Roskilde University is a public university founded in 1972 with the objective of providing research and education at the highest level in the fields of natural science, social science and the humanities. In its short history, Roskilde University has in many ways broken with traditional educational thinking and practice in Denmark. The basic teaching principles at Roskilde University are: Inter-disciplinary and problem-oriented learning; project work; group work; and a close connection between research and teaching. These terms and concepts can be elaborated briefly as follows:

Inter-disciplinary and problem-oriented learning

The traditional division of study into narrow academic disciplines has been replaced by an inter-disciplinary approach to identifying and solving problems. As in the university’s research, students are encouraged to demonstrate the relevance of different theoretical perspectives to their chosen subject.

Project work

Students are trained to organize and write major project reports based on the results they have obtained during research and analysis.

Group work

Group work is the basic form of study. Through group work, students learn the meaning of cooperation and responsibility.

Close connection between research and teaching

Research staff are assigned as tutors to the project groups. The teacher interacts with the group as advisor and discussion partner.

These principles guide the Department of Psychology and Educational Studies, with problem-oriented project work at the centre of our understanding of learning in higher education. Central to this orientation is a commitment to teaching students to see new problems and new solutions, how to produce a finished product and how to critically assess its perspectives and limitations.

The program brings together staff and academic inspirations from the Department’s two constituent subject areas: psychology and educational studies. The subject of psychology emphasizes the social psychological aspect; the social processes and the individual as seen in a cultural and societal context. At Psychology the topics worked with are among others developmental- and personality-based psychology, pedagogical psychology and organizational psychology. The subject of educational studies addresses the broader pedagogical issues and the learning processes of humans in both formal and informal contexts in addition to all other phases of life. The key concepts are subjectivity, institutions, didactics and comparative studies.