phd psychology melbourne university

• Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences
• Mental Health PhD Program

How to apply?

The Mental Health PhD Program is offered by the University's School of Psychological Sciences, the Centre for Mental Health, the Department of Psychiatry, the Centre for Youth Mental Health and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental Health.

Graduate researchers at any stage of their PhD candidature and in any Department, Centre or School at the University of Melbourne are eligible to participate.

The Mental Health PhD Program is intended to be a supplement to the training graduate researchers receive in their home department. Program participants will remain enrolled in their current faculties and departments.

Eligibility

To be eligible, graduate researchers must be currently enrolled in a PhD, have their primary supervisor based at the University of Melbourne and be undertaking doctoral research on a topic related to mental health.

Prospective graduate researchers

If you are not currently enrolled, you will need to apply separately for entry to a PhD in a relevant field. This will generally involve finding an appropriate supervisor in a suitable academic Department, School or Faculty. Once you have commenced your mental health-related PhD course, you can then register to join the Mental Health PhD Program.

Check that you meet the University's eligibility and entry requirements to undertake a PhD, and find instructions on how to apply on MDHS' Graduate Research pages . You can also read more general information about the MDHS PhD course .

Applications

The application procedure is currently closed. Due to unforeseen technical issues, the opening for 2021 applications has unfortunately been delayed until February 8, 2020. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

Applications to join the Program can be submitted throughout the year and graduate researchers can join the Program at any time during their candidature.

If you meet the eligibility criteria and you are interested in meeting your peers from throughout the University of Melbourne and creating a more multidisciplinary understanding of mental health research then please apply below. We look forward to welcoming you to our community!

Apply for the Program

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us .

• Research degrees
• Your research options

Supplementary PhD Programs

Give yourself an edge. Join a multidisciplinary PhD Program to enrich your graduate research experience. These programs are supplementary learning opportunities in addition to your core PhD studies. They provide the chance to work with others who share a passion for discovering new knowledge in your area of interest.

We currently offer a wide range of multidisciplinary programs with the details below. Each has a different focus, such as mental health, cancer, or infection and immunity. The programs feature a series of activities to enhance your learning experience. You can attend masterclasses, workshops and seminars, delivered by experts in your field. You will keep up to date with research findings and breakthrough discoveries. And you may have opportunities for mentoring and internships.

When you join a PhD Program, you’ll connect with graduate researchers from other disciplines. And you’ll engage with relevant external organisations. By participating, you’ll broaden your networks and improve your career prospects.

Please note, these programs run in addition to your PhD research . If you are looking for information about possible topics for your core PhD research, please explore the breadth of PhD research themes available.

Why join a PhD Program?

By joining a PhD Program, you will set yourself up for success. You'll have extra support and opportunities throughout your research degree. This will enable you to:

• Access a breadth of expertise from across the University
• Consider your research from the perspective of other disciplines
• Place your research in a broader multidisciplinary context
• Build multidisciplinary networks that lead to postdoctoral pathways
• Develop professional skills to enhance your career prospects
• Improve your research and communication skills to become an accomplished graduate researcher.

Are you eligible?

• To take part, you must be enrolled in a PhD at the University of Melbourne. Your thesis topic must relate to the PhD Program theme.
• When you join a PhD Program, you will remain enrolled in your current department.
• You can join a PhD Program at any time during your candidature. You will remain part of the program until you complete your doctoral studies.

Explore the individual PhD Programs

The Biomedical Engineering Innovation PhD Program is a multidisciplinary research training initiative. It is a supplementary learning opportunity that enriches the graduate research experience.

The program brings together people who work on research related to biomedical engineering, including:

• PhD students, supervisors and alumni from across the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct
• Industry and clinical partners.

The program is facilitated by:

• The Graeme Clark Institute
• The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Melbourne.

Find out more

The Child and Adolescent Health PhD Program complements your PhD studies. As a participant, you will join more than 200 graduate researchers at the Melbourne Children’s Campus . This campus is a fully integrated paediatric teaching hospital, University department and research institute. Our research streams include:

• Cell biology
• Clinical sciences
• Population health
• Infection and immunity.

We undertake multidisciplinary research in the following areas:

• Clinical trials
• Stem cell medicine
• Global health
• Life-course (longitudinal population) studies
• Health services research
• Digital health
• Data science.

The Comprehensive Cancer PhD Program provides specialist cancer research training and support for PhD candidates. It complements your core PhD activities.

The program provides a unique opportunity for PhD candidates researching cancer-related topics to work together. It attracts PhD candidates from a range of disciplines.

To be eligible, you must be enrolled as a PhD student in a partner organisation. Together, these organisations form the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) alliance . Through this program, you will experience clinical and research activities across the alliance.

Upon completion, you will be ready to conduct world-class cancer research. The program will also prepare you for a wide range of career options. It does this by broadening the scope of your research knowledge. And by providing professional development and career training programs.

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Program in Indigenous Settler Relations enhances the experience of Masters and PhD students by creating an enriching cohort experience. The program develops an intellectual community and facilitates opportunities for you to deepen your academic knowledge and skills.

The program is open to graduate researchers in any faculty. You must be undertaking graduate research related to Indigenous settler relations in Australia and the world.

As a participant, you will work with others who share a passion for discovering new knowledge about infection and immunity. In this program, you will:

• Learn from global leaders in infection and immunity
• Access high-calibre scientists and facilities
• Work in an environment where discovery research meets diagnosis and surveillance
• Work with experts in infectious diseases, epidemiology, genomics and more.

The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity delivers this PhD Program. The institute is a joint venture between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital. You may join this program if you are:

• A graduate researcher at the Doherty Institute
• Enrolled in a PhD at the University of Melbourne.

The Doherty Institute is home to high-quality discovery research. It has large diagnostic operations in virology and bacteriology. So, the institute can provide vast research training opportunities in many areas, including:

• Epidemiology
• Clinical and translational research
• Infectious diseases surveillance
• Outbreak investigations.

As a program participant, you will access first-class research training in your primary discipline. And you can supplement this with extra workshops, seminars and potential internships. Our key partners in biopharmaceutical-linked industries provide these extra training opportunities. These connections will assist with future employment opportunities, beyond the pure research environment.

When you join the Medical Biology PhD Program, you will work with others who share a passion for research related to medical biology.

You will learn more about:

• Medical biology
• Research management
• Commercialisation of research
• Clinical translation.

The Medical Biology PhD Program is delivered by the Department of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne. When you join, you will undertake research training at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI).

When you join the Mental Health PhD Program, you’ll feel part of a community. You will work with others who share a passion for discovering new knowledge about mental health. All graduate students from the University of Melbourne working in a mental Health related field are welcome to join any time. We have graduate researchers from a wide range of disciplines spread across at least 15 schools or departments at the University of Melbourne, including:

• Epidemiology and community mental health
• History and philosophy of psychiatry
• Psychiatric nursing
• Social work
• Linguistics

This interdisciplinary PhD program offers PhD candidates in mental health a unified research training experience. It is a joint initiative of the following schools and departments:

• School of Psychological Sciences
• Melbourne School for Population and Global Health,  Centre for Mental Health
• Department of Psychiatry
• The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

The Migration, Statelessness and Refugee Studies PhD Program is delivered by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute at the University of Melbourne.

You will work with others who share a passion for discovering new knowledge in this area. You will engage with researchers from other disciplines across the University. And you will connect with relevant external organisations.

These connections will allow you to:

• Consider your research from the perspective of others
• Develop your research in reference to current real-world challenges
• Enhance your career prospects.

During the program, you will attend masterclasses, workshops and seminars. There will be a focus on ethics and research methods. And you will learn how to communicate your research to diverse audiences.

The Melbourne Neuroscience PhD Program brings together graduate researchers from across disciplines. These researchers share a passion for discovering knowledge in the area of neuroscience. When you join, you will access the best in neuroscience research from across the university.   This is a competitive program that complements your core PhD project. You will receive close mentoring from experts in the field of neuroscience. And you will benefit from a broad range of research initiatives.

The Melbourne Neuroscience PhD Program will help you to:

• Connect with other researchers from across the University
• Build relationships with relevant external organisations
• Develop your career path after graduation
• Consider your research topic from different perspectives
• Contribute to the discovery of new knowledge
• Expand your professional and personal networks
• Learn how to engage with industry.

All graduate students from the University of Melbourne working in a Neuroscience related field are welcome to join any time, even if it is not their primary discipline. We have graduate researchers from a wide range of disciplines spread over 20+ schools/departments at the University of Melbourne, including:

• Anatomy and Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medicine and Radiology
• School of Population and Global Health
• Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
• Royal Melbourne hospital

The Population and Global Health Graduate Research Program provides an engaging and practical skills-based training environment and cohort experience for graduate researchers.

The program enables you to maximise the value of your graduate research experience. It also helps you to make informed choices about your future career path.

It will focus on:

• Public health
• Health policy
• Epidemiology and biostatistics.

First published on 22 February 2022.

Keep reading

Where your research can take you.

Your degree will prepare you for an academic career in research, but it can also lead to roles in the private sector, small business, government or not-for-profit organisations.

Explore research areas

Discover your graduate research options at the University of Melbourne.

International PhD opportunities

Discover the fully funded Joint PhD opportunities that are currently available with universities and research institutions around the world.

Get in touch to learn more about collaborating with the University of Melbourne.

• Arrow-right #1 in Australia for Psychology

Major overview

Available in these courses

We all want to understand people better, ourselves included. And mental health and well-being matter now more than ever. Psychology explores the complexities of mind and behaviour, and how they relate to the brain, society and culture.

Learn about every stage of human behaviour, from behavioural neuroscience to cognitive processes, and the practical aspects of developmental, social and clinical psychology.

With further study in one of our accredited masters degrees you can gain registration as a professional psychologist.

Accredited undergraduate sequence

Over the course of the undergraduate sequence, you will develop a deep understanding of psychology that will set you up for future research or clinical postgraduate studies. You will learn research skills from your first year that will build in later years to give you the best foundation and depth of expertise needed to interpret and understand behaviour.

In second year you will study the core units of psychology covering biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology. Third year contains a capstone unit consolidating your knowledge of psychology and electives that expose you to the intricacies of the field.

The psychology sequence is designed to build constantly on your knowledge through research-led teaching and by emphasising the impact of research in practice.

You can study this major through the Bachelor of Arts , Bachelor of Biomedicine , or the Bachelor of Science .

Already completed a Bachelor program? You may be interested in the Graduate Diploma in Psychology which provides an accredited undergraduate sequence recognised by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council.

Related study areas

• Arts, humanities and social sciences
• Health sciences
• Psychological sciences
• Social and political science

Contact-support How can we help?

Best universities for psychology degrees in Australia 2024

Explore the best universities in australia for psychology degrees using data from the times higher education world university rankings 2024.

Top 9 universities in Australia for psychology degrees

Scroll down for the full list of best universities for psychology in Australia

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 36 Australian universities featured in the Times Higher Education  psychology ranking, with six universities featured in the top 100.  Below are the best universities in Australia for psychology degrees.

Best universities in the world for psychology degrees Best universities for psychology degrees in Canada Best universities for psychology degrees in the US Best universities for psychology degrees in the UK

5. 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.

4. 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.

3. Monash University

The department of psychology was established in Monash University in 2007 as an introduction to psychology and business.

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 the way we think about the brain, discover new ways to treat mental illness and treat 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. 

What can you do with a psychology degree?

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 2024.

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 2024

Click each institution to view its full  World University Rankings 2024  results.

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