Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science
Deakin course code	H603
Faculty	Faculty of Health
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Online	Yes
Duration	1 year full time taken over three consecutive trimesters or part-time equivalent.
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
CRICOS course code	099423C Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
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

Follow your passion and explore a rewarding career change by studying the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science. Designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than psychology, the course introduces you to the fundamentals of psychology and human behaviour while fast-tracking your journey to becoming a registered psychologist.

Ready for a career in psychology but don’t want to start from scratch with an undergraduate degree?

If you are looking to move into psychology, but the idea of committing to a three-year undergraduate degree seems a bit daunting, the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science is your perfect option. It allows you to reach your goals, faster. You will be studying the accredited psychology major sequence only, which means you can complete the degree in as little as one year (if you study full-time in trimesters 1, 2 and 3). Plus, the course can be studied on campus or online, giving you the flexibility to achieve your goals on your schedule.

The course may be short in duration, but you will be getting a comprehensive introduction to the human mind and the fundamentals of human behaviour. In your second and third trimester you will be covering more complex topics like child development, psychopathology, neural structure and social behaviour. Course content is industry-led and delivered by passionate teachers who are active contributors to the field – just one of the reasons why postgraduate psychology courses at Deakin rank #1 in Victoria for student satisfaction and have a reputation for teaching quality.*

Once you graduate, even more opportunities start to open up. The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) – and is the equivalent of a three-year accredited psychology undergraduate degree – so once you graduate you can apply for an APAC-accredited ‘fourth year’ of study that allows you to seek provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Your options include:

Following the completion of a ‘fourth year’ of study, you will then be eligible to apply for the following APAC-accredited courses that lead to general registration as a psychologist:

Master of Psychology (Organisational) – the only organisational psychology course in Victoria, offered on campus, full-time and part-time
Master of Psychology (Clinical)
Master of Professional Psychology
Doctor of Psychology (Clinical).

If you are not interested in becoming a registered psychologist, you will graduate from this course with a deep understanding of human behaviour that allows you to solve more complex issues and build better relationships in your current role. The skills you will be learning are incredibly valuable across all fields of work and in all walks of life.

For those looking to switch careers, your experiences throughout the course will prepare you for new challenges in a variety of areas including community welfare and case management, human resources, public health, mental health rehabilitation and social work.

Learn more about psychology pathways and career outcomes

Indicative student workload

It is expected that students will spend approximately 150 hours per trimester, per credit point.

Professional recognition

The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). This means that by completing this course you can:

apply for a fourth-year of study (e.g. honours equivalent) which will then enable you to apply to the Psychology Board of Australia for provisional registration as a psychologist once you meet their requirements
after completing your fourth-year of study, you can then apply for further study in an APAC-accredited master or doctoral level course that leads to general registration as a psychologist.

Career opportunities

As it is the equivalent of a three-year accredited psychology undergraduate degree, this course a pathway to a fourth-year of study (e.g. Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) or Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)), which can then lead to an APAC-accredited master or doctoral-level course that enables general registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Areas of practice endorsement in psychology include:

clinical psychology (available at Deakin)
clinical neuropsychology
organisational psychology (available at Deakin)
sport and exercise psychology
forensic psychology
counselling psychology
community psychology

Working as a generalist psychologist might involve:

family therapy
rehabilitation counselling
psychological assessment

Not looking to become a registered psychologist? You will still have a broad and exciting range of career opportunities to explore when you graduate from this course. Your deep understanding of psychological assessment methods combined with your client-centred approach to practice will equip you for roles in:

community welfare and case management
disability services
human resources
mental health rehabilitation
public health
youth support

Participation requirements

Students are required to complete units in Trimester 3 if they wish to complete this course in one year.

Mandatory student checks

There are no mandatory student checks for this course

Pathways

This course can be a pathway to an APAC accredited fourth year Honours or Graduate Diploma of Psychology course and other postgraduate coursework programs.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Achieve a deep conceptual understanding of the major ideas, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and historical trends in the core topics of psychology.
Communication	Communicate effectively in a variety of formats and in a variety of contexts including with diverse ethnic and cultural partners and within teams.
Digital literacy	Be able to use digital technologies to source appropriate materials, conduct research and disseminate findings.
Critical thinking	Respect and use critical and creative thinking, sceptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behaviour and mental processes. Understand and apply and evaluate basic research methods in psychology including research design, data analysis and interpretation to solve real world problems
Problem solving	Respect and use critical and creative thinking, sceptical inquiry and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behaviour and mental processes.
Self-management	Understand and appreciate the core values of psychology (i.e. value empirical evidence; tolerate ambiguity during the search for a greater understanding of behaviour and knowledge structures ;act ethically and professionally; understand the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity and reflect other values that are the underpinning of psychology as a discipline).
Teamwork	Demonstrate understanding and sufficient responsibility for working in a team, including effective communication for task planning, co-ordination, decision-making and evaluation within the team situation.
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 Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science students must pass 10 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
10 credit points of core units

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.

Course structure

Trimester 1

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)

HPY711

Introduction to Psychology: Human Behaviour

HPY713

Introduction to Psychology: Individual and Social Development

HPS773

Cognitive Psychology

HPS774

Social Psychology

Trimester 2

HPS771

Psychology Research Methods (Introductory)

HPS772

Developmental Psychology (Child and Adolescent)

HPS788

Psychopathology

HPS791

Personality Psychology

Trimester 3

HPS775

Biological Psychology (Brain and Behaviour)

HPS781

Psychology Research Methods (Intermediate)

Work experience

Not applicable

Course duration

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

Further information

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

Contact Student Central

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.