Psychology

• General information
  • Science
  • Humanities
• The discipline
• Undergraduate subjects
  • First year core subjects
  • Second year core subjects
  • Third year core subjects
  • Elective subjects
    • Second year
    • Third year
• Diploma of Psychology
• Graduate Diploma in Psychology
• Further study in psychology
• Further information

General information

The study of human behaviour can be undertaken from two broad perspectives - one based in the sciences, the other in the humanities. Monash University provides both.

Science

Students seeking professional qualifications should enrol in the 60-point major sequence offered by the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Science. This program is accredited by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and approved for registration purposes by the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria. It provides an avenue to the further training required to practise as a psychologist.

Humanities

For students interested in human behaviour as a humanities-oriented stream of study, the Faculty of Arts offers a behavioural studies minor comprising subjects which have close links with arts disciplines and arts-based professionally oriented courses such as social work, human services and police studies.

The discipline

The undergraduate psychology program of the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Science is taught at the Caulfield, Clayton and Gippsland campuses. The first two years of the program are offered at Berwick campus. Third-year study must be undertaken at another campus. The department offers subjects for students who intend to specialise in psychology by completing a major sequence in the subject, with the option of proceeding to a degree with honours, or into postgraduate programs of study. Caulfield offers evening as well as day classes. At Berwick and Gippsland, psychology is offered in flexible learning mode with on-campus tutorial and laboratory classes and lectures taught through study notes and web-based material. Psychology can also be undertaken in distance education study mode through the Gippsland campus with the compulsory on-campus attendance requirements being available both at Gippsland and Clayton campuses.

Undergraduate subjects

The Department of Psychology offers a common curriculum across all campuses. In its curriculum development, the department has endorsed the view of the Australian Psychological Society that training in the discipline occurs within the context of the scientist-practitioner model. A student does not decide to become either a scientist or a practitioner; rather, professional practice is embedded within the scientific perspective. This is the philosophy underlying the decision to create a core curriculum, with students then being in a position to make informed choices about psychology-related careers and further training at the fourth year and postgraduate level.
Students wishing to take the APS-accredited major sequence in psychology must complete 10 six-point subjects (nine core subjects and one elective subject) from the following:

First year core subjects

• · PSY1011 Psychology 1A (6 points)
• · PSY1022 Psychology 1B (6 points)

Second year core subjects

• · PSY2031 Developmental and biological psychology (6 points)
• · PSY2051 Research and design analysis (6 points)
• · PSY2042 Cognitive and social psychology (6 points)

Third year core subjects

• · PSY3051 Perception and personality (6 points)
• · PSY3041 Psychological testing, theories of ability and ethics (6 points)
• · PSY3032 Abnormal psychology (6 points)
• · PSY3062 Research methods and philosophy of psychology (6 points)

Elective subjects

Students may take an elective subject at second year, and up to four elective subjects at third year ie it is possible for students to study 100 per cent psychology subjects in third year. Some third-year electives may be undertaken at second year providing pre and corequisites are met.

Second year

• · PSY2111 Organisational psychology (6 points)

Third year

• · PSY3071 Human neuropsychology and its evolutionary perspectives (6 points)
• · PSY3102 Advanced psychobiology: brain and behaviour (6 points)
• · PSY3122 Introduction to counselling (6 points)
• · PSY3131 Health psychology (6 points)
• · PSY3142 Psychology and the law (6 points)
• · PSY3151 Contemporary social psychology (6 points)
• · PSY3162 Psychology of language (6 points)

Diploma of Psychology

This course is offered to undergraduates who wish to complete an accredited undergraduate major in psychology while undertaking a concurrent degree. The course structure is identical to the undergraduate major sequence in psychology.

Graduate Diploma in Psychology

This course is offered to graduates who have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline who wish to complete an accredited undergraduate major in psychology. The course structure is identical to the undergraduate major sequence in psychology. Details of the Graduate Diploma in Psychology are included in the graduate studies handbook.

Further study in psychology

Students completing a degree with a major sequence in psychology will be eligible to apply for entry to a fourth year in psychology through an honours year (PSY4000 Psychology honours), the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology (Caulfield) and the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology (by distance education mode at Gippsland). Masters and doctoral degrees are available by coursework and/or research after completion of a fourth year of study in psychology.

Further information

Caulfield section: telephone (03) 9903 2691
Clayton section: telephone (03) 9905 3968
Gippsland section: telephone (03) 9902 6415

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