- 2019

Undergraduate

Minor / Major / Extended major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2019 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook.

Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Managing faculty

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Offered by

School of Psychological Sciences

Contact details

Telephone +61 3 9905 3968; email ug.psych@monash.edu or visit http://www.med.monash.edu.au/psych

Location

Clayton Malaysia

Psychology is the study of mind and behaviour. It is a broad scientific discipline that includes investigations of the brain, learning, memory, perception, reasoning, decision making, language, developmental and social processes, personality, and mental health and well-being. It is also concerned with the practical and ethical applications of psychological research to the profession.

The psychology major is research-led and based on the scientist-practitioner model of education whereby you will learn about professional practice within a scientific perspective. You will then able to make informed choices about psychology-related careers and about further training at the fourth year and postgraduate level, both being required to practice as a psychologist in Australia.

If you are studying in an APAC-accredited course, you may complete the ten unit (60 point) extended major, accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and intended for those who wish to specialise in psychology. This option provides a pathway to further study in psychology and to the training required to practise as a psychologist in Australia.

Alternatively you may complete an eight-unit (48 point) major in psychology, which will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements for a major in the 'Relevant courses' listed below. This option is for students who do not wish to become registered psychologists but have an interest in psychology or for whom the study of psychology complements their other expertise.

Progression to honours

Students completing a relevant course with a 60-point APAC-accredited major sequence in psychology are eligible to apply for entry to a fourth year in psychology through an honours year or equivalent. Refer to the psychology honourspsychology honours (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/aos/psychology/) entry in this Handbook.

Availability

Psychology is listed as a minor, major or APAC-accredited extended major (10 unit, 60 points) in the Bachelor of Arts at Clayton, in the Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences at Malaysia, in the Bachelor of Science at Clayton and Malaysia, and in the Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours) and the Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours) at Clayton.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major will be able to:

  1. describe and discuss theories and research in the core discipline areas of psychology - perception, cognition, learning, motivation, emotion, language, social and biological bases of behaviour, abnormal psychology, lifespan development, individual differences, history and philosophy of psychology, testing, assessment, intercultural and indigenous psychology
  2. describe and discuss the ethical standards and legislative frameworks governing research and practice in psychology, and demonstrate an appreciation of the role of ethics in maintaining the integrity of the profession.

Units

All units are 6 points unless otherwise stated.

Minor requirements (24 points)

No more than 12 points may be credited to the minor at level one.

Students complete:

  1. Two level 1 units (12 points):
  2. Two level 2 or 3 units (12 points):

    Chosen from:

    • PSY2061 Biological psychology
    • PSY2071 Developmental psychology
    • PSY2042 Personality and social psychology
    • or any psychology elective as per the list below

Major requirements - non-accredited (48 points)

No more than 12 points may be at level 1 and at least 18 points must be completed at level 3.

Students complete:

  1. Two level 1 units (12 points)
  2. Two or three level 2 units (12 or 18 points):

    Chosen from:

    • PSY2061 Biological psychology
    • PSY2071 Developmental psychology
    • PSY2042 Personality and social psychology
    • One level 2 unit (6 points) from the psychology electives list below
  3. Three or four level 3 units (18 or 24 points)

    Chosen from:

    • PSY3041 Psychological testing theories of ability and ethics
    • PSY3051 Perception and cognitive psychology
    • PSY3032 Abnormal psychology
    • PSY3062 Research methods and theory
    • Level 3 units from the psychology electives list below

    For a total of 8 units (48 points)

Extended major requirements - APAC accredited (60 points)

Students completing an accredited course with a 60-point APAC-accredited major sequence in psychology are eligible to apply for entry to a fourth year in psychology through an honours year or equivalent.

Students complete:

  1. Two level 1 units (12 points):
  2. Three level 2 units (18 points):
    • PSY2061 Biological psychology
    • PSY2071 Developmental psychology
    • PSY2042 Personality and social psychology
  3. Four level 3 units (24 points):
    • PSY3041 Psychological testing theories of ability and ethics
    • PSY3051 Perception and cognitive psychology
    • PSY3032 Abnormal psychology
    • PSY3062 Research methods and theory
  4. One unit (6 points) from the psychology electives list below

Psychology electives

Offerings of elective units may vary from year to year.

  • PSY2112 Organisational psychology*
  • PSY3120 Introduction to counselling*
  • PSY3130 Health psychology*
  • PSY3150 Contemporary social psychology*
  • PSY3180 Human neuropsychology: Developmental and neurodegenerative disorders
  • PSY3190 Addiction studies
  • PSY3250 Positive psychology*
  • PSY3280 The neuronal basis of consciousness
  • PSY3320 Sleep and circadian rhythms

    * Students at Malaysia must choose from those electives with an asterisk (*).

Honours and postgraduate studies in psychology

Refer to the index of areas of study for psychologyindex of areas of study for psychology (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/aos/psychology/) for information on honours and postgraduate level studies.

Relevant courses

Single degrees

Successful completion of the minor, major or 60-point APAC-accredited extended major in psychology can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degrees:*

  • A2000 Bachelor of Arts
  • A2006 Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences
  • S2000 Bachelor of Science
  • S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours)
  • S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours)

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or 48-point major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives.

Students in the above degrees must be enrolled in the Clayton and Malaysia course offerings to be eligible to complete the APAC accredited extended major.

Double degrees

Successful completion of the minor or 48-point major in psychology can be counted towards meeting the requirements for either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in the following double degrees:**

Arts

  • A2005 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Art
  • A2004 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music
  • B2019 Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2012 Bachelor of Business Specialist and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2020 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2024 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Arts
  • D3002 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • E3002 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • C2002 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Arts
  • L3003 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts***

Science

  • B2023 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science
  • B2016 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Science
  • D3005 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • E3007 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • C2003 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Science
  • L3007 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts***
  • S2007 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science
  • S2004 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Computer Science
  • S2003 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Global Studies
  • S2005 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music

Double degree students enrolled in Clayton or Malaysia course offerings should consult with their managing Faculty to determine if they are able to complete the APAC accredited extended major.

** Students cannot complete both the minor and major in the same area of study.

*** Psychology can only be counted towards meeting the requirements of one of the single degrees in this double degree course.