Career prospects

Towards the job market

Once you have completed the Master鈥檚 programme, you will be able to work in the professional field at an academic level. This may include supervising and treating children and adolescents, but may also include developing policy. Alternatively, you could choose to continue your studies and earn a registration.

What does the work entail?

You may find work in the fields of diagnostics or mental health care, but you may also find a position as a consultant or policy assistant. Supporting quality of life and encouraging a healthy mental development are increasingly important areas of activity as well. You have an excellent starting position in a junior level job in the field of clinical child and adolescent psychology. Dutch students will be able to register as 鈥渕aster psycholoog鈥 in the register for youth (SKJ), see below for details. Similar trajectories are possible in other countries; the specific registration and specialisation requirements vary from country to country. 

The programme prepares you for work in the broad field of child and adolescent psychology. You will be qualified to work as a basic psychologist. You can work at various types of institutions, such as:

  • Mental health care institutions
  • Municipal mental health institutions
  • Schools/educational institutions
  • Hospitals/departments of psychiatry or medical psychology
  • Juvenile forensic institutions
  • Policy/research institutions

Continuing education

In order to be able to work as an independent psychologist, in the Netherlands you will need to undertake post-master training, for example as a Health Care Psychologist ("gezondheidspsycholoog") or School Psychologist. The professional association  (NIP) (in Dutch) issues guidelines for these certifications.

NIP Basic Psychodiagnostics Registration (BAPD)

During this Master鈥檚 programme, you can work towards meeting the requirements for the NIP鈥檚 Basic Psychodiagnostics Registration ( in Dutch). This requires an internship that allows you to report on diagnostic assessments for three cases and provides appropriate supervision. The university will provide the formal assessment. Please note that admission to this Master鈥檚 programme does not guarantee fulfillment of the BAPD criteria. It is each student鈥檚 responsibility to verify how courses taken during their Bachelor鈥檚 programme contribute to meeting the theoretical requirements of the BAPD NIP. Bachelor鈥檚 students from Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 can find more information . Students from other universities should contact the institution where they completed their Bachelor鈥檚 degree.

Health care and/or Clinical psychologist

If you aspire a career in health care (psychiatry, GGZ, hospitals or youth care), this Master鈥檚 programme can prepare you for admission to the Health Care Psychologist professional study programme ( (in Dutch)). Please note that eligibility is also dependent on the courses you took during your Bachelor's programme.

To be eligible for the Health Care Psychologist professional study programme, you must have gained sufficient experience with diagnostics and treatment through direct contact with clients and client systems during your internship, as well as meeting the theoretical requirements. Registration as a certified Health Care Psychologist is required to enroll in the postmaster Clinical Psychologist study programme (in Dutch).

Career development

To help you prepare for your career and familiarise yourself with the labour market, the programme, the faculty and Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 offer several services and activities.