Rapid Growth of Psychology Programs in Turkey: Undergraduate Curriculum and Structural Challenges

Similar to the other developing countries, undergraduate psychology programs in Turkish universities have rapidly grown in the last two decades. Although this sharp increment signifies the need for psychologists, it has also caused a number of challenges for effective teaching of psychology. The department chairs (N = 42) were interviewed with an online survey, and the course catalogs of 56 psychology departments were reviewed to assess the state of the undergraduate curriculum and the major challenges in teaching of psychology in Turkey. Results indicated that the most commonly offered undergraduate courses in Turkey are similar to the ones in the United States, with the exception of certain capstone courses. The shortage of faculty members seems to be the major challenge for teaching of psychology in Turkey. Although developing countries, such as Turkey, have strong potential to internalize psychology, there is a need for establishing accreditation systems and quality benchmarks.