Master of Professional Psychology

The Master of Professional Psychology is a 36-unit program offered by the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work. 

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study

Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission applicants must:

• Have completed an APAC accredited fourth year of study in the field of Psychology with a minimum classification of Honours 2A or equivalent. In addition the qualification must have been completed within 10 years of the commencement of this course.
• Applicants must be eligible for registration with the Psychology Board of Australia as a provisional psychologist. Applicants who have completed their qualifications internationally will need to have their qualifications assessed by the Australian Psychological Society as a part of this process.
• International applicants must satisfy English Language Proficiency requirements with an IELTS score of 7.0 overall and 7.0 in each band or equivalent.  

Selected eligible applicants with be invited to attend an interview. Applicants will be shortlisted for interview based on their Academic record, relevant clinical skills and experience and referee reports. Selection for a place in the course will be based on interview performance and the overall application.

On completion of the course, graduates will be required to complete an approved one year internship of supervised practice to be eligible for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.

The Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.   

Course aims

The Master of Professional Psychology aims to fulfil the requirements for the fifth year of the 5 + 1 pathway to general psychology registration. The program aims to equip graduates with skills required to progress to an approved one-year internship through coursework, research skills development and practical placements.

The requirements are made explicit by the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course students will be able to:

• conduct interviews and assessments to diagnose and conceptualise psychological difficulties across the lifespan
• implement and interpret a range of formal psychological tests
•  critically evaluate research literature to inform professional practice and identify appropriate evidence based interventions
• plan and deliver appropriate evidence based interventions with a diverse range of clients, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions over time
• communicate and collaborate effectively with a range of inter-disciplinary professionals
• practice psychology in a culturally responsive, ethical and professional manner

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Professional Psychology, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the Program of Study below. Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year and other options may be offered.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or in more than one topic may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University’s Policy on Student Progress.

Except with the permission of the Dean (Education), the program must be completed within four consecutive semesters.

Core - Year 1 topics

36 units comprising:

PSYC9210   Foundations in Psychological Practice  (4.5 units)
PSYC9213   Evidence Based Interventions  (4.5 units)
PSYC9212   Assessment Across the Lifespan  (4.5 units)
PSYC9211   Applied Research for Practitioners (4.5 units)
PSYC9214   Psychological Practice Across Diverse Groups and Contexts (9 units)
PSYC9215   Professional Practicum  (9 units)