Master of Professional Psychology
Course code I88
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Important
This course is not currently offered for study on-campus to international students with a student visa.
Want to look for another option?
To help our students with a career direction, we group similar fields of work into study areas.
Within each study area below you can choose an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. And within most degree courses, you can choose your speciality, or major subject.
About this Course
This postgraduate course provides education and training in applied professional psychology to prepare graduates for an internship to achieve registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.
The course is based in the scientist-practitioner model and provides experiential learning of evidence-based psychological practice skills through coursework and a practicum.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level
This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 9 Masters Degree (Coursework) Award.
Course code
I88Entry requirements
ECU admission and English language requirements apply.
See Course Entry for further information.
Admissions
Fees
Domestic fee paying - estimated 1st year indicative fee AUD $39,800
See Fees and Scholarships for further information.
Availability & Campus
| Location | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Joondalup | FT | |
| Mount Lawley | ||
| South West | ||
| Online |
Location
This course requires attendance at more than one campus or location. See Course Notes.
Course Entry
Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.
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The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.
All applicants are required to be eligible for, and successfully gain and maintain, Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, must have completed an APAC- accredited 4th year qualification in psychology, including an independent research-based project. Applicants with qualifications obtained overseas must provide evidence that their psychology qualification has been assessed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) as equivalent to an APAC-accredited Level 2 qualification in psychology.
Applicants must provide a personal statement describing their motivations and personal suitability for the course. Additionally, applicants must submit a curriculum vitae showing details of relevant employment and volunteer experience. Two referee reports must be submitted by the referees via the HODSPA Online Referee System. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview.
Academic admission requirements (Band 6) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
- Bachelor degree; or
- Equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience.
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International students are required to provide an IELTS Academic with an overall minimum score of 7.0 (no individual band less than 6.5). Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement.
Minimum English standard requirements for this course may also be satisfied with one of the following:
- Bachelor degree from an approved country;
- Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent); or
- Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience.
Course Details
Semester availability
Semester 1: Study full-time at Joondalup
Course Structure
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| PSY6501 | Foundational Professional Psychology Skills | 20 |
| PSY6502 | Ethics and Professional Psychology Practice | 20 |
I88|2
For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.
Student handbookCourse notes
Important course notes
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Classes are primarily held on the Joondalup campus. It may be necessary to hold some classes on the Mount Lawley campus subject to room availability.
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Students will complete a minimum of 300 hours of skills training and supervised practice during the course. This includes a minimum of 280 hours of practicum experience under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist.
Attendance requirements
Students will be required to attend practicum on specified days as negotiated with their practicum supervisor.
Clearances and/or Risk Management Protocols Required
All students will be required to undertake a National Police Clearance.
Students may be required to undertake other clearances and screenings specific to individual organisations.
Students whose practicum involves contact with young people under the age of 18 will be required to obtain a Working with Children clearance.
A placement host may have vaccination and other requirements, including vaccination against Covid-19 unless you have a medical exemption. Please consider this requirement before enrolling in this Course, and speak with the Course coordinator if this raises any concerns. You may not be able to complete placement units if you are unable to meet the placement requirements, which may impact your ability to complete this course.
Additionally, OSH agreements, insurance policies, and risk assessments are required for all placements.
Professional practice rules
All students are required to abide by the Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics, the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 and all relevant State and National legislation whilst on practicum
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Students can apply for membership with Psychology Board of Australia. All students must apply for Provisional Registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia on enrolment in the course and maintain this registration status for the entire duration of the course.
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Students will need to graduate to be eligible to register with the Psychology Board of Australia. Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia is required to practice in the profession.
Course learning outcomes
- Reflect critically on and apply a complex body of psychological knowledge, theories, principles and methods to evidence-based and client-centred psychological practice.
- Investigate, analyse, and synthesise complex information and problems in a range of professional contexts.
- Apply professional knowledge and technical skills to design, implement, and evaluate psychological strategies with individuals and groups across the lifespan.
- Communicate and collaborate in an ethical and culturally responsive manner in professional practice with clients, other professionals, and other stakeholders.
- Apply high level self-management and reflective skills to monitor professional functioning and plan and implement strategies for ongoing development as a professional.
Professional Recognition
CourseAccredited by: Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)
Fees and Scholarships
Fees
- AUD $39,800 - Domestic fee paying estimated 1st year indicative fee 1
Note
1 The 'estimated 1st year indicative fee' is provided as a guide only, based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. At ECU, you pay for the individual units you enrol in, not an overall course fee, so the total cost of your course will vary, depending on what units you choose. An indicative fee will be provided with your course offer, however you can use our Course Fee Calculator to estimate the actual amount you'll need to pay. ECU fees are adjusted annually.
Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.
Scholarships
ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.
Find a scholarshipCareer Opportunities
Employment opportunities include a range of non-government and government organisations including mental health services, schools, drug and alcohol services, disability services, workplace rehabilitation providers, disability services sector, corrections, child protection, disability sector, and private practice.
Possible future job titles
Psychologist, Mental Health Worker, Clinician, Case worker, Counsellor, Programs Officer
Need some help deciding what to study?
Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.
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Quick guide to uni-speak
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The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.
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ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.
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CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.
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A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.
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Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.
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If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.
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If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.
Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.
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Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.
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A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.
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We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.
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These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.
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An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.
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Do you have any questions about the Master of Professional Psychology?
The Important Things
Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.
Course Entry
There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.
Fees & Scholarships
Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.
Applying
Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.
ECU Experience
Starting a course is an exciting and sometimes daunting time, so we make a massive effort to ensure you get all the support you need to have a positive experience.