Monash University: University Handbooks: Undergraduate handbook 2004: Units indexed by faculty
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Undergraduate handbook 2004
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Psychology

The Department of Psychology in the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, offers an undergraduate program for students who intend to specialise in psychology by completing a 60-point major sequence which is accredited by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Singapore Psychological Society, and approved for registration purposes by the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria. This program provides an avenue to further study in psychology and to the training required to practise as a psychologist with the option of proceeding to a degree with honours, or into postgraduate programs of study. The 60-point accredited major sequence may be taken in the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience, Bachelor of Behavioural Science, Bachelor of Psychology and Management/Marketing, Bachelor of Arts and some Bachelor of Arts degrees with specialisations. A 48-point major in psychology may be sufficient to satisfy the requirements for a major sequence in any of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, single or double degrees, but is not APS accredited and will not permit entry to fourth-year programs in psychology.
The Department of Psychology offers a common curriculum across all campuses and modes of study. The undergraduate psychology program is taught on-campus at Caulfield, Clayton and South Africa. Caulfield offers evening as well as day classes. Psychology is also taught in off-campus learning mode (OCL), with compulsory on-campus attendance requirements. At Gippsland, psychology units will be taught in this mode with third year commencing in 2005. The psychology program is also offered in Singapore through the OCL mode. The first year of the program is available at the Berwick and Peninsula campus in flexible learning mode, with on-campus laboratory classes and unit content taught through study notes and web-based material. However, second and third-year study must be undertaken at another campus or through OCL mode.
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 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.

Undergraduate units

Students wishing to take the APS-accredited major sequence in psychology must complete 10 six-point units (nine core units and one elective unit) from the list below. The core units are available by on-campus, flexible learning and off-campus learning mode. Two of the electives are available by off-campus mode as indicated below.

First-year core units
Second-year core units
Third-year core units
Elective units

Students may take an elective unit at second year, and up to four elective units at third year (ie it is possible for students to study 100 per cent psychology units in third year). Some third-year electives may be undertaken at second year, providing prerequisites and corequisites are met. The electives offered may vary from year to year depending on staff availability.

Second year
Third year

Diploma of Psychology

This course is offered to undergraduates who wish to complete an APS-accredited undergraduate major in psychology while undertaking a concurrent Monash degree. The course is available only to students enrolled in degrees where it is not possible to study the 60-point APS-accredited major sequence. Students must enrol in the diploma in their first year, or not later than the first semester of the second year of their concurrent degree.

Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Psychology

The Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Psychology award is suitable for students wishing to pursue careers in law and/or psychology. This double award is administered by Monash Law, and inquiries regarding enrolment should be made directly to the general office, telephone (03) 9905 3300, email enquiries@law.monash.edu.au. For more information, refer to the Faculty of Law section of this handbook or http://www.law.monash.edu.au/undergraduate/courses.html.

Graduate Diploma in Psychology

This course is offered to graduates who have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline and who wish to complete an APS-accredited undergraduate major in psychology. The course structure is identical to the 60-point APS-accredited undergraduate major sequence in psychology. Details of the Graduate Diploma in Psychology are included in the graduate studies handbook.

Bachelor of Psychology and Management/Marketing

The Bachelor of Psychology and Management/Marketing will provide students with excellent training for further postgraduate study in psychology and business. This double award is administered by the Faculty of Business and Economics. For more information, refer to the Faculty of Business and Economics section of this handbook.

Further study in psychology

Students completing a degree with a 60-point APS-accredited undergraduate major sequence in psychology will be eligible to apply for entry to a fourth year in psychology through an honours year, or the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology. Masters and doctoral degrees are available by coursework and/or research after completion of a fourth year of study in psychology.

Further information

Caulfield - telephone (03) 9903 2691.
Clayton - telephone (03) 9905 3968.

Gippsland - telephone (03) 9902 6415.

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