Gippsland
campus
The course is offered as an Australian Psychological Society (APS)-accredited
fourth year. It is a two-year, part-time distance education program for
students who hold a first degree and a major in psychology. This is a
full-fee-paying course.
The course provides an introduction to the professional practice of psychology
and aims to establish a foundation of knowledge in areas relating to
psychological practice. The guiding orientation of the course is towards
developing the conceptual understanding that will enable graduates to help
individuals with social and/or emotional problems and includes the assessment,
diagnosis and treatment of psychological difficulties and the promotion and
maintenance of psychological well-being.
The content of the course is designed for individuals wishing to work in
psychological practice and community development. The course is particularly
relevant for people wishing to work in community health centres, community
welfare agencies and educational establishments.
Students will be liable for exclusion if they do not pass at least two subjects
per year (except where two or fewer subjects remain to complete the degree and
one is failed and is the only failure to date).
Graduates with an APS-accredited fourth-year degree in psychology, or who are currently registered psychologists, may apply to undertake components of the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology. This is designed to enable fourth-year graduates to meet specific Registration Board requirements, or for currently practising psychologists to undertake studies in specific professional components for continuing education purposes. It is not intended as an alternative form of entry to fourth year. Entry is subject to quota limitations, and admission to one component does not confer rights to complete other components. GAS4510 (Research project A) and GAS4511 (Research project B) are only available to those students undertaking the complete course. Applicants should include evidence of eligibility and a letter describing the reasons for wishing to complete the component.
Students are required to attend a five-day residential program each semester. The residential schools are devoted to counselling and other experiential components of the curriculum, and attendance is compulsory. The residential schools are normally held in April and July.
Applicants must possess a bachelors degree and a major in psychology (with a credit average in third-year psychology) from any course accredited by the Australian Psychological Society. Applicants are also required to submit two referee reports addressing their personal suitability for the field of psychology.
The normal course structure for completing the course in minimum time is listed below. The subjects GAS4501, GAS4502, GAS4503, GAS4504 and GAS4505 each contribute 12 per cent to the total mark, and GAS4510 and GAS4511 together contribute 40 per cent to the total mark. Students will receive a single aggregate result for the course. The Department of Psychology will provide a statement of results in the units comprising the course. The subjects are described in the ´Subjects' section of this handbook.
To qualify for the
Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology, a student shall (a) complete all the
prescribed seven subjects of study, and (b) attend four residential
schools of five days duration over the two-year period of the course.
Further details may be obtained from the administrative officer, Department of
Psychology, Gippsland campus.
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