Course details

Summary

The PhD is a globally recognised postgraduate research degree, the highest level of degree you can achieve. PhD students are critical, curious, creative thinkers who undertake original research over at least 3 years. As well as your supervised original research, through your doctoral programme you will have opportunities to expand and develop your personal and professional skills. Doctoral candidates present their work at local and international conferences, and are encouraged to network and collaborate with a wide range of experts in their research field.

This course is also offered at overseas and Manukau location.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry is the medical specialty that deals with the study and treatment of mental illnesses and of other disorders, both behavioral and physical, in which psychological factors are important as causes or clinical features.

Modern psychiatry has divided into a number of sub-specialties:

Child and adolescent psychiatry concentrates on disorders in children and adolescents.

Forensic psychiatry studies the interaction between psychiatry and the law.

Psycho-geriatrics examines the psychiatry of old age.

Consultation-liaison psychiatry deals with the interaction between physical and mental disease in the broadest sense and includes psychosomatic medicine and psychological reactions to physical disorders.

Social and community psychiatry is concerned with social determinants of mental illness and with the provision of a co-ordinated programme of mental health to a specified population.

Other sub-fields include the addictions, eating disorders and neuro-psychiatry.

The area of study of psychiatry thus includes a range of disorders that extend from those for which there are obvious brain abnormalities such as the various dementias through to deviations of personality development.

Areas of study

The Department of Psychological Medicine currently offers a Health Sciences specialization in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and programmes in Health Psychology.

Programme structure

The University of Auckland PhD is a three-to-four year full-time advanced research degree.

On entry to the PhD programme, you will be enrolled provisionally. By the end of your first year, you must meet a number of goals to be confirmed into the PhD programme, including developing a full thesis proposal. After confirmation, you will continue to work on your research before submitting your thesis for examination after three years and within four years of your start date. The examination process includes an oral exam.

As part of your PhD study, you can take part in our doctoral skills programme, designed to help you achieve success in your research and develop skills for your future. We have a dedicated postgraduate careers advisor, and our library service includes specialist subject librarians to help you in your research. The central School of Graduate Studies provides dedicated support and advice for the doctoral community.

Where could this programme take you?

Our PhD graduates are successful in a wide range of fields and careers, as well as the traditional academic research career path. The PhD gives you extensive specialist and transferable skills, which are sought after in many sectors, including industry and government, and can even help you to develop entrepreneurship skills to run your own startup.

Entry criteria

• Masters-level qualification or the equivalent of a bachelors degree with honours
• GPE 5.5
• Evidence of significant research, usually undertaken as part of prior study

English language requirements:

IELTS 6.5; TOEFL (iBT) 90; TOEFL (paper-based) 575; CAE or CPE 176; PTE 58; MELAB 85.