Great Zimbabwe University Psychology Department Since 2006: A Subjective reflection beyond controversy.
“History will be kind to me for l intend to write it”. Winston S. Churchill
On my arrival at GZU then called Masvingo State University under the leadership of Professor O. Maravanyika the department chairman was Mr. P. Mudhovozi now Professor Mudhovozi. In 2006 the programme in psychology had been married to Human Resources modules to form a double barrel at the end so, initially one would take two modules in psychology two in Human Resources, one in sociology, which Mr. Tshuma at that time took us through the tormenting sociological perspectives, I had a hard time. I’m also via my subjective experiences of the belief that non-core courses for psychology students should proffer a plethora of choices which would be relevant to the choice of vocation of the students for example choices for options should include modules in law, rural development and anthropology to cater for those who might be interested to pursue different careers given in psychology not just learning one area which might not be of use in career choices. The programme would finish as 3.2.2 this would end one doing psychology and human resources modules in part 2.
Early in 2008 Professor Mudhovozi was the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology then, he was one of the two psychology lecturers within the department who had a Masters Degree together with Mrs. GKN Shonhiwa who is the current Deputy Dean of the faculty of Social Science a position which she has held from late 2011 up to now. The rest of the teaching staff members had Honours Degree qualifications and some had General Degree qualifications who were former GZU students. In the year 2009 GZU Psychology department welcomed the second coming of Mr. Zirima who was then a holder of a Bsc Honours Psychology degree from University of Zimbabwe (UZ). He later on graduated to become Msc Psychology degree holder from the same university. He is now the chairperson of the department and a PhD candidate. In 2007 the psychology program changed from 3.2.2 to 3.2.1 meaning to say that the program would end with a psychology major doing only psychology programs in the last year having dropped human resources courses in the end of the second year and sociology in the end of the first year.
In 2011 GZU psychology welcomed aboard Mr. J. Chimunhu a holder of two Honours degrees from UZ and Fort Hare University respectively and also a holder of MSC counselling Psychology degree. Mr. Chimunhu was the only holder of MSc Counselling Psychology degree in the department at that time with his predecessors all being holders of MSc Educational Psychology from UZ. I aver to state that his coming had the golden hand of Mr. Zirima in 2010 who was then the psychology coordinator, Mr. Nyanga being the Dean of the faculty of social Sciences, Mr. Mashavira the Chairperson of the Department. Mr. Chimunhu brought changes within the department of psychology, it is believed that he had a handy input in the establishment of the Masters in Counselling Psychology for which in that same year he was ordained the first chairman of the department of psychology, after it was separated from psychology of work namely Human Resources. It is also interesting that the Master’s program took the same name as his Master’s program which he obtained from Fort Hare University.
The combine effort from Mr Zirima and Mr Chimunhu with the support of other faculty members is believed to have conceptualized the establishment of the Special honors program in psychology to cater for multitudes of students who had long graduated without an honors qualification which is a mandatory qualification for registration as a psychologist and to most if not all psychology Masters programs. The qualification became the first post graduate programme in psychology on offer in 2011 August with its first intake registering eight students who all successfully graduated in 2012 after completion of one year study.
Currently psychology at GZU is now a four year programme, with attachment or work related studies in the 3rd year of study for students undertaking the programme. It is the same phenomenon with Midlands State University who started with such a structure in its psychology degree programme, and University of Zimbabwe has taken such shape from its psychology degree programme, a paradigm shift from its three year psychology programme. I am of the view that psychology giving a work related aspect makes it improper with reasons, with only two year study of psychological courses a student who finds attachment at a clinical setting cannot be allowed to undergo internship, ethically one is bound to be competent and the little psychological training during the two year course cannot help in issues of this matter, hence it means they will learn most of the time as what I would call ‘observer workers’. More to this ethical dilemma is the fact that some tests in psychology require licensing which require certain level of qualifications which they, are not allowed to touch an or administer in their undergraduate status like those which require license B and C qualifications. It is my wish that for psychology the four year programme be devoted to learning key concepts and issues. Students would then under these circumstances undergo internship as part of registration as psychologists, they will in so doing find their work related learning without infringement enshrined in the professional ethics of the discipline of psychology.
His Excellency Professor Mudhovozi’s coming in 2015, had his academic presence contributing to the establishment and requirements needed for the Master’s program in psychology to take off in fulfillment of ZIMCHE requirements. It is also of note to take into perspective that the master’s program has been informed by University of Venda, where he was a lecturer when he attained his PhD qualifications. It is interesting that GZU currently offers a D PHIL in psychology and one of its supervisors is Professor Mudhovozi and already it has students undertaking it.
I think it’s a history a long one I hope.
Prosper K Mushauri Bssc Hons Psychology
Bssc in Psychology