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School of Psychology - Leading psychological science, scholarship and practice

Applied Behaviour Analysis is a specialised programme on offer to postgraduate students.

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach to understanding and changing human behaviour. It has applications with a wide variety of client groups including those with intellectual and other disabilities, autism spectrum, childhood onset behavioural disorders, and people in brain injury rehabilitation and dementia care. Behaviour principles provide a strong basis for the analysis of complex human repertoires including language and social behaviour.

Successful completion of the programme will also make a graduate eligible to apply to the New Zealand Psychologists Board to be a registered psychologist and work as a practising psychologist in New Zealand.

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB http://www.bacb.com) administers the international professional certification process for behaviour analysts. Our programme is a BACB-approved course sequence that will equip you with the coursework and supervised hours needed to become board-certified. Graduates of our three-year programme are eligible to take the BACB examination for Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Our graduates have achieved a 100% pass rate at this examination over the programme’s history. 

• » Specialisation structure
• » Qualification structure and application
• » PhD studies
• » Individualised routes to specialisation
• » International Students
• » Faculty profiles
• » Frequently asked questions
• » Recent publications
• » Links and social media
• » Further information

Specialisation structure

This specialisation satisfies the regulations for a number of degrees and diplomas and requires a student to enrol in a different degree each year. While committing full-time to our three-year programme is encouraged, students can undertake one, two or three years of full time or equivalent part-time study. Students not completing the three years of the programme will still acquire a new qualification each year. This structure offers the flexibility to accommodate students who have already completed other postgraduate degrees.

Qualification structure and application

Year 1 - postgraduate diploma in science (pgdipsci).

Successful graduates of Year 1 will have earned a Postgraduate Diploma and be eligible to secure a place in Year 2 of the programme. Mandatory papers for Year one are listed below.

• PSYCH 750 Applied Behaviour Analysis: Methods  (30 points)
• PSYCH 751 Applied Behaviour Analysis: Behaviour Modification (30 points)
• PSYCH 754 Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities    (15 points)
• PSYCH 741 ABA: Behaviour Measurement (15 points) 

Application

Important dates

• Application dates: September to November
• Completed forms should be lodged with the School of Psychology before December 1.

Entry requirements

• BSc/BA with a major in psycholoy or equivalent.
• Most ABA courses are limited to 16 students, make sure to enrol in 105 points to gain preferential entry to those courses.
• Complete a registration of interest in Applied Behaviour Analysis  
• Apply through Student Services Online

Please refer to the postgraduate programme in Applied Behaviour Analysis information sheet for applicants for further details . 

Information for applicants can be found on the  Forms and Guides   page.

Year 2 - Master of Science or Master of Arts in Psychology (MSc/MA)

• Contact a potential supervisor half-way through Year 1
• Once you have a supervisor, ensure to start your ethics application before the end of Year 1
• Completing Year 1 courses is highly recommended
• Register for PSYCH 796 Masters by Thesis in Psychology (120 points) via Student Services Online .

For more information about the Master of Arts in Psychology please see here .

Year 3 - Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology (PGDipAppPsych)

This includes an internship that will involve 1,500 hours over 12 months of supervised practical work in settings where applied behaviour analysis is valued. The actual settings in which students work will be negotiated with each student individually, but all students will conduct practical work for at least 32 hours per week. Usually students work with both children and adults who need behaviour analytic services. Generally, students will be hired by the organization providing services as frontline carers (e.g., teacher aides, support workers, carers, behaviour therapists) and will earn a salary. Some of our internship placements are indicated below. Students are also welcome to identify their own placement setting. In this case arrangements will need to be done well in advance.

• Sommerville Special School
• Awanui Rest Home Ltd
• Selwyn Village  
• Spectrum Care  
• Idea Services
• Rescare Homes Trust  
• A Supported Life  
• ABI  (Acquired Brain Injury) Rehabilitation
• Sir Keith Park Special School

The following papers are required during Year 3 as per BACB and NZPB requirements:

• PSYCH 651 Internship in ABA (60 points)
• PSYCH 728 Portfolio in ABA (60 points)
• PSYCH 749 Ethics in ABA (15 points)
• PSYCH 757  Advanced Applied Behaviour Analysis  (15 points)

Graduates of Year 3 will have satisfied the degree, coursework and experiential requirements to sit the examination for the BCBA credential. They will also be eligible to apply to the New Zealand Psychologists Board for registration under the general scope of practice.

• Applications should be lodged with the School of Psychology before 1 November.
• Formal interviews to candidates will take place during the month of November.
• Candiates should have either an MSc or MA in Psychology, or equivalent.
• Candidates will also need to pass the selection interview.
• Express your interest to the staff of the ABA programme before applying formally.
• Complete the application form for PGDipAppPsych Specialising in Applied Behaviour Analysis through Student Services Online
• Complete a parallel application by completing this form and deliver it to the School of Psychology reception.
• You will be invited to a formal interview with the selection committee before being accepted into the programme.
• As soon as you are accepted, register as Intern Psychologist with the New Zealand Psychologist Board  and complete a police vetting .

For more information about the PGDipAppPsych please see here .

PhD studies

If you are interested in furthering your research repertoire, pursuing leading posts in service delivery and management, or becoming an academic, a PhD in behaviour analysis may be instrumental to bring your career plans to fruition.

If you are considering a PhD in applied behaviour analysis, make sure to contact prospective primary supervisors in advance of your application. Check the profile of our academic staff and ensure that your interest align with those of your supervisor. The main lines of research available at our programme include:

• Assessment and treatment of problem behaviour among individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities
• Reinforcement-based approaches to treatment in clients with dementia
• Translational and multidisciplinary research: intersection between applied behaviour analysis and other fields
• Assessment of technological aids and telehealth in applied behaviour analysis
• Meta-analysis of treatment procedures based on applied behaviour analysis
• Assessment and treatment of feeding disorders

PhD students may qualify for University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships, or other funding - find out more here .  They may also receive some support from grants awarded to their supervisors.

Although it is recommended, depending on the topic, PhD students do not need to complete the requirements for the Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and registered psychologist eligibility. PhD studies at the School of Psychology are open to students with a first class honours, a MSc/MA, and students that have completed the full three-year programme.

More information on the PhD admission process here

More information on scholarships

Individualised routes to specialisation

Enrolment in individual courses towards a Certificate of Proficiency (COP) is available for students who already have postgraduate qualifications, have passed some behaviour-analytic courses, but require further coursework for BCBA eligibility.

Similarly, a set of undergraduate courses in Psychology can be recommended for students who wish to enrol in the Year 1 courses who have a Bachelor’s degree but no major in Psychology. These courses are known as bridging courses, and a student enrolling in these courses will enrol in a Transitional Certificate (TransCert).

Please contact with our administrative staff for further details.

International Students

We welcome international students. Email the programme director to set up a Skype meeting to learn more about our programme and entry requirements for international students. Graduates of universities overseas and/or those without New Zealand citizenship or permanent resident status should also correspond with the International Office. You could also seek assistance from the University of Auckland overseas agents and representatives in your region.

International students should contact the University as soon as possible as the evaluation of their international credentials may delay the application process.

• Overseas agents and representatives
• International Office
• Phone: +64 9 923 7556
• Email: [email protected]

Faculty profiles

Director of the Behaviour Analysis programme and Senior Lecturer

Rebecca is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (Doctoral level) and New Zealand Registered Psychologist. Her research interests include behaviour-analytic approaches to working with people with dementia and traumatic brain injury, the translation of clinical and laboratory research to applied settings, applied animal behaviour, and teaching behaviour analysis. Rebecca is a theme lead for the Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research (Health and Wellbeing), has been a consultant for the Welsh Government’s Behavioural Science unit, and as a clinician, she has worked on multidisciplinary teams with recidivist youth offenders, with adults and children with brain injury, adults with dementia, and adults and children with intellectual disabilities.

Katrina Phillips , Senior Lecturer

Katrina Phillips is a Registered Psychologist, Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, and Professional Teaching Fellow in our Applied Behaviour Analysis Postgraduate Programme. She is a graduate of the University of Auckland’s Applied Behaviour Analysis Programme and is currently one of their PhD candidates.  She has over 10 years of experience working with adults and children with intellectual disabilities in residential, community, and educational settings in New Zealand. Her work has included “hands-on” care, training (client, staff, and parent), and behaviour analysis as well as research and teaching university graduate students.

Angela Arnold-Saritepe , Senior Lecturer

Dr Angela Arnold-Saritepe is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and Registered Psychologist. She has worked part time in the Applied Behaviour Analysis Programme since 2006.  She has worked extensively in New Zealand and overseas providing behaviour analytic services primarily to children and adolescents, with developmental disorders and brain injury; including their families, schools and caregivers. Her research interests lie in language and social skill development, in addition to provision of services to ensure inclusion for young people whose challenging behaviour is such that it leads to their exclusion from the community.

Sarah Leadley , Professional Teaching Fellow

Sarah Leadley graduated from the Applied Behaviour Analysis programme in 2008, and have since worked as a Psychologist/Behaviour Analyst in both non-profit agencies in New Zealand and private practice in Vancouver, Canada (2010-2014). In Canada she provided home-based services to children with disabilities, and their families. During this time, she became interested in the treatment of severe feeding difficulties, involving close collaboration with other health professionals. Sarah’s PhD study is focused on behavioural intervention provided in the home to transition children from tube feeding to oral nutrition. The study is funded by a University of Auckland Senior Health Research Scholarship.

Svetlana Daly,  Senior Lecturer

Svetlana Daly is a Registered Psychologist, Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, and a Professional Teaching Fellow in the Applied Behaviour Analysis Programme.  She graduated from the University of Auckland’s Applied Behaviour Analysis Programme in 2011. Since then Svetlana has worked in a variety of settings in New Zealand and Australia.  These have included supporting children, adults, and their families in the community and educational settings.  Working with young people with complex behaviour needs in residential settings. Currently alongside her Professional Teaching Fellow role at the University of Auckland, Svetlana is contracting to a private provider, supporting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in the community and educational settings.  ​

Frequently asked questions

What is Applied Behaviour Analysis?

Applied behaviour analysis is sometimes shortened to ABA. It is a science which uses evidence-based methods, usually derived from the principles of behaviour, to improve socially important behaviours to a meaningful degree. It is used mainly to help children and adults who have difficulty with regular learning and/or complex problem behaviours

Where will I be able to gain employment?

Demand for psychologists is consistent across NZ locations and growing for those with behavioural skills.  Generally, you will be employed as a psychologist or a behaviour therapist. Some employers may specifically want training in ABA. 

Employers include areas such as: schools (including the Ministry of Education), child and adult disability services, youth with substance abuse disorders, youth with severe behaviours, early intervention autism programmes, dementia services, brain injury services.

Private contract work is also available at times, for those with appropriate experience.

Can I do the ABA programme part time or via distance learning?

Although it is possible to complete certain years of the programme part time, we recommend that you take certain papers together (e.g. PSYCH 750 and PSYCH 751). It is not possible to do the third year (PGDipAppPsych) part time. We currently do not offer e-learning/long-distance courses.

I have a Bachelor of Science/Arts, but its major is not Psychology. Can I still apply for the ABA programme?

Entry into any postgraduate study with the School of Psychology requires you to have four stage III courses (undergraduate level) in Psychology – if you want to go onto Masters you will also need the Research methods paper (PSYCH 306). As a student majoring in another discipline, you would need to complete these courses under a bridging programme. Please contact the bridging coordinators Michelle Burstall  or Andrea Mead  to discuss this pathway with them.  

Once you have completed these courses, then you will be eligible to apply for postgraduate study within the School of Psychology. Completing the bridging course does not guarantee entry to any of the Schools programmes including the ABA programme which is entry by application and selection process.

I have a masters degree in Psychology, can I apply to do the third year PGDip (AppPsy) course.

It is required that you have to complete the papers from the PGDip year: PSYCH 750, 751, 754, and 711 (or the equivalent from your university) to participate in the third year PGDipAppPsych. If you wish to have your papers assessed for crossed credits you should contact the director of the programme Dr Javier Virues-Ortega . If you already have a PGDip in Arts or Science, you can apply to do the papers as continuing competencies. You will not have to complete a second Masters.  If you are considering a PhD in behaviour analysis you should consult with a potential supervisor from the ABA area. 

I have completed all my course work hours, will you provide me supervision for my practicum?

The staff at the university only provide supervision to students completing their practicum as part of the third year of our course sequence. During this year they complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology

If you have completed your course work and do not wish to enrol we recommend contacting one of the other people on the BACB website or emailing [email protected]  and asking her to send out a request to people on the New Zealand BACB mailing list.

However, you should know that although the recognition of the BACB qualification is growing in NZ, without other New Zealand recognized professional qualifications (e.g. psychologist), the BACB qualification alone is seldom enough to gain employment or private contracts.  Going through a university programme allows you to get the psychologist hours (1500) as well as BCBA hours. Visit the NZ Psychologist Board website for more information. 

I’m an international student, can I come to do the Auckland ABA programme?

You would need to make sure that your current qualifications are recognised by the University of Auckland, and that they correspond to the programmes prerequisites. You can email them on [email protected] .

Find out more about studying as an international student at the University of Auckland

Is there anything that I can do to prepare for applying for the ABA programme?

To get into the ABA programme you must be eligible for postgraduate studies, we also recommend that you do PSYCH 306 (the research paper) as this is needed for you to move onto masters.

In the application process we look at your grades, your experience (both with populations that are likely to benefit from ABA and actual ABA intervention experience), and the responses you make to the questions on the application. Although not a requirement, undergraduate papers in behaviour analysis (e.g. PSYCH 203, PSYCH 309) are helpful as they give a good grounding in the basic principles of behaviour analysis.

If you are looking for reading in the area, we would recommend a book called “How to think like a behavior analyst” by Bailey and Burch. It is an easy read and gives a general overview to what it means to be a behaviour analyst (and how this might be different to other areas). In the lectures we recommend readings from Cooper Heron and Heward’s book Applied Behavior Analysis.

How much are the fees?

Fees are set by the university and are dependent on if you are a domestic student or an international student. 

Find out more about fees .

Can I get a scholarship?

Scholarships are available for University study, although not ABA specifically.  

• Scholarships for international students
• General information about scholarships

Recent publications

Bailey, J. S., & Virues-Ortega , J. (2019). Análisis de escenarios éticos prácticos planteados por analistas de conducta de habla hispana [Analysis of practical ethical scenarios suggested by Spanish-speaking behavior analysts], in J. Virues-Ortega (Ed. & Trans.), Ética para Analistas de Conducta, 3ra. ed. (pp. 322-338). doi: 10.26741/abaspain/2019/Bailey21

Bailey, J. S., & Burch, M. R. (2019). Ética para analistas conductual [Ethics for behavior analysts 3rd ed.] (J. Virues-Ortega Ed. & Trans.). doi: 10.26741/abaspain/2019/Bailey ISBN 978-84-09-07803-5

Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2017). Análisis aplicado de conducta  [Applied Behavior Analysis] (J. Virues-Ortega Ed. & Trans.). doi: 10.26741/abaspain/2017.cooper

Cox, A. D., Virues-Ortega , J., Julio, F., & Martin., T. L. (2017). Establishing steadiness in children with autism and intellectual disability: Applications for anatomical and functional MRI. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis , 50 , 8-26. doi: 10.1002/jaba.351

Cox, A. D., & Virues-Ortega , J. (2016). A review of how psychotropic medication can affect the motivation of challenging behaviour. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 62, 192-199. doi: 10.1080/20473869.2016.1175157

Cox, A. D., & Virues-Ortega , J. (2015). Interactions between behavior function and exposure to psychotropic drugs. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 48 , 1-20. doi: 10.1002/jaba.247  

Garcia, M. T.,  Virues-Ortega, J. , Smith, S., & Moussavi, Z. (2013).  Effect of cognitive training targeting associative memory in the elderly: A small randomized trial and a longitudinal evaluation.   Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 61 , 2252-2255. doi:10.1111/jgs.12574

Hurl, K., Wightman, J. K., Haynes, S. N., & Virues-Ortega , J. (2016). Does a pre-intervention functional assessment increase intervention effectiveness? A meta-analysis of within-subject interrupted time-series studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 47, 71-84. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.05.003

Keenan, M., Dillenburger, K., Röttgerset, H. R., Dounavi, K., Jónsdóttir, S. L., Moderato, P., Schenk, J. J. A. M.,  Virues-Ortega, J. , Roll-Pettersson, L., & Martin, N. (2015).  Autism and ABA: The gulf between North America and Europe.   Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2 , 167-183. doi:10.1007/s40489-014-0045-2

McCormack, J., Elliffe, D.,  Virues-Ortega , J. (in press). Quantifying the effects of the differential outcomes procedure in humans.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis .

Nogales-González, C., Virues-Ortega , J., & Marquez-Gonzalez, M. (2016). Psicoterapia Analítico Funcional. In M. Marquez-Gonzalez (Ed.), Tendencias Actuales en Intervención Psicológica (pp. 97-128). Madrid, Spain: Editorial Síntesis. ISBN 978-84-9077-284-3​

Pelaez, M.,  Virués-Ortega, J. , Amir, Y., Schnerch, G., & Field, T. (2013).  Acquisition of social referencing in infants of mothers with depressive symptoms.   Infant Behavior and Development, 36 , 548-556. doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2013.05.003

Phillips, K. J. , & Mudford, O. C. (2011).  Effects of noncontingent reinforcement and choice of activity on aggressive behavior maintained by attention.   Behavioral Interventions, 26, 147-160. doi:10.1002/bin.329

Phillips, K. J. , Mudford, O. C., Zeleny, J. R., & Elliffe, D. E. (2014).  Using Calibration and Interobserver agreement algorithms to assess the accuracy and precision of data from electronic and pen-and-paper continuous recording methods.   Behavioral Interventions, 29 , 315-330. doi:10.1002/bin.1395

Plantiveaou, C., Dounavi, K., Virues-Ortega , J. (2018). High levels of burnout among early-career Board-Certified Behavior Analysts with low collegial support . European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 19, 195-207 . doi: 1080/15021149.2018.1438339

Querim, A., Iwata, B., Roscoe, E., Schlichenmeyeer, K.,  Virués-Ortega, J. , Hurl, K. (2013)  Functional analysis screening for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement .  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46 , 47-60. doi:10.1002/jaba.26 Sharp, R. A.,  Phillips, K. J. , & Mudford, O. C. (2012).  Comparisons of interventions for rumination maintained by automatic reinforcement.   Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6 , 1107-1112. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2012.03.002 Tam, G. M.,  Phillips, K. J. , & Mudford, O. C. (2011).  Teaching individuals with profound multiple disabilities to access preferred stimuli with multiple microswitches.   Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32 , 2352-2361. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.07.027

Taylor, S. A. , & Mudford, O. C. (2012).  Improving behaviour in a residential service for youth in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.   Behavioral Interventions, 27 , 109-128. 10.1002/bin.1342

Taylor, S. A. , Anderson, K., & Mudford, O. C. (2010).  Effects of textual response prompts for adolescents in a substance abuse treatment program.   Behavioral Interventions, 25 , 145-155. doi:10.1002/bin.303

Taylor, S. A. , Mudford, O. C., & Phillips, K. J. (2011).  Training employment acquisition skills for adolescents with a substance abuse history.   Behavioral Interventions, 26 , 282-308. doi:10.1002/bin.338

Taylor , S. L., Purdy, S., Jackson, B., Phillips, K., & Virues-Ortega , J. (2019). Evaluation of a home-based Behavioral treatment model for children with tube dependency. Journal of Pediatric Psychology . doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsz014

Virues-Ortega, J . Arnold-Saritepe, A., Hird, C., & Phillips, K. (2017). The TEACCH program for people with autism: Elements, outcomes, and comparison with competing models. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Handbook of Treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorder. New York: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-61738-1

Virues-Ortega , J., Lehnert, K., Swan, B., Taylor, M.W., Southee, A., Dougan, D., Taylor, J., Hille, R., Snell, R.G., & Jacobsen, J.J. (2017). The New Zealand Minds for Minds Autism Spectrum Disorder Self-Reported Cohort. Accepted for publication at Research in Autism Spectrum Disorder , 36, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2016.12.003

Virues-Ortega , J., & Cox, A. D. (2016). Animal-assisted therapy for older adults, in S. K. Whitbourne (Ed)., The Encyclopedia of Adulthood and Aging (Vol. 1, pp. 69-73). New York: Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118521373.wbeaa139

Virues-Ortega , J., Pear, J. J., Boris, A. L., Cox, A. D., Hu, L., Julio, F. M., Michalyshyn, C. A., & Wightman, J. K. (2016). Single-subject research design. In H. L. Miller, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Psychology (pp. 859-862). New York: Sage. doi: 10.4135/9781483346274.n293

Virues-Ortega, J. , & Frojan-Parga, M. X. (2015).  A translational approach to the functional analysis of language in psychotherapy.   International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 15 , 69-75. doi:10.1016/j.ijchp.2014.10.001

Virués-Ortega, J. , & Pear, J. J. (2015).  A history of “behavior” and “mind”: A systematic analysis of the use of behavioral and cognitive terms during the 20th Century.   The Psychological Record, 65 , 23-30. doi:10.1007/s40732-014-0079-y

Virues-Ortega , J., Martin, N., Schnerch, G., Miguel-Garcia, J. A., & Mellichamp, F. (2015). A general methodology for the translation of behavioral terms into vernacular languages. The Behavior Analyst, 38 , 127-135. doi: 10.1007/s40614-014-0025-y

Virues-Ortega , J., & Pear, J. J. (2015). A history of “behavior” and “mind”: A systematic analysis of the use of behavioral and cognitive terms during the 20 th Century. The Psychological Record, 65, 23-30. doi: 10.1007/s40732-014-0079-y

Virues-Ortega , J., Hurtado-Parrado, J., Cox, A. D., & Pear, J. J. (2014). A systematic analysis of the interaction between experimental and applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 1-24. doi: 10.1002/jaba.124​

Virués-Ortega, J. , Hurtado-Parrado, J., Cox, A. D., & Pear, J. J. (2014). A systematic analysis of the interaction between experimental and applied behavior analysis.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47 , 1-24. doi:10.1002/jaba.124

Virués-Ortega, J. , Iwata, B. A., Fahmie, T., Harper, J. (2013).  Effects of alternative responses on behavior exposed to noncontingent reinforcement.   Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46 , 603-612. doi:10.1002/jaba.61

Virues-Ortega, J. , Julio, F., & Pastor, R. (2013).  The TEACCH program for children and adults with autism: A meta-analysis of intervention studies.   Clinical Psychology Review, 33 , 940-953. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2013.07.005

Virues-Ortega, J. , Martin, N., Schnerch, G., Miguel-Garcia, J. A., & Mellichamp, F.  A general methodology for the translation of behavioral terms into vernacular languages.   The Behavior Analyst, 38 , 127-135. doi:10.1007/s40614-014-0025-y

Virués-Ortega, J. , Pritchard, K., Grant, R. L., North, S., Hurtado-Parrado, C., Lee, M., Temple, B., Julio, F. M., & Yu, C.T. (2014).  Clinical decision-making and preference assessment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.   American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 119 , 151-170. doi:10.1352/1944-7558-119.2.151

Virués-Ortega, J. , Rodríguez, V., & Yu, C. T. (2013).  Prediction of treatment outcomes and longitudinal analysis in children with autism undergoing intensive behavioral treatment.   International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 13 , 91-100. doi:10.1016/S1697-2600(13)70012-7

Wightman, J., Julio, F., &  Virués-Ortega, J.  (2014).  Advances in the functional analysis and treatment of problem behavior.   Psicothema, 26 , 186-192. doi:10.7334/psicothema2013.142

Links and social media

• Facebook fan page
• Behavior Analyst Certification Board  
• New Zealand Psychologists Board  
• Association for Behavior Analysis International
• New Zealand Association for Behaviour Analysis

Further information

Further details on this programme are available from:

Dr Rebecca Sharp

Email:  [email protected]

Postal address:

School of Psychology University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Victoria Street West Auckland 1142

General enquiries about postgraduate studies in Psychology and enrolment should be directed to [email protected]

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Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology (Online)

Graddipapppsych.

Learn the principles, concepts and skills required for postgraduate study in psychology.

Upcoming Live Webinar: Tuesday 11 June, 12.30pm

Register for our live webinar to learn more about the programme and have a live Q&A with the Lead Academic & programme consultants.

Register for Webinar

Entry requirements.

Any degree in any subject

The equivalent practical, professional, or scholarly experience.

1.5 years (part-time)

Next Start Dates

• 1 July 2024 (Applications close 17 June)

Full Programme Fees

$7,819.20* (estimate)

International fees

Programme Overview

Who, what, why.

• Programme Summary
• Programme Structure
• Programme Benefits

The GradDipAppPsych is for those who want to develop foundational skills and knowledge in applied psychology. During this programme, you will learn about a variety of topics in applied psychology and how each relates to, and benefits from, relevant core areas of psychological knowledge, including brain and behaviour, sensory and cognitive psychology, lifespan development, learning and communication, social and cultural psychology, models of health and disability, as well as organisational and educational psychology, with an emphasis on the New Zealand context.

The GradDipAppPsych consists of 4 courses that total 120 points. Each course runs for 12 weeks, allowing you to study one course at a time and complete the programme in under 1.5 years (4 Term Sessions).

As a graduate of the GradDipAppPsych , you will be able to:

• Describe and evaluate key theories in a selection of areas in psychology, including cognition, human neuroscience, clinical, gender, lifespan development, health, social, intergroup, communication, learning, organizational, evolution, and behaviour • Critically evaluate and apply psychological theory to solve real-world or applied problems • Understand, evaluate, and apply evidence-based methods to answer questions about how people think, feel, behave, learn, and develop • Interpret and critically analyse data and research reports, as well as the appropriateness of the analytical methods and solutions used • Design a research study, collecting and analysing data using appropriate research methods • Reason logically, as well as think critically and analytically • Understand ethical considerations and evaluate the impact of findings on culture, economy, environment, and society • Knowledge and demonstrate an appreciation of the historical, political, social, and cultural context of clients, colleagues, and relevant others • Demonstrate an awareness of the distinctive social and cultural qualities of Aotearoa/New Zealand and the relevance of te Tiriti o Waitangi to practice • Ability to work independently and in collaboration with others • Demonstrate respect for the values of individuals and groups, and an appreciation of human and cultural diversity

*Our Programme Advisors will provide all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, course fees, examinations and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates as per the University Calendar. Courses are paid per Term Session. Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this website. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Amounts shown are indicative only. In addition to the tuition fees, there is a Student Services Fee of $4.44 per point (online). Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses.

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Postgraduate Programmes

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Doctor of Philosophy in Health Psychology

This course is available

Level of Study

Doctoral Degree

Next start date

Expected Mar 2025

Epsom Campus

The PhD is a globally recognised postgraduate research degree and the highest level of degree you can achieve. PhD students are critical, curious, creative thinkers who undertake original research over at least 3 years.

This course is also offered at overseas locations.

Health Psychology is concerned with human behaviour in the context of health and illness. Understanding the psychological aspects of medical problems helps practitioners to improve healthcare interactions.

Health professionals are increasingly dealing with chronic illness, aging and the problems of living with disability. All these areas have major health psychology components.

There is now an increased recognition that health services need to pay more attention to the psychological aspects of medical problems in order to improve health care interactions.

The University of Auckland is one of the first universities worldwide to offer a practitioner qualification in Health Psychology, with excellent facilities and resources for teaching and research.

Research opportunities

There are opportunities to undertake doctoral studies in many of the areas of expertise within the department. Some of our research interests/projects include:

• Coping with illness and chronic disease
• Psychological influences on the development of disease states
• Improving adjustment in healthcare settings
• Patient-practitioner communication
• Adherence to treatment
• Determinants of health-related behaviours
• Understanding how individuals make sense of and react to health screening, symptoms and illness
• Technology and health, including healthcare apps and robotics
• Emotions and health
• Placebo and nocebo effects
• Psychoneuroimmunology
• Compassion in medicine
• Mindfulness and other psychological interventions

Programme structure

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

On possible 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

Evidence of significant research, usually undertaken as part of prior study

English language requirements

• IELTS (Academic) - Overall score of 6.5 and no bands below 6.0
• Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) - Overall score of 90 and a writing score of 21
• Paper-based TOEFL - Overall score of 68 and a writing score of 21
• C1 Advanced (previously - Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)) - Overall score of 176 and no bands below 169
• C2 Proficiency (previously - Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE)) - Overall score of 176 and no bands below 169
• University of Auckland Foundation Certificate in English for Academic Purposes (FCertEAP) - Grade of B-
• University of Auckland English Pathway for Postgraduate Studies (EPPS) - Grade of B-
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 58 and no PTE Communicative score below 50
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) - 85
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE) - ISE III with a pass in all 4 components
• LanguageCert - International ESOL - C1 Expert (LRWS) with a high pass overall and no less than a pass in each skill OR C2 Mastery with a pass overall and no less than a pass in each skill
• AEMG English for Academic Purposes Direct Entry Program (AEAP DEP) Final Exam - Overall score of 70% with no section below 65%
• English New Zealand Accredited Pathway Assessment - Assessment Level 3 overall and no skill below Level 2

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the University's highest qualification. The degree is undertaken by research only and leads to advanced academic and theoretical knowledge in a specialist area.

The PhD is suitable for students who want to pursue an academic or research career, or a senior position in the public or private sector. Doctoral studies present you with the opportunity to generate new ideas that can benefit business and society. You will make a significant original contribution to knowledge and understanding in your field of study and meet recognised international standards for your work.

Explore our research expertise

AUT's academic supervisors are recognised world-class researchers who have the expert knowledge in their fields to guide you throughout your studies.

Browse research expertise

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Applications received after the application date will be considered on a case-by-case basis otherwise the application will be held over for the subsequent start date.

• Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
• Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
• There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay .
• International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.

Indicative 2024 international fees

Scholarships

• Entry requirements
• Application process
• What you study
• Career opportunities

Minimum entry requirements

Must normally have completed the following in a discipline appropriate to the proposed research:

• Master’s degree with honours OR
• Bachelor’s degree with honours (equivalent to 4 years of study)

The degree must normally have been gained at the standard of first class or second class (first division) honours from this University or a recognised equivalent. The degree should include advanced learning in research, execution of a research project and a written report on the research.

International student entry requirements

English language requirements

Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with 6.5 in Writing and no band less than 6.0

All other study areas

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with 7.0 in Writing and no band less than 6.0

Other requirements

Acceptance is subject to the availability of staff for supervision, prior research preparation and appropriate facilities.

How to apply for the Doctor of Philosophy

• Apply online and submit all required documents at least three months prior to the intended start date
• The Graduate Research School will assess your eligibility and forward to the relevant faculty to confirm possible research areas and supervisors
• Where the faculty confirms the availability of resources, including supervision, they will request for you to complete the formal research proposal (PGR2). Your PGR2 Research Proposal, including supervisory signatures, must be submitted to your Faculty Postgraduate Office a minimum of four weeks prior to your intended start date. If you are planning to start on 1 February, submit your signed PGR2 by 15 December.
• Once the research proposal is confirmed by the faculty, it will be sent to the Graduate Research School for approval and to issue an Offer of Place

For general enquiries for the Doctor of Philosophy programme please contact [email protected] .

Preparing a PhD research proposal

Prospective PhD applicants are required to prepare a formal research proposal, specifying the field of research and a general research question you wish to investigate.

Admission to a doctoral programme

Guidelines for the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law

Guidelines for the Faculty of Culture and Society

Information we need to assess your application

We require the following information:

• Faculty and/or field you wish to conduct your study in
• Academic transcripts
• Grading scale for postgraduate qualification
• Degree certificates (undergraduate and postgraduate)
• Title of the thesis/dissertation/research project
• 1-2 page document (maximum) outlining your proposed research project
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• If English is not your first language you need to provide evidence of English language proficiency – IELTS (Academic) test results or recognised equivalent. If your postgraduate study was completed in English within three years, this may be waived

Once the required information is received, we will forward your enquiry to the relevant faculty who will communicate to you about the outcome of your application, possible research areas and supervisors.

Requirements for specific subjects

Art & design.

We require a portfolio (between 10-15 annotated images as a pdf or PowerPoint file or a URL for a website)

Provide evidence of completing the courses Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics at postgraduate level. Course syllabus or similar is required for assessment of comparability of those courses to those taken in New Zealand

Doctoral students will attain the knowledge, values and attributes to make significant contributions to their professional communities and societies through further high-quality research, and developments.

You put together a proposal that critically reviews work done in your area of research. This requires a suitable research methodology and a timeframe for completion of the degree. You are expected to publish one or more papers for a reputed international conference in your chosen area of research.

Once you have completed your research proposal, you refine your design, collect data and conduct your research as appropriate. Data is collected and analysed and the results are published at international conferences. A journal publication is also encouraged at this point.

The first step in the final stage of the PhD is finalising the data collection and analysis. You then write your PhD thesis and submit it to the supervisor for feedback. It could take two or three drafts before the thesis is ready for submission and examination.

Skills you will develop as part of the PhD

The outcomes for graduates of the Doctor of Philosophy are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.

Graduate Profile

It is expected that graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy will have gained the necessary skills and qualifications to follow an academic or research career. Alternatively, your research topic may lead you to a position of expertise in your chosen field. The opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills you gain through a PhD will be extensive, both in industry and academia.

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar .

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Regulations - Science

Postgraduate diploma in clinical psychology – pgdipclinpsych.

The regulations for this postgraduate diploma are to be read in conjunction with all other relevant statutes and regulations including the Academic Statutes and Regulations.

1 In order to be admitted to this postgraduate diploma, a student must have completed the requirements for:

a the Degree of Master of Arts or Master of Science in Psychology from this University with a Grade Point Average of 5.0 or higher, or the equivalent as approved by Senate or its representative

b the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) or Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology from this University with a Grade Point Average of 5.0 or higher, or the equivalent as approved by Senate or its representative

c a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology

d passed PSYCH 708, 718, 723 with a Grade Point Average of 5.0 or higher, or the equivalent as approved by Senate or its representative

e demonstrated in accordance with approved selection criteria determined by the Faculty of Science the qualities necessary for a person seeking a qualification as a Clinical Psychologist. This will normally require an interview, submission of academic transcripts and appropriate letters of reference.

2 Candidates must continue to meet the requirements of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (2003) for Professional and Ethical behaviour.

Note: This is a limited entry programme as per the Limitation of Entry Statute 1991 and selection criteria apply. Selection criteria are available from the Faculty of Science.

Duration and Total Points Value

3 a A student enrolled for this postgraduate diploma who has completed the requirement for a Masters Degree in Psychology which included a thesis, or a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology, must follow a programme of the equivalent of four consecutive full-time semesters and pass courses with a total value of 240 points.

b Any other student enrolled for this postgraduate diploma must follow a programme of the equivalent of six consecutive full-time semesters and pass courses with a total value of 360 points.

Structure and Content

4 a A student who has completed the requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology or a Masters Degree in Psychology which included a thesis must follow a programme of 240 points as listed in Option 1 in the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology Schedule.

b Any other student enrolled for this postgraduate diploma must follow a programme of 360 points as listed in Option 2 in the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology Schedule.

c A student who has not previously passed, or been credited with a pass in PSYCH 718 and 723, or PSYCH 709 and 747 will be required to take PSYCH 718 and 723 or their equivalents before taking Part III.

d A student enrolled for this postgraduate diploma has to carry out satisfactorily such practical or clinical work as the Head of School of Psychology may require.

e A student has to pass both the written work and the practical or clinical work in order to pass each Part of the programme. However, a student who passes the practical or clinical work of Part III but fails the final examination may, at the discretion of the Head of School of Psychology, be required to pass a special examination in order to meet the requirements of the programme. A student who fails any year of the programme may, at the discretion of the Dean following a recommendation from the Head of School of Psychology, be declined permission to enrol again in that year of the programme or in the programme as a whole.

5 A student admitted to this programme must complete the University of Auckland Academic Integrity course as specified in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations, Academic Integrity, of the University Calendar.

6 In exceptional circumstances Senate or its representative may approve a personal programme which does not conform to these regulations.

7 These regulations and/or schedule have been amended with effect from 1 January 2020.

Requirement:

Option 1 – 240 points.

Part I: 60 points PSYCH 771

Part II: 60 points PSYCH 772

Part III: 120 points PSYCH 773

Option 2 – 360 points

Thesis: 120 points PSYCH 796

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Finding your own way key to PhD success

18 August 2024

Her doctorate may not have been smooth sailing, but Rosee Hodgson says challenges can bring benefits too.

Otago PhD graduand Rosee Hodgson knows a fair bit about juggling commitments.

Her doctoral research in public health was an eventful journey – marked by the milestones of having two children and coping with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I felt I grew up with my PhD.”

Rosee, now an Assistant Research Fellow based at the Christchurch campus, graduated in absentia on 17 August. When she started her doctorate, she didn’t expect it to stretch out over seven years, but now she sees the benefits of having found her own way to succeed.

“Although I had constraints, I did work hard. Now, looking back, the time taken seems the least important part.

“Being a PhD student made me a better mum. It was really good to show my children I could do this alongside being a parent.”

Her two sons, now aged five and three, talk about “Mum’s book”, and Rosee believes there were benefits for her research as well as for her family.

“Slowing down my PhD matured my view of my findings.”

Rosee’s interest in public health started while she was studying for a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at Otago and was also a volunteer youth worker. That interaction with rangatahi made her realise the range of societal issues that influence young people’s health and wellbeing.

She began to look at how young people, particularly marginalised youth, interact with the cities they live in, and how transport and urban planning can affect their access to education, employment and training, and the wider implications of that.

Her PhD focused on groups of 15 to 24-year-olds in four communities across Christchurch and Auckland who were not in education, jobs or training. This involved intensive work in each community, working with stakeholders such as youth organisations and various marae , to find rangatahi willing to take part in her research.

In a novel approach, almost all the interviews were carried out by peers of the interviewees. Rosee says that brought a different perspective to her research.

“When you know each other there’s a little more candour; you often have a shared struggle.”

These young people were the “antithesis of commuters”, who roads are designed for. For some, the problems were around the practicalities of transport, such as cost, or the uncertainty of how to get somewhere. Others spoke about societal issues, such as experiencing racism on public transport or feeling like they didn’t belong in certain areas of the city.

“Where my PhD landed is that there is a relationship between these young people and society that is mediated by their ability to move around. Mobility is more than just being able to get from A to B. There is a level of power to it, which shaped their sense of inclusion in society.”

Rosee’s research findings have been shared with Auckland Council and Auckland Transport and were part of discussions around the half-price bus fares initiative.

She’s still closely connected to the communities she worked in and is keen to see more positive action, such as the project where rangatahi are working with Environment Canterbury on the Christchurch bus hub design.

In terms of her experience doing a PhD, Rosee is grateful to the excellent supervisors who stuck by her, and for the scholarship support she received from the University.

“I think Otago is growing in its ability to engage with people like me. It’s learning what it looks like to have a woman walk through a PhD while having children.”

Her advice to others is to find the way that works for them.

“There will be times when you feel you’re not doing it as well as everyone else, but actually everyone feels that way.”

–  Kōrero by Andrea Jones, Team Leader, Divisional Communications

MathEd eagles participate in PME-47

14 Aug 2024 | Maria Digi Anna M Avila (PhD Math Ed)

Kick-starting the second half of the year, eight students and faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Mathematics recently joined the 47 th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), held at Massey University Albany Campus, Auckland, New Zealand on 17 - 21 July 2024. The conference was attended by approximately 380 delegates from 41 countries across the world and was jointly organized by Massey University, Auckland University of Technology, and the University of Auckland.

The theme for this year’s PME conference was, “Rethinking Mathematics Education Together,” underscoring the nature of mathematics education research as an evolving field of knowledge in both local and international contexts. To formally open the conference, the conference chair Jodie Hunter gave a warm welcome to the participants by introducing the history and culture of Aotearoa (the traditional Maori name for New Zealand) and by showcasing the talent of the Manurewa East Primary School Kapa Haka Group through a dance presentation. This was followed by an insightful plenary lecture by Professor Mellony Graven from Rhodes University. In her talk, she stressed the value of long-term collaboration and engagement among stakeholders (schools, teachers, learners, etc.) in supporting the development of interventions that aim to strengthen the teaching and learning of mathematics in South Africa, from inception through iterative revisions to potential up-scaling.

The second day of the conference started with another thought-provoking plenary lecture by Professor Keith Weber from Rutgers University. In his presentation, he argued that proofs should not be perceived as a rigid and static object with well-defined structure and attributes. Rather, students should be allowed to deviate from the standard two-column format of proving and write proofs in a manner that clearly and flexibly shows their thinking. Following the plenary talk were parallel oral presentations and research reports, which allowed mathematics educators and mathematics education researchers from various universities to share valuable findings from their research studies and engage in fruitful discussions with other participants.

Three delegates from Ateneo de Manila University gave their oral presentations on the second day of the conference. Maria Digi Anna Mance-Avila (PhD MathEd) presented the results of her pilot study about seeking evidence of grounding in an online mathematical discourse. She highlighted the key role of verbal and non-verbal resources in establishing common ground between teachers and students as they engage in mathematical discourse in online environments. This pilot study is part of her dissertation under the guidance of her dissertation adviser, Dr Maria Alva Aberin.

Meanwhile, Angel Mae Ombid (MS MathEd) discussed the results of her study on university students’ various conceptualizations of functions and perspectives on mathematics. She concluded that content perspective could play a role in developing an accurate conceptualization of functions. This study was co-authored by Dr Dennis Lee Jarvis Ybañez and Dr Catherine Vistro-Yu.

Dr Dennis Lee Jarvis Ybañez represented both Ateneo de Manila University and UP Open University. In his presentation, he discussed senior high school students’ perspectives on using teks as a visualization object as they conceptualize a sample space. He concluded that the perspectives that emerged allowed students to meaningfully construct an initial concept of a sample space. This study was co-authored by Dr Catherine Vistro-Yu.

Two more delegates from Ateneo de Manila University had their oral presentation on the third day of the conference. Joseph Ma Steven Cabalo (MS MathEd) discussed how senior high school mathematics teachers perceive and integrate Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies into their teaching practices. He then emphasized the need for targeted support for teachers in order to maximize the potential of GenAI tools in teaching mathematics.

Meanwhile, Dr Jude Buot, a mathematician, shared his analysis of how teacher’s beliefs develop over time as influenced by different factors, including varying professional roles. The analysis revealed that having a reflective disposition towards teaching and learning contributes to shifts in these beliefs as teachers take on varied roles. This study was co-authored by fellow ADMU Mathematics faculty, Dr Lester Hao.

Aside from the parallel oral presentations and research reports, poster presentations were also held on the third day, showcasing diverse research studies in mathematics education by delegates from across the world.

The fourth day of the conference started with a plenary panel discussion about the diverse body of knowledge of mathematics. The panel members consisted of Nuria Planas from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Tony Trinick from University of Auckland, Stefan Ufer from University of Munich, and Vilma Mesa from University of Michigan. The discussion revolved around the question, “Can we draw on the diverse body of knowledge of mathematics and develop a mathematics curriculum?” The panel members had varying opinions about the topic, with three advocating for the inclusion of both canonical and non-canonical mathematics and one arguing against the inclusion of canonical mathematics. In the end, they all agreed that it is important to respect communities and their origins in developing school mathematics curricula to provide broader access to learners of mathematics.

Rhett Anthony Latonio (PhD MathEd) was the only Atenean presenter on the fourth day of the conference. He discussed the development of a four-indicator mathematical creativity test for fifth grade students. The test is part of a larger study aimed at identifying components that promote mathematical creativity in classroom settings. Rhett is guided by his dissertation adviser, Dr. Catherine Vistro-Yu.

Following the parallel oral presentations and research reports was the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of PME. During the AGM, an election for the next PME president and trustees was conducted. Publication report as a new session format was also proposed to be included in the succeeding PME conferences. After the casting of votes, Oh Nam Kwon from Seoul National University was announced as the new PME president.

The fourth day of the conference ended with a dinner night at the Spencer Hotel in Takapuna. The event started with a cultural dance presentation by the Drums of the Pacific, followed by a delectable dinner buffet. The participants definitely enjoyed the night as they unleashed their moves on the dance floor. They were so on fire that the building had to be evacuated due to the alarms of the smoke detectors setting off. Thankfully, it was a false alarm, and everyone got home safely.

The last two Math Ed Eagles had their oral presentations on the last day of the conference. In his talk, Dr Lester Hao discussed the potential connection between cognitive restructuring and visualization objects as senior high school students described the concept of a sample space in terms of outcome. This study was co-authored by Dr Dennis Lee Jarvis Ybañez.

Concluding the parallel oral presentations was Patrick John Fernandez (PhD MathEd), who presented the design of his three-phase cyclical flipped classroom model and its effects on productive disposition. This model could serve as a framework for implementing flipped mathematics classrooms in the future. Patrick is guided by his dissertation adviser, Dr Angela Fatima Guzon.

True to its theme, “Rethinking Mathematics Education Together,” the 47 th PME Conference provided the participants with the opportunity to build new friendships with researchers from various communities across the world and gain new insights about the changing landscapes of mathematics education and mathematics education research. The Ateneo delegates also concurred that everyone at the PME conference was incredibly warm and welcoming. The warmth of these people more than made up for Auckland's cold weather.

After the conference, the Ateneo delegates had a well-deserved celebration in the city centre of Auckland. The weather was erratic, shifting between sunny weather and rainy weather in just a matter of seconds, but that did not stop the Eagles from exploring the beauty of the city. They tried out various cuisines, visited famous tourist spots, and reconnected with family and friends who are living in Auckland. It was a very memorable trip for everyone.

Although the 47 th PME Conference has already ended, the Math Ed Eagles are hopeful that it will not be the last time that they will join a PME conference. They also hope to participate in more conferences, both locally and internationally, in order to contribute to the growing body of knowledge of mathematics education and mathematics education research in the country.

As the famous Maori proverb says, “Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora te manuhiri” (meaning, “With your food basket and with my food basket, the people will thrive”), Conference Chair Jodie Hunter reminded everyone that we can all work together to create something bigger than ourselves.

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The University of Auckland

Doctor of Philosophy PhD

The PhD is a globally recognised postgraduate research degree and the highest level of degree you can achieve. PhD students are critical, curious, creative thinkers who undertake original research over at least 3 years.

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Programme overview

The University of Auckland PhD is a globally recognised postgraduate research degree, available in over 100 different subjects. Candidates will undertake independent and original research, supervised by academic experts and research leaders.

During your doctoral studies, you will have opportunities to expand and develop your personal, professional and academic skills. Our 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.

All of our doctoral policies and guidelines governing PhD study, including the PhD statute, are available in Doctoral policies and guidelines .

If you are looking for PhD study in a subject not listed here, it may be available under a different title. For more information, please contact a postgraduate adviser in the relevant faculty.

Programme structure

Entry requirements.

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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 milestones 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.

Part-time enrolment is available for New Zealand students, in which case provisional enrolment lasts for 24 months, and you must submit your full thesis for examination no earlier than 6 years, and within 8 years, of your start date.

As part of your PhD study, you have access to our doctoral skills workshops and resources, 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 research services advisers to help you in your research. The central School of Graduate Studies provides dedicated support and advice for the doctoral community.

For international students, your visa conditions will generally stipulate that you must be enrolled for full-time PhD study.

It may be possible for candidates to undertake a PhD including scholarly creative work and/or publications that they worked on while under supervision for their PhD. For information on including scholarly creative work in a PhD, see the PhD including scholarly creative work policy and procedures . To read the rules about including publications in a PhD, see the Doctoral thesis policy and procedures .

To read the rules about including publications in your PhD, see Doctoral Candidates– including publications in a thesis policy and procedures . 

Subjects available in this programme

• Anaesthesiology
• Ancient History
• Anthropology
• Applied Linguistics
• Architecture
• Art History
• Asian Languages and Cultures
• Behavioural Science
• Bioengineering
• Biological Sciences
• Biomedical Science
• Chemical and Materials Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Commercial Law
• Communication
• Comparative Literature
• Computer Science
• Computer Systems Engineering
• Criminology
• Dance Studies
• Development Studies
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering
• Engineering Science
• Environmental Science
• European Languages and Culture
• Exercise Sciences
• Food Science
• Forensic Science
• Gender Studies
• General Practice
• Global Studies
• Health Psychology
• Health Sciences
• Heritage Conservation
• Information Systems
• Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• International Business
• Latin American Studies
• Linguistics
• Marine Science
• Mathematics
• Mathematics Education
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering
• Media and Screen Studies
• Medical Imaging
• Molecular Medicine
• Māori Studies
• Māori and Pacific Health
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Operations and Supply Chain Management
• Operations Research
• Ophthalmology
• Pacific Studies
• Paediatrics
• Perinatal Science
• Pharmacology
• Politics and International Relations
• Population Health
• Public Policy
• Social Work
• Software Engineering
• Speech Science
• Translation Studies
• Urban Design

My highest qualification is from:

Programme requirements, minimum programme requirements.

Minimum requirements listed here are the likely grades required and do not guarantee entry. We assess each application individually and applicants may require a higher grade to be offered a place.

• Honours or masters degree
• Evidence of significant research, usually undertaken as part of prior study

Further programme requirements

Supervision and research requirements.

Meeting our academic requirements does not guarantee entry.

You must demonstrate an ability to research independently, and possess a high level of theoretical understanding. Acceptance is subject to staff availability for supervision, and appropriate resources and facilities.

You must write an initial statement of research intent to demonstrate your research capability and experience.  

How to apply

Check out our guide to applying for a PhD or doctorate .

• Masters-level qualification or the equivalent of a bachelors degree with honours

No bands less than 6.0

See alternative English language requirements

Calculate your Grade Point Equivalent (GPE)

You must write an initial statement of research intent to demonstrate your research capability and experience.

All students must meet our English-language requirements as a condition of entry.

How much does a Doctor of Philosophy cost per year?

A New Zealand government funding scheme enables the University of Auckland to offer PhD study to international students for the same tuition fees as New Zealand PhD students.

Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this website. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Amounts shown are indicative only. In addition to the tuition fees, there is a Student Services Fee of $8.88 per point, estimated at $1,065.60 for full-time study (120 points). Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment.

*Please note: amounts shown are indicative and estimates only.

See course fees for each faculty

Find out about financial support information

Scholarships and awards.

Find out about the scholarships you may be eligible for.

Student loans and allowances

Are you a New Zealand citizen or resident? You could be eligible for a student loan or allowance.

Cost of living

Get an idea of how much accommodation and general living in Auckland will cost.

Eligible candidates can enrol and start their PhD at any time of year. You must enrol within 6 months of your unconditional offer. 

A University of Auckland PhD is available in over 100 different subjects but your research project will be unique. As part of the application process, you need to provide an outline of your proposed research project.

Although you are not required to nominate a doctoral supervisor as part of your initial application, you can also look at supervisor profiles and research projects , or to find out more about the research carried out at the University of Auckland, click on the links in the Subjects tab to start exploring faculty research webpages for your area of interest.

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 start up. With focused development opportunities available throughout your PhD study, and dedicated postgraduate career advice, we can help you to explore and meet your own career goals, no matter what direction you take.

Student career planning service

Once you become a student at the University, you can get help with planning and developing your career from Career Development and Employability Services .

Graduate story: Katherine Higgins

Having supportive doctoral supervisors paved the way for Katherine Higgins to develop and facilitate collaborative projects with visiting artists at MIT.

Do you need help?

Your online help and support centre. Search our frequently asked questions.

Can’t find the answer in AskAuckland?

Need to speak to someone.

You can phone us directly.

Joao Guassi Moreira – Information for Prospective Graduate Students

Dr. Joao Guassi Moreira – Information for Prospective Graduate Students

Website: https://psych.wisc.edu/staff/guassi-moreira-joao/

Current research : Dr. Guassi Moreira’s Computational Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory (CDNLab) studies the neurodevelopment of affective and social phenomena between late childhood and emerging adulthood. Currently, CDNLab is particularly interested in the development of emotion regulation and decision-making, and the nexus between the two. Some of the research questions we ask questions are ‘how does the brain change to help improve emotion regulation skills with development?’, ‘why are some emotion regulation strategies better or worse at promoting adaptive outcomes?’, ‘why do some individuals make risky decisions more than others when they become teenagers?’, ‘how do our mental models of specific others change with experience, and how does this impact how we spend our time with them?’. Research in the lab will combines traditional psychological methods with emergent neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI) and computational techniques, and will also support original quantitative methods research in service of answering core substantive research questions.

Communication Prior to Applying : I highly suggest prospective students who are planning to apply to my lab contact me via email ( [email protected] ) with their CV and brief description of the research they hope to pursue as a doctoral student. I am also happy to answer questions about my lab’s research via email. If the questions are not easily answered via email, then I may suggest a video call. I don’t privilege or prioritize applications from prospective students who have contacted me prior to applying or who have had a video call with me.  Instead, these calls are really for the prospective student to ask questions that impact whether they plan on applying.  I’d note that if you have questions about completing/submitting the UW Madison Psychology Department application itself, the best person to contact is our graduate coordinator, [email protected]

Areas I’m Willing to Advise Students in : Developmental, Social, Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience

How I Evaluate Applicants : Like all faculty members in the Psychology Department, I evaluate prospective graduate students in a holistic manner. I therefore consider all the possible ways in which students’ applications materials can demonstrate excellence and a strong likelihood to thrive in the graduate program and in my lab.  As such, the information below should be treated as general rules of thumb rather than a highly proscriptive “checklist” of attributes that candidates must have in order to be considered for admittance to my lab.

• Academic & Research Preparation : Successful applicants to my lab will likely have an academic and research record of excellence and intellectual curiosity. I do not use strict cutoffs based on academic and research history but I do holistically evaluate the extent to which prospective students have shown previous academic excellence in the classroom and the lab (GPA, letters of recommendation, prior research experience, etc.). My lab uses tools/takes inspiration from a host of disciplines across, and outside of, psychology (e.g., computer science, statistics, biology, anthropology, sociology, economics), so I look for applicants who have coursework and research experience from other disciplines while acknowledging that students are not going to be experts in any one area. Finally, applicants will be best served if they have some kind of meaningful experience with programming and/or statistics. Students who do not have such experience are not necessarily at a disadvantage if they can demonstrate intellectual fearlessness, curiosity, and a strong work ethic to learn such skills in graduate school
• Research preparation : Previous research experience is strongly encouraged (e.g., as an undergraduate research assistant or post-bac staff member of a psychology or neuroscience lab). Applicants with more extensive experience (e.g., independent research project) will be prioritized.

Personal statement : Your personal statement should touch upon two keys points. (i) First , what kind of research program do you hope to pursue in graduate school? The purpose of a PhD program in experimental psychology is to train scientists on how to grow and develop an independent program of research as a lead investigator – i.e., become an expert in a topic by conducting research at the cutting edge of said topic. This is true regardless of whether the trainee wishes to pursue a career at a research institution, a teaching institution, industry, government, etc. The act of growing and refining this program of research endows one with expertise in various skills to succeed in any of these career paths (albeit by relying on different subsets of skills depending on the path). An applicant doesn’t need to have a precise and accurate roadmap of how they want to build a research program during graduate school, but they need to be curious enough to have ‘rough draft’ of said road map in place. This will allow me to assess fit with the lab, my mentorship style, and one’s intellectual curiosity and ambition.

(ii) Second , why do you want to pursue this work in my lab. How do the things that motivate you, questions that interest you, etc. align with my lab? Fit between a mentor and a mentee is so important for both mentee success and the health of the mentor’s lab. I want to take students that I am able to help put into a position to succeed. Outlining why you think my lab is an ideal place to kickstart your research program is going to help me evaluate fit and make sure that everyone comes away with a good deal. Beyond these two points, I make every effort to create a tight-knit and supportive lab environment where every lab member feels that they belong, and that their abilities and efforts are respected and nurtured by every other lab member.  As such, insights into your potential to contribute to such a community and to collaborate effectively would be valued in the personal statement.

• Other : I am looking to break into new areas and methods of research that may not be currently obvious from the lab’s publication record. This includes: (i) event segmentation in the context of emotion and emotion regulation, (ii) using Large Language Models (LLMs) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand the mechanisms of human emotion regulation, (iii) naturalistic fMRI, (iv) developing and refining quantitative methods for psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists based around regularized regression, (v) ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and (vi) deep phenotyping, especially with fMRI data. If your research interests intersect with of the areas or methods above and the lab’s current research directions, please consider applying.