Call for Applications to the Doctorate in Psychology | Fall 2020

How to Apply

For academic information related to the doctorate contact the programme coordinator Dr Nuno Ferreira via email at [email protected].

The application must be submitted only via the online procedure available at: https://www.unic.ac.cy/apply.

The aim of the PhD program in Psychology is to train the next generation of researchers in the field of Psychology. The program focuses on developing the skills necessary for graduates to become independent researchers at post-doctoral level. The program comprises several areas of specialization; however, candidates will have to propose projects within the specialist areas within the supervisor’s fields of expertise.

Doctoral students are expected to design and execute an independent original research project and produce a Thesis. Through their research project students are expected to evidence an original contribution to knowledge, develop or apply innovative research or intervention methods, and as a result advance scientific knowledge in an area of Psychology.

The specific aims of the programme are to:

1. Develop students’ in depth understanding and critical analysis of current literature and research methodology in the field of Psychology.
2. Enhance students’ research skills and facilitate the development of expertise relevant to their research specialization area.
3. Educate students in how to disseminate research findings, through publishing in academic journals and/or presenting their work in academic conferences and seminars.
4. Prepare students to conduct high quality and internationally recognized independent research.

The programme is offered in English.

APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED FOR PROJECTS RELATED TO THE SUPERVISORS AREAS OF EXPERTISE (LISTED BELOW)

Dr Marios Adonis – Head of Social Sciences Department

• PTSD and non-clinical trauma
• Humility
• Positive Psychology
• Psychosocial variables in coronary heart disease
• Healing visualization in physical illness
• Placebo effects
• Social and non-social connectedness
• Therapeutic effects of non-psychological interventions (I.e religious practices)

Dr Nuno Ferreira – PhD Program Coordinator

• Acceptance and Commitment therapy
• Third wave CBT
• Paediatrics
• Chronic Illness
• PTSD
• Veterans Mental Health
• Psychogastroenterology
• Emotion regulation
• Eating Disorders
• Burnout

Dr Andreas Anastasiou – Associate Professor

• PTSD
• Schizophrenia
• Empathy
• Conflict resolution

Dr Menelaos Apostolou – Associate Professor

• Evolutionary psychology
• Human mating behavior
• Mating and wellbeing

Dr Marios Constantinou – Professor of Clinical Child and Forensic Neuropsychology

• Clinical Child Psychology: Empirically Supported Treatments, Behaviorism
• Clinical Pediatric Neuropsychology: Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Disorders of Childhood and their Neuropsychological Assessment, Cognitive Improvement in Diseases and Disorders with Empirically Supported Treatments, Eating Habits and Cognition, and Cognitive Rehabilitation
• Clinical Forensic Neuropsychology: Malingering, Assessment of Forensic Cases, Assessment of Court Readiness for Children, Young Criminals Assessment, Profiling
• Neuroscience and Neuropsychology
• Psychometric Theory and Test Development

Dr Polyxeni Georgiadou – Program Coordinator of the MSc in Counseling Psychology

• Positive Psychology
• Therapist training and psychotherapy processes and outcomes
• Professional Ethics

Dr Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous – Associate Professor of Developmental Psychopathology

• Empathy, Callous-unemotional Traits and Developmental Pathway to Psychopathy
• Attachment Perspective on Psychopathology
• Childhood Trauma, Emotional Dysregulation, Psychiatric Symptomatology and Growth
• Developmental Psychopathology and Cross-cultural Effects
• Bereavement, Traumatised Childhood, Adverse Effects and Growth

Dr Yianna Ioannou – Program Coordinator of the MSc in Clinical Psychology

• Mechanisms of change in psychotherapy process and outcome
• Aspects of growth in clinical training and supervision
• Intergenerational transmission of trauma
• Representations of traumatic experiences
• Attachment
• Severe psychopathology
• Child therapy
• Psychoanalytic theory in practice

Dr Ioulia Papageorgi – Program Coordinator for the MSc in Educational/School Psychology

• Educational applications of personality and individual differences
• Self-perceptions and learning
• Performance / test anxiety and its effects on learners
• Psychology of performance
• The development of expertise
• Psychology of music
• Health and well-being in the workplace
• Benefits of music training on cognitive development and academic achievement
• Psychometric test development and psychometric assessment
• Bullying

Dr Stella Petronda – Counseling Services Officer

• Trauma
• Attachment
• Severe Psychopathology
• Eating disorders

Dr Stavroula Soukara – Program Coordinator of MSc in Criminology

• Psychology and Law
• False Confessions and Miscarriages of Justice
• Investigative Interviewing of Suspects: Interviewing Tactics – Personality Characteristics and Skills of Interviewers
• Investigative Interviewing of Witnesses
• Investigative Interviewing of Children
• Criminal – Delinquent Behaviour
• Police and Society

Dr. Maria Koushiou – Lecturer

• Eating Disorders
• Paediatrics – Psychosocial variables in congenital heart disease
• Psycho-physiological correlates of emotion regulation
• Anxiety in children and adolescents
• Chronic Pain
• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Mental health and adjustment of refugee children and adolescents

Dr Mark Sullman – Professor

• Individual differences in the workplace
• Physical attractiveness and selection
• Individual differences in driving behavior
• Safety culture
• Social Psychology
• Physical attractiveness and unfriending in social media applications

Dr Alexia Zalaf – Lecturer

• Domestic violence
• Individual differences and personality
• Dark personality traits
• Animal abuse and animal welfare
• Forensic psychology and criminology topics

Admission Requirements and Procedures
Candidates need to provide with their application:

1. An accredited Masters and Bachelors degree along with their respective Official Transcript. At least one of the previous degrees (Bachelors or Masters) must be in Psychology.
2. Initial Research Proposal (Information on how to prepare the proposal available on the “Regulations for application proposal” document) *need to add link*
3. Statement of Purpose: Applicants are required to submit a comprehensive letter outlining their academic and individual competencies and state why they believe they are suitable for admission to the Program. The statement should not be more than one page long (Times New Roman 12, single spaced)
4. Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must obtain two recommendation letters from individuals who have known the applicant in an educational and/or professional environment. At least one of the recommendation letters must be from an academic institution where the applicant has studied previously.
5. English Language Proficiency: TOEFL (paper based test 600, computer based test 250, internet based test 100) or IELTS 6.5. For students who graduated from an English speaking University, English language is not a requirement.
6. Application form: Applicants must submit an application form for admission and enrolment to the program. The application form requests general information about the applicant, their qualifications, relevant experience.
7. Application Fee: An application fee of €55 (non-refundable) will need to be paid upon submission of the application. Alumni of the University of Nicosia are exempted from this.

The Department Postgraduate Programs Committee (DPPC) and the Director of Doctoral Programs will assess all written applications and invite for an oral interview only those applicants who pass the first stage of assessment. The interview will assess the candidate’s abilities in critical thinking, scientific communication, fit of the proposed project with the department’s lines of research and supervisory match and availability. If the candidate is successful at interview level, an invitation letter to join the program will be sent within two weeks of the interview date.

Final Evaluation: In view of the limited number of applicants to be admitted to the program, the Department Doctoral Program Committee will decide on the basis of merit and by evaluating specific criteria who are the most suitable candidates to be admitted to the program. The Committee will exercise its judgment, taking into account the overall quality, merit and feasibility of the research proposal, the quality of the prior research work of the candidate and the candidate’s academic and other relevant qualifications as included in the curriculum vitae and the applicant’s performance during the individual interview.