The Warsaw School of Social Psychology (SWPS) Chodakowska 19/31, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland e-mail: swps@swps.edu.pl, www.swps.edu.pl PHILOSOPHY OF SWPS The Warsaw School of Social Psychology (SWPS) was established in 1996 by professors of the Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences. SWPS is a modern academic institution that aims to prepare graduates for a variety of professions. We focus on individuals their psychological needs, personal inner worlds, relations with other people as well as with more remote surroundings, and their interactions in the world of organizations, politics, and culture. It seems likely that, in the coming decades, this interest will intensify. We may expect, therefore, a growing demand for specialists who are able to deal with socio-psychological problems of individuals, groups and organizations. Thus, professionals who can apply their knowledge of disciplines such as psychology, sociology, political science, philosophy, and culture and communication to solving practical problems will be in high demand. The School is set to train specialists in these disciplines. The education and experience acquired at the School enable our graduates to work as psychologists, sociologists, cultural analysts, and other professionals with requisite knowledge and competence in human affairs. Therefore, they may seek employment in both the public and the private sector in government, public administration, education, business, security, sports, social services, media, cultural management, and organization of cultural activities. Another important change we are now witnessing is the dramatic increase in the number of cross-cultural contacts. This increase stems from the rapid growth of international cooperation and exchange, the mushrooming of international political, cultural and military organizations, and migration, especially of seasonal workforce from other countries. Hence, many challenges facing graduates of psychology and related studies will be connected with working in a crosscultural environment. The School offers programs to prepare its graduates for these challenges. 1
PROGRAMS OF SWPS FULLY LECTURED IN ENGLISH MA English Program in Psychology, offers not only to domestic, but also to international students the opportunity to obtain high quality social psychology education. Social Psychology program provides academic and applied knowledge highly useful in such professional areas like HR, Advanced Management, Marketing, Advertisement, Media. The Program includes 13 core courses in general and social psychology and provides specialization courses, among others, in Internet Technology and Communication and Cross- Cultural Psychology. The Internet Technology and Communication Program is our response to demands for specialists with social and psychological skills and competence in computing and professional aspects of Internet. Our students gain a profound psychological knowledge as well as knowledge of information and communication technologies. Our program graduates can easily find employment as: experts on market research on the Internet, advertising, specialists in data mining, processing of experimental data in the fields of science, medicine & management, specialist in distance learning & multi-media based teaching. Program in Social Psychology of Internet Technology and Communication cooperates with the world-wide known companies like Microsoft, leading enterprises and banks in organizing students internships. Our unique program of Cross-Cultural Psychology was created in order to promote international communication and as a response to globalization. Students of the Cross- Cultural Psychology acquire a thorough education in general, social and cross-cultural psychology, as well as culture studies in the fields of: cross-cultural management in business and NGOs, ethnic, culture related conflicts, civilization clashes, cross-cultural mediation, migrations, processes and problems of psychological acculturation of compatriots, migrants, refugees, foreign workers, multicultural societies and minorities. The Computer Science Program has been prepared in 2004 on the basis of most recent requirements of international organizations gathering Information Technology professionals (ACM, IEEE CS, IRMA/DAMA) and thus is one of the most advanced, cutting edge programs of its kind in the world. Starting from October 2005, the CS Program at SWPS offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with one of four possible specializations: Knowledge Acquisition and Management (KA&M), Information and Decision Support Systems (IDSS), Information Resources Management (IRM), Web and Multimedia (WaM). 2
The Computer Science Program offers full-time and weekend-only programs. The comprehensive undergraduate curriculum encompasses computer science as well as carefully selected exposure to social sciences and humanities that educate students how to successfully create, manage and communicate about information technology. The Political Science undergraduate program was built on comprehensive theoretical basis covering theories of political science and related disciplines. We emphasize cooperative and behavioral approach, centering European Union Institutions and European counties. The curriculum allows students to design their individual study profiles though their own chance of elective courses during the first and the second year and the choice of a module in the third year of studies. Following areas of individual study are offered: political institutions of the EU and Poland, international relations (basic knowledge and detailed info about the regions quickly gaining importance in the globalizing world), political marketing, elections, public opinion. We encourage our prospective students to tailor their courses to suit their own requirements. Our flexible approach enables them, after completing their chosen subject, to either specialize further or to choose courses appropriate to their own needs and interests or study abroad. AREAS OF STUDY LECTURED IN POLISH SWPS offers five-year Master s degree programs in Psychology, Sociology and Cultural Studies and three-year Bachelor's degree programs in Sociology, Cultural Studies, Philosophy, English Studies, Political Science, Public Health, Polish Studies, Computer Science and Scandinavian Studies. The Division of Psychology comprises the following units: Institute of Basics of Psychology Institute of Social Psychology Institute of Psychology of Cross-Cultural Relations Institute Social Clinical Psychology Institute of Social Psychology of Internet Technology and Communication Institute of Social Problems of Health and Education Community College of Social Psychology in English School of Psychology Applications Community College of Pedagogy Academic Center of Psychology and Psychological Counseling Professional School of Psychotherapy 3
The Division of Humanities and Social Sciences consist of the following units: Institute of Culture and Communication Institute of Sociology Institute of Philosophy Institute of English Studies Institute of Political Science Institute of Polish Studies Center of East Asian Civilizations Middle Eastern Center Scandinavian Center Cross Departmental Center of Foreign Languages Institute of Computer Science Institute of Scandinavian Studies SWPS CERTIFICATES AND AWARDS In May 2000, the Warsaw School of Social Psychology was awarded the Quality Certificate by the University Accrediting Commission, valid for five years, which assembles representatives of the best Polish universities. In 2002, SWPS was granted the right to award the degree of doctor (Ph.D.) in psychology by the Central Commission for Matters Related to Academic Title and Degrees, whose members are chosen from the group of Polish professors. Doctoral studies were launched jointly by the School and the Institute of Psychology, PAN in the academic year 2002/2003. In 2003 the Warsaw School of Social Psychology received the unconditional accreditation from the National Accreditation Commission for studies in the area of psychology. In 2003, SWPS received the European Label for the English for Psychology exam, a new, innovative, and high quality product. The title is awarded annually by the European Commission for foreign language teaching products deemed to be amongst the most innovative and outstanding. In 2003 SWPS became a member of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP), an association of rectors representing those Polish institutions of higher education which have the right to award a doctor's degree. In the academic year 2003/2004 SWPS opened a branch campus of the Division of Psychology in Sopot and in January 2004 a branch campus of the same division in Wrocław. 4
Department of Marketing Psychology Chairman: Professor Andrzej Falkowski, Ph.D. The Department is focusing on research on memory factors in consumer choice, the brand building process, brand extension, and brand loyalty, visual and imagery effects in advertising. A special interests is paid to political marketing, where the models of voter behavior and the methodology of constructing political advertising is developed. The research also deals with the issue of consumer rationality. Specifically, the problems such as: the role of theory and data in consumer inferences, the relevance on attributes on consumer choice, models of consumer rationality, the reasons behind consumer choice, and the adaptive nature on consumer decisions. Selected publications: Cwalina, W., Falkowski, A. (2003). Advertising and the image of politicians. National elections in Poland, France, and Germany. In F. Hansen, L.B. Christensen (eds.), Branding and advertising, (205-231). Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School Press. Cwalina, W., Falkowski, A. (2005). Political advertising in East and Central Europe. W: L. Lee Kaid and Ch. Holtz-Bacha (Eds.). The Handbook of Political Advertising Around the World. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Cwalina, W., Falkowski, A. (2005). Voter Reactions to US Presidential Candidates Media Portrayals in 2004: comparing perceptions of Polish and American citizens. Journalism Studies, 6(2), 217-228. Cwalina, W., Falkowski, A., Kaid, L.L. (2000). Role of advertising in forming the image of politicians: Comparative analysis of Poland, France, and Germany. Media Psychology, 2(2), 119-146. Cwalina, W., Falkowski, A., Koniak, P. (2005). Advertising Effects: Polish Elections to the European Parliament. W: J.Tenscher M. Maier (Ed.). Campaigning for Europe. London: LIT Publishers. Cwalina, W., Falkowski, A., Newman, B.I., Verčič, D. (2004). Models of voter behavior in traditional and evolving democracies: Comparative analysis of Poland, Slovenia, and U.S. Journal of Political Marketing, 3 (2), 7-30. Falkowski, A., Cwalina, W. (1999). Methodology of constructing effective political advertising: An empirical study of the Polish presidential election in 1995. W: B.I. Newman (red.), Handbook of political marketing, (283-304). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.` Falkowski, A., Cwalina, W. (2002). Structural models of voter behavior in the 2000 Polish presidential election. In: B.I. Newman, D. Vercic (red.), Communication of politics: Cross-cultural theory building in the practice of public relations and political marketing, (137-158). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press. 5