Undergraduate courses and subjects 2000 - Bachelor of Behavioural Science

Bachelor of Behavioural Science

General information
Course structure
Course requirements
Psychology major
- Requirements of the major in psychology
Science core studies
Additional sequences

General information

Course code: 1719 · Gippsland campus or distance education
The Bachelor of Behavioural Science (BBS) is a science-oriented degree designed to provide a substantial specialisation in psychology, with supporting studies in other disciplines which are commonly studied with psychology. Students completing the major sequence in psychology may be eligible to proceed to a degree with honours, or into a postgraduate program of study.
The major sequence in psychology offered within the BBS is accredited by the Australian Psychological Society, and approved for registration purposes by the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria.
The Bachelor of Behavioural Science takes three years to complete full-time and six years by distance education or part-time study. An honours program in psychology will require one further year of full-time study or two years part-time.

Course structure

The course structure comprises (i) the psychology major, (ii) additional sequences in supporting disciplines, (iii) core subjects in science, and (iv) electives.
Students are expected to undertake a normal work load of 48 points a year full-time or 24 points a year part-time or by distance education.
It is advisable for full-time students to complete at least three first-level sequences in their first year in disciplines in which they may wish to complete further studies. Due to the flexibility of the course, students are encouraged to seek guidance from the Faculty of Science office, Gippsland campus.

Course requirements

A total of 144 credit points must be completed to satisfy the requirements of the BBS. Students must complete a full psychology major of at least 60 credit points. Together with the major sequence in psychology, students must also complete either two minor sequences or one major sequence from applied biology, applied chemistry, human physiology, management, marketing, mathematics (including applied statistics), computing, sociology or mass communications. Students must also complete two core subjects in science.

Psychology major

The major sequence in psychology is a common program offered on the Caulfield, Clayton and Gippsland campuses by the Department of Psychology.
Psychology subjects include a component requiring on-campus attendance by distance education students.
The psychology major sequence may also be studied in the Graduate Diploma in Psychology by students who have completed an undergraduate degree majoring in another discipline. Details of this diploma are given in a separate section of this handbook.
Details of postgraduate courses in psychology are located in the graduate studies handbook.

Requirements of the major in psychology

The major is structured into three distinct levels. The requirement for each level must be completed before students are eligible to study at the next level.

Science core studies

The BBS must include at least two subjects in approved studies in science. The following schedule identifies approved science core studies.
1. The following science subjects: SCI1010, SCI1020.
2. Two subjects comprising a first-year sequence in any of the science supporting studies (see below). Students are highly recommended to take this option, which would give them the opportunity to complete one of their supporting sequences in science. A supporting sequence in biology, for example, would be a highly relevant complement to a psychology major.

Additional sequences

A first-level sequence consists of two subjects in a single discipline at level 1.
A minor sequence comprises subjects in a single discipline which amount to 24 credit points, with at least 12 points being at second level.
A major sequence comprises subjects which total at least 48 credit points in a discipline, with at least 12 points at second level and at least 12 points at third level.
First-level sequences may be taken in biology, chemistry, mathematics (including applied statistics), environmental science, computing, management, marketing, sociology and mass communications.
Additional and extended sequences are available in most of the above disciplines. Consult the subject descriptions offered elsewhere in this handbook for details of the relevant science subjects, and other faculty handbooks for details of non-science subjects. Note that some science subjects offered at level 1 require an appropriate Year 12 background.