Difference between psychology, pedagogy and psychopedagogy

Understand what each college is, the duration and the job market.

Hello friends!

A dear reader suggested this theme to me based on the text – What is psychopedagogy? Graduation, Post-Graduation and Profession. In this text, therefore, we are going to talk about the differences (and similarities) between the faculty of pedagogy, psychology and the area that brings together the two faculties, psycho-pedagogy.

Difference between psychology, pedagogy and psychopedagogy

1) Pedagogy

Well, those who by chance have no idea what the faculty of pedagogy is, will begin to understand if we visualize the name of the course outside the country. In most countries, the faculty of pedagogy is called the faculty of education. Here in Brazil, postgraduate courses in pedagogy are usually named Education, for example, Postgraduate Program – Masters and Doctorate – in Education.

The word Pedagogy is Greek, paidós (child) and agogé (leading). The master, the professor, the guide, the preceptor was then the παιδαγωγός, Pedagogue, the one who took, the one who led the child to the paedagogium, the school.

Therefore, the faculty of pedagogy is the faculty that involves education, especially early childhood education. It trains teachers to teach in Elementary School, for example, to teach children to read and write. But, of course, it is not limited to early childhood education (although graduation is very much geared towards this end) and also makes it possible to work in other contexts such as companies and hospitals.

Postgraduate courses, both specialization and master’s and doctoral courses, address broader issues that may involve aspects of education in high school or higher education.

In general, the faculty of pedagogy lasts 4 years.

2) Psychology

Psychology is also a Greek word and designates the study (logia, from logos) of the psyche (soul). So that if we go by the letter we will define psychology as the study of the soul. It is clear that with the separation of philosophy and science and science and religion, there was a leap and the word psyche lost its religious or metaphysical connotation.

Therefore, the definition of psychology as the science that studies the thoughts, feelings and behavior of human beings, individually or in groups, is closer to the truth.

With this definition, we will see that psychology is an incredibly broad area. I like to say that wherever a human being is, psychology can be present. And this presence is also felt in education. All degree courses have at least one discipline of Educational Psychology. And it is at this point that psychology approaches pedagogy.

3) Psychopedagogy

Psychopedagogy, therefore, is the area that brings together the studies of psychology and pedagogy. There is a debate in our country whether psychopedagogy should be a separate profession, disconnected from the need to attend the faculty of pedagogy or the faculty of psychology. There is no consensus. Some say yes, some say no.

With the creation of undergraduate psychopedagogy courses (previously there were only graduate courses), this debate needs an answer. After all, will a person trained as a psychopedagogue, at graduation, be registered with the Federal Council of Psychology?

Conclusion

Broadly, then, we can define the faculty of pedagogy as the faculty that studies education and the faculty of psychology as the faculty that studies behavior, in general, including education.

As they are relatively close faculties, many of the disciplines studied in one faculty are also studied in the other. So much so that the person trained in pedagogy – the shortest course – will be able to study psychology at university in much less time than if they did this college straight away. So, instead of studying 5 years, you can eliminate subjects and study in less time (something between 3 years and 3 and a half years, depending on what the college will accept as a subject already studied).

And the reverse is also true. A person trained in psychology can graduate in pedagogy in less time. I imagine something around 2 to 2 and a half years.

While studying psychology at university, it was very common to have colleagues from the pedagogy course taking elective subjects and then either applying for a transfer or studying psychology in even less time after completing the course in pedagogy.

Psychopedagogy is most often a graduate course, which is open to both psychologists and psychopedagogues or speech therapists. In a very brief summary, we can say that psychopedagogy opens up new areas for these professionals, clinical or institutional psychopedagogy, and deepens clinical psychology studies focused on learning problems. It is important to note that it is not limited to work in an office, but can also include work in other places such as hospitals, institutions, companies and, of course, in schools and educational organizations.

We recommend – Psychopedagogy Course

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