Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology emerged as an independent entity following its separation from the Department of Philosophy in the 1980s. Dr. Munawwar Ali became the first Head of Department following his transfer to the college in 1987, and served with distinction until his retirement in 2005.
Until 2018, Psychology was offered as a part-major at the TYBA level under the University of Mumbai. A significant turning point came in 2019 with the establishment of Dr. Homi Bhabha State University. From the academic year 2019–20, the department began offering a full major in Psychology, featuring six papers in the final year. This period also coincided with the transfer of Dr. Vilas Padhye to the department, filling a teaching position that had remained vacant for several years and contributing significantly to the department’s academic growth.
In 2023, a fully equipped Psychology Laboratory was set up, and in 2024–25, the department launched its postgraduate programme – MA in Applied Psychology (Clinical & Counseling Applications). Today, both the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered by the department rank among the most sought-after — not only within the university and among city colleges, but also attracting a growing number of applicants from outside Mumbai and across the state and country.
The department is well-resourced, featuring advanced psychometric instruments, a dedicated departmental library, independent testing and experimental rooms, a Cognitive Psychology Laboratory (CogLab), and also houses the University Counseling Centre.