Think psychology if you care about people and are passionate about delivering better mental health outcomes. By studying Psychology here in Wellington, you’ll learn the skills to be part of positive, transformative change for all New Zealanders.

Our Bachelor of Psychology is made up of a required major—Psychological Science—and a set of eight optional complementary majors, covering a range of areas across psychology. If you’re interested in postgraduate study to become a registered psychologist, these optional majors offer clear pathways to help you achieve your goals.

The Bachelor of Psychology offers flexibility to choose your pathway to understanding human behaviour and mental processes. With a required major in Psychological Science as your foundation, you’ll have a broad base of knowledge to build on. You can then choose from eight optional complementary majors, each offering unique insights into different areas of psychology, to build your expertise and tailor your degree to your interests and career aspirations.

There are many different ways to study Psychology with us. You can study Psychology at undergraduate level as part of the Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Arts—giving you the chance to align your studies with your broader academic interests.

Kaupapa and mātauranga Māori are woven through the core courses in the Bachelor of Psychology. You’ll boost your cultural awareness, social responsibility, and competence in the context of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Within the degree, you can choose a dedicated Māori Psychology major—the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand. This major bridges the gap between Western and Māori understandings of mental health and wellness.

The teaching is mostly face to face, with a mixture of laboratories, lectures, and tutorials. Some courses include self-paced online modules, and two courses—MAOR 126 and PSYC 101—are taught entirely online.

You’ll use modern technologies, such as brain imaging and virtual reality, to understand people’s emotional and physical responses to stressful situations.

As you progress through your studies, you’ll undertake workplace-integrated learning with input from employers working with the school. You’ll use your new knowledge and skills to come up with solutions to real-world problems.

Throughout your studies in Psychology, you’ll gain transferable skills in numeracy, critical thinking, cultural awareness, ethical scholarship, and written and oral communication.

In the first year of the Bachelor of Psychology, you’ll explore career paths available to Psychology graduates and you’ll see what knowledge and skills are needed to pursue those careers.

In your second year, you'll learn a range of research methods used across the discipline of Psychology. You’ll develop work-ready skills, such as being able to write reports and work cooperatively in groups.

Completing the Bachelor of Psychology will prepare you for entry into the Psychology Honours programme, a specialist Master’s degree, or a professional postgraduate training programme in Psychology, Education, or Health.

The BPsyc also offers clear pathways into postgraduate research in Psychology—for example, through a Master of Science or a PhD.