History of Psychology at the University of Münster

1783 The philosopher, Ferdinand Überwasser (1752-1812), refers to himself as"Professor für empirische Psychologie und Logik" (professor of empirical psychology und logic). His position was created by Franz Freiherr von Fürstenberg just after the official opening of the university (1780). The educational reformer Franz von Fürstenberg considered psychology to be a science that should be taught in every school and university... More about this era under http://roland-pfister.net/publications/articles/Schwarz_Pfister_2016_PPS_History.pdf
1919 Founding of a research group for Experimental Psychology as part of the Philosophy Seminar under the direction of Professor  Richard Hellmuth Godschmidt.
1933 The National Socialist Party revokes the lecturer's authorisation of Professor  Richard Hellmuth Goldsmith.
1934 A new assignment for the professorship "Applied Psychology" was awarded  (until 1945)
1941 Introduction of the "Diplomprüfungsordnung" for Psychologists (16. July 1941). It is decided that psychology shall be organized into a separate subject of study at the University of Münster.
1942 Dr. Wolfgang Metzger temporarily fills in as department chair. He is officially elected as head of the "Institute for Psychology and Pedagogy" on October 1, 1942 and promoted to Professor Ordinarius and Direktor of the "Institute for Psychology und Pedagogik". The department is oriented on the empirical and experimental tradition of the Berliner School for Gestalt Theory.

Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Wolfgang Metzger (1899-1979)
1947 The institute receives its own facilities, essentially a few rooms in the provisionally renovated Children's Clinic
1948 Division of the der Philosophical und Natural Science Department into the "Philosophiscal Department" and the "Mathematical-Natural Science Department". The  Psychological Institute becomes part of the Department of Philosophy.
1949 The department is moved to a building in Rosenstraße 9. The facilities include a total of seven rooms, a photographic laboratory and a fine-mechanical workshop.
1951 Upon request of the local community, the department develops and opens a walk-in clinic for students and local residents (presently known as the Psychotherapy Ambulance of the Department of Psychology).
1959 Founding of the "Fachschaft Psychologie" as representatives of the student body.
1964 The department is reorganized into two main sub-departments: The department of "General Psychology" and "Applied Psychology".
1965 Etablishment of a laboratory for animal experiments.
1967 Prof. Dr. Wolgang Metzger retires as emeritus professor. The department is reorganized again into three research areas: "General and Applied Psychology", "Clinical Psychology" and "Differential Pyschology". 
1968 Professor Lilly Kemmler becomes chair of the working unit ,"Clinical Psychology". A training program in clinical psychology is organized at the graduate level of  Diploma studies. It is one of the first education programs of its kind in Germany. Professor Manfred Sader is appointed Chair of Personality Psychology.
1970 Introduction of "Numerus Clausus"(admission based on a minimum GPA). Over the years, the department grew steadily and eventually reaches a total of 17 professorships in the year 1995.
1970 Installation of the first computer  (IBM 1130 with an interface from the company WDV). It is rumored that this was the first computer ever used at a psychological institute in Germany for laboratory and test research.
1977 Introduction of an educational minor in psychology for the Magister program of the Philosophy Department
1978 The department opens the "Laboratory for Sleep Studies".
1984 The three main research units of the department are redivided into four psychological institutes :

Institute I: Psychological Diagnostics and Clinical Psychology, 
Institute II: General and Applied Psychology,
Institute III: Methodology, Developmental Psychology, Educational Psychology,
Institute IV: Social Psychology, Personality Psychology, Organisational Psychology

In addition, three house-internal services are established (Technical Services, Psychology Library und Advising Office)
1985 Integration of the teacher-training subject, psychology (formerly Dept. 21 at the Pedagogical University of Westfalen-Lippe, Münster) into the Department of Psychology. The department assumes responsibility for teaching "Psychology of Education" in the teacher education minor in the Diploma program in Education Studies.
1986 The facilities are moved to the building at  Fliednerstraße 21 (completed in 1996)
1987 Reorganisation of the program in Diploma Studies into three applied-subject focus areas: Industrial & Organisational Psychology, Clinical Psychologie, Education Psychology
1994 The office for "Consulting and Training for Organisations" is established to encourage exchange between university researchers and private corporations.
1998 The departments for "Psychology" (8) and "Sport & Exercise Sciences" (20) are merged together to form Department 7 - Psychology and Sport & Exercise Sciences.
2006 Founding of the Psychological Institute V "Psychology in Education & Instruction", which is given responsibilty for teacher education.
2007 Introduction of the study program "Bachelor of Science in Psychology"
2010

The department consolidates the five institutes created for organizational purposes in 1984 into two main institutes: The "Institute for Psychology" (formerly Insitute I thru IV) and an "Insitute for Pychology in Education & Instruction" (formerly Insitute V).

In the same year, the Masters of Science in Psychology is introduced to replace the older Diploma and Magister degree programs.
2011 Establishment of the Counseling Lab of Münster

(Historical overview was provided by Prof. Dr. G. Kebeck 7.02.2002; last updated on: 16.06.2010)

Documents

  1. Foto (Wolfgang Metzger)
  2. Text "Psychologie zwischen Natur- und Geisteswissenschaften" by Wolfgang Metzger. In: Heinrich Balmer (Hg.), Die Psychologie des 20. Jahrhunderts, Band 1, Kindler Verlag, Zürich 1976, S.27-40. Diesen Text herunterladen (207 kb) 
  3. Text "Die Psychologie an der Universität Münster" by Lilly Kemmler und Heinz Heckhausen. In: Die Universität Münster 1780-1980. Im Auftrag des Rektors hg. von H. Dollinger, Münster 1980, S.325-330. Diesen Text herunterladen (60 kb)