The Department of Psychology was established in 1984 and enrolled its first students in the fall of 1987. It is the first, and thus the oldest Department of Psychology in Greece. In the year 1991 the first class graduated with a BSc. in Psychology from the University of Crete. In 1998 the University moved to its new premises located at the Rethymno campus in Gallos. In June 2004, the Department became officially autonomous (with its own HoD) within the university system and currently has more than twenty faculty members. In 2004 two graduate (MSc) programs were established: in School and Health Psychology.
Since its establishment, more than 50 part-time teaching staff members have offered their services to the Department. Currently the department has approximately 1000 undergraduate students, 17 MSc. students, 19 Ph.D. candidates and is still growing.