Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences : Guide to courses

12. Psychology as a Major

Table of Contents

 12. Psychology as a Major

The University of Melbourne offers Psychology as an area of major study, rather than as a single degree on its own. Psychology may be studied through undergraduate programs run by a number of faculties, including Arts, Science and Economics and Commerce. It is also available to Music and Law students. Many students undertaking combined degrees such as BCom/BSc, BA/BSc, BA/BCom study Psychology to complement their specialisation since it is considered as either a humanities or science major. Students may enrol in any number of Psychology subjects, however, to complete a major in Psychology at least 125 credit points must be undertaken. Students enrolled in combined Commerce degrees are able to complete a major in Psychology with 100 credit points, by being granted exemption from two 12.5 credit point subjects.

The advantage of studying Psychology as an area of major study is that you can complete a three-year accredited major in Psychology, leaving the way open to a career as a psychologist, and at the same time complete a broader discipline, such as science. This gives you the opportunity to choose a career in a number of different areas.

Students who are not interested in completing an accredited major in Psychology may still wish to undertake individual Psychology subjects to complement their studies in other areas. For example, a student undertaking a Commerce or Economics degree could study Psychology to further develop skills in the areas of marketing or management.

 12.1. Course objectives

Level 1 Psychology subjects are designed to give students an overview of the study of psychology and also to provide a grounding in the methodology of the discipline. Introductory Experimental Psychology 1 will introduce students to behavioural neuroscience, cognitive psychology, the psychology of individual differences as well as research design and descriptive statistics. Introductory Social, Developmental and Clinical Psychology 1 will cover the areas of social psychology, human development, clinical psychology together with an introduction to inferential statistics.

Level 2 and 3 Psychology subjects identify separate objectives for each subject, however, a Psychology major will provide students with the opportunity to develop the ability to examine critically basic psychological concepts and theories in the areas of biological bases of behaviour, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, sensation and perception, and social psychology. Students will also have the opportunity to develop skills in research methodology and data analysis, as well as choose at least one elective which will allow them to study a particular area of interest in depth.

 12.2. Course structure

Students have the flexibility to study any number of subjects in Psychology, as long as the prerequisites and corequisites of subjects are met. A major study in Psychology, accredited by the Australian Psychological Society, consists of nine compulsory subjects and at least one elective subject (a minimum of 125 credit points).

Compulsory Subjects
Level 1		Points
	512-120 Introductory Experimental Psychology 1	12.5
	512-121 Social, Develop. & Clinical Psychology 1	12.5
Level 2
	512-220 Quantitative Methods for Psychology 2	12.5
	512-221 Developmental Psychology 2	12.5
	512-222 Behavioural Neuroscience 2	12.5
	512-223 Personality and Social Psychology 2	12.5
	512-224 Cognitive Psychology 2	12.5
Level 3
	512-320 Research Methods 3	12.5
	512-321 Applied Psychology 3	12.5

Elective subjects
At least one subject chosen from the following Level 3 subjects:		Points
	512-330 Human Psychophysiology 3	12.5
	512-340 Vision and Action 3	12.5
	512-350 Brain, Cognition and Behaviour 3	12.5
	512-360 Personality and Social Psychology 3	12.5
	512-370 Cognitive and Neurological Development 3	12.5
	512-380 Personal and Social Development 3	12.5
	512-390 Cognitive Science 3	12.5

Normally, a full-time student undertaking a major in Psychology completes:

• In first year, the two compulsory Level 1 subjects;

• In second year, either three or four compulsory Level 2 subjects;

• In third year, the remaining compulsory Level 2 subjects, the two compulsory Level 3 subjects, and at least one elective Level 3 subject.

Students must note that subject 512-220 Quantitative Methods for Psychology 2 should be undertaken in their second year, as it is a corequisite or prerequisite for all Level 2 subjects.

 12.3. Transitional students

Students who have completed any undergraduate Psychology subjects before 1999 will be considered as transitional students. To complete a major study in Psychology as a transitional student, you must:

If you have completed Psychology 1,

• complete all Level 2 and Level 3 compulsory subjects, and at least one Level 3 elective subject;

If you have completed Psychology 2,

• complete the two Level 3 compulsory subjects, and at least two Level 3 elective subjects.

As part of the course planning process, any Psychology Level 3 enrolments must be approved initially by the Department of Psychology before a student's enrolment can be confirmed.

Any Psychology subject changes made during the year must first be approved by the Department of Psychology on the appropriate form available from the Department.

 12.3.1. Subject exclusion list

Under the new course structure, if a student has completed a third year Psychology subject before 1999, they may be ineligible to undertake some of the new Level 3 subjects. Before enrolling into any Level 3 subjects, these students should seek approval from the Department of Psychology to ensure that they have not previously completed a similar unit under the old course structure.

Status:                   Official 2000
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Email Enquiries:          Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au