School of Psychological Science
Understanding how and why we behave the way we do
Our School centres on the teaching and research of mental processes. We are proud to consistently rate in the top 100 psychology schools in the world, and have a strong record of turning out first-rate practitioners and researchers who are widely educated in the theory, practice and research of this discipline. Our students leave as critical thinkers, innovators and future leaders.
The School has received the top ranking (five out of five) in all three Commonwealth Excellence in Research for Australia rankings since 2010, meaning our research is classified as ‘well above world standard’. We’re one of only two schools in Australia to have achieved this.
One of two psychology schools in Australia to have its research rated as ‘well above world standard’ (ERA)
Ranked first in Western Australia for Psychology (QS WUR by Subject 2025)
The School of Psychological Science at The University of Western Australia acknowledges that it is situated on Noongar land, and that Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land, and continue to practise their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.
We pay our respects to their Elders both past and present.
Values
Our values are:
- Excellence: We consistently pursue the highest levels of teaching, research, and engagement achievement in the field of psychology, creating the best outcomes possible.
- Integrity: We are honest and ethical in all aspects of our work and practice. We show respect for each other, our students, our collaborators, and our communities — valuing our unique contributions and respecting our differences.
- Innovation: We are constantly and creatively improving and adapting our teaching, research, and engagement practices in the field of psychology.
- Collaboration: We share our collective knowledge, skills, and perspectives to achieve more.
- Equity: We are committed to creating and supporting an inclusive and diverse work and learning environment, and providing everyone equality of opportunity.
Creating an Inclusive and Equitable School of Psychological Science
The School of Psychological Science is committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and safe environment for all people, and a community where staff, students, and visitors are valued and respected, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other aspect of their identity.
All staff and students are expected to abide by the UWA Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct. UWA’s policies for managing interpersonal behaviours, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion provide a standard for addressing allegations of inappropriate behaviour, ensuring fairness and equal treatment.
Our Commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
We recognise and acknowledge the unique and significant contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to our society and our university. We wish to publicly acknowledge the harm done to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by the psychology profession in Australia and support the Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People from the Australian Psychological Society.
We commit to actively work toward addressing the ongoing impacts of the harms of colonisation and systemic inequities. For example, with the generous guidance and collaboration of the School of Indigenous Studies and AIPEP, we have developed equity pathways, mentorship schemes, and increased the cultural responsivity of our curriculum.
See here for more details about the actions we are taking.
We acknowledge that there is still more to do, and we reiterate our commitment to continuous discussion, reflection, learning, and doing.
Research
Our research is at the forefront of global developments in contemporary psychology. We have particular strength in the following areas:
Centres
The School is currently home to the following collaborative research centres
- Elizabeth Rutherford Memorial Centre for the Advancement of Research on Emotion (CARE)
- The Western Australian Centre for Road Safety Research
- The WA Suicide Prevention and Resilience Research Centre SPARRC
Courses
Our students leave as critical thinkers, innovators and future leaders.
Resources
- APAC and specific course and unit information regarding exchange
- Laboratory and tutorial enrolments
Our staff
Our staff are working at the cutting edge of research and practice. They bring their diverse expertise and their passion for psychological science into the classroom to provide world-class educational experiences for our students, and into the community through a wide range of community engagement and impact activities.
Community program
Our School has a strong community outreach program.
- We offer psychological assessment and treatments through the School’s Robin Winkler Clinic.
- We invite members of the community to participate in our research and run many studies that require voluntary, community assistance.
- We maintain collaborative links with a wide range of non-academic partners across government, industry and the NGO sectors
- We welcome enquiries by the media.
- We run a series of community events including the annual Robin Winkler Lecture and the annual Psychology Film Night.

Community Research Participation Pool
We run many research studies that require volunteer assistance. These studies are quite diverse, interesting to take part in and serve to advance understanding of the ways we think, feel and behave across a variety of contexts. This pool is made up of those willing to consider taking part in some of this work.
Members of the pool are informed of studies and can freely choose whether or not to take part. In most cases, participation involves one visit to UWA, lasting about an hour, though sometimes a study may require more than one visit, or can be completed online without coming to campus. We provide a small token of appreciation to offset cost and inconvenience.


Robin Winkler Clinic
The Robin Winkler Clinic is a clinical psychology unit linked to the School of Psychological Science. Under the expert supervision of experienced clinical psychologists, provisionally registered postgraduate clinical psychology trainees carry out individual and group therapy treatment.
News
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New suicide prevention centre to drive culturally responsive practice
Thu, 6 Mar 2025
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How to handle bad behaviour in the workplace
Thu, 27 Feb 2025
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Scholarship making industry safer through storytelling
Mon, 17 Feb 2025