Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)

2020 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2020 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2020 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2020. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2020. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Cloud (online)
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS course code	022030A Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Waterfront (Geelong)
Deakin course code	H452
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Gain an insight into why people think, feel and behave the way they do. After a solid foundation in the elements of human behaviour, your Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) year allows you to pursue a career as a psychologist, and prepare yourself for postgraduate study.

Do you want to learn from industry professionals and begin a rewarding psychology career?

During your honours year, you will get the chance to build on your relevant undergraduate degree and learn an extended range of psychological assessment methods, as well as gain an understanding of the process of formulating psychological opinion in casework.

The research and analytical skills you develop in your honours year will strengthen the quality of your research projects, and become indispensable tools in your future career.

Upon graduating, you will be eligible to apply for provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA). If you would like to pursue full registration, you can go on to complete two years of relevant work under the supervision of a registered psychologist, or complete a master’s or doctorate that includes work placement. Students wishing to become fully registered psychologists can then apply to continue their study by undertaking one of the following:

Indicative student workload

You should be able to commit 35 hours a week to your honours degree

Professional recognition

This course is recognised for registration purposes by the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) and is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). As a graduate, you’ll be eligible to apply for provisional registration as a psychologist and for entry to APAC accredited master or doctoral level training programs that lead to registration as a psychologist.

Career opportunities

Upon graduation, if you choose not to continue with further study in psychology, your possible career options include work in:

hospitals and clinics
mental health organisations
community support services
human resources
marketing and social research
corrective services
policy development
justice and advocacy systems.

If you choose to continue studying to pursue full registration as a psychologist, you may find employment in a variety of settings such as:

clinical psychologist
cognitive neuroscientist
counsellor
criminal psychologist
educational and developmental psychologist
family therapist
forensic psychologist
health and community psychologist
mental health officer
organisational psychologist
rehabilitation counsellor
sport and exercise psychologist
youth psychologist.

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.

Mandatory student checks

There are no mandatory student checks required for this course.

Pathways

This course provides a pathway to higher degree by research courses and other postgraduate coursework programs.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, your fee category and the year you started. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline Specific knowledge and capabilities	Demonstrate understanding of advanced knowledge (theoretical, empirical and practical) in the areas of psychological assessment, counselling, advanced research methods and research practice.
Communication	Demonstrate clear written and oral communication skills in order to convey complex psychological knowledge and ideas to laypeople and professionals.
Digital Literacy	Apply advanced skills to select appropriate digital tools to source, interpret, adapt, collate, analyse and disseminate discipline specific information in psychology to a variety of audiences relevant to pre-professional practice of psychology.
Critical thinking	Competence in the design and conduct of research, critically evaluate, synthesise and integrate complex scientific evidence, and apply this knowledge to assessment, counselling and case management that demonstrate evidence-based pre-professional practice in the field of psychology.
Problem Solving	Respect and use critical and creative thinking, sceptical inquiry and the scientific approach to solve problems related to research and applied skills (psychological assessment, counselling and case-management) in the field of psychology.
Self-management	Display high level self-management through reflection, continual improvement and learning that reinforces the importance of responsibility and accountability for pre-professional development in the field of psychology.
Teamwork	Communicate effectively in a variety of formats and in a variety of contexts with diverse ethnic and cultural partners and teams.
Global Citizenship	Demonstrate, report and apply ethical principles to understand how to work productively in the field of psychology within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts by collaborating and communicating in a self-reflective and culturally sensitive manner.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) students must attain 8 credit points.

Psychology Honours consists of two components: coursework and a thesis.

The coursework component (consisting of classes and seminars) contributes 50% to the final grade of Honours awarded. Part time students must complete the coursework component in the first year of their course. As required by the accreditation guidelines of the Australian Psychological Society, the coursework covers:

research methods;
issues in psychological assessment; and
client-centred skills in practice

For further details of the coursework component, see the unit description for HPS431, HPS432, HPS433 and HPS434

The thesis component (see HPS435 and HPS436) contributes 50% to the final grade of honours awarded. The thesis is a write-up of an individual research project based on an original piece of empirical research. A range of types of data (qualitative, quantitative, subjective, objective) and a range of data-collection settings and methodologies can be used as the basis of the thesis component.

The thesis is submitted in two parts:

a 1500 word research proposal submitted mid-year and
a 5000-word report on the empirical component submitted in October.

The literature review and empirical report section of the thesis typically contribute 30% and 70% respectively to the final mark for the thesis component.

Attendance and presentation at the annual School Fourth Year Conference is a hurdle requirement. Students enrolled in the CLOUD online mode have the option to attend or undertake an alternative assessment.

All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. Click here for more information.

Course structure

Core units

Trimester 1

HAI010

Academic Integrity (0 credit points)

HPS431

Psychological Assessment

HPS432

Research Methods in Psychology C

HPS435

Research Project A

Trimester 2

HPS433

Client-Centred Skills in Practice

HPS434

Psychology Research Methods (Advanced)

HPS436

Research Project B

Work experience

Not applicable

Other course information

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Research and research-related study

The thesis component (see HPS435 and HPS436) contributes 50% to the final grade of honours awarded. And these units are 2CP each.

The thesis is submitted in two parts:

a 4000 word literature review submitted mid-year and
a 5000-word report on the empirical component submitted in October.

The literature review and empirical report section of the thesis typically contribute 15% and 35% respectively to the final mark for the thesis component.