The Pontifical Salesian University offers, in addition to curricular paths, higher education and specialization courses.
Clinical Psychology
The course is managed by our Higher School of Specialization in Clinical Psychology (SSSPC-UPS), which offers a training path for graduates in psychology who are licensed to practice and wish to train in clinical psychology and psychotherapy. Our school of specialization follows an integrated approach based on socio-cognitive Transactional Analysis and has been engaged in training and research in psychotherapy for over 30 years. In 1991, the first post-graduate specialization course was activated within the Faculty of Educational Sciences in collaboration with the Institute of Psychology. In November 1994, the school obtained official recognition from the Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research (MURST) for the equivalence of its diploma in Clinical Psychology to the corresponding academic title of Italian universities (Ministerial Decree of 18.11.1994, published in the Official Gazette No. 286 of 7.12.1994). The diploma is also valid for psychotherapy purposes. This was a significant achievement for our University, strongly desired by Prof. Pio Scilligo and obtained with the collaboration of Prof. Antonio Arto, then Director of the School. In 1995, Prof. Pio Scilligo was elected Director of the School, holding this position until 2005; subsequently, the direction was assumed by Prof. Carla de Nitto from 2005 to 2013 and by Prof. Cinzia Messana from 2013 to June 30, 2021. From July 1, 2021, for the next four years, the School is directed by Prof. Raffaele Mastromarino. The School has essentially maintained the imprint given by Prof. Pio Scilligo, who directed it for many years. The breadth of horizons and scientific rigor that have always characterized the activities – as a theorist, researcher, and clinician – of Prof. Scilligo have allowed him to develop a training project in line with the aforementioned objectives. The implementation of this project involves practical interventions that stimulate the patient to become the protagonist of change, capable of giving themselves direction while considering their relational context. The students enrolled in the School come from various parts of Italy. They are mostly recent graduates, but there are also already qualified professionals who wish to expand their expertise by taking advantage of theoretical insights that guide their practice.
Advanced Training Course in Vocational Pastoral Care
The course is organized by the Institute of Vocational Pedagogy (IPV) of the Faculty of Educational Sciences in partnership with the National Office for Vocational Pastoral Care of the Italian Episcopal Conference. It promotes the professional qualification of those responsible for vocational pastoral care in local churches, dioceses, religious provinces, and related areas of consecrated life or lay vocations.
Second Level Diploma for ABA/VB Supervisor
The course is promoted by the Institute of Psychology of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the Pontifical Salesian University, in collaboration with the Walden Institute in Rome and Bari. It offers a two-year second-level Master’s program in Supervisor in Applied Behavior Analysis in Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders Program.