Best universities for psychology degrees in Australia 2023
Explore the best universities in Australia for psychology degrees using data from the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023
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Top 9 universities in Australia for psychology degrees
Scroll down for the full list of best universities for psychology in Australia
| Australia psychology rank 2023 | WUR psychology rank 2023 | University | City |
| 1 | 22 | University of Melbourne | Melbourne |
| 2 | 28 | The University of Queensland | Brisbane |
| 3 | 45 | UNSW Sydney | Kensington |
| 4 | 54 | Monash University | Melbourne |
| 5 | 63 | University of Sydney | Sydney |
| 6 | 79 | Australian National University | Canberra |
| 7 | 84 | The University of Western Australia | Perth |
| =8 | 101–125 | Curtin University | Perth |
| =8 | 101–125 | Macquarie University | Sydney |
Australia is one of the leading destinations for international students. It is home to some of the best universities in the world and provides a great study-abroad experience for students both in and out of the classroom.
When it comes to studying psychology in Australia, there are plenty of courses on offer at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level.
In Australia, students also benefit from hands-on experience of research from as early as their first year, first as volunteers or even participants in research projects and later working with academics and postgraduates to design and conduct studies.
There are 35 Australian universities featured in the Times Higher Education psychology ranking, with seven universities featured in the top 100.
Below are the best universities in Australia for psychology degrees.
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5. University of Sydney
The University of Sydney’s School of Psychology is one of the oldest in Australia.
The undergraduate psychology programme at the university consists of 10 psychology units studied over three years.
Completion of the programme is a requirement for eligibility to proceed to a master’s year. Students can also study psychology as a major or minor alongside other subjects.
The University of Sydney also offers postgraduate options such as a master or doctor of philosophy as well as graduate diplomas in psychology, clinical psychology and coaching psychology.
Psychology students at the University of Sydney have the opportunity to explore the research facilities, including the Charles Perkins Centre and the Brain and Mind Centre. These offer hands-on experience in many areas ranging from neurobiological foundations to clinical therapy, social interaction to decision-making, and from psychopharmacology to virtual reality.
The university is also home to the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, which investigates the medicinal use of cannabinoids; the world’s first university-based Coaching Psychology Unit; and a Clinical Psychology Unit that adopts a scientist-practitioner model.
4. Monash University
The department of psychology was established in Monash University in 2007.
An honours programme in psychological science was added in 2011.
Students have the opportunity to work with researchers in a range of areas such as brain function, treatments for mental health conditions and understanding addiction by mapping brain connectivity.
Students will gain hands-on experience and build professional networks through internships and supervised research projects throughout their degree.
Monash offers a flexible degree structure to allow students to pursue psychology and explore other subjects at the same time.
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3. UNSW Sydney
The School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney offers a broad range of undergraduate courses that teach the foundations of psychology.
Students also gain general skills in research design, critical thinking, statistical analysis, and written and oral communication.
Postgraduate programmes in clinical and forensic psychology provide professional training alongside module learning, while the doctorate programme offers the opportunity for advanced study in a range of specialised research fields.
Facilities include computer laboratories running specialist software that allow students to design and implement their own psychological research and analyse and interpret the data they collect. At master’s level, students can access laboratories for the analysis of cognition and brain function, including electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and eye tracking.
2. The University of Queensland
The School of Psychology at The University of Queensland has about 50 full-time academic staff.
The school provides an extensive range of research expertise covering biological, clinical, cognitive, developmental, health, organisational and social psychology.
Undergraduate students can complete a four-year bachelor of psychological science or a three-year bachelor of arts or science with a major in psychology, or choose to study psychology as a minor alongside another degree. An accredited fourth year of study can also be completed following the undergraduate courses.
The postgraduate offering includes a research-based master’s and doctorate courses across all areas of psychology.
The school has several centres that provide advanced-level training in practice and research in psychology while serving the community. These include the UQ Psychology Clinic and the Parenting and Family Support Centre.
The Psychology Students’ Association (PSA) is the main student society for psychology students at the university, and it organises events, both on and off campus, to promote the social and academic pursuits of association members.
1. University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university in Melbourne, Australia.
Not only is it the top university in Australia for psychology, but the institution is ranked as the best university in Australia overall, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023.
The Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences offers undergraduate psychology majors as part of bachelors of arts or science, as well as a breadth of psychology minor options and a graduate diploma programme for graduates seeking an accelerated psychology major. Postgraduate options include two master of psychology degrees in clinical psychology or clinical neuropsychology.
The University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic is a teaching clinic that provides low-cost clinical services to adults, 17 years and over, living in Melbourne. The clinic is a component of the university’s professional training programme in psychology and has been running since the 1970s. Postgraduate students working towards their clinical degrees can see adult patients under the supervision of faculty members who are senior clinicians and registered clinical psychologists.
The University of Melbourne undertakes research in cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, quantitative psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology and clinical science.
Top universities in Australia for psychology degrees 2023
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2023 results.
