The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) requires four years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time), including the compulsory honours program. The course is offered by the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work.
Admission requirements
The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.
Course aims
The aims of this course are to develop knowledge of the factors influencing human behaviour and experience, and to provide skills for the application of this knowledge to issues in the real world. In the first three years of this course, graduates will develop core knowledge in psychological theory and research to prepare them for their final year in the Honours program in psychology. In the 4th (Honours) year, the aims are to build on earlier training to provide a broad base in contemporary psychological theory and research, to bring diverse psychology subject areas together by pointing to shared themes, issues, problems and techniques, and to enhance students' understanding of methodological and data analysis issues.
The course provides comprehensive knowledge of such fields as learning, motivation, personality, emotion, development across the lifespan, social and cultural influences, biological influences, and mental health. Also integral to the course is the development of critical thinking and research skills, and an understanding of the ethical responsibilities of researchers and psychoIogy clinicians. It also aims to better acquaint students with the actual process of research, to show how Psychology can contribute to understanding and solving real-world problems, and to promote critical or evaluative thinking (e.g., about theory, methods, applications). Finally it prepares them for further professional psychology training in post-graduates courses at the Masters or Doctoral level.
Learning outcomes
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) should be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- knowledge of influences on human behaviour, both normal and abnormal
- knowledge of psychological theories in relation to a range of major areas within the discipline, such as social, developmental, cognitive, and abnormal psychology
- knowledge of the principles of psychological assessment and measurement
- knowledge of ethical principles governing the conduct of research, the use of formal assessment tests and clinical practice by psychologists
- an understanding of the principles and techniques of psychological research
- an ability to critically evaluate theoretical claims and primary research
- an ability to plan and conduct research to answer well-justified questions
- an ability to connect their theoretical knowledge and learned psychological techniques to relevant real-world problems
- an ability to distil key ideas from the literature and to communicate concepts and primary research in both written and oral form
- discipline-based writing skills and APA-style conventions.
Program of study
To qualify for The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic. This must include:
- 63 units of Psychology topics
- 9 units of First Year topics taken from the major sequence options in the Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) topics, as set out below
- 36 units of electives, which may be selected from any topics offered by the University provided entry and course requirements are met
- the 36-unit Fourth Year program.
All other components (a total of 108 units) must be completed before undertaking the Fourth Year program.
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
In order to progress to the third year of the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) program a student must normally have achieved a GPA of 5 (an average grade of CR) in all Second Year Psychology topics attempted. Failure to achieve the required GPA may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University’s Policy on Student Progress.
In order to progress to the fourth year of the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) program a student must normally have achieved a GPA of 5.25 in all Third Year Psychology topics attempted. Students who fail to achieve the required GPA or choose not to continue to the fourth year of the program may apply to graduate with the Bachelor of Psychological Science.
Core - Year 1 topics
Select 13.5 units of core topics:
PSYC1101 Psychology 1A (4.5 units)
PSYC1102 Psychology 1B (4.5 units)
PSYC1106 Research Methods 1 (4.5 units)
plus 9 units from the following:
Option - Year 1 topics
BIOL1101 Evolution of Biological Diversity (4.5 units)
BIOL1102 Molecular Basis of Life (4.5 units)
BUSN1011 Accounting For Managers (4.5 units)
BUSN1012 Management, People and Organisations (4.5 units)
COMP1001 Fundamentals of Computing (4.5 units)
COMP1102 Computer Programming 1 (4.5 units)
COMP1711 Database Modelling and Knowledge Engineering (4.5 units)
CRIM1101 Crime and Criminology (4.5 units)
CRIM1102 Criminal Justice System (4.5 units)
DSRS1201 Perspectives of Disability and Rehabilitation (4.5 units)
DSRS1209 Human Diversity (4.5 units)
ENGR1762 Networks and Cybersecurity (4.5 units)
HLTH1101 Health Promotion for Health Professionals (4.5 units)
HLTH1305 Australian Healthcare System(s): Concepts and Controversies (4.5 units)
HLTH1306 Contemporary Health Issues in Australia (4.5 units)
LEGL1101 Australian Justice System (4.5 units)
LEGL1102 Contentious Justice Issues (4.5 units)
PHIL1010 Mind and World (4.5 units)
PHIL1030 The Individual and Society (4.5 units)
PHIL1060 Critical Reasoning (4.5 units)
POLI1003 An Introduction to Democracy and Government (4.5 units)
POLI1011 Introduction to Australian Public Policy (4.5 units)
SOCI1001 Introduction to Sociology (4.5 units)
SOCI1010 Culture and Everyday Life: Introduction to Sociology B (4.5 units)
WMST1001 Sex, Gender and Identities in Australia (4.5 units)
WMST1002 Gender, Power and Change: Introducing Feminist Debates (4.5 units)
plus 13.5 units from:
Elective - Year 1 topics
Any year 1 topics from across the University where the entry requirements are met.
Core - Year 2 topics
Select 22.5 units of core topics:
PSYC2018 Research Methods 2 (4.5 units)
PSYC2019 Personality and Social Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC2020 Cognition and Learning (4.5 units)
PSYC2021 Human Development (4.5 units)
PSYC2022 Psychological Assessment and Measurement (4.5 units)
plus 13.5 units from:
Elective - Year 1, 2 & 3 topics
Any year 1, 2 or 3 topics from across the University where the entry requirements are met.
Core - Year 3 topics
Select 13.5 units of core topics:
PSYC3007 Research Methods 3 (4.5 units)
PSYC3011 Ethics and Professional Practice in Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC3012 Interviewing and Counselling (4.5 units)
and at least 13.5 units of other Third Year Psychology topics from the following list:
Option - Year 3 Psychology topics
PSYC3003 Introduction to Clinical Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC3004 Advanced Social Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC3008 Applied Cognitive Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC3009 Lifespan Development in Cultural Perspective (4.5 units)
PSYC3010 Mind, Brain and Behaviour (4.5 units)
PSYC3236 Forensic Psychology: Legal and Clinical (4.5 units)
and up to 9 units from:
Elective - Year 1, 2 & 3 topics
Any year 1, 2 or 3 topics from across the University where the entry requirements are met.
Core - Year 4 topics
Select 36 units of core topics:
PSYC7002A Psychology Honours Thesis (9/18 units) AND
PSYC7002B Psychology Honours Thesis (9/18 units)
PSYC7006 Contemporary Issues in Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC7007 Applications of Psychology (4.5 units)
PSYC7056A Research and Practice in Psychology: Part 1 (4.5 units) AND
PSYC7056B Research and Practice in Psychology: Part 2 (4.5 units)
