Why Study/Key Benefits

The Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) is designed for students who have already completed an APAC-accredited Level 1 psychology sequence and want to complete the fourth-year level of psychology study required on the pathway towards provisional registration as a psychologist in Australia.

Key benefits include:

• Fully online study through Swinburne Online, providing flexibility for students studying outside Australia.
• Advanced study of psychological assessment, counselling and interventions, ethical and professional practice, quantitative methods and psychological research.
• A substantial original research project, including literature review and empirical research.
• Development of skills in psychological testing, assessment, research design, data analysis and evidence-based practice.
• The qualification is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
• Successful completion fulfils the fourth-year study requirement for students pursuing provisional registration, subject to the applicable Australian psychology-registration requirements.
• The course can provide a pathway into further postgraduate psychology training required for general registration as a psychologist.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

Students must complete 100 credit points through seven core units.

1. Advanced Quantitative Methods – PSY80112 – 12.5 credit points

This unit develops advanced quantitative and statistical skills relevant to psychological research and data analysis.

2. Psychological Assessment – PSY80113 – 12.5 credit points

Topics include psychological testing, reliability, validity, norms, test construction, evidence-based assessment, test administration, interpretation and assessment-report writing.

3. Ethical and Professional Issues – PSY80114 – 12.5 credit points

Topics include the Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics, ethical guidelines, professional responsibilities, ethical decision-making, cultural considerations and the roles of AHPRA and the Psychology Board of Australia.

4. Counselling and Interventions – PSY80115 – 12.5 credit points

This unit develops knowledge of psychological intervention and counselling approaches relevant to psychological practice.

5. Thesis A – Research Project Development – PSY80117 – 12.5 credit points

Students develop an original research project, including research questions, literature-review methods, research design, data-collection considerations and human-research ethics.

6. Thesis B – Literature Review – PSY80118 – 12.5 credit points

Students undertake the literature-review component of their original research project and critically examine relevant psychological research.

7. Thesis C – Empirical Study – PSY80136 – 25 credit points

Students complete and report the empirical component of their original research project.

Disciplines/Specialisations

Primary discipline: Psychology.

The course does not list separate formal majors or specialisations. Instead, students undertake advanced study across:

• Psychological assessment
• Counselling and psychological interventions
• Quantitative methods
• Ethical and professional psychology
• Psychological research
• Research design
• Literature review
• Empirical research
• Evidence-based psychological practice.

Programme Highlights

• Fully online Swinburne Online delivery.
• 100 credit points.
• 18 months full-time or 16 months part-time.
• Seven core units.
• APAC-accredited qualification.
• Advanced study in psychological assessment, counselling, interventions, ethics and quantitative methods.
• Includes a substantial original research project.
• Provides the fourth-year study component for students pursuing the Australian provisional-registration pathway.
• Maximum academic credit: 75 credit points, subject to assessment.
• Designed as a pathway towards further postgraduate psychology training rather than as a standalone qualification granting general psychologist registration.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies potential career opportunities including:

• Social welfare consultant
• Child safety officer
• Health officer
• Clinical worker
• Researcher in psychology, health or social sciences
• Research assistant
• Mental health support worker
• Family therapist
• Human resources coordinator
• Client relationship officer.

Latest Updates/Special Requirements

The most important requirement for overseas applicants is that their previous psychology study must be comparable with an APAC-accredited Australian undergraduate psychology programme.

International applicants with an overseas psychology major must provide evidence demonstrating that their qualification satisfies the relevant Australian psychology-study requirements.

The course is fully online and has a significant international-student visa restriction:

• International students studying outside Australia can undertake the online course.
• International students who are already in Australia but do not hold a Student visa may be able to study online, subject to their visa conditions.
• International students in Australia holding an Australian Student visa cannot enrol in this entirely online course.

International Student Visa Requirements

The key visa consideration for this particular programme is different from a normal on-campus international course.

Australian Student visa holders must study an eligible course in Australia, and Swinburne specifically states that its entirely online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a Student visa.

Therefore:

• An international student living outside Australia can study this programme online without obtaining an Australian Student visa solely for this course.
• An international student should not apply for an Australian Student visa to undertake this course online from Australia.
• If the student wants to physically relocate to Australia and study on a Student visa, a different eligible on-campus course would need to be considered.