Science of mind and behaviour or allied health profession? Changes in the organisational location of psychology in Australian universities

Abstract

Objective The study aimed to characterise the past and current organisational location of psychology in Australian universities. Method Contemporary and archived websites of 38 universities were examined to determine whether, in 2005 and 2022, psychology was located within a health-focused organisational structure and functioned as a stand-alone administrative entity. Results Most psychology units are currently stand-alone and located within a health-focused structure. Since 2005 they have gravitated into health-focused structures (36.8% to 68.4%) and become less autonomous (84.2% to 63.2%). These trends diverge from the typical arrangement in top North American and UK psychology units. Conclusions Australian psychology academics increasingly work in health-focused structures where their discipline is not administratively autonomous. This trend brings opportunities and risks.

Keywords

• psychology
• organisations
• health
• universities
• inter-disciplinarity
• australia