Study Neuropsychology at Otago and combine international best practice with the unique knowledge and needs of the people of Aotearoa.
Why study postgraduate Neuropsychology?
The Neuropsychology programme at Otago prepares practising psychologists to develop the competencies required for specialist work in neuropsychology.
Neuropsychologists focus on the assessment and treatment of neurological conditions, which account for a significant proportion of disability in developed countries and are increasing as populations age.
Drawing on scientific understanding of the relationship between brain function and behaviour, they work in applied clinical settings such as hospitals and rehabilitation services. Their work includes assessing, treating and supporting people with brain injuries and neurological conditions including stroke, epilepsy, brain tumours, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Career opportunities
Neuropsychologists are in demand across health, research, and education fields. Your skills will prepare you for roles that blend science, care, and communication to support brain health and wellbeing. Possible career pathways include:
- Clinical neuropsychologist
- Rehabilitation specialist
- Research scientist
- Health policy advisor
- Academic lecturer
What it’s like to study at this level
You will learn from an experienced teaching team that includes expert neuropsychologists and special guest lecturers from Otago and across New Zealand. The programme is led by Associate Professor Paul Skirrow, a UK-trained clinical and neuropsychologist with extensive experience in the UK and Aotearoa New Zealand
Your studies combine online lectures and tutorials with two intensive three-day block courses held annually in Wellington. Alongside academic learning, you will complete 1,500 hours of supervised applied neuropsychology practice over two years. This blend of theory and hands-on experience is designed to build your confidence and prepare you for professional practice.
This is for you if ...
These qualifications are open only to psychologists registered with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. There is no restriction on scope of practice but applicants are expected to have prior knowledge of assessment, formulation and intervention, as well as basic brain–behaviour relationships, psychometric testing and statistics. The programme is intensive and includes 1,500 hours of supervised practice alongside academic study over two years.
Train in Neuropsychology to advance brain health in Aotearoa
The University of Otago offers New Zealand’s first neuropsychology training programme. Designed to support psychologists and the communities they serve, the programme emphasises bicultural approaches with Māori and collaboration with health service users.
Drawing on Otago’s long-standing leadership in medical education and research, students also benefit from teaching alongside specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, neuroradiology and rehabilitation.
Advancing as a Neuropsychologist
Meet the experts behind Otago’s new applied neuropsychology diploma, designed for registered psychologists. Learn how the course blends clinical practice, Māori knowledge, and cutting-edge neuroscience.
Read transcript
Dr Paul Skirrow:
I’m Dr Paul Skirrow, and I’m really excited that we’re going to be offering this postgraduate diploma in neuropsychology at Otago University. The postgraduate diploma in applied neuropsychology is designed to help people become registered as neuropsychologists when they’ve already got registration as a psychologist.
We’re going to be learning lots about acquired neurological conditions like traumatic brain injury and stroke and dementias. We’re also going to be learning about developmental conditions like ADHD and autism, and how all of those things present in clinical practice — and how people might assess those and how they might be able to intervene with some of those conditions.
I’m going to be introducing people to some of the scanning techniques that use the MRI and the CT scanning. We’re going to be talking about some of the neurosurgical techniques that are used in New Zealand, and we’re also going to talk about some of the rehabilitation strategies that are available for people with these conditions.
Dr Sarah Roberts:
I think it’s terrific this course is being offered in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s the very first time that we’ve had training such as this in this country, and I think it’s really needed.
Dr Paul Skirrow:
So the course is designed to be for people who are already registered psychologists. It’s designed so you’re not going to have to give up your work and come to university for two years. The idea is you’ll be able to do this alongside your current work, and some of your clinical practice will count towards the assessments you’re going to do as part of the course.
So the course is made up of teaching blocks where you’ll be coming down to Wellington, and we’ll be learning some foundational skills. Then we’ll have a series of online tutorials and online lessons and online learning for you to develop those skills. You’ll also have supervised practice with a registered neuropsychologist, and it’s all going to build up to various examinations throughout the course of the year.
Dr Rachel Booker:
The value of neuropsychology is becoming increasingly realised in the medical field. It can enhance our therapeutic interventions, as we can understand why a client has difficulty regulating emotions, controlling impulses, and complying with medication regimes.
Dr Paul Skirrow:
Neuropsychology is quite a medical training traditionally, and a lot of it’s taken from overseas. So we’re going to try and blend the best of that with the best of our New Zealand knowledge — including things like mātauranga Māori — and how we bring those things together to work for the people of New Zealand.
Choose a study option
Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Postgraduate qualifications
Honours, masters’, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a master’s or to step up to a PhD.
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Programme details
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| Papers |
|---|
Candidates should complete NPSY 701, 703 and 706 before the other papers in the programme. |
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
NPSY papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPSY701 | 2026 | Foundations of Applied Neuropsychology | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NPSY702 | 2026 | Applied Neuroscience in Neuropsychology | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NPSY703 | 2026 | Neuropsychology of Acquired Brain Injuries and Stroke | 15 points | Semester 2 |
| NPSY704 | 2026 | Paediatric/Developmental Neuropsychology | 15 points | Semester 2 |
| NPSY705 | 2026 | Neuropsychology of Aging and Degenerative Conditions | 15 points | Semester 2 |
| NPSY706 | 2026 | Clinical Practice in Neuropsychology 1 | 15 points | Full Year |
| NPSY707 | 2026 | Clinical Practice in Neuropsychology 2 | 15 points | Full Year |
Contacts
Programme Administrator
Postgraduate Diploma in Neuropsychology
Department of Psychological Medicine
University of Otago, Wellington
Email: neuropsych.uow@otago.ac.nz
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2026 Calendar and supplementary material.
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