Office Space
We try to find all postgraduate students a desk somewhere in the Department, but normally you will share a room and the rooms are reallocated annually.
Staff Room
You are welcome to use the Departmental Staff Room. Graduate student mail boxes are located on the 1st Floor, William James Building. You can find your mail in the alphabetically arranged boxes.
Please be considerate and note that use of the Staff Room is restricted to graduate students in the Department.
Department Seminars
Departmental seminars are held approximately every two weeks on Monday afternoon. All graduate students are expected to attend. The seminars help you to keep up to date with a variety of current research topics and provide you with an excellent opportunity to hear visitors to the Department. You may find some seminars specifically related to your own research area, and they offer an opportunity to get to know people. You are also encouraged to attend inter-departmental seminars organised by Psychology staff. PhD students are required to give at least one full department seminar at some point during their training.
To receive regular updates regarding Psychology seminars, please subscribe to our distribution list.
Student Representation
Higher degree students are eligible to nominate up to four representatives on the Staff-Student Committee, and fourth year students can also nominate up to four representatives. Up to two (of the eight) graduate representatives are eligible to attend and vote at staff meetings.
Master's Degree and PhD Coordinators
Professors Reese and Halberstadt have overall responsibility for the welfare and progress of all postgraduate students, and should be consulted by both supervisor and student in the event of any problems. In the case of 400-level courses, Associate Professor O'Hare should be consulted.
Research and Stationery Costs
The Department normally expects to bear your minor research costs in the form of such things as apparatus, postage, and stationery. In order to assist with your general costs, the Department provides you with a limited amount of photocopying in the Library. You are also given a limited amount of photocopying/printing within the Department. You will need your supervisor's signature approving any departmental expenditure.
Technical Assistance
When setting up new equipment you should consult with your supervisor, who is responsible for ensuring that equipment is available for your project. When minor changes or repairs are needed, you should report them directly to your supervisor or the Senior Technical Officer, Mr Jeremy Anderson.
New Zealand Psychological Society (NZPsS)
All students with a Postgraduate Diploma or BA/BSc Honours in Psychology are able to apply for full membership or student membership; the latter is cheaper but does not include voting rights. All members may attend local branch meetings and the annual national conference, receive the New Zealand Journal of Psychology and the Bulletin of the NZPsS.
Harassment Procedures
Students may encounter problems with the behaviour of staff or students that is unwanted or offensive and may constitute harassment. It is University policy that harassment on any ground is unacceptable. For information in dealing with harassment problems, students may approach members of the contact network, a group of staff and student representatives. A list of their names and phone numbers is prominently displayed throughout the University and available from the offices of University Departments.
If Academic Problems Occur
If you are unable to resolve difficulties by approaching your supervisor or thesis committee members then consider the following options:
- Consulting the Master's Degree and PhD Coordinators, Head of Department, or other members of the academic staff for advice or support.
- Discussing matters with your fellow graduate students, including the postgraduate representatives, can help in problem solving and providing general support.
- Approaching the PhD Office. They have considerable experience in assisting thesis students and are happy to be approached in person or in writing and to give confidential advice.
- Disputes about academic or ethical matters, for example, the attribution of authorship to papers resulting from the thesis work, that are unable to be resolved by direct approach to a supervisor, may be referred to a University mediator. This may be achieved through the Contact network (see Harassment Procedures above).