Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

Understand the human mind and how it drives behaviour.

La Trobe’s Bachelor of Psychology will help you become a professional psychologist, build a career in a psychology related field or pursue research.

In your first three years, you’ll develop strong analytical, research and communication skills, studying foundational subjects that include clinical and health psychology, developmental and social psychology, psychological assessment, intervention and research.

Choose from electives such as clinical neuroscience, human-animal relations, cultural psychology and global citizenship.

You’ll also study the work of professional psychologists and have the option to take a subject on autism-spectrum disorders taught by specialists from the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre.

In fourth year, you’ll complete a research project to round out your studies.* Reasons to study psychology at La Trobe Eligible students will access field-placement opportunities through our partnership with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.

Our Bachelor of Psychological Science is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).** Learn from world leading academics such as Professor Cheryl Dissanayake, founding director of Australia’s first centre for autism spectrum research.

If you enrol at the Albury-Wodonga and Bendigo campuses, your enrolment will transfer to the Melbourne campus in fourth year, although you will still be able to complete most of your studies at your home campus.

* Automatic progression to fourth year in this course requires a minimum weighted average mark of 75%.

More information on weightings can be found in the La Trobe University Handbook.

Students who do not meet this standard may apply for competitive entry into Honours or graduate with our Bachelor of Psychological Science qualification ** Professional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia will require an APAC-accredited fourth year and additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree as well as an application to the professional body.

Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

Membership may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree.

The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 8.

First year

Second year

Third year

Fourth year - Honours

Applicants with recent secondary education (within the last two years)

Prerequisite

VCE: Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or at least 20 in English other than EAL.

HSC: One of English Standard, English Advanced (Band 2), English as an Additional Language or Dialect (Band 3).

Meeting minimum prerequisites does not guarantee an offer of a place. Entry into all La Trobe courses is based on competitive selection and there may be limited places available.

Admission criteria

ATAR (Compulsory)

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

*N/A: Students not accepted in this category, NC: New course, N/P: Not published (includes categories with less than five students). Learn more about our processes View the 2020 ATAR distribution report for the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) [195.9 KB].

Selection rank adjustments

Subject adjustments

VCE: A study score of 25 in Health And Human Development, any Information Technology, Maths: Mathematical Methods, Maths: Specialist Mathematics or any Science equals 4 aggregate points per study. A study score of 20 in any LOTE equals 4 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 12 points.

HSC: Applicants who successfully complete one of the following HSC or equivalent Year 12 subjects will have their selection rank increased by one point per study: Performance Band 3 in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics, Investigating Science, Design and Technology, Information Processes and Technology, Software Design and Development; any language other than English (Band 2). Overall, selection ranks can be increased by a maximum of five points.

Special Access Schemes

For information on adjustment factors that may be applicable, such as those through Special Entry and Access Schemes (SEAS) and other La Trobe special access schemes see: Special access schemes

Applicants with higher education study

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Applicants with work and life experience