The popularity of the study of psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast has prompted three new degrees for 2015.

USC Professor Mary Katsikitis, who leads the Psychology discipline, said the degrees offered more pathways into the profession of psychology, which requires six years of study and supervised clinical training before gaining general registration to practise.

Professor Katsikitis said USC was among the first universities in Australia to introduce a new one-year Master of Professional Psychology that would combine advanced coursework with extensive practical and applied skills training.

“Designed to be studied as a fifth year, this Masters will allow graduates to seek only one year’s final traineeship with an approved Psychology Board of Australia psychologist in the field before applying for general registration, instead of the current two-year external (to USC) traineeship requirement,” she said.

She said a new USC Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) would guarantee students all four years of an undergraduate psychology degree, as long as they maintained the required grade point average.

“Currently, students of our Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) must apply in a very competitive environment in their third year to continue with Honours,” she said.

And a new one-year Graduate Diploma in Psychology, for students who had completed three years at undergraduate level, would provide another pathway.

“With past students gaining research awards and current staff winning teaching excellence awards, we’re looking forward to delivering more programs that give insights into behaviour, behavioural changes and mental processes,” Professor Katsikitis said.

University of the Sunshine Coast
29th of September 2014

Permanent Link: Three new USC degrees for aspiring psychologists

Publish Date: 30 Sep 14

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