Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology

Overview

• Provides accredited fourth-year training for applicants with accredited three-year degree.
• Graduate eligible for provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychologist’s Board of Australia.
• Provides an opportunity for advanced study and research.
• Complete a research component, which includes a group thesis.

Details

The Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology builds on an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)-accredited undergraduate psychology degree and provides an opportunity for advanced study and research.

Course structure

The Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology comprises eight units and can be completed in full-time or part-time study mode.

Core units include PYB407 Research and Professional Development Seminar and one advanced research methods unit in quantitative or qualitative research such as PYB401 Advanced Research Methods, plus electives from advanced cognitive, organisational, counselling, developmental, and social theory. These units have three contact hours per week.

The course also includes a research component which entails a group thesis. PYB450 Research Thesis is undertaken in modules throughout the program. Students complete an independent review of the literature and prepare an outline for a research proposal as the basis of a negotiated group project. For the project, students jointly collect and then independently analyse and write up the data. Contact
hours for the research component are as required by the supervisor.

Career outcomes

Graduates of the fourth-year Psychology program have skills that can be applied to a variety of professional areas and may choose career paths in government health services, with private psychology practices, or alternatively in a range of other disciplines including business, justice and administration.

Professional recognition

The Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology provides an APAC-accredited fourth-year of training.

Graduates of this course are eligible for provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychologists Board of Australia.

Further study of either two years of supervised work experience or the completeion of an appropriate higher degree (e.g. Master or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or Master of Counselling Psychology) will allow fourth-year trained Psychology Graduates to be fully accredited and able to obtain registration from the Psychologists Board of Australia.

Units

Course structure

The Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology comprises eight units and can be completed in full-time or part-time study mode.

Core units include PYB407 Research and Professional Development Seminar and PYB401 Advanced Research Methods plus electives from advanced cognitive, organisational, counselling, developmental, and social theory. These units have three contact hours per week.

The course also includes a research component which entails a group thesis. PYB450 Research Thesis is undertaken in modules throughout the program. Students complete an independent review of the literature and prepare an outline for a research proposal as the basis of a negotiated group project. For the project, students independently collect, write up and analyse agreed specific components of the data. Contact hours for the research component are as required by the supervisor.

Entry requirements

Entry to this course is competitive. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold an undergraduate degree accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)as an entry point into PY20 Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology, for example QUT's Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology), with a minimum grade point average of 5 (based on QUT grade cut-offs) achieved in the second- and third-year APAC-accredited psychology units as given below. 

For applicants with a QUT bachelor's award, the base level requirements for consideration for inclusion in the Honours program will be:
- a minimum GPA of 5 in the overall undergraduate degree program
- a minimum overall GPA of 5 in the prescribed second and third year Psychology units listed below, or their equivalent. Entry is competitive based on GPA in these prescribed units:

PYB202 Social and Organisational Psychology
PYB203 Developmental Psychology
PYB204 Cognition and Perception
PYB210 Research Design and Data Analysis
PYB304 Physiological Psychology
PYB306 Psychopathology
PYB309 Individual Differences and Assessment
PYB350 Advanced Statistical Analysis

Applicants with a Non-QUT Degree
For applicants with an APAC-accredited bachelor award other than from QUT, similar requirements are expected. Certified copies of complete academic transcripts and evidence of their eligibility to undertake an honours program at their home institution must be provided with applications.
 

Course fees

Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. All fees are based on current fixed fee prices. We review fees annually.

Scholarships and financial support

You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.

View all scholarships