Similar to other European countries, psychology was originally a philosophical discipline in Northern Ireland. The first professional psychology course in Northern Ireland was created in 1947 and thus psychology came later to Northern Ireland than to other countries. The education seems very comparable to that of the United States as many psychologists were trained in North America and Britain. However, students have the option between a 2-year master's degree and a 3-year training experience which will earn them a Diploma in Clinical Psychology.

Private practice is rare in Northern Ireland as most psychologists tend to work in general or psychiatric hospitals as well as community centers. Today, there are approximately 270 psychologists working in Northern Ireland.

Sexton, V. S. & Hogan, J. D. (1992). International psychology: View from around the world. USA: University of Nebraska Press.

Labels: Northern Ireland