Head of School's Welcome

Hello and welcome to the School of Psychology. Our school provides a friendly, relaxed but challenging learning environment that focuses on achieving excellence in scholarship, teaching and research.

The School is located in the Faculty of Science and IT and has 26 academic staff, 800 undergraduate students and 80 postgraduate students. Members of the School study a diverse range of topics from development in childhood and social influences on decision making, to the study of anxiety disorders and mental illness, and on to the modelling of memory processes and the study of social learning.

We offer a range of Undergraduate programs accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) at our Callaghan and Ourimbah Campuses. The courses cover the main areas of study in psychology and provide a depth of content analysis that both challenges students and gives them ample opportunity to develop their skills in critical thought, experimental methods, data analysis and communication.

Our postgraduate coursework programs offer professional training in Clinical and Health psychology and their value is demonstrated by the ease with which our graduates gain employment in the health services. Our Honours year (4th year) students and our postgraduate students present their research at our annual School conferences – a highlight of the academic year and a chance for the students to formally present their work and achievements.

We also have a very active and enviable research profile and our postgraduate research students are provided with excellent facilities for their work. We have state-of-the-art EEG facilities, access to brain imaging equipment; well-equipped wet and dry laboratories and computer facilities. Scholarships for PhD students are available through the University and can also be supported by research grant funds.

In summary, the School is special because of its staff and its students; it offers a superb location for local, national and international students to study; and our focus on excellence in research and teaching provides a highly valuable educational experience. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about studying psychology at Newcastle.

Associate Professor Mick Hunter
Head, School of Psychology
University of Newcastle