brief interventions
  • Be able to write expert statements needed in customer service and communicate research findings associated with psychological research both orally and in writing, taking the needs of the customer and multiprofessional team into consideration
  • Be familiar with the principles of the planning, implementation and monitoring of rehabilitation
  • Be familiar with related fields, including key theory formation in psychiatry, the psychological factors underlying psychiatric diagnostics, psychiatric diseases and symptoms, and the fundamentals of psychiatric disorders in terms of developmental psychology and biology, as well as be able to plan and implement care and rehabilitation on their basis

After completing the Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology, you will

  • Be able to better perceive the principles of conducting scientific research, understand research designs and examine special questions of methodology and ethics pertaining to research
  • Be able to apply, in your work, research-based knowledge, critically assess literature and develop both your work community and your personal modes of operation

After completing the Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology, you will

  • Be able to consult with other psychologists and other professional groups. Through multiprofessional cooperation, you will also be able to effortlessly demonstrate your personal special expertise by means of scientific argumentation.
Structure and Implementation of education

The Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology (70 cr) is carried out over three years as blended learning, including seminars lasting one to two days and separately supervised professional practice (a total of roughly 32 seminar days during the three-year programme).

The courses are divided into field-specific studies, methodology studies and a final paper as well as supervised professional practice.

Specialisation Programme in Clinical Mental Health Psychology (70 cr)

2025-2028

  • Expertise in content, development, and reflection (46 cr)
    • The service needs and treatment chains of mental disorders, and the psychologist’s developing professional role (6 cr)
    • The psychologist’s tools: assessment, consultation and psychological interventions (18 cr)
    • Psychological expertise in mental disorders (20 cr)
    • The specialized psychologist as an expert (2 cr)
  • Methodological studies and supervision in clinical mental health psychology (14 cr)
  • Final paper (10 cr)

Detailed programme content is available in the course catalogue for 2025–2028 (pdf file in Finnish only)

2022-2025

  • Expertise in content, development, and reflection (46 cr)
    • The service needs and treatment chains of mental disorders, and the psychologist’s developing professional role (6 cr)
    • The psychologist’s tools: assessment, consultation and psychological interventions (18 cr)
    • Psychological expertise in mental disorders (20 cr)
    • The specialized psychologist as an expert (2 cr)
  • Methodological studies and supervision in clinical mental health psychology (14 cr)
  • Final paper (10 cr)

Detailed programme content is available in the course catalogue for 2022–2025 (pdf file in Finnish only)

2019-2022

  • Field-specific studies (46 cr)
    • Service Needs and Systems Associated with Mental Disorders and the Psychologist’s Developing Professional Approach (6 cr)
    • Assessment, Consultation and Intervention in Mental Health Psychology in the Context of Developmental Psychology (6 cr)
    • Assessment of Psychological Functions in Mental Health Psychology and Related Consultation (8 cr)
    • Psychological expertise in mental disorders (24 cr)
    • Specialist Psychologist as an Expert (2 cr)
  • Methodology studies and supervised professional practice (14 cr)
  • Final Paper (10 cr)

Detailed programme content is available in the course catalogue for 2019–2022 (pdf file in Finnish only)