The field of Social and Organizational Psychology has been present at the ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon since the institution’s establishment in 1972, and gained field as Department (DEPSO) in 1999. Nowadays, it is housed in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and comprises a team of 17 PhD faculty members and a set of experts in different disciplines who contribute to the training that DPSO offers.

DEPSO’s main objectives consist in carrying out activities in the fields of teaching and research in Psychology. The 1st cycle of studies puts special emphasis on general skills in Psychology, focusing on the transmission of theoretical and methodological knowledge inherent to the diversity of the areas, in order to ensure the students’ mobility. The DEPSO’s general pedagogical perspective values practical assignments, encouraging habits of research and other forms of active learning that foster the development of critical thinking. Since the beginning of their studies, DEPSO students have the opportunity to participate and to carry out studies in laboratory context (Laboratory of Social and Organizational Psychology - LAPSO) and in field research, gaining acquaintance of the edge-cutting research paradigms and techniques.

At the Master’s level, DEPSO is the scientific coordinator of a diverse range of Master and Postgraduate degrees in Psychology - Social and Organizational Psychology, Community Psychology and Child Protection, Psychology of Emotions, Social Psychology of Health and Psychology of Intercultural Relations, attended by students coming from ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon and from other universities, as well as by professionals and specialists who seek to develop and update their professional practice.

DEPSO also invests actively in research through developing and promoting the PhD programme (3rd cycle of studies), as well as through enforcing quality and internationalization of the scholars’ and the Department teams’ research. DEPSO scholars are part of the Centre for Research and Social Intervention (CIS) - rated as excellent by the Foundation for Science and Technology - and participate in various other research networks of universities and international scientific institutions, developing research and promoting inter-institutional agreements.

Welcome to DPSO!