Bachelor of Psychological Science

2016 Deakin University Handbook

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Professional recognition
• Course rules
• Course structure

Course overview

Gain an insight into why people think, feel and behave the way they do when you study psychological science at Deakin. You will discover the complexity of human personality and behaviour, and graduate with a versatile degree that help you pursue a range of different career options.

This course exposes you to a contemporary integrative approach to psychology – one that recognises the importance of, and interrelationships between, biological, developmental, social, cognitive, and developmental factors.

You will cover areas of psychology including behavioural and clinical neuroscience, child and adolescent psychology, relationships and the psychology of groups, cognitive psychology, forensic psychology, and psychopathology. You will also have the opportunity to develop your counselling skills through a suite of elective units.

Following successful completion of this degree, you may apply for a fourth year of study in order to practice as a clinical psychologist.

Deakin’s School of Psychology has strong partnerships with industry, including collaborative activities with government agencies, public and private organisations, hospitals, and other universities. These partnerships ensure that our courses remain relevant to industry and workforce needs.

Deakin's Bachelor of Psychological Science is recognised for registration by the Psychology Board of Australia, accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and enables you to undertake additional study in pursuit of professional registration.

As a graduate, you may seek work in mental and general hospitals and clinics, business and industry, education, the criminal justice system, media, marketing, sport and research. Fully-registered psychologists enjoy roles in clinical, forensic, organisational, educational, health, and sport settings.

Professional recognition

Deakin's Bachelor of Psychological Science is recognised for registration by the Psychology Board of Australia, accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and enables you to undertake additional study in pursuit of professional registration.

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 – such as Deakin’s Bachelor of Psychological Science – 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).

Note: This course is currently accredited as at the date of publishing.

Psychology major sequence in other degrees

In addition to the Bachelor of Psychological Science, psychology may be studied as a three-year major sequence in any of the following degrees: Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) or Bachelor of Management.

Students intending to become psychologists, however, must take four years of academic study (three years of undergraduate study, including ten units of psychology, plus either a level-4 Honours year or the level-4 Graduate Diploma of Psychology).

The 10-credit-point undergraduate Psychology sequence consists of two units at level 1, HPS111 and HPS121; five units at level 2, HPS201, HPS202, HPS203 and HPS204; plus four units at level 3, HPS301, HPS307, HPS308 and HPS310.

Students may also choose to take a limited sequence in psychology of 6 or 8 credit points (depending on the requirements of their course). These sequences are designed as terminal studies in psychology to complement other studies within an award. They do not meet the 10-credit-point requirement for entry into fourth-year studies in psychology; nor will they lead to professional qualifications in psychology. However, these requirements may be met by completing additional psychology units, either as single-unit enrolments or via the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Studies.

The 6 or 8-credit-point sequences consist of two units at level one, HPS111 and HPS121; two or three units at level 2, selected from HPS201, HPS202, HPS203, HPS204, HPS206, HPS207 and HPS226; and two or three units at level 3, selected from HPS301, HPS302, HPS304, HPS307, HPS308, HPS310, HPS325, HPS327, HPS328 and HPS395. Students wishing to take alternative psychology units must seek approval from the School of Psychology .

For details of the campus on which the unit is offered, please refer to the Unit Descriptions section of the Handbook. Cloud (online) students may apply to enrol in campus units. The fourth-year programs, however, are only available in campus mode. Students studying in both campus and cloud (online) modes may apply for entry to either the Honours or Graduate Diploma of Psychology programs.  

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Psychological Science students must attain 24 credit points. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point. In order to gain 24 credit points you will need to study 24 units (AKA 'subjects'). Most students choose to study 4 units per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters each year.

The course comprises a total of 24 credit points which must include the following:

• At least 13 must be Psychology (i.e., ‘HPS’) units
• At level 1, three Psychology units, HPS111, HPS121 and HPS104, and two foundation health units, HBS107 and HBS110, are compulsory.  
• At level 2, HPS201, HPS202, HPS203 and HPS204 are compulsory.  
• At level 3, HPS301, HPS307, HPS308 and HPS310 are compulsory
• An additional two level 3 HPS electives or one level 3 HPS and 1 level-3 HXX and one level 2 or level 3 HPS elective must also be completed.
• No more than 10 credit points may be taken at level 1
• Students must complete a minimum of 7 credit points at each level.
• A maximum of 8 credit points (electives) may be taken outside the Faculty of Health

In summary, Bachelor of Psychological Science students must complete three Psychology (HPS) units at level 1, four at level 2, five at level 3 and one at level 2 or level 3.  

Students may choose to accelerate their progress through the course by selecting from the following units that are normally offered in Trimester 3: HBS110, HBS107, HPS104, HPS111, HPS121, HPS201, HPS202, HPS203, HPS204, HPS206 (psychology elective unit), HPS301, HPS307, HPS308 and HPS310.  

Following completion of the Bachelor of Psychological Science students intending to become psychologists must successfully apply for and complete a level-4 Honours year or the level-4 Graduate Diploma of Psychology. 

Course structure

Core units

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 level 2 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

Course structure

Elective units

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 complementary studies in other disciplines.