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Postgraduate Psychology

Professional and Clinical Psychology Degrees

This information relates specifically to the Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), the Master of Psychology (Clinical), the Master of Professional Psychology and the Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology).

Complete either:

the UOW Coursework Application Form for the Master of Professional Psychology & the Master of Psychology (Clinical)

or 

UOW HDR Application Form for the Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology)

Entry is competitive. We strongly encourage you to simultaneously apply for up to three of your preferred programs

Because there are limited places in each course and competition is very high, applying for all preferred programs gives you the best opportunity of securing a place.

Our first year (5th year) is a common year of core training in psychology in preparation for general registration. This also provides an opportunity for any graduates of the 442 Master of Professional Psychology degree who later apply for and gain entry into the 599 Master of Psychology (Clinical) to apply for credit for prior learning for their completed first year subjects.

High performing students of the 599 Master of Psychology (Clinical) may apply to transfer to the 209 Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology) following the completion of their first year.

Note also that the MPP has two streams

  1. the standard on campus only program (Master of Professional Psychology - 442),
  2. or a flexible delivery program (Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology) – F442) for those wanting to become a school psychologist in New South Wales.

Both programs develop the same competencies required for general registration as a psychologist. To obtain a place in the School Psychology program requires admission to the University and holding a scholarship from the NSW Department of Education

All programs have a mandatory face to face week on-campus in the orientation week of both Autumn and Spring semesters. In 2025, these will be 24-28 February and 21-25 July.

Supplementary Material

Personal Statement (include this with your UOW Application)

Referee Report - You will be required to provide two referee reports closely connected to your recent work.  References must be requested through the Psychology Reference System. The Psychology Reference System will open to reference requests on 1 August 2024 and the annual applicant fee will be $45

A Higher Degree Research application must also be submitted if you are interested in pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology).

School Psychologist Scholarship Program

If you wish to be considered for the Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology) program, you must also complete an application for the Department of Education graduate scholarship from the Department's website.

The delivery of the Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology) is through a flexible online teaching approach including online lectures, webinars and forum tutorial discussion groups.  

Applications for all programs will close on Sunday 22 September 2024. Your application must be received in full (including references) by this date. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the additional supporting documentation is received by the School of Psychology by the due date.

Interviews are scheduled to take place in early November. 

If you require further information, please email pg-psychapps@uow.edu.au 

Please note that the Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology) is not available to International applicants.

International Applicants must also provide:

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
    International applicants from a Non-English speaking background must have an IELTS overall score of 7 across all bands (reading, writing, speaking and listening).

or

Pearson PTE - 65 in 4 domains.

or

TOEFL (internet based test) total score of 94 and minimum 24 for listening 24 for reading 27 for writing, and 23 for speaking. 

PROFESSIONAL AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING HANDBOOK (PDF: 1696 KB)

Postgraduate Psychology FAQs

Q. Why apply for a PhD Clinical degree?

The PhD Clinical degree is a four-year integrated program comprising two thirds research work and on third professional training (all coursework and placements of the MPC). The PhD Clinical degree is for outstanding applicants who wish to become senior leaders in their field either as a senior practitioner or academic, and graduates demonstrate advanced research competence. A PhD usually involves 2-4 studies in sequence. PhD Clinical students are usually able to obtain access to supervised registrar training on campus working with complex cases in their final years.

Q. How are applicants selected to get into the training program?

Applicants are selected according to their academic grades, referee’s reports, and their personal statement regarding their relevant attributes and work or volunteer experience. Shortlisted applicants are then required to attend a selection interview. Applicants for the PhD are also judged on their research proposal. Current students are also able to apply to upgrade to Clinical or PhD programs after the first year of study.

Q. I didn't get into a training program this year. Should I give up?

No. Re-application after a year or two of acquiring further relevant experience is strongly encouraged and may make the difference in being successful with your application. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide feedback on individual applications.

Q. How can I find out more about the programs?

The Professional and Clinical Handbook contains a complete statement about the structure, content and requirements for training, including practicum training and research. 

Q. Is there anything I can do in anticipation of acceptance into the program?

Yes, students applying for the Master of Professional Psychology, Master of Psychology (Clinical) and Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical) need to be aware they must complete a student compliance process to attend placement as part of the course requirements.  This process can be lengthy.  Please see the UOW Health Placements website for more information.  Students completing the Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology) complete their own process via the Department of Education.

Q. Why study at Wollongong?

The University of Wollongong has an outstanding reputation for excellence and innovation in professional and clinical psychology training in Australia and Internationally. Commencing in 1980, for almost 40 years we have been training psychologists, and many of our graduates have gone on to be leaders in the field as senior and principle psychologists in teaching hospitals and government departments, senior researchers and academics, and influential community private practitioners. The quality of our training is reflected in the quality, depth and breadth of our staff who are leaders in the field and provide one of the richest and most diverse training experiences in Australia.

The University of Wollongong is recognized for its excellence in teaching and research, and has a five out of five star rating for educational experience and graduate outcomes. Students at Wollongong enjoy the close collegial atmosphere and the opportunity to hone their clinical skills in a positive and encouraging environment. Northfields Clinic is the third oldest psychology clinic of its kind in Australia - after University of Sydney and Western Australia. It is situated within the beautiful surrounds of the main university campus, and is recognized as one of the best clinical training facilities in Australia. The training programs are accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council as a pathway to full registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Q. Do I get exposed to different forms of practice apart from CBT?

Yes. Wollongong follows a scientist-practitioner model of clinical training; as such, the training recognizes that in the field of clinical psychology new approaches are always emerging, and that research evidence supports a variety of approaches. The focus of the core clinical training is on acquiring the core competencies of practice required for general registration as a psychologist following the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council standards. We use the Australian Psychological Society's Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions in the Treatment of Mental Disorders: A Literature Review (4th edition; 2018) which articulates the evidence for a variety of approaches for different disorders including CBT, Psychodynamic Therapy and Family Interventions. Our staff have expertise in a number of approaches, and students will have the opportunity to study with our experts and gain systematic training in skills and strategies that are evidence-based.

Q. I live in Sydney. Can I do my practicum placements there?

Placements are selected by taking into account student preferences, learning needs and placement availability. Some placements are available in Sydney and other parts of NSW, and will be considered accordingly.

Q. Do I get a choice about where I do my practicum placements?

Yes. Students are able to provide their preferences from a wide variety of placements available. The University organises placements with consideration to the students’ preferences and the quality and availability of placements. For on campus students, the first placement is at Northfields Clinic. For MPP students, a variety of high-quality placements are available. For MCP students, a variety of placements is required in adult, child and family, psychiatric and inpatient, and specialist clinical practice.

Q. I need to do paid work whilst studying. How much can I do?

Practical training is extremely demanding and requires a significant commitment to be completed successfully. We recommend that where possible students devote themselves full-time to their training. However, for full time study, some students have been able to do 1 day a week of paid work (or a maximum of 2 if one day is on the weekend). For part time study, students in the past have been able to do 2-3 days of work. A full-time student is required to be on campus 2-3 days a week, and a part-time student 1-2 days a week. Apart from being on campus, students will need another 1-2 days for practicum training and research.

Q. How much does training cost?

The Professional and Clinical programs currently offers Commonwealth Supported Places. This subsidy more than halves the cost of completing the course for eligible domestic students.

Q. Is there a research project?

Yes. All programs require you to complete research. The Master of Professional Psychology requires a capstone project, the Master of Psychology (Clinical) program requires a research project written in the form of a journal article. The PhD require a doctoral thesis which is examined independently by recognized experts in the field. For PhD candidates it is important to talk in advance to individual staff in the School about your interests to ensure there is a good fit with the expertise of available supervisors. You will be required to submit a research proposal with an identified supervisor in the school. Also consult the Handbook for recent publications of clinical staff to gauge the current areas of research activity being undertaken.

Q. What are my prospects for finding work after completing my training?

98% of our graduates find good psychology positions within a very short period of graduating. In fact, a large number are offered positions before they have officially graduated.