Why Study / Key Benefits

• The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is an integrated four-year undergraduate psychology degree accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
• It combines foundational psychology with advanced fourth-year honours study and an original research thesis.
• Students study human behaviour, cognition, development, social psychology, personality, abnormal psychology, psychological assessment, counselling, research methods and statistics.
• Work Integrated Learning is embedded in the degree, including an industry-linked research project and pre-professional training.
• Students have access to Swinburne's psychology research environment, including the Swinburne Psychology Clinic and on-campus MRI and MEG facilities.
• The fourth year provides advanced research training, including an honours thesis, quantitative methods, psychological assessment and ethical/professional issues.
• Swinburne describes the degree as a first step towards becoming a registered psychologist. Additional approved postgraduate education and/or supervised practice is required for general registration.
• Swinburne's current course page states that it is ranked in the top 250 globally for psychology according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026. This is a university-level ranking, not a ranking of this individual course.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The primary discipline is Psychology.

Students can use the 150-credit-point secondary-study component to broaden their degree. Options include:

Co-majors:

• Criminology
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Human Resource Management
• Indigenous Studies
• Management
• Neuroscience
• Public Relations

Advanced minor:

• Mental Health Advanced

Other minor options include:

• Applied Psychology
• Biomedical Science
• Criminology
• Entrepreneurship
• Health Statistics
• Marketing
• Neuroscience
• Human Resource Management
• Indigenous Studies
• Innovation

Programme Highlights

• APAC-accredited four-year psychology degree.
• CRICOS registered for international students: 088386E.
• Integrated honours year rather than requiring students to apply separately for a conventional fourth-year honours course.
• Original honours research thesis.
• Psychology Project in third year.
• Embedded Work Integrated Learning.
• Psychology Clinic and psychology research environment at Hawthorn.
• Access to on-campus MRI and MEG facilities.
• Study options covering cognition, development, social psychology, personality, mental health, counselling, psychological assessment and research methods.
• Opportunity to combine psychology with areas such as neuroscience, criminology, management, human resource management or Indigenous Studies.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies potential career areas and roles including:

• Social welfare consultant
• Medical researcher
• Child safety officer
• Health officer
• Clinical worker
• Child development officer.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current course page lists 1 March 2027 and 2 August 2027 as the two published 2027 starts.
• The current course page identifies the Hawthorn campus and full-time four-year structure.
• The course is APAC accredited.
• Fourth-year progression requires at least a 70% distinction average in third-year core psychology units; an average of at least 75% guarantees fourth-year entry according to the current course page.
• Students who do not progress to honours may receive the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences if they complete its requirements.
• International qualifications are assessed individually at application.
• Credit transfer/RPL is assessed case-by-case, with a maximum of 150 credit points available under the course rules.
• The course contains specific capability requirements covering sensory, mobility, professional, learning/knowledge creation and interpersonal areas. Swinburne identifies reasonable adjustments for adaptable components where appropriate.

International Student Visa Requirements

The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is CRICOS registered and delivered on campus at Hawthorn, so it can be studied by eligible international students using the Australian Student visa subclass 500, subject to visa approval and all applicable requirements. Swinburne states that international students in Australia holding Student visas must study full-time and on campus.

Key Student visa requirements generally include:

• Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) in a CRICOS-registered course.
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
• Meeting the Genuine Student requirement.
• Meeting applicable health requirements.
• Meeting applicable character requirements.
• Providing financial evidence when required.
• Meeting any English-language evidence requirement imposed by the Department of Home Affairs.
• Compliance with Student visa conditions.