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Faculty of Medicine and Health

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Discipline of Psychiatry

Dedicated to understanding mental health disorders

We conduct teaching and cutting-edge research in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioural disorders across six clinical schools and several major teaching hospitals in New South Wales.

About the discipline

Since its inception in 1898, the Discipline of Psychiatry has upheld a tradition of offering the highest standards of teaching, innovative research and compassionate care for our primary concern - patients.

We teach in each clinical school and offer an exciting course that is integrated into a wide range of specialised clinical experiences. You'll have the opportunity to gain deeper insights into psychological disorders from both patient and professional perspectives.

Study options

Postgraduate coursework

For more information on any of our postgraduate courses please contact Associate Professor Glenn Hunt (glenn.hunt@sydney.edu.au).

Postgraduate research

The University offers a range of research opportunities to help you pursue your passion. You can undertake a:

To learn more about research opportunities in the Faculty of Medicine and Health, visit our postgraduate research page.

Our research

We are proud to conduct research across a wide range of areas relating to psychiatry and addiction medicine. Particular areas of interest include:

adult psychiatry
affective disorders
anxiety disorders
child and adolescent psychiatry
eating disorders
forensic psychiatry
neuropsychiatry
old-age psychiatry/psychogeriatrics
perinatal research
psychopharmacology/drug and alcohol research
rural health.

There are plenty of opportunities available to engage in research for honours or doctoral projects. Initial enquiries should be made to the Head of the Discipline of Psychiatry.

Research affiliations

Study psychiatry

Explore units of study

Our research

Discover our research areas

Head of Discipline

Professor Anthony Harris

View academic profile

Discipline of Psychiatry

Phone

02 8890 3768

Email

psychiatry.admin@sydney.edu.au

Address

Westmead Clinical School Clinical Sciences Level 2 Westmead Hospital Westmead NSW 2145

Research Supervisor Connect

Research Supervisor Connect matches your research interests to available PhD and master's research opportunities and supervisors.

Find a researcher in psychiatry

Visit the University of Sydney database to view researchers working in psychiatry.

Find a researcher

Featured news

09 October 2018

Zac Seidler is a clinical psychologist and a doctoral candidate in the School of Psychology.

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Research by Zac Seidler shows the need to tailor training programs for men's mental health needs. He says men will seek help more readily when practitioners and services engage with social determinants of mental health.

24 September 2018

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In the wake of ABC's Four Corners investigation Associate Professor Lee-Fay Low explains why Australia's current aged-care system is failing older people and the fundamental shift needed to change things.

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Medical researchers are calling for the word 'cancer' to be dropped from some doctor-patient conversations in a bid to reduce patient anxiety and harm from over-treatment.

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Nation’s first institute for eating disorders research launched

Australia's first institute for research and clinical excellence in eating disorders was launched today by Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt and NSW Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies.

30 October 2017

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Mental health providers need to better engage men with depression

The approach to treating men with depression needs to change if their increased uptake of mental health services is to be successful, new research from the University of Sydney shows.

26 September 2017

4 tips to help manage your mental health

If you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stressed, you may find it helpful to learn how to manage your mental health. Here are four tips from our mental health expert Professor Niels Buus.

04 September 2017

Youth mental health: what's needed is more research

One in four young people will develop a mental illness, with half of those going on to have life-long challenges. In the past, treatment could be haphazard but the Brain and Mind Centre is advancing ideas to change that.

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Experts from the University of Sydney discuss what drives addictive behaviours at the next Sydney Ideas Health Forum.

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Boosting natural brain opioids could be the way to treat anxiety

Boosting natural brain opioids may be a better way to treat disabling emotions, says new research revealing their role in regulating critical brain circuits affecting fear and anxiety.