Master in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology at University of Bologna
Two-year English-taught LM-51 R psychology master at the University of Bologna's Cesena campus on work, organisational and personnel psychology, qualifying for registration as a psychologist. Open access: a psychology degree, English at B2 and an online interview.
Master
2 years
Bologna
English
University of Bologna
Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-51 R) taught in English by the University of Bologna on its Cesena campus. Entry needs a psychology bachelor's or 88 credits across eight psychology areas, with at least 8 in work and organisational psychology for foreign degrees, English at B2 and 18/30 in an online interview. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Bologna's Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology master asks for a psychology bachelor's (class L-24 or a foreign equivalent with at least 8 credits in work and organisational psychology) or a degree with at least 88 credits across eight psychology areas, English at B2, Italian at B2 or extra Italian training, and at least 18/30 in an online interview. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree requirement
You need a three-year bachelor's degree or university diploma, or a foreign qualification recognised as equivalent that gives access to the next cycle of study in the country where you earned it. It must also meet one of these rules: [1]
- An Italian bachelor's in class L-24 Psychological Sciences and Techniques, or the older class 34.
- A different bachelor's with at least 88 credits in the psychology sectors M-PSI/01 to M-PSI/08, with at least 6 in each: general psychology, psychobiology, psychometrics, developmental and educational psychology, social psychology, work and organisational psychology, dynamic psychology and clinical psychology. All 88 credits must come from a single degree; single courses or two degrees combined do not count.
- A foreign qualification recognised as equivalent, which the committee compares with the Italian degree classes. It must include courses in work and organisational psychology totalling at least 8 ECTS.
If you do not meet the curricular requirements, you cannot enrol. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and foreign credits are not the same unit, and the committee looks at what you studied. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a single-major BA or B.Sc. in Psychology or Applied Psychology that covers general, developmental, social, clinical and biological psychology plus psychometrics, and includes industrial or organisational psychology papers worth at least 8 ECTS.
- Check carefully: a BA where psychology is one of three subjects, or a psychology degree with no paper in work or organisational psychology, which may miss the 8-credit block or some core areas.
- Often short: a BBA or B.Com with HR subjects, a BSW, sociology or engineering, which usually include little psychology.
English and Italian
English at CEFR B2 is required at the time of application. You can prove it with a certificate on the University of Bologna language centre's recognised list or a B2 self-certification issued by an Italian university language centre, obtained no more than two years before you apply. Native English speakers and holders of a bachelor's from an English-speaking university, or one taught entirely in English, meet the requirement without a certificate. [1]
Italian at CEFR B2 is also required. International students who do not have it must include training activities to reach that level in their study plan, and Italian language and culture also count for 3 points in the interview. [1]
Selection
Access is open, with no cap on places. Only candidates whose qualification is judged eligible and who meet the curricular and language requirements are invited to an interview in English on Microsoft Teams, scored out of 30: [1]
- Work, organisational and social psychology in practice, with attention to occupational health and emerging topics: up to 10 points.
- Research methodology, through reading and understanding a scientific article: up to 10 points.
- Digital skills, such as spreadsheets, statistical software like SPSS, JASP or R, and survey tools: up to 3 points.
- Italian language and culture: up to 3 points.
- Relevant experience, such as a bachelor's thesis, internship or professional work in work and organisational psychology: up to 4 points.
You need at least 18 out of 30. The call lists preparation reading, including Demerouti and Bakker on job demands-resources theory, Landers and Marin on technology in organisational psychology, chapters on motivation and leadership from an open organisational behaviour textbook, and any handbook on psychosocial research methods. [1]
2026/27 deadlines
- Intake 1 (including non-EU citizens living abroad): applications 27 March to 30 April 2026 at 1:00 p.m., interview list 11 May, interviews 18 to 29 May, results 9 June 2026.
- Intake 2 (Italian, EU and equivalent applicants only): applications 4 May to 19 June 2026 at 1:00 p.m., interviews 6 to 10 July, results 20 July 2026.
- Enrolment: 22 July to 29 October 2026, or to 19 November 2026 with a late fee.
You could apply and enrol before graduating if you obtained your degree by 31 December 2026. Applicants not admitted in intake 1 could not take part in intake 2. The 2027/28 call sets the next dates. [1]
Documents and non-EU steps
On Studenti Online you upload your foreign qualification translated into Italian or English, with a transcript or Diploma Supplement showing credits or hours per course and your final grade, or your transcript if you have not graduated yet. You also upload an identity document or passport, your English certificate and, for foreign qualifications, the programme's form listing your exams in work and organisational psychology (at least 8 ECTS). A signed CV and an Italian B2 certificate are optional. The application is free. [1]
Non-EU citizens living abroad must also pre-register on Universitaly and apply for a study visa. At enrolment they upload their qualification documents, translated and authenticated where required, with their entry visa, and show the originals at the Cesena student office after arrival. The academic record had to be activated by 26 February 2027. [1]
Sources and verification
Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.
- University of Bologna, Department of Psychology Renzo Canestrari. Call for applications for admission to the Master's Degree Programme in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology, academic year 2026/27, English version. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Bologna, Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology programme website: overview, how to enrol page and course structure for students enrolling in 2026/27. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology is a two-year second cycle degree (laurea magistrale) in class LM-51-R, Psychology, run by the University of Bologna's Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari" (PSI). It is taught entirely in English on the Cesena campus, not in the city of Bologna, and is worth 120 ECTS. Access is open, so there is no fixed number of places. The university lists it among its international degree programmes, and its director is Rita Chiesa.
The degree's stated purpose is to apply psychological knowledge to improve well-being, relationships and productivity within organisations. It suits graduates who want to work on how people experience their jobs, their teams and the organisations they belong to.
What you will study
As its title says, the programme brings together three fields: work psychology, organisational psychology and personnel psychology. The first year of the 2026/27 study plan is built on compulsory units: [2]
- Human Factors in Technology, Safety and Risk Management (6 CFU)
- Methods, Analytics and Machine Learning (8 CFU)
- Organizational Psychology and Team Processes (8 CFU)
- Work Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics (6 CFU)
- Human Resources Assessment (10 CFU), covering interviewing and listening skills and testing
- Lifelong Learning and Digital Skills (6 CFU)
- Personal Branding and Professional Skills Lab (3 CFU)
You also take 8 free-choice credits, with options such as Business Psychology and Consumer Behaviour and Human-Centered Innovation and Design. The second year covers diversity and talent management, organisational change interventions, personnel psychology for career development and performance, and workplace stress prevention, plus a 20-credit practicum and a 15-credit final examination. [2] Lectures and exams are in English. [1]
Career paths
The 2026/27 call states that the degree qualifies graduates for registration as psychologists. Students without 10 credits of recognised professional training from earlier studies acquire the missing internship credits on top of the 120. [1]
The degree prepares psychologists to work inside organisations, where the university places the focus on well-being, relationships and productivity. A laurea magistrale also gives access to PhD programmes in Italy and abroad. The university's job placement service publishes job offers and internship opportunities, and runs preparation events such as mock job interviews for its students and graduates.
Fees and scholarships
Fees at Bologna depend on family income. For 2026/27, with a family ISEE of €27,000 or less, this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. Families whose income is abroad declare it through ER.GO, the Emilia-Romagna right-to-study body, which also runs the regional scholarship. Non-OECD citizens with income only abroad, from countries like India, can instead choose a reduced flat fee.
How to apply from outside the EU
For 2026/27, non-EU citizens living abroad could apply only in intake 1, from 27 March to 30 April 2026 at 1:00 p.m. The Studenti Online application is free. Eligible candidates were interviewed online between 18 and 29 May 2026, with results on 9 June. As the degree has open access, non-EU applicants living abroad are not limited to a reserved quota of places. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Once you are admitted, we file the Universitaly pre-enrolment: the university must validate it before the consulate can process your study visa. On arrival you enrol, pay the first instalment, have your foreign qualification checked by the campus student office and apply for a residence permit within eight days.
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your transcript against Bologna's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your Studenti Online application with your translated degree, transcript, English proof and work psychology exam form, interview preparation and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your ER.GO Emilia-Romagna scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What bachelor's degree do I need?
A psychology bachelor's in Italian class L-24, a different degree with at least 88 credits across eight psychology areas and at least 6 in each, or a recognised foreign equivalent. Foreign degrees must also include at least 8 ECTS in work and organisational psychology. [1]
Is there an entrance exam?
No written test and no cap on places. Eligible candidates take an online interview in English scored out of 30, covering work, organisational and social psychology, reading a research article, digital skills, Italian language and culture, and relevant experience. You need at least 18. [1]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 when you apply, through a certificate on Bologna's recognised list or a B2 certificate from an Italian university language centre, issued within two years. The call does not name IELTS directly, so we check your certificate against the list. Native speakers and graduates of English-taught degrees are exempt. [1]
Do I need to speak Italian?
Teaching is in English, but the call also asks for Italian at B2. International students without it add Italian training to their study plan, and Italian language and culture are worth 3 of the 30 interview points. [1]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2026/27, non-EU citizens living abroad could apply only in intake 1, from 27 March to 30 April 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Interviews ran online from 18 to 29 May and results came out on 9 June 2026. The 2027/28 call is not yet published. [1]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. For 2026/27 you could apply and enrol before graduating, uploading your transcript with credits or hours, as long as you obtained your degree by 31 December 2026. [1]
I have a BA in Psychology or a BBA in HR. Can I apply?
A BA or B.Sc. in Psychology is the closest fit if it covers the eight core areas and at least 8 ECTS of work and organisational psychology. A BBA in HR usually has too few psychology credits for the 88-credit rule. We check your transcript before you apply. [1]
Where is the degree taught?
On the University of Bologna's Cesena campus, run by the Department of Psychology. Lectures and exams are in English, and the degree is not taught in the city of Bologna itself. [1][2]
Can someone handle my whole application to Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology at Bologna?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Bologna's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the ER.GO Emilia-Romagna scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.
I'm applying from India. What is the route into Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology?
An Indian bachelor's in Psychology or Applied Psychology can match the rule if it covers the eight core psychology areas and includes at least 8 credits of work and organisational psychology. You need English at B2 and at least 18/30 in an online interview in English. The steps are the Studenti Online application in intake 1, the interview and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
No. The academic rules for Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: Studenti Online application in intake 1, committee check and online interview, and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.
I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?
At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: Studenti Online application in intake 1, committee check and online interview, and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?
The academic rules for Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology are the same whatever your nationality, and your degree is assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: Studenti Online application in intake 1, committee check and online interview, and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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