{"id":26131,"date":"2026-06-26T09:34:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T09:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ul.edu.lr\/new\/?p=26131"},"modified":"2026-06-26T09:34:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T09:34:45","slug":"university-of-liberia-launches-psychology-degree-to-tackle-mental-health-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ul.edu.lr\/new\/university-of-liberia-launches-psychology-degree-to-tackle-mental-health-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"University of Liberia Launches Psychology Degree to Tackle Mental Health Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fendall, Louisiana (June 24, 2026) \u2013 <\/strong>The University of Liberia has launched a Bachelor of Arts program in Psychology \u2013 the first of its kind since the 1950s \u2013 to train professionals to address the post-war country\u2019s acute shortage of mental health workers amid the growing drug abuse crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The undergraduate program, housed in the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, will begin classes in August for academic year 2026\/2027 with its first batch of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The university aims to cultivate homegrown expertise to address the systemic mental health challenges through the program, which has a faculty of internationally trained Liberian psychologists led by Acting Chair Andrew Dean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The launch in Fendall on June 24 also doubled as a fundraising event, with pledges organized into four categories: diamond, platinum, gold, and silver. Contributors will support scholarships, faculty study leave for PhD and master\u2019s programs, the creation of a smart classroom, and resources for the department\u2019s first batch of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The costs listed are diamond at US$21,750 for three years or US$12,750 for two years; platinum, for the brain and behavior fund, at US$10,750; gold, for the mind builders\u2019 scholarship, at US$2,750; and silver, for Psychology excellence fund at US$275 (expenses per month is US$190).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The launch followed the department\u2019s inauguration on March 25, marking a significant shift for Liberia after a prolonged civil conflict that left major gaps in mental health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

University of Liberia President Dr. Layli Maparyan said Liberia\u2019s development or academic excellence cannot be achieved without addressing the mental and emotional wellness of the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are equipping our students not just with Western theories, but with the practical trauma-informed tools rooted in African thought, African culture, and the Liberian context necessary to foster resilience, enhance child and youth development, strengthen families, reduce interpersonal violence, combat substance abuse, and support individuals in their journey towards healing and full vitality,\u201d said Dr. Maparyan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She committed the university to supporting both the Ph.D. and master\u2019s degree faculty for study leave to have enough Ph.D. faculty for the department. Dr. Maparyan pledged to work with the Department of Psychology to equip a smart classroom to receive current educational material in the field of psychology. She also pledged personal support of a one-month contribution to the Silver Psychology Excellence Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Augustine Kanneh, Senior Advisor to the President of Liberia, served as the keynote speaker and chief launcher of the Bachelor of Arts degree program in Psychology at the University of Liberia, held under the theme, \u201cBuilding a Healthier Mind, a Stronger University Community and a Better Liberia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Kanneh said the program\u2019s significance becomes clearer when viewed against the backdrop of Liberia’s difficult war years of the 1990s, when the country was trapped in \u201ca no peace, no war\u201d situation \u2013 a period when open fighting had subsided, but genuine peace remained elusive after regional peacekeepers were drawn into fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During that time, Dr. Kanneh said, the University of Liberia provided hope and intellectual direction to thousands of young Liberians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThrough various psychosocial initiatives, counseling activities, focus group discussions, student engagement programs and community dialogue efforts, the university became a platform for healing and reconciliation,\u201d he said. He praised the launch of the degree program as a bold investment in understanding the human mind and promoting mental wellness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Dr. Kanneh announced that the Ministry of State will contribute to the diamond and gold categories of support, promising that a check will be made through the university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Andrew Dean, Chairman of the Department of Psychology, said the program was created to respond to a critical shortage of mental health professionals while Liberia faces growing mental health and psychological well-being challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom our civil war to Ebola, to COVID-19, to the substance use crisis that we currently have, mental health cannot be overlooked any longer,\u201d said Mr. Dean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He praised stakeholders and partners\u2019, including mental health professionals within his department and across government institutions. Public and private guests, and individuals at the program, for supporting the fundraising initiative. The ceremony drew university administrators, government officials, faculty, and students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fendall, Louisiana (June 24, 2026) \u2013 The University of Liberia has launched a Bachelor of Arts program in Psychology \u2013 the first of its kind since the 1950s \u2013 to train professionals to address the post-war country\u2019s acute shortage of mental health workers amid the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26133,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"iawp_total_views":76,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-announcements","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t