Program Requirements

The Master of Clinical Psychology degree requires the completion of 96 units, which must consist of:

48 units from completion of the following courses:

PSYC8101 Clinical Coursework I (12 units)

PSYC8102 Clinical Coursework II (12 units)

PSYC8103 Clinical Coursework III (12 units)

PSYC8104 Clinical Coursework IV (12 units)

24 units from completion of the following placement courses:

PSYC8201 Clinical Field Placement I (6 units)

PSYC8202 Clinical Field Placement II (6 units)

PSYC8203 Clinical Field Placement III (6 units)

PSYC8204 Clinical Field Placement IV (6 units)

24 units from completion of the following research project course:

PSYC8301 Clinical Research (which must be taken 4 times)

Capstone Courses

Study Options

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. 

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may included competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors.

Academic achievement & English language proficiency

Entry to this program is highly competitive. The minimum academic requirement for full entry and enrolment are:

• Completion of an APAC accredited Bachelor degree with Honours in Psychology or international equivalent with a GPA of at least 5.5/7.0 or completion of an APAC accredited AQF Level 8 qualification, which must include a substantial research methodology component in Psychology, with a GPA of at least 5.5/7.0.
• Two referee reports
• Supplementary form and CV
• Successful assessment of suitability which will be based on interview, supplementary form, CV and the referee reports.
• Eligibility for provisional or full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

Program-specific Requirements

• For the selection criteria for domestic applicants, please click here.
• For the selection criteria for international applicants, please click here.

Additional information for prospective students

• Applications must be received by the 30th September in order to be considered.
• Applicants with qualifications obtained outside Australia must have a formal degree equivalency assessment completed by the Australian Psychological Society before submitting an application for study.
• Additional factors considered in assessing applications are previous relevant experience, availability of supervision for research component and written application.
• Competitive applicants may be invited to participate in a suitability assessment process which will include a panel interview and other activities. Full details will be available on the School of Medicine and Psychology website.
• Applicants with qualifications obtained outside Australia must have a formal assessment completed by the Australian Psychological Society before submitting an application for study.
• Due to the highly structured nature of this program, it is highly recommended that this program should be taken full-time. Part-time enrolment should be negotiated with the Program Convener and would require part-time with a minimum of two courses per semester, taken in the order prescribed by the School of Medicine and Psychology.
• Supplementary form and referee reports are available from the College of Health and Medicine webpage https://health.anu.edu.au/study/masters/master-clinical-psychology

Recommendation

Completion of undergraduate courses in psychopathology, psychometrics and personality is highly recommended. As the Master of Clinical Psychology focuses adheres to the Scientist-Practitioner model of clinical training, prior coursework in statistics and research methodology is another important criterion, usually demonstrated by the successful completion of a fourth year thesis.

Eligibility for Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of the Australia is a condition of entry into the Clinical Program.

Diversity factors

As Australia’s national university, ANU is a global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of international applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe.

Assessment of qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met. Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au 

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications 

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Cognate Disciplines

Psychology with an APAC accredited program https://www.psychologycouncil.org.au/standards_review

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

This degree is the fundamental professional qualification in clinical psychology, and will provide you with postgraduate clinical training to practise in a range of clinical settings such as hospitals, community health centres and private practice.

This degree can also form the basis of a career in other areas including corporate consulting, evaluation science, social policy, recruitment, mediation, and population health.

Learning Outcomes

1. Advanced knowledge of and the ability to critically evaluate theory in clinical psychology including a deep understanding of theories underlying assessment, diagnosis, case formulation, and the treatment of psychopathology across the lifespan.
2. An advanced level of skill in the application of psychological knowledge to a wide range of psychological problems and disorders across the lifespan.
3. An advanced level of skill in diagnostic interviewing and counselling and a high level of competence in the principles and practice of clinical assessment, diagnosis, case formulation, and psychological therapy.
4. An advanced level of skills in psychological testing and test data interpretation and in the writing of psychological reports.
5. Advanced knowledge and skills in the interpretation and critical evaluation of psychological and other research relevant to the broad field of clinical psychology practice.
6. Advanced knowledge and skills in the application and implementation of appropriate research methodologies to advancing knowledge in both fundamental and applied issues in clinical psychology.
7. Understanding of the principles and application of the scientist-practitioner model and evidence-based psychological practice to the field of clinical psychology.
8. Knowledge and application of the ethical, professional, and legal frameworks relevant to the practice of clinical psychology.
9. Advanced skills in communicating and working with other health professionals and non-professionals including a high level of ability in written communication (e.g., clinical and research reports) and oral communication (e.g., research, case presentations, seminars).
10. Awareness, knowledge and skill in interacting and working with clients from diverse cultural settings including those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds

Inherent Requirements

During the Master of Clinical Psychology, students must develop professional competencies that allow them to provide psychology services to potentially vulnerable clients in a range of settings. Developing these competencies requires students to be able to:

• Communicate effectively in English, including understanding and conveying nuance and adapting their communication style to suit the preferences and needs of others.
• Use cues other than the literal meaning of spoken words to interpret the thoughts, emotions and motivations of others.
• Reflect on how their verbal and non-verbal communication is interpreted by others and use these insights to develop positive professional relationships.
• Monitor, reflect on and take responsibility for their own mental wellbeing, assumptions, beliefs and reactions to ensure they have the capacity to provide effective psychology services to clients.
• Develop productive professional relationships with supervisors, colleagues and fellow students, take proactive steps to resolve difficult situations and learn effectively from supervisor feedback.

Students who cannot meet these requirements throughout the entirety of the program will be unable to complete compulsory assessment requirements and will therefore be unable to complete their degree.

Throughout the program, students must complete supervised clinical placements and other activities that are governed by standards set out by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council and the Psychology Board of Australia. Participating in these activities requires students to:

• Hold provision registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, which includes meeting requirements for criminal history checks and English language skills.
• Meet reasonable requirements set by the clinic at which they conduct their placement, including working at set times, suitability screening and, at some placements, requirements for immunisation.

Students who do not meet these requirements by the deadlines set by the program convenor will not be able to complete their degree.

Clinical placements typically involve students providing face-to-face psychology services in spoken English. Applicants are encouraged to contact the program convenor if they are unable to provide psychology services in this format, but may be able to in other formats (e.g. in Australian Sign Language). We will work with you to investigate whether you can meet the program and Psychology Board of Australia requirements and whether there is a placement available that meets your needs. We encourage applicants to begin these discussions as early as possible, as they must be finalised before we will be able to offer you a place in the program.

Further Information

Additional information for admissions purposes:

• The application closing date is 30 September each year. In order to be considered, your application must be submitted by the closing date and include all required supporting documentation including:
• CV
• Supplementary form
• Official Transcripts
• Where applicable APAC accreditation letter.
• Two referee reports must also be received by 30 September each year. We recommend contacting your referees well in advance to ensure they are aware their report must be submitted by the above deadline. Please see the ANU College of Health and Medicine webpage to access the supplementary form and information regarding how referees can submit their report https://health.anu.edu.au/study/masters/master-clinical-psychology

Additional program information

• Clinical Field Placements

In their first semester, students attend courses preparing them for their first clinical placement which begins in late April of the first year in the ANU Psychology Clinic. Subsequent to this placement they undertake three or more supervised clinical field placements.

• Clinical Research

Part of the requirements of the Master of Clinical Psychology degree is the completion of an appropriate empirical research project normally supervised by a member of staff of the School of Medicine and Psychology. Please check the MCP handbook for additional details.

• Performance and attendance

The Master of Clinical Psychology is a professional training program and the School has a responsibility to ensure that graduates complete certain training requirements to a high standard. Both attendance and the satisfactory completion of assessment processes are necessary conditions for the successful completion of any of the degrees offered in the clinical program. High standards of academic and professional performance as well as ethical conduct are expected of all our students. All components of the Master of Clinical Psychology will be assessed. Students must satisfy course requirements in each and every component of the program (coursework, clinical placements and research) in order for the degree to be awarded. Students will not be permitted to proceed with their research if failures are recorded in the coursework or clinical placement components of their study program.

• More information https://psychology.anu.edu.au/study/master-degrees/master-clinical-psychology

APAC Accreditation

The Master of Clinical Psychology is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)