School of Psychology - Overview

Background

Established in 1971, Psychology at NUI Galway is at an exciting phase of development, having grown rapidly during recent years. In 2000, Psychology had 6 full-time academic staff and 3 support staff, but today there are 20 full-time teaching staff, a substantial number of part-time teaching staff, and 5 support staff. Growth in staff numbers has been accompanied by commensurate growth in student numbers, and an increase in the range and number of academic programmes on offer. Economies of scale created by growth have contributed to enhanced productivity, especially in research, including the awarding of research funds nationally and internationally. Psychology is committed to achieving the highest standards of academic excellence, as measured by internationally accepted criteria, including peer-reviewed publication of original works. In 2007, as part of the university's academic restructuring programme, the discipline of psychology became the responsibility of the School (formerly Department) of Psychology.

Organisation

Psychology has formed a special relationship of cooperation and collaboration with the School (formerly Department) of Political Science and Sociology which together comprise the Division of Behavioural and Social Sciences within the College of Arts and Celtic Studies (formerly Faculty of Arts), the largest college of the University. While embracing the gamut of philosophies and approaches characteristic of modern psychology, the School of Psychology espouses a particularly strong "laboratory-based" ethos.

Plans are well advanced to relocate the School to a purpose-built extension of the Arts Millennium Building in the heart of the Main Campus. Currently, the School is primarily located on the North Campus, Newcastle Road, adjacent to the main University campus. The administrative centre of the School is located in the Cairnes Building, formerly St. Anthony’s Franciscan Friary. A separate, purpose-built, temporary building (Cois Abhann) is also occupied on the North Campus, which has academic staff accommodation, research facilities, teaching and computer laboratories, and workshops. In addition, staff and facilities for the Doctor of Psychological Science in Clinical Psychology programme are accommodated in the city centre at Woodquay.

Summary of Academic Programmes

Undergraduate. At the undergraduate level, the School offers a denominated BA in Psychology, a "double honours" programme accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) which also meets the requirements for graduate accreditation specified by the British Psychological Society. The Denominated BA in Psychology attracts students of the highest academic merit nationally, as measured by results in the Leaving Certificate Examination and end-or-year examinations in the First Year Psychology programme. In addition to the Denominated BA, a three-year sequence of Psychological Studies is offered, permitting students to combine Psychology with one other Arts subject to degree level. Provision can be made allowing the course of studies to be extended from 3 to 4 years, with students taking a study year aboard as their third year in both the Denominated programme, BA in Psychology (International) and Psychological Studies, BA (International).

In addition, the Psychological Studies programme articulates with a one-year full-time postgraduate programme, the Higher Diploma in Psychology (Conversion). The combined qualification provides graduates with equivalent standing in psychology to that provided by the Denominated BA in Psychology. A second higher diploma, the two-year full-time Higher Diploma in Psychology (Full), is intended for graduates who possess an honours degree in any subject area other than psychology, and provides the equivalent course content to that of the denominated BA in Psychology.

The School of Psychology also provides input to programmes in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Speech and Language Therapy, located in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Postgraduate. Several postgraduate taught and research programmes are on offer. In 2006, a Board certified Postgraduate Diploma/Masters Programme in Applied Behaviour Analysis was introduced. In 2007, a new one-year full-time MSc (Health Psychology) programme was introduced, replacing the former Master of Psychological Science (Health Psychology). The School also offers a PSI-accredited three-year full-time postgraduate professional qualification in clinical psychology, the Doctor of Psychological Science (Clinical Psychology). Beginning in 2003, this was the first professional training programme in clinical psychology outside Dublin.

In addition, the School offers supervision to suitably qualified graduates in psychology who wish to carry out research leading to MLitt and PhD degrees. The School is particularly committed to expanding the postgraduate research programme, and numbers have indeed increased substantially. Research supervision is available within most mainstream areas of psychology.

Prof. Jack James
August 2007

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