Faculty of Health & Behavioural Sciences
  • Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.

    However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.

Psychology

(UAC Code 753122)

Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and experience, the physiological, sensory and cognitive processes that underlie it, and the profession that applies this knowledge to practical problems. Psychologists help us to understand who we are and how we think, feel, act and change. They aim to help people function better, and to prevent ill-health and other problems developing. Psychologists' clients include children, adults, couples, families and organisations.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

Domestic school leavers are assumed to have completed at least 2 units of English at HSC level.

International students are required to have achieved a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 with at least 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Alternative pathways exist for mature age domestic students.

Major Study

The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (UOW Course Code 708) requires the successful completion of 144 credit points of subjects in accordance with the table below, which incorporates the 72 credit points of Psychology subjects required to achieve a major in Psychology.

Elective subjects to the value of 72 credit points are chosen from the Health and Behavioural Sciences, Arts, or the General Schedule. Students should refer to the Award Rules for the Bachelor of Arts (Course Code 708) for further details.

Double majors are not available in Course 708 Bachelor of Arts.

Subject Code

Subject Name

Session

Credit Points

PSYC121

Foundations in Psychology A

Autumn

6

PSYC122

Foundations in Psychology B

Spring

6

PSYC123

Theory, Design and Statistics in Psychology

Spring

6

PSYC234

Biological Psychology and Learning

Autumn

6

PSYC241

Developmental and Social Psychology

Autumn

6

PSYC250

Quantitative Methods

Autumn

6

PSYC231

Personality

Spring

6

PSYC236

Cognition and Perception

Spring

6

PSYC347

Assessment and Intervention

Autumn

8

And 16 credit points of electives, which must include at least one of the following:

PSYC345

Advanced Topics in Cognition

Autumn

8

PSYC349

Visual Perception

Spring

8

PSYC352

Psychophysiology

Spring

8

And may also include:

PSYC348

History and Metatheory of Psychology

Autumn

8

PSYC350

Social Behaviour and Individual Differences

Autumn

8

PSYC315

Psychology of Abnormality*

Spring

8

PSYC354

Design and Analysis

Spring

8

PSYC355

Forensic Psychology**

Spring

8

PSYC318

Change Throughout the Lifespan

Not offered in 2011

8

Plus a further 72 credit points of elective subjects*,** which may include PSYC116. Students intending to apply for Honours should note the requirements below for particular subjects when making elective choices.

72

* PSYC315 Psychology of Abnormality has been changed to PSYC251 Psychology of Abnormality and students cannot count both subjects toward their degree. Both PSYC251 and PSYC315 will be offered in 2011. From 2012 only PSYC251 will be offered. Students in the BA (Psyc) who are considering taking Psychology of Abnormality as an elective should seek advice from the School of Psychology prior to finalising their subjects for 2011.

** PSYC249 Applied Psychology has changed to PSYC355 Forensic Psychology and students cannot count both subjects toward their degree. Both PSYC249 and PSYC355 will be offered in 2011. From 2012 only PSYC355 will be offered. Students in the BA (Psyc) who are considering taking either of these subjects as an elective should seek advice from the School of Psychology prior to finalising their subjects for 2011.

Honours

Honours in Psychology is a fourth year of study accredited by the Australian Psychological Society (APS). It is offered on a one year full-time or two year part-time basis. Psychology Honours is a route to the Postgraduate coursework or research degrees in Psychology. It is also a partial qualification for registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, a post-degree supervision period also being required. Graduates of the University of Wollongong with a major in Psychology are eligible to apply for admission to Psychology Honours provided that: they have completed an undergraduate degree curriculum with a major in psychology; they have completed PSYC249 Applied Psychology**, PSYC348 History and Metatheory of Psychology, and PSYC354 Design and Analysis; they have completed at least 76 credit points of Psychology subjects at 200- and 300- levels; they have at least a credit average for Psychology subjects at 200- and 300- levels. For the purposes of assessing eligibility for entry to the Honours program, we use the best 11 subjects from successfully completed 200- and 300- level Psychology subjects excluding PSYC216/PSYC116 Psychology of Physical Activity.

Professional Recognition

Completion of four years in Psychology is an important first step for registration as a psychologist in Australia. The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) is accredited as the first three years of study. To complete the four years students must complete an add-on Honours year or a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology to meet the academic requirement for conditional registration as a psychologist in NSW. An additional 2 years of supervised practice is necessary to apply for registration as a professional psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. Accreditation with the Australian Psychological Society, the national professional association, requires 6 years of approved academic study.

Contact Information

Dr Nadia Crittenden
Undergraduate Psychology Coordinator
+61 2 4221 4515
nadia_crittenden@uow.edu.au

Other Information

Other information is available at http://coursefinder.uow.edu.au/