Overview of the Psychology Discipline:

Psychology is an applied field that studies human behavior and mental processes based on scientific findings and research. In other words, psychology is the science that examines human behavior about the surrounding environment and the variations in these behaviors. The primary goal of psychology is to analyze various human conditions when encountering different challenges in life.
Specialized and Research Fields in Psychology:

• Clinical Psychology

• Educational Psychology

• Industrial-Organizational Psychology

• Developmental Psychology

• Psychometrics

• Social Psychology

• Personality Psychology

• Exceptional Child Psychology

• Biological Psychology

• Health Psychology

• Managerial Psychology

• Productivity Psychology

• Employee Psychology

• Environmental Psychology

• Work Psychology

• Ethnographic Psychology

• Legal Psychology

Pursuing Higher Education in Psychology:
Currently, students can pursue education up to the highest level (doctoral studies) in this field within the country. The postgraduate specialties in psychology include:

• General Psychology

• Clinical Psychology

• Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology

• Industrial-Organizational Psychology

• Exceptional Child Psychology

• Psychometrics

• Islamic Psychology (Positive Psychology)

• Health Psychology

• Educational Psychology

• Cognitive Neuroscience

Among these, General Psychology stands out as one of the most popular specialties, offering broader enrollment capacity. This field deals with topics such as behavior, development, intelligence, memory, learning, motivation, emotion, normalcy and abnormality, and social behaviors.
Job Market and Career Opportunities for Psychology Graduates:
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology can work in various sectors, including:

• Welfare organizations

• Law enforcement agencies

• Rehabilitation centers

• Specialized clinics

• Hospitals

• Municipalities

• Counseling centers

• Schools and kindergartens

Experienced individuals may take up roles such as:

• Human resource planning

• Human resources management

• Research and development in human resources

• Training management

• Recruitment and selection officers

Additionally, graduates with a master’s or doctoral degree, along with sufficient resources and experience, can establish their own psychology clinics. They can provide therapeutic services for individuals, families, academics, occupations, interpersonal relationships, and marital issues, as well as conduct psychological research and offer services in welfare and mental health centers.
History of the Psychology Discipline at Ardakan University:
The Psychology Group at Ardakan University began its activities in 2009 (1388) by launching the undergraduate psychology program, aimed at training individuals in the theoretical and practical principles of research methodologies in psychology and acquiring professional skills in this field. Over time, with the goal of expanding the group, the Master’s program in General Psychology was introduced in 2013 (1392). Currently, the group operates with five faculty members actively engaged in academic and research endeavors.
Department Members:

• Dr. Hamidreza Aryanpour (Assistant Professor)

• Dr. Razieh Jamaati Ardakani (Lecturer)

• Dr. Azadeh Choobforoushzadeh (Associate Professor)

• Dr. Shokoofeh Motaghi Dastnaei (Assistant Professor)

• Dr. Azra Mohammadpanah Ardakan (Associate Professor)