Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) (MC-PSYCHED)

Overview

Award title	Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental)
Year & campus	2025 — Parkville
CRICOS code	009699J
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Graduate Coursework
AQF level	9
Credit points	200 credit points
Duration	24 months full-time or 48 months part-time

Educational and developmental psychology is focused on how people develop and learn across the lifespan.

The Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) is for students who want to work in a range of educational and professional practice settings upon graduation. These settings may include working in schools as a psychologist, student counsellor or welfare coordinator. Or within agencies as private practitioners treating children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties or aged care. Academic and professional studies are integrated in the course to allow for maximum flexibility in their application.
The course prepares graduates to work as registered psychologists supporting individuals with developmental and learning issues. It provides competencies in counselling, psychological assessment, research methods, intervention, group work, consultation, working with diverse populations and multidisciplinary teamwork. The course integrates supervised fieldwork to add practical learning to enhance understanding of the theories and research studied.

The Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) is an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited fifth and sixth-year sequence in psychology. Successful completion of the course allows registration as a general psychologist and eligibility for the two-year registrar program, culminating in Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) endorsement in Educational & Developmental psychology.

For International applicants:

Please note applicants who wish to be considered for this course and have international qualifications, must provide confirmation of assessment of these qualifications by the Australian Psychological Society (APS). The APS assesses the level at which an applicant’s qualifications are comparable to APAC accredited programs of study in psychology and eligibility for Associate Membership of the APS. More information about your eligibility can be located via the Australian Psychological Society (APS) website www.psychology.org.au

Links to further information

Information for future students: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/graduate/master-of-psychology-educational-and-developmental/

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

within the last 10 years, an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited four-year undergraduate sequence in psychology (namely a three-year major in psychology as part of an undergraduate degree plus a fourth year Honours specialisation in psychology, or equivalent) with a weighted average mark of at least H2A (75%) or equivalent; and
a personal statement of no more than 500 words; and
two academic referee reports to be submitted online; and
attend a selection interview (short-listed applicants only).

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

prior academic performance; and
suitability for clinical training as determined by the interview, personal statement and
referee reports.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7+ is required.

Note:

The weighted average mark is calculated one third from third year psychology subjects and two thirds from fourth year psychology subjects.
Applicants with non-Australian qualifications must provide an Australian Psychological Society (APS) comparability assessment with their application, to confirm their eligibility for Associate Membership. See the Australian Psychological Society (APS) website for details: www.psychology.org.au
To be validly enrolled, applicants not currently registered with the Psychology Board of Australia must apply for Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia before the start of the first semester of enrolment, and applicants without a Working with Children Check must apply for one before the start of the first semester of enrolment.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The Faculty of Education welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Faculty policy to take reasonable steps to enable the participation of students with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the Faculty’s programs.

The core participation requirements for study in this course are:

1. The ability to comprehend complex information related to educational and developmental psychology.

2. The ability to communicate clearly and independently in assessment tasks and knowledge of the content, principles and practices relating to educational and developmental psychology.

3. Behavioural and social attributes that enable a student to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

4. The ability to undertake professional practice placements independently, including:

a. the ability based on personal maturity to establish a professional relationship with client groups and interact with them appropriately;

b. the ability to create, monitor and maintain a safe physical environment, and a stable and supportive psychological environment;

c. the ability to establish effective relationships with all members of the client and caregiver groups;

d. the ability based on mental and physical health to exercise sound judgment and respond promptly to the demands of client groups, and the personal resilience to cope and maintain their wellbeing under stress.

Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact Student Equity and Disability Support http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity

Professional accreditation

Australian Psychology Accreditation Council

This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), and recognised by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA). Graduates of this course will be qualified to practice as a registered psychologist, become a member of the Australian Psychological Society, and an Associate Member of the College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists.

Intended learning outcomes

Graduates should demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed to work as an Educational and Developmental Psychologist. On completion of the course, graduates should be able to:

Demonstrate and articulate an understanding of contemporary issues in human development theory, particularly differential development, learning processes and social processes in development
Demonstrate an awareness of the social and cultural diversity in communities, skill in working collaboratively with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and cultural responsiveness to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
Understand exceptional development and approaches to inclusion of clients with exceptional needs
Use assessment and observation procedures and interpret findings to gain accurate information on the cognitive, social, emotional and personality development of children and adolescents; use professional approaches to interact with others by using skilled interviewing, counselling and assessment across the lifespan
Compose reports to other professionals, parents, and organisations
Apply a range of approaches to intervention, development, interactive processes, and assessment to the treatment of children and adolescents with identified learning and mental health problems, and where necessary to make appropriate referrals
Consult and collaborate with colleagues, including those from other professions, and coordinate programs for meeting developmental needs, in keeping with principles of inter-professional learning and practice
Evaluate critically and interpret research and theory in this field, and carry out research and program evaluation of their own
Understand and apply ethical principles and procedures
Develop a wide range of practical professional skills in appropriate educational settings.

Generic skills

Graduates will develop the following set of generic skills:

Critical reasoning and thinking
Problem solving
Respectful communication
Evidence based decision making
Creativity and innovation
Teamwork and professional collaboration
Self-reflection, career awareness and lifelong learning
Active and participatory citizenship.

Graduate attributes

Graduates will show a breadth and depth of psychological knowledge, research and inquiry skills, and ability to apply these to assist with psychological issues across the lifespan and in a range of settings. They will demonstrate:

Advanced psychological knowledge related to educational and developmental psychology
Critical, creative thinking with strong reasoning skills. They can apply psychological knowledge, information and research skills to complex problems relating to educational attainment and difficulties, emotional and mental health matters, human behaviour, behavioural change and school wellbeing
Capacity to use their professional communication skills in an ethical and culturally sensitive manner, in their work with a range of individuals and groups with diverse backgrounds
Creativity, innovation and self-directedness, continuous learning through open evaluation of a range of points of view and possibilities
Skill in self-assessment, reflective thinking and self-awareness; placing great importance on their personal and professional integrity, and on the willingness to explore, experiment and learn from mistakes
Empathy and concern for the welfare of others and developed skills in managing their own well-being, reflected in a high regard for human rights, social inclusion, ethics and the environment.

Course structure

The Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) requires the successful completion of 200 credit points.

To obtain the degree students must complete:

Nine core subjects (totalling 100 points);
Four field practica (totalling 50 points); and
A research project (50 points).

Full time - year 1

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90229	Ed Psych Practicum 1	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90218	Ed Psych Practicum 2	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90224	Counselling Skills for Ed. Psychologists	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90223	Exceptionality:Assessment & Intervention	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90225	Psychological Tests	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90220	Research Methods	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90227	Working with Groups	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90226	Learning Processes and Problems	July (On Campus - Parkville)	6.25

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90221	Consultation in Educational Settings	September (On Campus - Parkville)	6.25

Full time - year 2

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90217	Ed Psych Practicum 3	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90216	Ed Psych Practicum 4	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90219	Research Project	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	50

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90222	Intervention in Problems of Young People	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90228	Development and Differences	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Part time - year 1

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90229	Ed Psych Practicum 1	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90225	Psychological Tests	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90226	Learning Processes and Problems	July (On Campus - Parkville)	6.25
EDUC90221	Consultation in Educational Settings	September (On Campus - Parkville)	6.25
EDUC90224	Counselling Skills for Ed. Psychologists	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Part time - year 2

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90218	Ed Psych Practicum 2	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90223	Exceptionality:Assessment & Intervention	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90220	Research Methods	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90227	Working with Groups	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Part time - year 3

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90217	Ed Psych Practicum 3	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90222	Intervention in Problems of Young People	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90228	Development and Differences	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Part time - year 4

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90216	Ed Psych Practicum 4	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90219	Research Project	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	50

Further study

Graduate Research Degrees

The University of Melbourne's Faculty of Education is widely recognised as a leader in Australian and international education research.

Graduates interested in further study in one of the Faculty of Education's suite of graduate research degrees may have several options, depending on their prior qualifications, academic achievement, research experience and professional experience.

Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) graduates may be eligible to apply to a graduate research degree including:

Entry to these courses is a competitive process and each course has additional entry requirements such as minimum academic entry scores, research experience and/or professional experience which must be met. Please check the Handbook course entry for details of entry requirements.

For more information about graduate research study in Education see the Faculty Research Degrees page.

Last updated: 27 February 2025