Doctor of Psychology (Health)
Course summary for international students
The fantastic thing about my course was that it exposed me to a wide variety of counselling strategies that I was able to utilise in my workplace and in various professional positions since.
G = Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
S = Geelong Waterfront Campus
W =Warrnambool Campus
X = Off campus
| Award granted | Doctor of Psychology (Health) |
|---|---|
| Campus | Offered at Melbourne Burwood Campus |
| Length | 3 years full time |
| Next available intake | March (Trimester 1) |
| Level | Higher Degree Research |
| CRICOS course code | 040946G |
| IELTS Requirement | Overall IELTS score of 7.0, with 7.0 in all bands. More information is available at www.ielts.org |
| Deakin course code | H953 |
| Faculty contacts | Deakin International Tel +61 3 9627 4877 Online enquiry |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Professional recognition
- Fees and charges
- Career opportunities
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Entry requirements - general
- How to apply
Course overview
The Doctor of Psychology (Health) provides you with the opportunity to obtain professional training in health psychology and develop the academic, practical and research skills required to register and practise as a health psychologist. After successfully completing this course you will be qualified for employment as a psychologist in any area of health psychology, including clinical health and health promotion.
Throughout the course, you will develop:
- specialist knowledge of health psychology as well as the general knowledge and skills required by psychological practitioners;
- advanced knowledge and practical experience in the areas of health promotion and preventative health strategies;
- knowledge and competence in the theory and practice of psychological assessment relevant to health psychology;
- knowledge and awareness of the ethical principles of psychological practice, and in particular in relation to health psychology; and
- advanced levels of competence in the design and conduct of research through completion of a major thesis.
The course is based on the scientist/professional model: before engaging in any clinical intervention, prevention or health promotion strategy it is essential to evaluate the present situation and set appropriate goals that can also be evaluated. The evaluation and definition of the presenting situation is followed by the formulation of the goals of the intervention or health promotion strategy, an assessment of the approach most appropriate to achieve these goals, implementation of the chosen strategies, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the chosen approach in achieving the stated goals. From this major thrust, students will be equipped with a range of different therapeutic interventions and health promotion strategies, with an emphasis on research findings that relate to the effectiveness of different interventions and strategies across different problems and areas of need.
The units in the program have been developed so that they provide the input to achieve the general aims of any health psychology program, that is, the development of skills in the areas of health promotion and prevention, together with relevant diagnostic, assessment, intervention and evaluation skills. In-depth coverage will be achieved in the third year units to provide an understanding of issues related to health promotion and preventative health strategies and extended placements will be undertaken in agencies specialising in these areas. Students will design, undertake and present a major thesis reporting the results of a piece of original research of appropriate quality on a relevant topic. As part of their thesis requirements, students also complete a professional portfolio which is examined externally and is based on cases from their placement.
Professional recognition
The course has been accredited by the Australian Psychological Accreditation Council (APAC) and meets the requirements for graduates to register as generalist psychologists with the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA), and for membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS). Graduates will be eligible to apply for membership of the College of Health Psychologists and endorsement as a Health Psychologist following one year of work experience supervised by a health psychologist, together with completion of stipulated professional development requirements.
Fees and charges
Fee paying place - International (IFP)A Fee paying place is one for which the University does not receive any government funding. As such, students enrolled in these places are required to contribute the full cost of their course.
Fees for international students apply to persons living in Australia with Temporary Resident status, provided that there is no limitation on study and persons living abroad who are not Australian citizens and do not have Permanent Resident status in Australia.
Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
EFTSL is the standard annual full time load. Eight credit points is the standard full time load for one year of study.
* The 'indicative annual course fee' cited has been provided as a guide only. It has been calculated on the basis of a typical enrolment of a student undertaking the course in 2013, and reflects the cost involved in undertaking a full-time quota of units within the specified discipline.
The actual fees charged by Deakin University will depend upon the discipline from which each individual unit is chosen, and may vary from the indicative course fee cited, particularly if units are chosen from a number of disciplines. The cost of each unit offered in 2013 can be viewed from the Unit Search.
Please note that the fees per unit/credit point may increase annually due to rises in the cost of course delivery and service.
Deakin assumes no responsibility for persons relying on 'indicative course fees' to calculate the total future cost of their course.
Career opportunities
Health psychologists are specialists in health behaviour change, and investigate the links between psychological and social factors, and physical health in order to improve health and prevent illness. Health psychologists may work in two main areas – health promotion, which involves the prevention of illness and the promotion of health-related behaviour; and clinical health psychology which relates to the application of psychological principles to the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of illness.
As a health psychologist you may be involved in the promotion of positive health behaviours aimed at reducing risk factors associated with chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. You may work with other health professionals and provide advice regarding the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that contribute to ill health and how these can be altered, and design public health programs focused on behavioural change related to exercise, smoking, drug and alcohol consumption, and cancer prevention.
Course rules
The course consists of 24 credit points of work covering three interrelated strands: theory, research and practice.Course structure
Level 1
Trimester 1
| HPS914 | Studies in Psychopathology |
| HPS977 | Interview and Intervention Strategies |
| HPS978 | Biological and Neuropsychological Perspectives on Disorder |
| HPS979 | Psychological Assessment |
Trimester 2
| HPS907 | Advanced and Applied Research Methods |
| HPS924 | Research Thesis A |
| HPS937 | Health Placement 1 and Case Analysis Seminar 1 |
| HPS976 | Issues in Professional Psychology |
Level 2
Trimester 1
| HPS925 | Research Thesis B |
| HPS951 | Advanced Health Assessment |
| HPS938 | Health Placement 2 |
Trimester 2
| HPS926 | Research Thesis C |
| HPS940 | Health Placement 3 |
| HPS941 | Psychosocial Issues in Health |
| HPS939 | Health Care Interventions |
Level 3
Trimester 1
| HPS927 | Research Thesis D |
| HPS946 | Health Promotion Placement 1 and Case Conference Seminar A |
| HPS947 | Health Promotion Psychology |
Trimester 2
| HPS942 | Health Promotion Placement 2 and Case Conference Seminar B |
| HPS928 | Research Thesis E |
Note: All coursework units have a hurdle requirement of 80% attendance. A pass grade in a unit requires satisfactory completion of each component assessed.
Placement program
Your placement program will be worked out jointly by you, the placement coordinator and the practitioners supervising the placements. The placements are designed to equip you with a range of professional skills and to develop an awareness of professional issues. You will have placements in a range of community, hospital and health promotion settings. Contracts will be drawn up that will clearly specify the skills to be mastered, your responsibilities and the responsibilities of the placement supervisor. Placement supervisors are registered psychologists, eligible for membership of the College of Health Psychologists. Each placement requires the full complement of days to be completed. Failure of any one placement may result in exclusion from the course,
Entry requirements - general
The minimum qualification for admission as a candidate for a degree of doctor is a degree of bachelor with honours or a degree of master with a substantial research component, from a recognised tertiary institution, in a field relevant to the program which the applicant proposes to undertake and for which the University can provide the required supervisory expertise.How to apply
- Applicant Portal: Use our online application system to submit and track your application now OR
- Apply through a Deakin International office: Fill out an application form and submit it to a Deakin International office OR
- Apply through a Deakin representative: Take your application form to your preferred agent for assistance.
Tracking your application
If you have already applied and wish to enquire about your application please refer to the relevant area through which you originally applied.
- If you applied through a Deakin representative please contact your representative.
- If you applied through a Deakin International office please contact deakin-int-admissions@deakin.edu.au
