Psychology at UNE

The University of New England was originally formed in 1938 as the New England University College, a College of the University of Sydney. It became fully independent in 1954. The University of New England has, since 1989, included the former Armidale College of Advanced Education. The College of Advanced Education began life in 1928 as the Armidale Teachers College. The University of New England is the second oldest university in New South Wales and the first regional university in Australia.

The University of New England is located on several sites in Armidale, a cathedral city of some 23,000 people, situated on the New England tablelands. The city is 1000 metres above sea level, 510 kilometres by road from Sydney and 460 kilometres by road from Brisbane. The Northern campus of the University is some five kilometres to the northwest of the city centre, in an attractive rural and bushland setting. The Newling campus includes the buildings associated with the former Armidale College of Advanced Education. The University also possesses a number of rural properties in close proximity to the campus, providing facilities for teaching and research.

The University commenced external teaching in 1953 and has become one of Australia's premier tertiary institutions offering higher education in this mode.

More information about the University is available via its homepage: http//www.une.edu.au

The department of Psychology was established at the time the University was founded in 1938, making it the third oldest Department of Psychology in Australia. The Department is located in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. A history of the first forty years of the Department of Psychology was written by the third Professor of Psychology (Barratt, 1993).

Barratt, P.E.H. (1993). Psychology at New England: An autobiographical history of the first forty years. Armidale, NSW: University of New England Press.

Psychology has about 16 academic staff, several general staff (i.e., administrative and technical) and several research associates. Psychology is accredited by the Australian Psychological Society as an academic organisational unit for the teaching of psychology. Psychology has an extensive range of computing, teaching and research laboratories.

Psychology has strong traditions in both teaching and research. It has been credited with a number of teaching innovations including being the first department of psychology to offer continuing education in psychology. Psychology has consistently attracted grants to support its research including large Australian Research Council grants and grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

There are approximately 500 internal and 400 external undergraduate students in Psychology, and about 60 honours and postgraduate students.