Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)

Course summary for local students

Year	2024 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Online	Yes
Length	3 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CSP annual fee (indicative) - commencing 2024	$11,888 for 1 yr full-time - Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
Level	Undergraduate
Faculty contacts	Our friendly advisers are available to speak to you one-on-one about your study options, support services and how we can help you further your career. Call us: 1800 693 888 Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Live Chat: Mon–Thurs, 8am–7pm, Fri 8am–5pm Submit an online enquiry Help hub find common and trending questions and answers
VTAC Codes	1400316261 - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS) 1400516261 - Burwood (Melbourne), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS) 1400616261 - Online, Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
CRICOS course code	077384J Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Deakin course code	A301
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Study the Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and gain insight into why people think, feel and behave the way they do. At the same time, you will also open the door to a world of opportunity through your study in the arts.

Learn the perfect mix of skills sought by employers by studying one degree, with exposure to two distinct areas of interest. Combining your passions in psychology and the arts can broaden your career options and make you more employable once you graduate.

The added benefit of an arts degree at Deakin is the transferable skills you build through experiential learning. Learn to work in teams during industry placements, develop critical analysis through work-integrated learning, and build valuable life skills through international experiences*. Combine this with in-depth study in psychology as a scientific discipline and learn about human behaviour and personality.

Why not study psychology your way, with more flexibility and diverse opportunities?

You will explore diverse areas of psychology including:

behavioural and clinical neuroscience
child and adolescent psychology
cognitive psychology
forensic psychology
human social behaviour

Our School of Psychology is one of the largest in Victoria. It has strong partnerships with industry, including collaborative activities with government agencies, public and private organisations, hospitals and other universities.

These partnerships ensure that your degree remains relevant to industry and workforce needs. You will be in high demand by employers who want graduates that are ready to face problems with confidence.

You will get the chance to build real-world experience by electing to undertake the Psychology at Work (Internship) unit in your final year of study. This gives you 140-hours of practical industry placement, strengthening your employment prospects. The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) is also recognised for registration purposes by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

As a student in the Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), you will also choose an area of study in the arts to build your future-focused degree, choose from disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, communication, languages, and the creative arts.

With specialist knowledge in your chosen arts discipline, you will learn how to apply critical, creative and strategic thinking to real-world issues. You will also develop the essential skills in communication, critical thinking and problem solving that employers are looking for.

If you are intending to become a psychologist, this course is a pathway to a fourth year level of study (honours or graduate diploma level). After completing a fourth year of study, you will be eligible to apply for provisional registration as a psychologist. Students wishing to become fully registered psychologists can then apply to continue their study by undertaking one of the following:

Master of Psychology (Clinical)
Master of Psychology (Organisational)
Master of Professional Psychology
Doctor of Psychology (Clinical).

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) degree at Deakin meets the requirements of the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) translating into excellent job and career opportunities for our graduates. Upon graduation of this degree, you'll have gained a three-year undergraduate psychology sequence that is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and recognised for registration purposes by the PBA, enabling you to undertake additional study in pursuit of provisional registration.

Fees and charges

The tuition fees you pay will depend on the units you choose to study as each unit has its own costs. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the time it takes to complete your course and any approved Recognition of prior learning you have. Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value.

The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together 8 credit points of a typical combination of units for that course. Eight credit points is used as it represents a typical full-time enrolment load for a year. You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the Handbook. Learn more about fees and available payment options on our Current students fees website.

Career opportunities

As a Deakin Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) graduate you will develop some of the most important skills a student can gain at university. Through your study in the arts, you will build valuable and transferable career skills, making you highly employable within many industries. The range of disciplines on offer also lets you follow your passion and develop the specialist skills to pursue the career you want. You will be able to take your degree into a range of careers, including:

administration
advertising
business
communications
community organisations
criminal justice
education
galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM)
government
human rights
journalism
management consulting
media
not-for-profits
performing and visual arts
photography
policing
policy development
politics
public relations
publishing
research
tourism.

Following the completion of your major in psychology, taking the next step towards becoming a psychologist involves applying for an honours year (e.g. Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)). Once completed, you can then apply for provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA).

If your passion isn’t to complete further study to become a registered psychologist, there are still many diverse career options available, including:

child protection
counselling
family support
human services
marketing
not for profit aid
public health
social work

If you choose to pursue full registration as a psychologist, you may find employment in a variety of roles, including:

clinical psychologist
cognitive neuroscientist
counsellor
criminal psychologist
educational and developmental psychologist
family therapist
forensic psychologist
health and community psychologist
organisational psychologist
rehabilitation counsellor
sport and exercise psychologist
youth psychologist

These positions can be found in:

private clinics and practices
public and private hospitals
corporate organisations
schools and universities
government departments and agencies
sporting clubs and institutes
social research organisations

For more information go to DeakinTALENT

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the Arts disciplines, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines or areas of practice.
Communication	Demonstrate highly developed skills in oral, written and electronic communication and the ability to communicate research outcomes, and produce scholarly papers.
Digital literacy	Research, analyse, synthesise and disseminate information using a range of appropriate technologies and resources in a rapidly-changing global environment.
Critical thinking	Use critical and analytical thinking and judgment in selecting and applying appropriate theories and methodologies to evaluate information and knowledge about society, culture and the arts.
Problem solving	Apply cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate solutions to unpredictable and sometimes complex problems in the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Creative Arts, including cross-disciplinary approaches.
Self-management	Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility and accountability for personal actions and a continued commitment to learning in personal, professional, and scholarly contexts.
Teamwork	Work and learn collaboratively with colleagues, other professionals and members of the wider community.
Global citizenship	Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues, cultural diversity, and social responsibility when engaging in scholarship and professional roles in the local, national or international community.
Approved by Faculty Board June 2014

Course rules

To qualify for the Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), a student must successfully complete 24 credit points of study including:

10 credit points of Psychology units including the approved 10-credit-point Psychology major sequence
10 credit points of Arts units including an approved Arts major sequence of at least 8 credit points.
4 electives credit points from units offered by either Faculty or by another Faculty
no more than 10 credit points at Level 1
a minimum 6 credit points at level 3 or above
DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

Major sequences

Arts major sequence

Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability. Refer to Bachelor of Arts for list of Arts majors on offer.

Course structure

Level 1

DAI001

Academic Integrity Module

HPS111

Introduction to Psychology: Human Behaviour

HPS121

Introduction to Psychology: Individual and Social Development

Level 2

HPS201

Psychology Research Methods (Introductory)

HPS202

Developmental Psychology (Child and Adolescent)

HPS203

Cognitive Psychology

HPS204

Social Psychology

Level 3

HPS301

Psychology Research Methods (Intermediate)

HPS307

Personality Psychology

HPS308

Psychopathology

HPS310

Biological Psychology (Brain and Behaviour)

Arts major sequence

Refer to A310 Bachelor of Arts handbook course entry for list of Arts majors on offer.

Transition to University study

The faculty offers two units AIX160 Introduction to University Study and AIX117 Professional Writing for Work which are specifically designed to ease the transition into university study. New students are encouraged to enrol in one or both of these units in their first year.

Admission criteria

Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements, and individual circumstances. You will need to meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.

Academic requirements

Academic requirements - Higher education study

If you’re currently studying Year 12, or completed Year 12 in the last two years, you will need to meet all the following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:

Year 12 prerequisite subjects

Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English EAL (English as an Additional Language) or at least 20 in English other than EAL

ATAR

Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with an unadjusted ATAR of at least 50 or equivalent

Academic requirements - Higher education study

If you have undertaken higher education studies after secondary schooling, you will need to meet the following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:

successful completion of at least two bachelor level or above units (AQF Level 7 or equivalent)

Academic requirements - VET study

If you have undertaken any Vocational Education and Training (VET) study after secondary school, you will need to meet at least one of following criteria to be considered for admission to this degree:

completion of a certificate IV or higher in a related discipline
completion of a diploma or higher in any discipline
at least 50% completion of a diploma or higher in a related discipline

Academic requirements - Work and life experience

If you finished Year 12 more than three years ago, or did not finish Year 12, and have not undertaken any further study, you may be considered for admission to this degree based on your work, volunteer and/or life experience.

Submit a personal statement outlining your motivation to study, previous education and employment history, and how this course can assist your career aspirations or progression. Think of it as a job application cover letter – it should be relevant and demonstrate your commitment and interest in this course or study area.

English language proficiency requirements

To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) English Units 3 and 4: Study score of 25 in English as an Additional Language (EAL) or 20 in any other English
IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with no band score less than 6.0) or equivalent
other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)

Admissions information

Learn more about Deakin courses and how we compare to other universities when it comes to the quality of our teaching and learning. We're also committed to admissions transparency. Read about our first intake of 2023 students (PDF, 354KB) – their average ATARs, whether they had any previous higher education experience and more.

Not sure if you can get into Deakin? Discover the different entry pathways we offer and study options available to you, no matter your ATAR or education history.

Credit for prior learning - general

The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.

Please note that a maximum of five credit points can be granted for Psychology core units.

You can also refer to the Recognition of prior learning system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree and how to apply for credit.

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Work experience

Students have the opportunity to undertake preparation for work units and/or internship units as electives in this course through either the Faculty of Arts and Education or the School of Psychology.

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.

Selection Adjustment

Subject adjustment

A study score of 30 in Art, Dance, Drama, any English, Health And Human Development, any Humanities, any LOTE, Media, any Music, any Mathematics, Psychology, Studio Arts, Theatre Studies or Visual Communication Design equals 2 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 12 points.

Access and equity

Special entry access schemes (SEAS) enable Deakin to consider disadvantaged circumstances you may have experienced and the impact upon your studies. SEAS also allows us to identify if you’re from under-represented groups when making selection decisions for some courses. SEAS does not exempt you from meeting any of the course entry requirements. Learn more about Deakin’s special entry access schemes.