Applied Psychology in Europe

• Visit Italian institutions to understand how applied pscyhological disciplines are practiced in Italy.
• Attend an Italian opera, view sporting events, engage in cultural activities and tour sites of historical importance in Verona, Padua, Siena and Rome. 
• Participate in the Palio de Siena, a world renowned horse racing event and cultural festival.
• Interact and network with industry professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Verona, Italy (3 nights) - The city of Verona is located in northern Italy’s Veneto region, with a medieval old town built alongside the Adige River.  It is famous as the setting of the love story Romeo and Juliet. The symbol of the city is the great Roman Arena (Arena di Verona), a huge 1st-century Roman amphitheater which today hosts concerts and large-scale opera performances.

Padua (Padova), Italy (3 nights) - Also in the Veneto region, Padua is home to Italy's oldest university, the University of Padua which was established in 1222 and hosted Galileo, Copernicus and Dante.  The city is home to the Scrovegni Chapel, where studnets can gaze at the 14th century Giotto frescoes, as well as the Basilica of St. Anthony, a romanesque/gothic church dating back nearly eight centuries.

Siena, Italy (3 nights) - Siena was founded by the Etruscans and is a magnificent city known for its medieval and gothic architecture and early Renaissance art. The city is located in the heart of Tuscany, approximately forty-five minutes south of Florence by train. For two hundred years, during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Siena was one of the major cities of Europe. A walled medieval city, it is considered to be one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Italy and in Europe and is unusually rich in art, architecture and cultural traditions for a city its size

Rome, Italy (4 nights) - Rome is the capital city of Italy and one of Europe’s most ancient urban centers dating back more than 3,000 years. Rome’s early inhabitants left behind a trove of art and architectural masterpieces which provide an interesting contrast as they live beside Rome’s modern-day businesses, shops, cafes, and financial centers. 

All students on this program will enroll in one of the following courses for the summer 2025 term:

• EPSY 598  Special Course: Applied Psychology - Italian Style (undergraduate students)
• EPSY 896  Seminar In:  Applied Psychology - Italian Style (graduate students) 

This course will provide students with the opportunity to study an international applied approach to practices/careers in Psychology as well as travel and study abroad experience. Additionally, students will build skills as a professional in the fields of applied practical educational psychology and the specific psychological field of their choice and develop teamwork experiences and practices conducive to international travel for current and future professional engagement in Applied Psychology.

Participants in this program will:

• Develop interest/discipline-specific Study Prompt Question/Study Guide for their study abroad experiences. This includes the creation of a Study Abroad Notebook/Binder/Journal.
• Identify, read, and interpret research in an area of applied psychology based on the student’s specific discipline using theoretical support for the area of interest.
• Gain exposure to applied psychology, counseling, health, I/O psychology, sport psychology, or wellness psychology from an Italian perspective.
• Engage in discussion with Italian psychology professionals, share ideas with peers (including study abroad and Italian peers), and document their experiences.
• Pursue a topic in-depth that will support their future academic and/or professional interests, integrating an Italian perspective with US approaches.

Student Interest Topics

This program allows students to engage in a topic area of interest and to research this topic in Italy.  Possible areas of focus include:

• Educational psychology - the study of how people learn and retain information. It mainly focuses on the learning process of early childhood and adolescence; however, learning is a lifelong endeavor. People don't only learn at school; rather, they learn through all of their life experiences, including at home, with friends, at work, through social media, and through culture.
• Industrial-organizational psychologists can help businesses recruit and hire the right people, help create training and development programs to improve employee performance and develop incentives and organizational structures, so employees are happier and more productive on the job and maintain work-life balance.
• Couple and family psychology (CFP) is a specialty in professional psychology that is focused on the emotions, thoughts and behaviors of individuals, couples and families in relationships and in the broader environment in which they function. The unique focus on both systemic and relational elements of behavior is unique to CFP.
• Marketing psychology is the act of using research to understand why people think and act the way they do. The way people respond to marketing can be better understood when marketers apply common psychological principles to their strategies. The psychology of marketing gives marketers an understanding of humans to help influence consumer behavior to make purchases or take action in a specific way.
• Social psychology is the study of how individuals affect and are affected by other people and by their social and physical environments. The work of social psychologists allows us to have a better grasp of how group dynamics influence our choices and actions and provides insight into how our social perceptions affect our interactions with other people. 
• Sports psychology is the study of how mental factors affect athletic performance and the psychological well-being of athletes. Sports psychologists use psychological principles to help athletes improve their performance and mental health. They also study how physical activity and sports can affect an athlete's health and psychological development throughout their life.
• Health psychology examines how biological, social and psychological factors influence health and illness. Health psychologists use psychological science to promote health, prevent illness and improve health care systems.
• Counseling psychology is a professional psychology specialty that focuses on helping people improve their well-being and mental health

Students will be housed in double or triple-occupancy rooms at centrally-located hotels in Verona, Padua, Siena and Rome, Italy.  Breakfast will be included daily.

SAGE is dedicated to creating international engagement opportunities that meet the needs of all our students and providing resources to support you through the process of studying abroad. Study abroad is achievable for students of all identities including our BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students, students with disabilities, and students with religious/non-religious viewpoints. Before selecting a program, consider how your identities may impact your experience abroad in unique ways and talk with your Program Coordinator about any program-specific concerns. Students with documented disabilities should discuss any accommodation needs with their Program Coordinator early in the planning process.

Additional Resources

Check our Identity Abroad page and resources listed below for information specific to you and other students who may be on your program.

• Sexual and Gender Diversity
• Students of Color Abroad
• Visible and Invisible Disabilities
• Religious, Spiritual, and Non-Religious Students
• Adult Learners and Non-Traditional Students
• First Generation Students 
• Students with Children
• Students with Financial Need
• Veterans, Active Duty, and ROTC

Open to undergraduate or graduate students in the School of Education and Human Sciences, specifically Educational Psychology majors.  KU students from academic areas outside of SOEHS will be considered with permission from the Program Directors.

Program Cost for Applied Psychology in Europe Program

For more information contact:

Dr. Darrell Phillips
Department of Educational Psychology
University of Kansas
602 J.R. Pearson Hall
1122 West Campus Road
Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-7268
D.Phillips@ku.edu

Dr. Mary Fry
Department of Educational Psychology
University of Kansas
604 J.R. Pearson Hall
1122 West Campus Road
Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-1862
mfry@ku.edu