Course overview
Complete an accredited four-year sequence in psychology that will get you provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.
This four-year course differs to the Bachelor of Psychological Science or Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) by providing selected students with the opportunity to complete honours in psychology as part of the final year of this degree. You will, however, have to receive excellent marks in the first three years of study.
Psychology is concerned with understanding human personality, behaviour, emotion, underlying mental processes and the factors that lead people to differ in the way they think and behave.
This course covers broad areas of psychology including behavioural and clinical neuroscience, child and adolescent psychology, relationships and the psychology of groups, cognitive psychology, forensic psychology, and psychopathology.
After graduating, you can work in areas relevant to human wellbeing, such as social work, youth work and developmental psychology among many others. You can also continue your studies by undertaking a postgraduate course.
Key dates
Direct applications to Deakin for Trimester 2 2026 close 28 June 2026
Direct applications to Deakin for Trimester 3 2026 close 18 October 2026
Current Deakin students
To access your official course details for the year you started your degree, please visit the handbook
- Award granted
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
- Year
- 2017 course information
- Deakin code
- H345
- Approval status
- This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7.
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Course structure applies for students who commenced in 2016 onwards. Students who commenced in 2014 and 2015 should refer to previous online Handbooks or consult your course enrolment officer
Level 1 - Trimester 1
plus one level 1 elective unit from any discipline
Level 1 - Trimester 2
plus two level 1 elective units from any discipline
Level 2 - Trimester 1
plus two level 2 elective units from psychology or any discipline
Level 2 - Trimester 2
plus one level 2 or level 3 HPS psychology elective unit AND one elective unit
Level 3 - Trimester 1
plus one level 3 HPS psychology elective unit and one level 3 elective unit
Level 3 - Trimester 2
plus one level 3 HPS psychology elective unit OR one level 3 health elective unit
AND
one level 3 elective unit
Level 4 - Trimester 1
Level 4 - Trimester 2
Three of the 11 elective units must be chosen from the psychology units listed below - one from level 2 or level 3 and two from level 3.
Trimester 1
Trimester 2
The remaining eight electives may include other psychology units such as:
or
students may choose to take complimentary studies in other disciplines
Intakes by location
The availability of a course varies across locations and intakes. This means that a course offered in Trimester 1 may not be offered in the same location for Trimester 2 or 3. Check each intake for up-to-date information on when and where you can commence your studies.
Deakin splits the academic year into three terms, known as trimesters. Most students usually undertake two trimesters each year (March-June, July-November).
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Workload
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Work experience
As part of this course, you will also be given the opportunity to undertake preparation for work and work placement elective units as well as elective units designed to develop your counselling skills.
Scholarship options
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you’ll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Apply now
Apply through VTAC
Applications for Trimester 1, 2027 will open on 3 August. Each year, thousands of students prepare for uni with the help of Deakin support services. We offer a huge range of support, including one-on-one consultations, webinars, online resources and events throughout the year.
Apply directly to Deakin
To apply, create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal details and education experience, upload supporting documents and submit. Need help? Play this video, or contact one of our friendly future student advisers on 1800 693 888 or submit an online enquiry.
Indigenous Access Scheme
You can apply for this course through the Indigenous Access Scheme, which recognises the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and considers the skills, experience and community work that prepares you for study. We look beyond your ATAR and academic results so we can reward your hard work with a place at university.
Pathways
View pathways into the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) with our pathways finder.
Deakin's graduate learning outcomes describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates can demonstrate at the completion of their course. These outcomes mean that regardless of the Deakin course you undertake, you can rest assured your degree will teach you the skills and professional attributes that employers value. They'll set you up to learn and work effectively in the future.
| Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline Specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate understanding of advanced knowledge (theoretical, empirical and practical) in the areas of psychological assessment, counselling, advanced research methods and research practice. |
| Communication | Demonstrate clear written and oral communication skills in order to convey complex psychological knowledge and ideas to laypeople and professionals. |
| Digital Literacy | Apply advanced skills to select appropriate digital tools to source, interpret, adapt, collate, analyse and disseminate discipline specific information in psychology to a variety of audiences relevant to pre-professional practice of psychology. |
| Critical thinking | Competence in the design and conduct of research, critically evaluate, synthesise and integrate complex scientific evidence, and apply this knowledge to assessment, counselling and case management that demonstrate evidence-based pre-professional practice in the field of psychology. |
| Problem Solving | Respect and use critical and creative thinking, sceptical inquiry and the scientific approach to solve problems related to research and applied skills (psychological assessment, counselling and case-management) in the field of psychology. |
| Self-management | Display high level self-management through reflection, continual improvement and learning that reinforces the importance of responsibility and accountability for pre-professional development in the field of psychology. |
| Teamwork | Communicate effectively in a variety of formats and in a variety of contexts with diverse ethnic and cultural partners and teams. |
| Global Citizenship | Demonstrate, report and apply ethical principles to understand how to work productively in the field of psychology within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts by collaborating and communicating in a self-reflective and culturally sensitive manner. |
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. For more information, visit our University rankings page
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