Department of Psychology

The origin of the Department of Psychology was one of the significant contributions by Padmashree N. D. Sundarvadivelu, the Beacon Light of education in Tamil Nadu and the former Vice-Chancellor of University of Madras. The Department was one of the four Departments started to constitute the Madras University Autonomous Post Graduate Centre, Coimbatore in 1974.

Prof. C.R. Paramesh, M.A., M.Litt., Ph.D., Dip in Anthro., was the first Professor and Head of the Department. Professor C.R. Paramesh left the Department to take up assignments in Kansas, USA by 11th September 1976. Subsequently, Prof. S. Narayanan, M.A., M.L.., Dip in Stat. Ph. D., then assumed charge as Head of the Department of Psychology.

Since then, Prof. P.Ananthakrishnan, M.A. Ph.D. and Dr. V. Natrajan, M.A, Ph.D., D, Litt., had served as Readers in this Department at different periods of time. Prof. Dr. V. Ganesan, M.A., Ph D, and Dr. R. Venkatachalam, M.A, M.Phil., Ph.D., joined the Department as Faculty in 1976 and 1977 respectively. Dr. R. Venkatachalam took voluntary retirement in 2003. Dr. S.John Michael Raj M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. joined the Department as a member of faculty in 1988.

At present, the Department is headed by DR. S. SUBRAMANIAN M.A., M. PHIL., AND PH. D., who has joined the Department as Professor on 11/06/2007.

The Bharathiar University was instituted by the Act of Tamil Nadu Assembly in 1982. The Department of Psychology along with other Departments belonging to Madras University Autonomous PG Centre was transferred to the Bharathiar University by the above Act.

The Department of Psychology gets constant funding from ICSSR, UGC NCERT and also has a diversity of Post Graduate Students from different parts of the country. The Department frequently organizes seminars, workshops and training programs.