SWPS University facts for kids
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Polish: Uniwersytet SWPS
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Former names
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Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej |
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| Type | Private |
| Established | 1996 |
| Founder | Piotr Voelkel, Andrzej Eliasz, Zbigniew Pietrasiński and Janusz Reykowski |
| Rector | Associate Professor Roman Cieślak, Ph.D. |
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Academic staff
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545 |
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Administrative staff
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over 1000 |
| Students | 16,946 (10.2024) |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Black, White |
| Affiliations | EUA, Socrates-Erasmus |
| Website | swps.pl |
SWPS University is a private university in Poland. It was started in 1996 by three professors who taught psychology. Their names were Andrzej Eliasz, Zbigniew Pietrasiński, and Janusz Reykowski.
SWPS University is one of the biggest private universities in Poland. As of 2024, it had over 16,000 students. These students were studying for different degrees, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. More than 1,100 international students from over 80 countries also attend. The university has six campuses in major Polish cities. These cities include Warsaw, Wrocław, Sopot, Poznań, Katowice, and Kraków.
The school was first known as the Warsaw School of Social Psychology. In Polish, this was Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej, SWPS. In 2015, it officially became a university under Polish law.
Contents
How the University is Run
In 2008, the role of founder for SWPS University went to the Institute for the Development of Education. Its president, Piotr Voelkel, a Polish businessman, took on this role. Before 2018, a group of people called a board of trustees managed the university.
University Leaders
The main leader of the university is called the Rector.
- Andrzej Eliasz was the Rector from 1996 to 2016.
- Roman Cieślak has been the Rector since 2016.
What Students Can Study
SWPS University offers many study programs. Students can choose from 18 programs taught completely in English. There are also over 30 programs taught in Polish. These programs have more than 70 different specializations.
The main subjects students can study are:
- Psychology
- Law
- Languages
- Literature and Culture Studies
- Media and Communication
- Management
- Design
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education has recognized SWPS University. They ranked it as the top school for Social Sciences programs in Poland.
University Departments
SWPS University has twelve departments, also called faculties. These departments can give out doctoral degrees in several subjects. These subjects include cultural studies, literature studies, law, and sociology in Warsaw. They also offer psychology degrees in Warsaw, Wrocław, and Sopot. The university can also grant higher post-doctoral degrees in cultural studies and psychology.
| Locations | Departments | Subjects |
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| Warsaw | Warsaw Faculty of Psychology | Psychology |
| Warsaw Faculty of Humanities | Humanities | |
| Warsaw Faculty of Social Sciences | Social Sciences | |
| Faculty of Design in Warsaw | Design | |
| Warsaw Faculty of Law | Law | |
| Kraków | Kraków Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies | Interdisciplinary Studies |
| Kraków Faculty of Psychology | Psychology | |
| Sopot | Sopot Faculty of Psychology | |
| Katowice | Katowice Faculty of Psychology | |
| Wrocław | Wrocław Faculty of Psychology | |
| Wrocław Faculty of Law and Communication | Law and Communication | |
| Poznań | Poznań Faculty of Psychology and Law | Psychology and Law |
Important People at SWPS
Many important people have worked or been honored at SWPS University.
- Jan Strelau, a respected professor.
- Shevah Weiss, a notable figure.
- Robert Cialdini, a famous psychologist.
- Philip Zimbardo, a well-known psychologist.
- Małgorzata Kossut, who leads a department studying how our brains think.
- Tomasz Witkowski, who started a group for people who like to question things.
Famous Graduates
Many people who studied at SWPS University have become well-known.
- Daria Abramowicz, a sports psychologist.
- Ania, a singer.
- Agnieszka Brustman, a chess master.
- Żanna Słoniowska, a writer and journalist.
Helping the Community
SWPS University works with many groups to help the community. Its teachers and students are encouraged to get involved.
- The university has a Legal Clinic. This clinic gives free legal advice to people who don't have much money.
- SWPS also helps local craftspeople in the Praga District of Warsaw. This is where the main campus is located.
- Much of the university's research focuses on important social, business, and political topics. These include brain science, how people make economic choices, health, and aging.
- SWPS works with many non-profit organizations. It is the first European campus to receive the Ashoka Journey to Changemaking Certificate. It is also part of the Engaged Universities Forum, which includes 7 Polish universities working on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
University Rankings
| University rankings | |
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| Global – Overall | |
| THE World | 1201+ (2025) |
- SWPS University was ranked the second best private university in Poland in 2019. This was according to the Perspektywy Polish University ranking.
- In the 2025 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE), SWPS University was ranked 1201+. For specific subjects, it ranked 401+ in Psychology and 501+ in Social Sciences.
- SWPS University was also ranked second in Poland for Psychology in the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
- Researchers from SWPS University won a Silver Medal at Euroinvent 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades para niños
- University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw (since May 2025 VIZJA University)
- SWPS University Press
