Master of Professional Psychology

The Master of Professional Psychology provides selected psychology graduates with a fifth year of professional training in psychology.

This includes 300 hours of practical training at a worksite identified by the student and meeting the supervision and experience requirements of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council.

The course is delivered online and can be studied full-time or part-time.

Graduates of the course complete an additional one-year Psychology Board of Australia approved internship to be eligible for general registration as a psychologist in Australia.

Course Aims

The Master of Professional Psychology provides one year of full-time education (or part-time equivalent) in the professional practice of psychology sufficient to prepare candidates for a final year of supervised internship in the field prior to general registration. The course is designed to: (i) be at the foundational (professional) level, building and extending on the knowledge and skills of an APAC-accredited four-year undergraduate sequence;(ii) take an evidence based approach and be based on the scientist practitioner model;(iii) be broad and generalist (rather than specialist) in nature; and(iv) concentrate on core professional capabilities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: effect an advanced body of knowledge of the principles and practice of professional psychology; effect knowledge of the legal and professional frameworks for practice and interact responsibly and ethically with clients and other professionals; apply the principles and practice of assessment, diagnosis and case formulation; including psychological testing and test data interpretation; execute high level skills in individual and group clinical interventions, including counselling skills; apply advanced skills in research and evaluation; and appraise, interpret and communicate information in both oral and written formats and interact on a professional level with a wide range of clients and professionals.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline Graduates have an advanced knowledge of general psychology practice, including an understanding of assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology across the lifespan. Graduates site their practice within international perspectives on theory, diagnostic systems and evidence-based treatments. Graduates respect clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and understand the impact of culture on therapy. Communication Skills Graduates have high level verbal and written communication skills and effective interpersonal skills for psychology practice. Graduates communicate with professionals, and the general and scientific community, via case reports and oral presentations. Problem Solving Graduates are logical and critical thinkers, able to select and use evidence-based procedures and techniques and critically evaluate their practice as well as research evidence. Information Literacy Graduates have advanced information literacy skills gained through literature searching, objective scientific writing, and exposure to resources for professional practice. Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility Graduates practice within the legal and ethical frameworks of the profession. Graduates also have a sense of social responsibility for knowledge and decision-making and its application in professional practice. Through the application of the scientist-practitioner model, graduates contribute to the development of the profession. Lifelong Learning Graduates engage in continuing professional development accessing research and skills training to inform practice. Graduates are also adaptable and flexible, open to new ideas and able to manage change. Independence and Collaboration Graduates practice across a variety of settings, working independently or collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams. Graduates respect multiple points of view and interact in accordance with professional ethics.