Graduate Diploma in Psychology (340AA)

Taught at the University of Melbourne since the 1800’s, psychology is a broad and intellectually stimulating scientific discipline that informs our understanding of human behaviour and experience from neural foundations to complex social interactions. Study in psychology prepares graduates for a diverse range of careers that are based on understanding human behaviour, including health, education, industry, commerce, welfare and government. More broadly, graduates are prepared to engage actively with philosophical, ethical and moral questions that are related to human behaviour.

The Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences’ Graduate Diploma in Psychology is designed for graduates of other disciplines who may be interested in changing career direction and eventually qualifying as a registered psychologist, or for those who wish to study psychology simply out of interest in the discipline.

The course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), providing the required foundational sequence of subjects for students wishing to undertake further study in psychology to pursue a career as a registered psychologist. An accredited foundational program in psychology is also the recommended pathway for students who wish to pursue a career as a researcher in psychology.

The course is comprised of 125 credit points of psychology subjects, including eight compulsory psychology subjects (100 credit points), and two elective psychology subjects at Level 3, selected from a range of electives (25 credit points).

Graduate Diploma in Psychology students undertake most of the same subjects and attend most of the same classes as students completing the accredited undergraduate major in Psychology, with the exception of two compulsory advanced level subjects that replace the two compulsory Level 3 subjects in the undergraduate major. The two advanced level subjects recognise the graduate status of the students and specify learning outcomes consistent with an AQF Level 8 qualification, particularly in relation to research methods and communication skills. 

The accredited sequence provides a strong grounding in core psychological concepts and theories in the areas of biological, cognitive, developmental, social, and clinical psychology, with reference to both the historical foundations of the discipline and to the latest cutting-edge research. The range of electives subjects in the final year provide the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge in at least one domain of interest. 

The academic staff are internationally renowned researchers in their fields who guide students to develop advanced skills in critical thinking, scientific reasoning, psychological research design, data analysis and the application of research findings to a range of contexts. In addition, students develop their ethical reasoning skills and an awareness of and respect for the diversity of human experiences.

The Graduate Diploma culminates in the Level 3 Capstone subject in which students pursue their own research project in small teams under the supervision of a member of academic staff.

The Graduate Diploma in Psychology has been designed to enable flexible study options. Students can complete the entire 125 credit point accredited sequence of subjects in one year, full-time. Or, students can undertake the course part-time over a period of up to six semesters. Students wishing to complete the course in one year full-time complete the two required Level 100 subjects in an intensive Summer Term and then enrol in the remainder of the course full-time over the following two semesters.