Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Programme in Social Psychology of Transformation (SPOT) International Psychoanalytic University Berlin

SPOT offers you the chance to explore Europe’s diverse cultures and societies, from Lisbon to the Balkans, alongside a cohort of top students from around the world. Our programme is built on open communication, inclusivity, and a supportive community. You will engage in unique opportunities such as a self-organised summer school, participation in SPOT conferences, and involvement in quality control through the Student Advisory Board.

The programme covers three key areas:

Transformative Leadership: Focus on changing work relationships from an organisational and psychosocial perspective.

Conflict and Cooperation: Learn psychodynamic approaches to understanding and navigating the unconscious dynamics of conflict.

Environment and Sustainability: Explore social psychology theories and methods for fostering socially and environmentally sustainable relationships.

In your final semester, you will choose an internship location and write your Master’s thesis under the guidance of a professor from our consortium.

Internships in Bosnia-Herzegovina or Serbia are guaranteed, but you may choose any location that suits your goals.

SPOT offers you the unique opportunity to become a pioneer of social change.

The Social Psychology of Transformation (SPOT) programme is a two-year, 120 ECTS course focusing on "Transformative Leadership," "Conflict and Cooperation," and "Environment and Sustainability". It involves mandatory study periods at IPU Berlin (Germany), Iscte (Portugal), and the University of Padua (Italy), along with an internship, preferably in Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Semester 1 (IPU Berlin)

Focuses on foundational concepts across three modules and on practices of scientific research in a fourth module:

• Transformative Leadership I (Societal Transformations | Ethical Dilemmas)
• Conflict and Cooperation I (Psychosocial Dynamics of Conflict and Violence or Epistemology & Subject Theory | Social Influence | Action-Oriented Interventions I)
• Environment and Sustainability I (Environmental Psychology | Digital Transformation & Sustainability or Leadership & Sustainability)
• Advanced Research Methods (Research Workshop | Qualitative Research Design | Cross-Cultural Methods or Multivariate Statistics)

Semester 2 (Iscte Lisbon)

Focuses on the driving forces behind socio-environmental conflicts and their transformation towards sustainability while building on the knowledge gained in the three basic modules:

• Transformative Leadership II (Community Psychology | Social Intervention Programmes)
• Conflict and Cooperation II (Social Trauma | Action-Oriented Interventions II or Intergroup Conflicts)
• Environment and Sustainability II (Environment, Justice and Health | Social Psychology & Environment)

Semester 3 (University of Padua)

Focuses on cross-cultural psychology and includes one module:

• Cultural Diversity in Organisational Psychology (Cross-Cultural Issues in Personnel Psychology | Human Rights or Psychology of Inclusion and Social Sustainability)

Summer School

Students organise an online summer school on "Digital Transformation and Sustainability," selecting speakers and designing the programme. The process is supported by partner universities, with financial and organisational backing.

Internship

20 ECTS internship in Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina with professional supervision, focusing on psychosocial support and community work in post-conflict settings, with guaranteed NGO placement

Alternatively, students may complete the internship in a country or organisation of their choice if it meets SPOT programme requirements.

Thesis

After completing the internship, students write a Master’s thesis under supervision of two partner universities, with an oral defence required for graduation.

• Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
• University of Padua, Italy
• Tallinn University, Estonia
• University of Nis, Serbia
• University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Republika Srpska
• University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Federation

The SPOT programme guarantees internship placements in Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, including additional financial support. These internships fulfil a EuroPsy diploma requirement and is supervised by qualified psychologists. Placement options include psychological counselling centres, educational institutions, youth initiatives, mental health research organisations, NGOs, and more.

You may also choose to complete your internship in another country, with support from SPOT’s extensive network of partner universities. The Governing Board will review your chosen destination to confirm that the services and experience meet SPOT and EuroPsy requirements, ensuring your internship is fully recognised and integrated into your study programme.

More information on internships can be found here: Internship Providers.

Call for Applications (Scholarships)

• uni-assist portal open (1 October 2026–3 January 2027)
• Application portal open (1 October 2026–31 January 2027)

Call for Applications (Self-Funded Students)

• uni-assist portal open (1 February–3 March 2027)
• Application portal open (1 February–31 March 2027)

To ensure a high academic standard without limiting the diversity of applicants, the following eligibility criteria apply for the SPOT programme:

1. Educational Background 

You must hold a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, recognised by the EU as a first cycle degree. 100 ECTS should be taken in psychology specifically.

2. Verification of Academic Credentials (uni-assist) 

You must provide a "Preliminary Review Documentation“ issued by uni-assist as a verification of your academic credentials for study in Germany/EU (see more). 

3. English Proficiency 

Please see details below.

4. Country-Specific Considerations 

If you are from a non-EU country, you should check with the German Central Office for Foreign Education whether your university degree is recognised (see more). If you are from China, India or Vietnam, you must submit an APS certificate with your application (see more).

5. Application Process

You can apply online for free via our application portal. This ensures user-friendly navigation, efficient data sharing, and GDPR compliance for a fair and secure experience. You can submit digital copies during the application, but once admitted, you will need to provide the original documents.

You can find further information about the application portal and the application process under "apply".

Semester contributions include administrative fees from each university a student will be attending as well as required semester tickets (on average, 200 EUR per semester).

We encourage all applicants to check Erasmus+ informational resources from peers regarding the costs of living and daily expenses per destination.

More information can be found here: tips from peers.

Recipients of SPOT scholarships will receive 1,400 EUR per month for up to 24 months (the full duration of the programme). They will also be exempt from any tuition fees.

Additional funding is available for students with special needs or those requiring inclusive mobility support. This funding covers special accommodation, assistance during travel, adaptive learning materials, specialised equipment, or an accompanying person.

Detailed information can be found here: scholarships.

Career advisory services are offered throughout the programme.
Detailed information can be found here: alumni and careers.

IPU Berlin in Germany is a fully state-recognised private non-profit university that has been offering study programmes in psychology and related disciplines since its foundation in 2009. It provides high quality education in the areas of clinical psychology and therapist education as well as transdisciplinary academic offerings in cultural studies, leadership and consulting, and organisational psychology. It has been achieving excellent scores in the CHE Ranking – Psychology.

Iscte was founded in 1972 as one of Portugal’s first modern universities, with the central aim of studying labour and social dynamics in a rapidly changing world. Since its establishment, the university has expanded its disciplinary reach into four schools: Business School, the School of Sociology and Public Policy, the School of Technology and Architecture and the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Iscte's primary goal is to train highly skilled professionals for the sustainable and inclusive development of societies. 

UNIPD in Italy, founded in 1222, is not only one of the oldest and most traditional universities in Europe, but it has also established itself as one of the most prestigious universities in Italy and is, according to QS World Ranking, among the top 100 universities in the world for the study of psychology. As a multi-disciplinary institute of higher education, the university aims to provide its students with professional training and a solid cultural background. The entire academic community at UNIPD is deeply committed to widening the university’s international perspectives. 

TLU is a modern and dynamic research university in Estonia that took a leading role in promoting an intelligent lifestyle through education, research, and a unique collaboration across disciplines. It has a highly international orientation with at least 17 Master’s programmes offered in English and is a participant of the EU Horizon framework and a member of four international networks.

UniNis is the third-largest university in Serbia and, according to QS Ranking, ranked second among Serbian universities. In the past years, UniNis has significantly increased its international activities by hosting visiting lecturers and promoting visits to foreign universities by its academic and non-academic staff. Moreover, an increasing number of projects focusing on student mobility, summer schools, seminars, and other skill-improving activities have been implemented. 

UNBL is the leading higher education and scientific institution in the Republic of Srpska and the second largest university in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Classes are offered in 66 first-cycle study programmes, 64 second-cycle study programmes (and two combined study programmes), and 13 third-cycle study programmes (and one combined study programme). Since 2018, internationalisation has been defined on a strategic level as one of the main priorities of the university.

UNSA in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the largest and oldest university in the country, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is comprised of 25 faculties, three academies and five research institutes with the status of full members, internally organised within six science and arts groups from the fields of social sciences, humanities, medical sciences, natural, mathematical, and bio-technical sciences, technical sciences and arts. Since 1996, the University of Sarajevo has been in the process of post-war reconstruction involving the European Universities Association, European Council, European Union higher education initiatives as well as international organisations.