Mental health in families, children, and youth in the community

Title of the postgraduate specialist study:
Postgraduate university specialist study Mental health in families, children, and youth in the community

Scientific area: 8.0 Interdisciplinary sciences

Field: 8.05. Educational sciences

Duration of the study: 3 semesters

Academic title: University specialist in family, children, and youth counselling (univ. edu.)

Head: Prof. Tajana Ljubin Golub, PhD
(e-mail):

Deputy head: Prof. Jasna Kudek Mirošević, PhD
(e-mail):

The Doctoral/Postgraduate Specialist Study Council:

Prof. Tajana Ljubin Golub, PhD
Associate Professor Jasna Kudek Mirošević, PhD
Prof. Siniša Opić, PhD
Prof. Emerita Majda Rijavec
Prof. Damir Velički, PhD

The postgraduate university specialist study Mental health in families, children, and youth in the community is a specialist study designed to train postgraduate students to detect the difficulties and to guide and counsel families, children, and youth. Its aim is to protect mental health and prevent illnesses, according to the definition of primary prevention of mental health provided by the World Health Organization, and to prevent various forms of social deviance. The study programme is based on the developmental approach to children and youth, incorporating the humanistic and integrative approach. Due to specific issues
associated with family life, the study is based on understanding the needs and
developmental phases of children and youth and meeting these needs within the family context, with the help and support of the family. Students will acquire knowledge, values, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and provide support to children, youth and families in meeting their psychological needs, with the aim of ensuring their health, psychological well-being, development and learning. Special emphasis is placed on short counselling and prevention activities aimed at people who do not have serious psychological disorders. These activities have been designed to develop their psychological well-being and resilience.
In the first and second semester, students have 5 compulsory courses per semester, whereby they can earn 30 ECTS points per semester. In the third semester, students take 3 elective courses, and upon completion of the study they write the specialist thesis, earning 15 ECTS points. The specialist thesis is a professional or scientific paper in which a student shows his/her mastery of the study programme content and proves his/her ability to explore
independently the chosen theoretical or practical problem from his/her field of study.

Enrolment conditions:
Enrolment is possible for candidates who have completed undergraduate or graduate
studies in social work, medicine, psychology, education and rehabilitation sciences,
theology, sociology, pedagogy, teacher education, criminology, and other social sciences
and humanities, equivalent of 300 ECTS points, and who have at least two years of work
experience.

Tuition fee per semester: 12,500.00 kn / 1,659.04 EUR