Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore
Location: Europe, Norway
GPA: 2.5

Psychology in Norway

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Dates & Deadlines

Program Overview

Spend four weeks in Oslo, Norway exploring the psychology of human mental health and development and the science behind a meaningful life in a global context. In addition to being one of the friendliest societies in the world, Norway’s culture is one of the most advanced on numerous metrics related to longevity, wellbeing, and social harmony. Among its many defining cultural practices and priorities, Norway places significant importance on social interconnectedness, social loyalty, and family much more than on the needs of the individual. Consequently, it offers an ideal contrast to the American value system, which emphasizes the rights and needs of the individual. These contrasting value systems directly translate into how cultures prioritize meaning and differently shape how cultures pursue their citizens’ well-being. You will take two courses as part of the program to study these subjects in the context of another country and as a result, be able to leverage better insights into your home society's conception of mental health and a meaningful life, as well as learn how other culture's conceptions compare and contrast. Studying in Norway will provide first-hand, unique exposure to these contrasts which will be incorporated into the course teachings and assignments. 

Oslo is a vibrant, walkable capital where modern city life meets Norway’s spectacular natural surroundings. Set along the Oslofjord and surrounded by forested hills, the city blends innovative architecture, historic neighborhoods, waterfront spaces, museums, cafés, and a thriving arts and cultural scene. You can explore landmarks such as the Oslo Opera House, bustling neighborhoods like Grünerløkka, and the city’s many parks and public spaces, while enjoying easy access to hiking, islands, and the fjord. With an efficient public transportation system and a strong emphasis on sustainability and quality of life, Oslo offers an inviting setting to experience contemporary Scandinavian urban life. Excursions on the program will allow you to see and experience cultural and historic sites which may include the Norsk Folkemuseum, sauna culture, day trips to Lillehammber, Gothenburg, or Drobak.

Dates and Deadlines

Term Year Deadline Arrival Date Departure Date
Summer 2027 03/15/2027 Mid-August Mid-September

This program has a rolling admission application process: GEO staff (and the program faculty leader, if applicable) will complete a review of the application materials of complete applications in the order that they are submitted (“first come, first serve”). Decisions about acceptance will be made shortly after you submit a complete application. There are some programs that fill fast, some even before the deadline. Students are encouraged to complete applications and commit to programs early. Acceptance is based on a holistic review of your application.  This includes a review of your GPA, transcripts (including courses taken and in-progress), any additional requirements or prerequisites (see section "Additional Requirements"), and the short statement.

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Faculty-Led Scholarship Opportunity

Applicants to this program are eligible for program-specific scholarship funds. Award recipients are chosen based on academic merit, financial need, and overall quality of their essay. Individual awards range from $500-$1,500. To be considered, apply to the GEO General Scholarship by the advertised deadline for the term you will be abroad. Students who apply will automatically be considered for all available funding within the General Scholarship, including this program's scholarship funds.

Discount for Pell Recipients

To expand access to study abroad, GEO is offering a $500 discount for this program to UO students who currently have the Pell Grant as part of their federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Academic Details

The program offers two, four-credit courses, for a total of eight credits. 

Course 1: Psychology of a Meaningful Life (PSY 388 - 4 credits)

  • Taught by UO Psychology Professor Jeff Measelle and Assoc. Professor Jennifer Ablow. 
  • Approach the science of a meaningful life with three major themes in mind: (1) the scientific bases of wellbeing and meaning; (2) cultural variations in approaches to a meaningful life; and (3) implementing practices into one’s own life to promote emotional, physical, and social wellbeing.
  • To examine human behavioral patterns that underlie “meaningful life.” In addition to the elements of a meaningful life (e.g., happiness, altruism, social connection), this will include consideration of personality, emotion and motivation with the goal of extracting a science-based understanding of these topics 1. To explore competing theories and perspectives on the psychology of a meaningful life. 2. To explore contrasting cultural approaches, in particular, the American vs. Norwegian approaches to a meaningful life. 3. To apply what you learn about the science of a wellbeing and meaning to your own life. 4. To communicate clearly and effectively about psychological topics based on
    understanding strengths and limitations of empirical evidence.

Course 2: Global Mental Health and Development (PSY 388 - 4 credits)

  • Taught by UO Psychology Professor Jeff Measelle
  • This four-credit course will explore the subject of human mental health and development in populations around the world, with additional emphasis on the role that development during childhood plays in shaping long-term health, illness, and well-being of both the individual and their societies. We will examine a collection of global health problems deeply rooted in rapidly changing social structures and that transcend national and other administrative boundaries. Although taught from a psychological perspective, this course is necessarily interdisciplinary. 
  • The class can be considered ideal for students wishing to explore a variety of subject areas with an eye toward their own possible professional trajectories – public health, anthropology, economics, epidemiology, medicine, and psychology – and to better consider the interrelated complexities of psychosocial, political, economic, and environmental factors that govern physical and mental health in our world.

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Faculty and Staff

Professor Jeffrey Measelle has lead UO study abroad programs for pscyhology in Spain, Japan and now Norway. His research investigates the effects of early adversity on young children's development, in particular, the effects of prenatal and postnatal stress on the developing brain.  Much of this work has been carried out with at-risk communities in the United States, including families contending with extreme poverty, trauma, and social isolation. A second major focus of his work is children's developmental thriving in low- and middle-income countries, especially South East Asia where he and his teams are conducting basic and intervention studies designed to protect young children against such factors as poverty, malnutrition, and the effects of trauma. Outside of the Dept. of Pyschology, he is also a member of the University's Global Health faculty, as well as Co-Director of the UO Center for Global Health and Co-Director of the Oregon Public Health Corps.

Associate Professor Jennifer Ablow has co-taught on UO study abraod programs for psychology in Spain, Japan and now Norway. Her research interests are in the area of prenatal and postnatal stress, prenatal and parental mental health, intergenerational transmission of well-being, attachment relationships, social determinants of health, and parent-infant prevention and intervention. Her research program includes the study of populations exposed to diverse forms of early life stress, disproportionately represented in populations of low socio-economic status including infants of caregivers with depression and poor nutrition. Clinically, her focus is on the perinatal period. She is involved in the development and facilitation of prenatal groups for pregnant individuals at risk for depression, mindfulness-based parenting program of the early postnatal period, and video feedback dyadic parenting interventions for the promotion of attachment and emotional regulation. Dr. Ablow is also a licensed psychologist and a certified Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) clinician on the international CPP roster.

Housing Description

Housing is still to be determined. Most likely student apartments with shared rooms. Check back soon for more information.