Postgraduate Psychology Courses

COURSES OFFERED

• Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)
• Master of Psychology (Clinical)
• Master of Science (Psychology)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology
• Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Psychological Practise

CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS

The following areas of research are available to candidates undertaking the Master of Science degree (Honours) and the Doctor of Philosophy degree by research:

• Clinical and community psychology: including clinical psychopathology and cognitive behaviour therapy, the psychology of drug dependence, constructivist and psychodynamic approaches, forensic psychology, ADHD, schizophrenia, depression, psychotherapy research and professional psychological help seeking.
• Cognitive processes: in particular, attention, memory, reading, imagery, the human/computer interface, and applied decision-making and problem solving.
• Conditioning in humans, Comparative learning and cognition.
• Emotions: including moods, and emotional intelligence.
• Health Psychology: including psychology of diet, exercise and the metabolic syndrome, population and behavioural studies of physical activity and health.
• Lifespan development: including development of deductive and inductive reasoning, and children’s conceptual development.
• Metatheoretical issues in psychology
• Psychometrics and quantitative psychology
• Psychophysiology: including the orienting reaction, and psychophysiological indices of cognitive processes; applications in clinical populations.
• Social psychology: in particular, social cognition and belief systems; social psychology of adolescent behaviour; dependency.
• Theoretical approaches to psychology: Personal construct psychology; Jungian and transpersonal psychology.
• Visual perception.

DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY (Clinical)

Overview

This program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles governing psychological assessment and therapy, and the clinical skills required to assess and treat clients with a wide variety of clinical conditions in both child and adult populations.

The doctoral program equips postgraduates with clinical and research knowledge, and skills superior to those acquired at the professional Masters level.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

Candidates must have an honours degree in Psychology of at least four years duration of Class II, Division 1 standard or higher.   Applicants must submit two referee’s reports, a personal statement, and attend a selection interview.  Candidates in the MPsyc(Clin) may apply to transfer to this course at the completion of year 1.

Places in this course are limited and will be based on academic merit and personal suitability.

International students are required to have achieved an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 in all bands, reading and writing, speaking and listening.

Course Requirements

Students should consult the information on Criminal Records Checks, Prohibited Employment Declaration and Infectious Diseases at the end of this chapter.

In addition to coursework and practicum requirements, candidates will be required to successfully complete a supervised research program on a topic that is consistent with key research interests of the Department or the Illawarra Institute of Mental Health.   Students who enrol in the DPsyc and later wish to transfer to the MPsyc (Clinical) degree may expect to pay tuition fees for any coursework common to the two programs.

Course Program

Professional Recognition

This program is accredited by the NSW Psychologists Registration Board for registration as a psychologists, by the Australian Psychological Society at 5 th, 6 th and 7 th year level, and by the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.

MASTER OF PSYCHOLOGY (Clinical)

Overview

The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is a fully accredited professional 5  and 6  year of study for the purpose of membership of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists.

This program provides a comprehensive understanding of the principles governing psychological assessment and therapy.  It equips students with clinical skills required to assess and treat clients with a wide variety of clinical conditions in both child and adult populations.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

Candidates must have an honours degree or equivalent in Psychology of at least four years duration of Class II, Division 2 standard or higher.   Applicants must submit two referee’s reports, a personal statement, and attend a selection interview.

Places in this course are limited and will be based on academic merit and personal suitability.  The program will involve four sessions of full-time study or their equivalent part-time.

International students are required to have achieved an IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 in all bands, reading and writing, speaking and listening.

Course Program

Students should consult the information on Criminal Records Checks, Prohibited Employment Declaration and Infectious Diseases at the end of this chapter.

Professional Recognition

This program is accredited by the NSW Registration Board for registration as a psychologist by the Australian Psychological Society at 5 and 6 year level and by the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.

MASTER OF SCIENCE (Psychology)

Overview

This program is available to applicants with a major study in Psychology. Because the APS reserves the name ‘Masters’ for 5th and 6th year courses, this course is not accredited by the Australian Psychological Society.   It is thus not suitable for Australian students who intend to proceed further with APS accredited professional training.  The program structure allows international students to tailor their studies to suit the requirements of the profession in their own countries.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

A Bachelor degree with a major in Psychology of at least three years duration from a recognised tertiary institution or equivalent.

International students are required to have achieved an IELTS score of 6.0, with at least 6.0 in reading and writing, and at least 5.0 in speaking and listening.

Course Program

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOLOGY

Overview

The Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology is a fourth year of study, accredited by the Australian Psychological Society, for graduates with a major in Psychology.  It is an alternative to the Honours degree.
 
It is a partial qualification for registration as a Psychologist with the Psychologists Registration Board of New South Wales – a post diploma period of supervision also being required.

The Postgraduate Diploma is not intended as a route to PhD studies but it can serve as a 4th year preparatory to further postgraduate coursework degrees (eg. the Clinical Masters degree) at Wollongong and similar postgraduate courses in other universities.  However, applicants should check with individual university departments on this matter before committing themselves to the course of study.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

Eligibility for entry to the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology program depends on the successful completion of a Bachelor degree from the University of Wollongong with a major in Psychology, or an equivalent qualification from another tertiary institution approved by the Council of the University of Wollongong and accredited by the Australian Psychological Society.

Entry to the Postgraduate Diploma is competitive and is based on academic qualifications.  For the purposes of entry to the program we use the best 48 credit points from successfully completed 200- and 300- level Psychology subjects.
International students are required to have achieved an IELTS score of 6.0, with at least 6.0 in reading and writing, and at least 5.0 in speaking and listening.

Course Program

Professional Recognition

Our degrees are set up to meet the requirements of external bodies such as the APS and the NSW Registration Board.  For information about these professional bodies, their regulations, and about post university practice as a Psychologist, please contact these bodies directly. 

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PROFESSIOANAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTISE

Overview

The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Psychological Practice is a post-fourth-year course designed to provide students with skills that will facilitate registration as a psychologist with the NSW Psychologists Registration Board.  The course consists of a series of group supervision sessions integrated with workshops.
It is important to note that registration with the Board is not automatic on completion of this course.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

Eligibility for entry to the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Psychological Practice is based on the successful completion of a 4th year of study in Psychology recognised by the NSW Psychologists Registration Board (eg an APS accredited 4 year degree) and acceptable performance in an intake interview.
This course is not available to international students.

Course Requirements

Students can elect to complete one or all of the 4 annual 8 credit point subjects listed below.  Successful completion of all subjects (total of 32 credit points) will lead to the award of the Certificate. 

Course Program