VASILE GOLDIS WESTERN UNIVERSITY OF ARAD

The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Address:1-3 Praporgescu Street Arad 310183 Romania Phone: 0257 250609 E-mail: Această adresă de e-mail este protejată de spamboţi; aveţi nevoie de activarea JavaScript-ului pentru a o vizualiza Web: www.uvvg.ro

The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences was founded on the 1st of October, 2005, as part of the Western University "Vasile Goldis" of Arad, having its residence in Arad, 1-3 Praporgescu Bd.
The faculty is currently functioning on two accredited specializations, namely Psychology and Educational Sciences. At the same time, the Social Assistance specialization is in the course of being accredited.
The Mission assumed by the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences within the Western University „Vasile Goldis” of Arad, corresponds to a modern academic institution, integrated in the European Higher Education and Research Area, being a centre of scientific research and innovation, while also providing an optimal framework for the academic preparation for one’s future profession, based on recent information and in accordance with the principles of a modern, interactive education, pursuing the formation of professional competences according to the Bologna Process. The Faculty pursues the assurance of specific competences in each of the three specializations, by means of its enterprises in the field of teaching and scientific research.

The Curriculum of each specialization spreads over six semesters, containing fundamental and specialized obligatory, optional and facultative disciplines. Each activity in the curricula is provided with transferable credits (ETCS). Completion of each semester entails the obtainment of 30 credits, and a total of 180 credits for the entire study programme, at the undergraduate level. The three specializations are aimed at the specific purposes and objectives mentioned in the specialization forms.
The specialization carried out within our faculty will ensure the emergence of professionals performing services that are necessary for meeting general and specific human needs. Thus, psychology majors can profess in the educational, clinical, industrial-organizational fields, in the public or private sector. Students in the field of educational sciences will ensure the necessary numbers of school teachers. Social care majors will be employed in public services and non-governmental organizations, seeking to respond to the issues raised by persons, groups and communities, regarding the meeting of needs and social functioning.

Apart from the initial three-year formation, our faculty offers master programmes. We must make a mention, in this respect, of the two master specializations in Psychology, namely Clinical Psychology and Personnel Evaluation, Formation and Counselling, as well as the master specialization in Educational Sciences, with the title of Educational Management.
The formation of professional competences is ensured by a practical activity guided by specialists in various units frequented by students, planned and supervised by the teaching staff of our faculty.
Our faculty focuses on interdisciplinary research subjects, within which modern method are applied and paradigms that are specific to the three specialization domains are employed.

The educational supply of our faculty consists of a wide range of high school graduates as well as of persons with a Bachelor degree who wish to re-orient or broaden their professional competences , recruited predominantly from the geographical area where out university is located, namely the Western region of the country. It worthy of mentioning that there is a growing interest for an ever expanding geographical area, our faculty seeking to favourably respond to this demand for academic qualification. The fact that students pay the equivalent value of the teaching activity carried out within our faculty has remarkable educational valences. In this way the student is aware of having been formed through his/her own financial means, benefiting from a plus of maturity as an alumnus.
The students’ activity programme (timetable, practical training and other activities) is a flexible one, seeking to adapt to the attendance possibilities of students working in various sectors of the economy.
The methods of forming professional competences are focused on the student. The student-professor relationship is one of partnership, and the results of learning are explained and discussed with the students from the perspective of their relevance to the development of the latter. The teaching staff use hi-tech resources (ex. email, personal webpage for research topics, bibliography, resources in an electronic format and dialogue with the students), as well as auxiliary materials.

The management of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences manifested a consistent preoccupation for selecting an elite teaching staff. The three specializations, as well as the scientific research activity, are coordinated by nationally and internationally recognized professors, associate professors, lecturers, assistant professors and graduate assistants, tenured professors and collaborators. Through the scientific activity carried out, professors and students alike seek an answer to questions and issues raised by communities, institutions, services and individual persons.
The activity of our Faculty is performed in compliance with the democratic principle of co-opting students in the decision-making process and in the good development of the activity. In this respect, students are represented proportionally in the Faculty’s management bodies, are consulted when decisions must be made, and are empowered as partners for the good march of the Faculty.

The facilities of which our Faculty avails itself comply with the standards ensuring the development of a qualitative educational process. For purposes of individual studying and general formation, our students can always visit the proper library of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, endowed with a lecturing room and a proper specialized book fund, according to the disciplines provided in the curriculum, as well as the Central University Library „Tudor Arghezi.”
Course and seminary rooms are endowed with technical equipment for learning, teaching and communicating, which facilitates the professor’s activity and the receptiveness of each student.
Psychology, educational science and social care laboratories allow, by means of their material endowments, the performance of high-standard applicative activities during seminars.

Our students’ social issues are resolved by the university, which is in possession of a 400-room youth hostel situated in the B1 Block on 57 Cocorilor str., two student canteens, one in the Campus and one on the Dragalina Bd., a student club (The Student Athenaeum on 78 Revolutiei Bd.) and the sporting facility of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports.