Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

2008 | 2009 | 2010

Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences | School of Psychology

Program Code: MHPU

Program Level: Undergraduate

SATAC code: 444221

Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) for 2009 Entry: 90.15 (Internal)

Home Campus: Magill

Program Length (in EFTSL): 4

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Future students

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Domestic – Please refer to Future Student Enquiries
International – Please refer to Enquiry Online

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Program director/s

Dr Jill Dorrian (MHPU)

Please note: students who have completed a three year degree in psychology or psychological science wishing to apply for the Honours year should lodge an online application direct to the University of South Australia via UniSA's Apply Online portal.

International students can only enter into the final Honours year of this program. International students wishing to undertake a full undergraduate program should consider the Bachelor of Psychological Science (3 years), then transfer into the final year of this Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) program (1 year) - academic entry must be met.

Psychology brochure (PDF - 664KB download Adobe Acrobat)

Aim

To provide in a single integrated four year program an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council accredited sequence in psychology and to provide advanced knowledge in psychology, experience and competence in conducting research and the necessary preparation for entry into further training for professional practice in Psychology.

Entry requirements

Applicants are required to have one of the following qualifications:

Qualified for the SACE:

recorded achievement in five SACE subjects taken at Stage 2 level; and
included at least four Stage 2 subjects which are approved Higher Education Selection Subjects (HESS); and
obtained a competitive TER;

Completed the equivalent secondary education qualifications as required for University entry under SACE and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed or partly completed a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at the appropriate level and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed an award from TAFE or from another registered training organisation at AQF Certificate IV or above and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Qualified for Special Entry and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed the University Foundation Studies program.

Special entry provisions may also apply for ATSI applicants.

English language entry requirements

For international applicants for whom English is a second language, the minimum English language requirements are:

International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic): Minimum score of 6.0 in Reading and Writing subscores and minimum overall score of 6.0 obtained within the last two years or corresponding results from an equivalent test such as TOEFL or the appropriate Academic English language level delivered at CELUSA; or

Successful completion of a secondary qualification in Australia within the last two years; or

Successful completion of at least one year of tertiary study in Australia within the last two years; or

Successful completion of one year of secondary or tertiary study conducted and completed in English within the last two years in a country in which:

English is an official language; or
English is commonly used, as determined by the University.

Special Requirements: For entry to the fourth-year Honours stream, students must achieve a minimum grade point average of 5.0 in all level two and level three psychology courses. Students who do not meet this requirement may, on satisfactory completion of the third year, either proceed to the fourth-year Pass stream for a Bachelor of Psychology or exit the program with the award of the degree of Bachelor of Psychological Science.

Content/structure

This program comprises 144 units: in the Honours stream there are 126 units of coursework and 18 units of research projects and in the Pass stream there are 130.5 units of coursework and 13.5 units of research projects. A sub-major consists of 27 units.

Professional Recognition

This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. On completion of the program, graduates will have met the academic requirements for associate membership of the Australian Psychological Society and the prerequisites for postgraduate study in Psychology.

Fee information

Fees for Domestic students: Commonwealth Supported
Fees for Commonwealth Supported Students are calculated at the course level. Click on individual courses in the schedule below to determine total program fees.

Fees for International students: $AU 17,500 per 1.0 EFTSL for students commencing in 2010.
Fees are calculated on a per Unit basis with 1.0 EFTSL = 36 Units.
Fees for International students are determined one year in advance and are subject to variation.

Program requirements

Course name	Area + Cat. No.	Units	EFTSL
FIRST YEAR
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Psychology 1A	BEHL 1003	4.5	0.125
Sub-major 1		4.5
Communication Studies Elective 1 (see Note 1)		4.5
Indigenous Australians: Culture and Colonisation	HUMS 1051	4.5	0.125
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Psychology 1B	BEHL 1004	4.5	0.125
Sub-major 2		4.5
Communication Studies Elective 2 (see Note 1)		4.5
Elective 1 (see Note 2)		4.5
SECOND YEAR
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Developmental Psychology	BEHL 3011	4.5	0.125
Sub-major 3		4.5
Clinical and Abnormal Psychology	BEHL 3004	4.5	0.125
Introductory Research Methods	BEHL 2005	4.5	0.125
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Sub-major 4		4.5
Social and Community Psychology	BEHL 2006	4.5	0.125
Biological and Learning Psychology	BEHL 2012	4.5	0.125
Cognitive Psychology	BEHL 3002	4.5	0.125
THIRD YEAR
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Advanced Research Methods	BEHL 3005	4.5	0.125
Sub-major 5		4.5
Psychology Elective 1 (see Note 3)		4.5
Elective 2 (see Note 2)		4.5
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Sub-major 6		4.5
Elective 3 (see Note 2)		4.5
Introduction to Psychological Assessment	BEHL 4003	4.5	0.125
Psychology Elective 2 (see Note 3)		4.5
FOURTH YEAR
HONOURS STREAM (see Special Requirements above)
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Psychology Research Methods	BEHL 4052	4.5	0.125
Psychology Honours Research Project 1	BEHL 4056	9	0.250
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Psychology Honours Research Project 2	BEHL 4057	9	0.250
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5
PASS STREAM (see Special Requirements above)
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Psychology Research Methods	BEHL 4052	4.5	0.125
Psychology Supervised Research Project 1	BEHL 4062	4.5	0.125
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Psychology Supervised Research Project 2	BEHL 4048	9	0.250
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5
Psychology Level 4 Course (see Note 5)		4.5

Notes

Communication Studies Electives 1 and 2 to be chosen from:
COMM 1033 Introduction to Communication & Cultural Studies
COMM 1018 Screen Matters: Film, Television and New Media
INFT 1003 Computers: Communication and Society
COMM 1047 Communication: Rhetoric and Reasoning L
(a) At least one of the Electives must be a Broadening Undergraduate Education (BUGE) Contrasting Studies course selected from: Performing Arts; Other Languages; Other Humanities courses; Law; Accounting; Computing; Science; Other Built Environment; Surveying; Engineering. Entry to some courses from these areas will necessarily be subject in some cases to prerequisite requirements.
(b) Electives may be taken from any courses offered in the University subject to any prerequisite requirements.
(c) Electives may be used to extend the sub-major to an eight-course major or beyond.
(d) Students may choose Electives from available Psychology Electives listed in Note 3 below.
(e) Students may choose Electives from the Counselling and Interpersonal Skills Major provided that they have not already selected the course as part of their sub-major.
Psychology Electives can be taken from the following:
BEHL 3012 Health Psychology
BEHL 3007 Introduction to Forensic Psychology
BEHL 3008 Work and Organisational Psychology
BEHL 3015 Psychology and Indigenous Australians
Students are permitted to take a maximum of 14 Psychology courses in the first three years.
Level 4 Psychology Courses to be chosen from the following:
BEHL 4054 Introduction to Psychological Intervention
BEHL 4059 Life Span Developmental Psychology
BEHL 4053 Psychology: Schools of Thought
BEHL 4060 Theories of Psychotherapy
BEHL 4061 Theories and Practice in Forensic Psychology
Elective courses are offered subject to student demand and staff availability. Courses offered within the University of South Australia or from other universities may be substituted for the elective course(s) with permission of the Program Director.

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