Psychology

Entry requirements

A postgraduate diploma can usually be taken at any time after the completion of your bachelor's degree.

If your first language is not English you need to meet our English language requirements as follows: IELTS score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); we also accept a number of other English language tests. Due to COVID-19, we currently accept Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS Indicator Test, and TOEFL iBT Special home Edition.

Don’t meet the English language requirements? The University of Otago Language Centre English for Otago programme offers a pathway for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students to meet the English language requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Months of entry

February, July

Course content

The Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) is a one-year programme which builds on an undergraduate science degree. The diploma encompasses both papers and a research topic, and can be taken full-time. It provides entry to the Master of Science (MSc) degree by thesis only.

Psychology is the science of behaviour. Psychologists study the way humans (and other animals) interact with the world and each other.

For example, Psychology examines how our abilities change with age, and what might underlie abnormal behaviour. It investigates how we process and store information using our senses and memory, and how our experiences shape our behaviour.

Psychologists also study how behaviour relates to the functioning of the brain, and why things such as drugs, hormone levels and lack of sleep can influence the way we behave. Applied psychologists use this knowledge to address problems as diverse as sleep disorders, industrial relations, phobias, drug rehabilitation, aircraft safety and hyperactivity.

Papers

PSYC 490 Dissertation

Papers worth 80 points from PSYC 401 – 439

Structure of the Programme

• Every programme of study shall satisfy the requirements for the subject concerned as set out above.
• With the permission of the Heads of the Departments concerned, a candidate may substitute a paper of another subject for one of the required papers.
• Any required research report must be submitted no later than 1 November.

Information for international students

Otago offers students an unrivalled campus experience and a vibrant, social student culture. The majority of Otago’s 21,000 students live, work and play in Dunedin - New Zealand’s only true university city. Otago is home to over 3,000 students, from over 100 countries.

Fees and funding