Program Requirements

The Masters of Professional Psychology requires completion of 96 units which must consist of:

48 units from completion of the following pre-provisional registration courses:

PSYC8410 Foundations of Professional Psychology

PSYC8411 Research Methods and Statistics in Professional Psychology  

PSYC8412 Professional Psychology Research Project (18 units, which are usually taken during the first year of study as 6 units in first semester and as 12 units in second semester)

PSYC8413 Psychological Assessment  

PSYC8421 Psychological Interventions

PSYC8422 Contextualizing Professional Psychology

48 units from completion of the following post-provisional registration courses:

PSYC8510 Advanced Assessment in Professional Psychology

PSYC8511 Advanced Psychological Interventions 

PSYC8512 Ethics and Professional Practice

PSYC8513 Preparation for Professional Psychology Placements

PSYC8520 Evidence in Professional Psychology

PSYC8521 Advanced Applications in Psychological Practice

PSYC8522 Professional Psychology Placement (12 units which must be taken in the final semester of the program)

Students must satisfy the progression requirements of provisional registration or equivalent with the Psychology Board of Australia before progressing to the final 48 units.

Students who do not satisfy the progression requirements of provisional registration or equivalent with the Psychology Board of Australia will be transferred to graduate from the Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology.

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. 

Where ranking of applications is required, the ANU selection rank calculated from your qualifications will be used.

Academic achievement & English language proficiency

The minimum academic requirement for full entry and enrolment are:

• Completion of an Australian bachelor degree or international equivalent with an APAC accredited sequence of courses in Psychology with a GPA of at least 5.00/7.00.
• Two referee reports
• Supplementary form and CV
• Successful assessment of suitability which will be based on interview, supplementary forms, CV and the referee reports.

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 each year in order to be considered.
• Competitive applicants will 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.
• This program has a quota on places due to availability of supervision. 50% of places will be reserved for ANU undergraduate students. 10% of places will be reserved for Indigenous applicants and will be awarded if there are suitable applicants. Opportunities for accessing professional scholarships for Indigenous applicants will be explored.
• 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.
• Students must satisfy the progression requirements of provisional registration or equivalent with the Psychology Board of Australia before progressing to the final 48 units. Students who do not satisfy the progression requirement of provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia will be transferred to graduate from the Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology.
• Supplementary form and referee report are available from the College of Health and Medicine webpage https://health.anu.edu.au/study/masters/master-professional-psychology

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.

Credit Granted

Applicants with an AQF8 Graduate Diploma or Honours degree with an APAC accredited sequence of courses in Psychology may be eligible for up to 48 units (one year) of credit. Applicants who are deemed eligible for the full 48 units of credit will also need to satisfy the progression requirements of provisional registration or equivalent with the Psychology Board of Australia as an admission requirement.

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

Career opportunities

Graduates from the degree will be required to complete a 1 year internship and pass the National Psychology Examination before they can apply for full registration as a psychologist.

Fully registered Psychologists can work in private practice or diverse community, non-government and government settings.

Graduates will be eligible for Associate Membership of the Australian Psychological Society.

Learning Outcomes

1. Advanced knowledge of the theoretical and conceptual foundations of assessment and intervention relevant to professional psychology practice
2. Advanced communication skills in oral and written formats
3. Understanding of, ability to apply and commitment to the ethical, legal, culturally competent and self-reflective professional practice of psychology
4. The ability to critically analyze and synthesize complex information relevant to the practice of professional psychology
5. The ability to collaborate effectively with clients and other service providers
6. The ability to conduct and interpret research relevant to the professional practice of psychology  
7. The skills required to engage in psychological assessment under appropriate supervision
8. The skills required to engage in psychological interventions under appropriate supervision
9. Awareness, knowledge and skill in interacting and working with clients across the lifespan and from diverse cultural settings including those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds

Inherent Requirements

During the Master of Professional Psychology, students will 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 final 48 units of the program, students must complete a supervised clinical placement 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

This program is accredited by APAC, and will provide the 4th and 5th year of university study in the 5+1 pathway to registration as a Psychologist. It will be the first program in Australia to combine the 4th and 5th years of study in the 5+1 pathway and was developed specifically to meet the requirements of students pursuing this pathway.

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-professional-psychology

Information on provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia:

• Provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia must be maintained for the entirety of the second year of the program. For information, please see the Board’s Provisional Registration Standard https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Registration/Provisional.aspx and all other Standards that apply to Provisional registration https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Standards-and-Guidelines/Registration-Standards.aspx
• Please note that the Psychology Board of Australia has an English Language Skills Standard which must be met by all applicants. For details please check https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Standards-and-Guidelines/Registration-Standards.aspx .

Students will also have to seek additional documentation prior to enrolling in the placement course in the second 48 units of the program. This may include:

• Any requirements of the ANU, ACT Health and NSW Health and other external placement providers including immunisation and health screening.
• ACT Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) Card
• An AFP National Police Check Certificate

Applicants from Australian universities (other than ANU) must provide evidence from their University that their qualification is APAC accredited. Applicants with qualifications obtained outside Australia must have a formal assessment of comparability against the Australian psychology education pathway (called an “assessment of psychology qualifications”) by the Australian Psychological Society.

Minimum required PSYC learning to meet eligibility requirements for ANU students seeking to apply for admission to this program:

Students in an ANU BSc, BA or PhB who wish to be eligible for the Master of Professional Psychology must complete a specific set of courses that satisfy the APAC accreditation requirements.

• Students admitted to the ANU BSc, BA or PhB prior to 2023 are expected to complete PSYC1003 , PSYC1004 , PSYC2001 , PSYC2002 , PSYC2007 , PSYC2008 , PSYC2009 , PSYC3018 , PSYC3025 , PSYC3026 and an additional 2 x 3000 level PSYC courses (or, for PhB students, 3000 level SCNC courses with a psychology supervisor). This constitutes the minimum required learning in Psychology for accreditation.

• Students admitted to the ANU BSc, BA or PhB from 2023 are expected to complete PSYC1003 , PSYC1004 , PSYC2001 , PSYC2007 , PSYC2008 , PSYC2009 , PSYC2012, PSYC3018 , PSYC3020 , PSYC3025 , PSYC3026 and PSYC3202. This constitutes the minimum required learning in Psychology for accreditation.