Overview

The Bachelor of Psychological Sciences provides you with knowledge and skills that will improve your ability to understand and explain human behaviour and relationships.

This course is delivered through Swinburne Online and is designed to meet the needs of those who are unable to undertake on-campus study.

Bachelor of Psychological Sciences course handbook

Skills you’ll learn

  • Explore different psychological abnormalities
  • Explain and predict people’s behaviours
  • Examine cognitive processes
  • Learn approaches to understand personality
  • Explain and predict people's behaviour

Your career opportunities

  • Psychologist (with further study)
  • Mental health support worker
  • Youth and welfare services worker
  • Juvenile justice and corrections officer
  • Community Services and development officer
International student visa

International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.

Professional accreditations

Why Swinburne?

Ranked top 250 in the world for the subject of psychology

Times Higher Education World University Ranking by Subject 2023

83.5% of students found employment within 4 months of graduating

Ranked Top 330 in Psychology

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023
  • Side view head shot of a smiling mixed race female wearing a headset, with laptop communicating via video chat.

    Study with Swinburne Online

    With Swinburne Online, the learning experience is 100% online and studied at your own pace. Our courses are built for the jobs of the future with a focus on collaboration and our flexible learning environment empowers you to study on your own terms. They are developed by leaders in the field and taught by professionals with industry experience.

Qualifications

One of the following:

  • Successful completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or its equivalent, such as an interstate or international Year 12 qualification.
  • Completion or partial completion of an approved tertiary qualification (including Certificates IV (completed), Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Associate Degrees and Degrees)
  • Applicants without a formal qualification may be considered for entry if they have significant and relevant work experience and/or upon completion of the STAT test.

Assess your eligibility for entry to Swinburne.

Course prerequisites

VCE Units 3 and 4: a minimum study score of 25 in any English (except EAL) or 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

Admission requirements

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.

English language requirements

Satisfactory completion of one of the following:

Admission requirements

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.

Need to undertake an English assessment for entry?

A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) can now be done at our Hawthorn campus.

Book your Pearson Test of English

Credit transfer

Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Learn more about credit

Recognition of prior learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Learn more about RPL

Finding your fit

At Swinburne, we recognise that not one size fits all. If this course doesn’t meet all your study criteria, check out these alternatives.

How credit points work

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Psychological Sciences, students must complete 300 credit points.

4
Core units
+
1
Online core unit
+
8
Psychology discipline major units
+
8
Elective units
=
3-year bachelor degree

Your units

Units of study Unit code
Core units
Brain and Behaviour
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY10007
Fundamentals of Psychology
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY10008
Introduction to Research Methods
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, Psychology majors only
PSY10005
Foundations of Statistics
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
STA10003
Learning and Communicating Online
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
COM10003
Major units
Cognition and Human Performance
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY20006
Developmental Psychology
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY20007
History and Philosophy of Psychology
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY30013
Analysis of Variance and Regression
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
STA20006
Social Psychology
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY20016
Psychology Project
Major unit, 12.5 credit points, Psychology majors only
PSY30003
Psychology of Personality
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY30008
Abnormal Psychology
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
PSY30010
Want to see the full range of electives?

Learn about all the electives you can take in the course handbook.

View course handbook

2024 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$8,948

Total fee* ($AUD)

$26,844

2024 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$0.00

Fees are estimates only

The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply to 2024 unit enrolments for HE Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and Undergraduate Full Fee Paying (FFP) only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester.

Fees are estimates only

The indicative course fees shown apply to international students for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. International tuition fees are generally inclusive of Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.

How do I pay my fees?

HECS-HELP is a loan and discount scheme available to you if you are eligible and enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place. A HECS-HELP loan can cover all or part of your contribution amount. You can also choose to pay your fees up front. 

Find out more about fees

International students need to pay tuition fees up-front by the relevant due date. You can find the due dates on your Statement of Account.

To pay your fees:

  • log in to My Financials
  • check your Australian bank account details are correct 
  • check your Statement of Account to see how much you owe 
  • pay using your preferred payment method.
Learn more about paying your fees

Eligibility for HECS-HELP

You are eligible for a HECS-HELP loan if you have been offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for an undergraduate degree at Swinburne or a UniLink course, and you:

  • are an Australian citizen and doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
  • hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
  • hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Student services and amenities fee

This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.

The fee shown in the capped amount for 2024.

This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.

This amenities fee is included within your annual tuition fee listed above. The fee shown in the capped amount for 2024.

Please refer to the Student Services Amenities Fee page for more information.

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$351.00

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$351.00

Learn more about SSAF

Scholarships

Scholarship applications for 2024 are open. Scholarships at Swinburne are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. We want you to reach your potential and achieve your life and career goals. 

Our handy guide will assist you to gather documents for your application.

Learn more about scholarships

When you apply for a Swinburne course, we automatically consider you for an international scholarship of up to 20 per cent off your course fees – no separate application required! Just apply for your Swinburne course of choice and when we review your course application, we will also assess you for an international scholarship.

Learn more about scholarships

Apply through an agent

Most international students use an education agent to help them through the application process. Swinburne has agents all over the world that can help you with your application to study. Search for a Swinburne representative in your country. If your country is not listed, please contact us.

Representatives and agents
BA-PSYS
Search for agents

Apply directly

Ready to take on a new challenge and reach your academic goals? If you already know which course you want to study and understand the entry requirements, what are you waiting for? Apply online! 

Please note: This online course is not available to on-shore international students holding a student visa.

Start dates
Location
Last date to apply
Start dates
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Last date to apply
30-October-2024
Start dates
04-November-2024
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Last date to apply
05-March-2025
Start dates
10-March-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Last date to apply
02-July-2025
Start dates
07-July-2025
Start dates
Location
Start dates
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start dates
04-November-2024
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start dates
10-March-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start dates
07-July-2025
Upcoming events
2025 Study Expo
12-November-2024