About the School
About the School
Psychology at the University of Melbourne has a long and distinguished history. The first paper set in Psychology was in February 1888 and the Department of Psychology was founded in 1946.
The School in its current structure was established in 2012, when the The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences announced the creation of its fifth school: the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences (MSPS).
Formerly known as the School of Behavioural Science, and subsequently as the Psychological Sciences Academic Centre within the Melbourne Medical School, the School is now consistently positioned as one of the top Schools of Psychology in Australia and ranked 22nd University in the world in QS World University Rankings 2027. MSPS offers a compelling environment for education and research.
Boasting robust growth, the School attracts top-tier students nationally and internationally to our comprehensive range of APS-accredited undergraduate, graduate, professional and research programs. Teaching at the School is underpinned by excellence in research across a range of fields, including cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, cognitive and mathematical psychology, social and personality psychology, and clinical science.
We have established research hubs in Complex Human Data, Brain and Mental Health, Ethics and Wellbeing and Cognitive Neuroscience, along with two Faculty Research Centres – the Contemplative Studies Centre and the Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change. These School-based hubs and centres provide a collective interface for research with our many and varied partners within MDHS, including the Melbourne Brain Centre, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, ORYGEN Youth Research Centre, Austin Health, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Royal Children’s Hospital, the Royal Women’s Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital.
Research collaborations also extend across various disciplines within the University and with external partners, including Cancer Council Victoria, Behavioural Insights Unit (Victorian Government), Defence, Science and Technology Organisation, and Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Hosting a diverse community of more than 130 academic, teaching, research and professional staff, the School also includes over 100 honorary staff, 150 tutors and 120 PhD students. In 2023, we saw enrolments over excess of 6500 students in undergraduate subjects, as well as an additional 200 students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Psychology, and about 140 students enrolled in fourth-year honours programs and the Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced). A further 130 students were enrolled in various professional graduate programs, while a cohort of 40 students undertook coursework and industry internship opportunities as part of our non-accredited pathway, the Master of Applied Psychology.
Our facilities are dispersed across Parkville Campus, and include the main offices at the Redmond Barry Building, the innovative Melbourne Teaching Health Clinics on Cardigan St, and research centres in the cutting-edge Melbourne Connect building. Access to extensive teaching spaces ensure an enriching learning experience for the School’s students, promoting academic excellence and fostering personal growth.
The legacy of excellence at MSPS is characterised by pioneering research and unparalleled education within the vibrant community of the University of Melbourne.