Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

Help others with their mental wellbeing.

The program takes an in depth look at our mental processes and helps you understand why people think, feel and behave as they do. The training is scientifically and ethically based to teach you types of behaviour, examine personality and to do formal personality assessments.

Study location
  • Sippy Downs
Refer to the program footnotes
CRICOS code
090558E
Commence
Semester 1 and Semester 2
Program length (full-time)
4 years
Semester tuition fee 2017
$12,100
Estimated total tuition fee *
$96,800
Footnotes
  • Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
  • * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
  • Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
  • ** Subject to successful full-time progression and electives chosen. Applies to the first three years full-time study in the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Programs only and presumes no break in study or credit transfer.
  • The 2 Day Guarantee was introduced in 2016 and will be progressively rolled out across year levels. First year is included in 2016 onwards; second year from 2017 onwards; and third year from 2018 onwards
Study location QTAC code
  • Sunshine Coast 013441
Minimum selection threshold
OP - 9 Rank - 81
UniSC program code
AR405
Commence
Semester 1 and Semester 2
Duration
4 years full time or equivalent part time
Study mode
On campus
Recommended prior study
English
Other requirements
Entry to the fourth year of the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is based on a student’s grade point average (GPA) meeting the minimum requirement of 5.5 in the advanced level (200/300 coded) PSY courses.
Fee type 2017
  • International fee-paying places
  • What will I pay?
Total courses
30
Total units
384 units
Footnotes
  • ** Subject to successful full-time progression and electives chosen. Applies to the first three years full-time study in the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Programs only and presumes no break in study or credit transfer.
  • The 2 Day Guarantee was introduced in 2016 and will be progressively rolled out across year levels. First year is included in 2016 onwards; second year from 2017 onwards; and third year from 2018 onwards

The program takes an in depth look at our mental processes and helps you understand why people think, feel and behave as they do. The training is scientifically and ethically based to teach you types of behaviour, examine personality and to do formal personality assessments.

You cover theoretical understanding and do practical training in the treatments for abnormal behaviours and psychological disorders. The program gives you high level statistical and research skills and there’s an opportunity to do an advanced research project in your Honours year.

Our psychology staff are national teaching and learning award winners and you'll also get the opportunity to participate in paid research assistant work in  your second or third year of study.

And, the really great news is that when you finish this degree you are eligible to apply for provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Now, that’s a healthy thought…

Balancing university studies with the rest of your life can be a challenge. USC gives you the option to condense all classes for this program into two days a week, when studying at Sippy Downs. The 2 Day Guarantee was introduced in 2016 and will be progressively rolled out across year levels. First year is included in 2016 onwards; second year from 2017 onwards; and third year from 2018 onwards. Some conditions apply.

Please visit Study in Psychology for more information.

Career opportunities

You can work in many private and government agencies that help people mentally function better, including organisations that work with children, teenagers and adults of all ages. Your skills are in demand in countless areas of life, from health and community care to sporting organisations.

Membership 

Graduates are eligible to apply for provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Graduates are also eligible to apply for entry to psychology postgraduate training programs.

Accredited pathway to becoming a psychologist

Our honours program is an APAC accredited fourth-year course in psychology, giving you a highly recognised qualification and eligibility for registration as a provisional psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) *.

Our Master of Psychology (Clinical) is an approved pathway to registration as a general psychologist with PsyBA. If you wish to undertake this program you will need to attain a minimum result of Class 2 (Division 1) honours.

* In order to practise as a psychologist in Australia you must legally be registered with PsyBA.

Program structure

Introductory courses (4)

COR109 Teaching Senior Secondary Mathematics
PSY100 Theatre Internship
PSY101 Cell Biology
PSY102 Biodiversity and Ecology

Advanced courses (14)

PSY200 Chemistry
PSY201 Organic Chemistry
PSY202 Cell Biology
PSY203 Chemistry
PSY204 Devising Performance
PSY205 Theatre Production
PSY300 Acting 2: Contemporary Shakespeare
PSY301 Imagined Homelands: An Exploration of Australian Literature
PSY302 Theatre Production
PSY303 Devising Performance
PSY304 Playing with Words : an Introduction to Creative Writing Craft
PSY305 The English Language
PSY306 Reading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Writing
PSY307 Changing Planet Earth

Elective courses (6)

Select 6 elective courses from either faculty (Arts, Business and Law or Science, Health, Education and Engineering).

Honours 
Coursework (4)

PSY400 Regions, Change and Sustainability
PSY401 Landscapes, Place and People
PSY402 Urbanism and Urban Design
PSY403 Introduction to Weather and Climate

Dissertation (2) (48 units)

PSY404 An Introduction to Geographic Information Science and Technology
PSY405 Earth Observation: Remote Sensing and Surveying

Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.

Total units: 384

Program requirements and notes

Program requirements

Requirements for the first 3 Years of the Program:

  • Complete 18 required courses
  • Complete 6 electives
  • Complete no more than 10 introductory (100 coded) courses
  • Register your selected major and/or minor 

Requirements for the 4th Year of the Program:

Entry to the fourth year of the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is based on a student’s grade point average (GPA) in the advanced level (200/300 coded) PSY courses.

  • Complete 4 required advanced level (400 coded) courses (48units)
  • Complete the Thesis component (48 units)
Program notes
  • A minimum GPA of 5.5 in the advanced level (200/300 coded) PSY courses must be achieved at the end of third year for a student to be automatically allowed to continue to the fourth year honours component. Students who do not meet this requirement will be exited from the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) into the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) with full credit for all studies successfully completed
  • Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses)
  • Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods
  • As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
  • Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa
  • The 2 Day Guarantee was introduced in 2016 and will be progressively rolled out across year levels. First year is included in 2016 onwards; second year from 2017 onwards; and third year from 2018 onwards
  • Students following the 2 Day Guarantee option should refer to the program Blackboard site for enrolment details