Course details

Summary

The Master of Science (MSc) programme enables you to pursue advanced study in your area of interest with the opportunity to work on independent research.

Programme overview

Studying for an MSc is an opportunity for committed scientists to focus on a relevant area of interest or practise and pursue an advanced qualification. While taught masters will provide you with specialist training in your chosen field, a research masters will develop advanced research skills, working alongside Faculty of Science researchers - many of whom are major contributors in their field.

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour. It is a wide subject that ranges from, on the one hand, a strictly quantitative and scientific approach to, on the other, a more qualitative and personal approach. It also ranges from the strongly theoretical to the eminently practical.

Modern psychologists base their theories on observable and repeatable behavioural data, ranging from counts of simple behaviour in animals to verbal reports of emotions and feelings in humans. Thus, practical work in the laboratory or field is an essential part of an education in psychology.

At postgraduate level, the School of Psychology offers the following majors and specialisation areas:

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA): ABA is a scientific approach to understanding and changing human behaviour and has applications with a wide variety of client groups including those with intellectual and other disabilities, autism spectrum, and childhood-onset behavioural disorders.

Industrial, Work & Organisational (IWO) Psychology: This area is concerned with the discovery and application of psychological principles to the workplace in order to maximize performance, productivity and wellbeing of workers and organisations.

Clinical Psychology: Clinical Psychology is a broad field of clinical practice and research within the discipline of psychology.

Health Psychology: Health Psychology covers areas such as how individuals cope with illness and chronic disease, understanding and promoting healthy behaviors, psychological influences on the development of disease states.

Speech Science: Speech Science is intended for graduates with an interest in speech related areas. It is relevant to practising Speech Language Therapists with a bachelors degree, and also to those with backgrounds in linguistics, psychology, audiology, engineering, and computer science.

Career opportunities

Many avenues open up to graduates with training in psychology. Registered psychologists work in many aspects of mental health care, and clinical psychology. Jobs are available in the business environment involving the use of psychological tests, statistical analyses, or survey and questionnaire development. Staff recruitment, personnel training and evaluation are also areas which employ a lot of psychology graduates. Research careers can be developed in neural function and cognitive science.

Requirements: Research Masters

120 points: PSYCH 796 Thesis in Psychology

Further study options

Doctor of Philosophy

Other Master of Science (MSc) Subjects

Applied Mathematics, Bioinformatics, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Science, Biosecurity and Conservation, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Exercise Sciences, Food Science, Forensic Science, Geography, Geology, Geophysics, Logic and Computation, Marine Science, Mathematics, Medical Statistics, Optometry, Pharmacology, Physics, Physiology, Speech Science, Sport and Exercise Science, Statistics, Wine Science.

Entry criteria

The prerequisite is a BSc(Hons) or PGDipSci in Psychology and PSYCH 306, or equivalent as approved by the Director of School.

English language requirements: