Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Pre-Practice)

2015 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2015 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]
Year2015 course information
Award granted Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Pre-Practice)
Campus

Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)^ Cloud (online)

Cloud CampusYes
Duration2 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Deakin course codeH664

^Students enrol at Waurn Ponds (Geelong), however the second year of the course is taught at Waterfront (Geelong). Students commencing in Trimester 2 or Trimester 3 must start their second year in Trimester 1.

New course commencing 2015.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

If you are interested in a career in psychology and have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in another field, the Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Pre-Practice) provides you with the opportunity to complete the equivalent of an Honours degree in psychology. Specifically, in year one you complete the equivalent of the three-year psychology sequence. Year two corresponds to a fourth year (i.e., Honours program).

In addition to an undergraduate degree applicants need to complete the two pre-requisite first year units HPS111 Psychology A: Fundamentals of Human Behaviour and HPS121 Psychology B: Individual and Social Development (or equivalent from another professionally accredited psychology program) before commencing this course.

These two units can be undertaken as single non award study at Deakin in all three trimesters. Information about applying for single unit study is available at https://www.deakin.edu.au/study-at-deakin/apply/other-types-of-application/apply-for-a-single-unit


In Year 1, students undertake core psychology undergraduate units in social psychology, cognition, research methods, development, personality, psychopathology, and neuropsychology, giving a broad understanding of the discipline. Upon satisfactory completion of Year 1 units, students enrolled in this course will in Year 2 undertake further coursework as well as a research project which develops your ability to critically evaluate theory and empirical studies; advanced skills in research design, implementation, analysis and reporting; as well as your understanding of professional responsibilities, standards of performance and ethical issues. Units taught in Year 2 are designed to support student learning in relation to conduct and design of research, as well as develop fundamental skills to make students eligible for postgraduate training in psychological practice.

Upon graduation you are eligible to apply for provisional registration as a psychologist and to pursue entry into postgraduate courses in psychology.


Registration as a Psychologist

The current requirements for registration as a provisional psychologist include the completion of four years of academic study of psychology that is recognised by the Psychology Board of Australia. The academic program usually consists of an approved undergraduate psychology sequence followed by an approved fourth-year of study, such as Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Psychology or honours in psychology.


Following successful completion of an approved fourth-year of psychology study, you may apply for provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and associate membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS). In order to gain full registration, provisional psychologists must then complete either two years of supervised practice, or a minimum two years of further study, which may include: Master of Psychology, Doctor of Psychology or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (with supervised practice completed outside the degree).

Course rules

All units in the course are core and must be completed; there are no electives. The course structure (depicted in the Table below) comprises 16 credit points.

Students need to achieve an average grade of 60 across all year one units of the degree to gain entry into year 2.

Course structure

YEAR 1

Trimester 1

HPS771Unit description is currently unavailable

HPS773Unit description is currently unavailable

HPS774Unit description is currently unavailable

HPS791Unit description is currently unavailable

Trimester 2

HPS772Unit description is currently unavailable

HPS775Unit description is currently unavailable

HPS781Unit description is currently unavailable

HPS788Unit description is currently unavailable

Students undertaking the final year of the degree part-time must complete the coursework units before the thesis units HPY720 and HPY721 (see Table below for a list of units).

YEAR 2

Trimester 1

HPS742Unit description is currently unavailable

HPY710Unit description is currently unavailable

HPY720Unit description is currently unavailable

Trimester 2

HPS715Unit description is currently unavailable

HPY712Unit description is currently unavailable

HPY721Unit description is currently unavailable

Part time students wising to deviate from the recommended structure should consult the course director.