This article is adapted from "Georgia National Tour," prepared by Guguli Magradze, 2005, and reprinted from Wedding, D., & Stevens, M. J. (Eds.). (2009). Psychology: IUPsyS Global Resource (Edition 2009) [CD-ROM]. International Journal of Psychology, 44 (Suppl. 1).

History

The history of psychology in the Georgian Republic began when a faculty of psychology and a laboratory of psychology were founded at the Tbilisi State University upon its own establishment in the year 1918.

In the year 1947 the Georgian Academy of Sciences and the Research Institute of Psychology were established. The founder of both of these institutions was Dimitri Uznadze, who received his education in Germany and was a student of Wilhelm Wundt.

Currently the Department of Psychology of Tbilisi State University has four Chairs: General Psychology, Social Psychology, Child and Educational Psychology, and Industrial and Economic Psychology. Due to financial difficulties a Chair of Clinical Psychology could not be opened, although specialists in clinical psychology already exist. Approximately seventy psychologists graduate each year.

Research

In the Republic of Georgia, the main research fields are social psychology, cognitive psychology, child psychology, organizational psychology, and clinical psychology (almost all general fields of psychology). Research is mainly conducted at Tbilisi State University University (Address: 1. I. Chavchavadze Ave., 0128 Tbilisi, Georgia), Tbilisi State Medical University (Address: 33 Vazha Pshavela, 0177 Tbilisi, Georgia), the Institute of Psychology, the Georgian Academy of Sciences/ the Pedagogical University, the Institute of Psychiatry, and others.

Education

Training is conducted at the Tbilisi State University, the Institute of Psychology, the Institute of Pedagogy, and others. The psychologists, upon graduation, receive Diplomas of Psychologists, which was a five-year program, but starting from 1997 the five-year study schedule has changed to four+two-education system (four for bachelors, two for magistrates).

In addition to these state institutes, there are some private institutes where psychology is also taught. But graduates of private institutes receive only Diplomas of Psychologist and there is no four+two-education system.

There are no government regulations for Georgian psychologists, but a group of psychologists together with legal representatives are working on a draft law. This law will apply to all psychologists.

A formal code of ethics for Georgian psychologists is currently being worked on.

Updated August 2005