This course is offered by the Department of Psychology as a two-year, part-time, off-campus distributed learning program for students who hold a first degree with an APS-accredited major in psychology. The course provides an introduction to the professional practice of psychology, advanced studies in psychology and training in research that will equip students to undertake higher degrees in psychology. The guiding orientation of the psychological practice component of the course is towards developing the conceptual understanding that will enable graduates to undertake supervised practice. In the research component of the course, students will undertake studies in research design and analysis, followed by the development of an independent research proposal that will be carried out and written up in the form of a research report.
A limited number of places in some components of the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology (External) are available for applicants who have already completed an APS-accredited fourth-year degree in psychology, or who are currently registered psychologists. This option is not intended as an alternative form of entry to fourth year. The research component is only available to those students undertaking the complete course.
The course has been designed to meet the accreditation requirements of the Australian Psychological Society.
Admission
to the course is open to applicants who possess a bachelor's degree and a major
in psychology from any course accredited by the Australian Psychological
Society with at least a credit average in third-level psychology. Referees
reports attesting to relevant experience and personal suitability for the
profession of psychology will also be required.
In addition, all applicants are required to complete a Postgraduate Diploma of
Psychology (External) application form. This can be obtained from September
2001 at
http://www.sci.monash.edu.au/psych/student/4thyear/4thyear.html
Students are required to attend a five-day residential program each semester. The residential schools are devoted to key aspects of course content and experiential components of the curriculum and attendance is compulsory. These residential schools are normally held in April and July in Australia.
The course comprises five components. These may be completed on a part-time basis, usually over two years. The sequence in which components are undertaken may be varied (within timetabling constraints) according to the experience, interests and career plans and enrolment status of individual students, in consultation with the postgraduate diploma coordinator. It is not advisable for a student to attempt the research project before undertaking the research and design component. The five components, and their contribution to the final mark, are:
Students are required to take one topic from elective A studies. These may include:
Students are required to take two topics from elective B studies. These will include:
In selecting elective B
studies, students should check with the Psychologists Registration Board in
their state that their combined fourth-year and undergraduate studies meet
registration requirements, as it is usually necessary to have completed studies
in psychological assessment in order to commence supervised practice.
Note that not all electives will be offered each year.
To qualify for the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology (External), a student
shall (a) complete all the prescribed components of study, and (b) attend four
residential schools of five days duration over the duration of the course.
Assessment involves both assignments and examinations. Assignments cover a variety of formats including essays, reports, presentations, counselling tapes, assessment reports, research proposals, and reviews of methodology of published articles. A major course requirement is the compilation of a report of an individual research project (PSY4511).
There are no credits/exemptions for this course.
Inquiries
should be directed to the course coordinator, Mr Gordon Walker on telephone
(03) 9903 2728. Email gordon.walker@sci.monash.edu.au
For general information, contact the Department of Psychology on telephone (03)
9903 2691 or (03) 9905 3968.
The Off-Campus Distributed Learning Guide,
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/offcampus is also
available from the Course Inquiries Centre, telephone 1800 671 845.
Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology (External) application form can be obtained from September 2001 at http://www.sci.monash.edu.au/psych/student/4thyear/4thyear.html and should be completed and returned via the web by 31 October 2001 to be considered for a first-round offer.
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