When you study psychology at Swinburne, you’re backed by more than 30 years of teaching expertise from active clinicians and leading researchers, joining a community of graduates thriving in rewarding careers. Because you’ll learn at Victoria’s #1 university for psychology graduate salary and full-time employment, you can step into your future confident that your qualifications are industry recognised and valued by employers from day one.1
There are two phases in training to become a registered psychologist in Australia:
PHASE 1:
Complete an APAC-accredited three-year undergraduate psychology degree, followed by a fourth-year honours program
PHASE 2:
Progress to an approved postgraduate degree
Find the right psychology degree
At Swinburne, you can align your studies with your interests through four APAC-accredited bachelor degrees:
Want a broad foundation in psychology?
The Bachelor of Psychological Sciences is Swinburne's most flexible psychology degree, with optional 6 or 12-month professional placements, ideal if you want to keep your career options open while building towards honours or postgraduate study.
Looking to use your high ATAR to extend your psychology training options?
The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is a four-year integrated degree that takes you straight through to honours – which sets you up to apply for a postgraduate degree in psychology.
Drawn to criminal behaviour and the justice system?
The Bachelor of Forensic Psychological Science is Australia's first undergraduate forensic psychology degree, designed for students who want to understand the psychology behind crime and work across policing, corrections and the justice system.
Interested in the brain and how it works?
The Bachelor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience examines human behaviour, cognition and brain science, with hands-on neuroimaging experience analysing MEG, MRI and EEG data, a good fit if you want to specialise in neuroscience, healthcare or research.
Once you’ve completed honours year, you can specialise with a master’s or doctorate program in Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology), Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology), or Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental Psychology).
3 steps to become a registered psychologist
Your pathway into an APAC-accredited psychology degree at Swinburne will depend on your academic background, prior qualifications and experience. Explore the options to find the right course for you.
1. Gain an undergraduate qualification
Your first step to becoming a psychologist is to build strong practical and theoretical foundations in psychology through an APAC-accredited undergraduate degree.
Swinburne offers flexible ways to get started depending on your academic background and experience, including TAFE and UniLink diplomas that directly lead to undergraduate study.
Throughout your undergraduate studies you'll have opportunities to connect theory with practice through work-integrated learning and placements, building industry skills and exploring career pathways.
Bachelor degrees
Bachelor of Psychological Sciences
The Bachelor of Psychological Sciences is a three-year degree that builds your grounding in psychology, with the flexibility to shape your studies around your interests. Alongside core psychology subjects, you can choose from a wide range of co-majors such as Arts, Criminology, Marketing or Human Resource Management.
This degree is a good starting point if you're considering a career as a psychologist, with a clear path to honours and postgraduate study.
You'll study areas including:
Brain and behaviour
Developmental psychology
Psychology of personality
Mental health diversity, diagnosis and treatment
Ready to take your Psychological Sciences studies further?
After completing the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences and meeting the entry requirements, you can apply for the fourth-year Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours), where you'll develop advanced research, assessment and analytical skills through independent study and an original research project.
After completing honours, you’ll be well-positioned to pursue registration as a psychologist through postgraduate specialisation in areas such as clinical, organisational, or sports psychology, or continue into higher-degree research.
Bachelor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
The three-year APAC-accredited Bachelor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience is built for students who want to understand how the brain drives behaviour, emotion and mental processes.
You'll gain experience working with real data from Australia's only single-site MEG, MRI and EEG neuroimaging facility, building skills in analysing brain function, interpreting data and understanding behaviour across psychology and neuroscience.
You'll study areas including:
- Brain and behaviour
- Cognition and human performance
- Sensation, perception and attention
- Neuroimaging and data analysis
After completing the Bachelor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience and meeting the entry requirements, you can apply for the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours). Entry into the honours year is competitive, so check the academic requirements early in your three-year programn if registration as a psychologist is your goal.
Bachelor of Forensic Psychological Sciences
Australia's first undergraduate forensic psychology degree, the three-year Bachelor of Forensic Psychological Science explores how psychology applies in legal and forensic settings, from understanding criminal behaviour through to how people are assessed and supported within the justice system.
You'll build a strong foundation in psychology alongside specialised study in forensic contexts, developing skills in research, analysis and psychological assessment.
You'll study areas including:
Forensic psychology
Criminal behaviour and justice systems
Policing and corrections
Psychological assessment in forensic contexts
After completing your degree, you can progress to the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours) and postgraduate psychology programs, or step directly into careers across policing, courts, corrections, youth justice and community services.
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is an integrated four-year degree that takes you from foundational psychology through to an original research thesis and advanced training in counselling, assessment and ethical practice.
You'll study core areas including brain and behaviour, cognition and human performance, developmental psychology and social psychology, building the research and communication skills needed for professional practice.
This is your first step towards becoming a registered psychologist.
Completing honours opens pathways to postgraduate specialisations in clinical psychology, educational and developmental psychology, and forensic psychology.
Honours students’ have investigated topics like:
TikTok and body image: Exploring how social media content shapes eating behaviours and weight stigma.
Sleep and depression: Examining how sleep patterns and chronotypes influence mental health outcomes.
Housing insecurity and attitudes: Looking at how housing instability shapes beliefs, behaviour and social perception.
AI and career optimism: Understanding how emerging technologies are influencing how people think about their future.
Music and mental health: Exploring the relationship between listening habits, mood and wellbeing.
Work-integrated learning for undergraduate students
At Swinburne, work-integrated learning is built into every psychology degree. Throughout your studies you'll gain hands-on experience through industry-informed projects, placement opportunities and research.
Industry placements and internships give you the chance to explore your professional interests while building skills that translate into psychology careers. With an industry network spanning research, health, government and private sectors, past students have gained practical experience at organisations including:
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Working as a research assistant on clinical trials, supporting data collection and patient engagement, and building skills in health psychology, research methods and ethical practice.
Department of Parliamentary Services
Contributing to recruitment, onboarding and workforce systems, applying psychological principles to organisational behaviour, decision-making and workplace dynamics.
Swisse
Supporting wellbeing initiatives and helping design programs that promote healthier workplace cultures, grounded in motivation, behaviour change and human performance.
Pathway courses
TAFE and UniLink Diplomas
Not ready to commit to a degree, or seeking a pathway into psychology study through a TAFE or UniLink diploma?
A diploma offers a shorter pathway into a higher education and can count towards credit in an APAC-accredited psychology degree at Swinburne.
Many students start with a diploma before progressing to a psychology degree, including students now completing doctoral programs at Swinburne.
Pathways into the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences include:
Diploma of Health Science (UniLink) (8 months)
Diploma of Community Service (18 months)
Diploma of Youth Work (18 months)
Pathways into both the Bachelor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience and Bachelor of Forensic Psychological Sciences:
Diploma of Health Science (UniLink) (8 months)
Diploma of Community Service (18 months)
2. Gain a postgraduate qualification
Postgraduate courses
After honours, your psychology training becomes increasingly specialised. Completing an APAC-accredited master's program is an important step towards registration as a psychologist; before you can apply for registration as a psychologist, building advanced skills in psychological assessment, intervention and research through supervised practice, clinical training and coursework.
Master degrees
At the master's level, you'll specialise in your chosen area of psychology, stepping into supervised practice as a provisional psychologist and building the skills needed for professional registration. Swinburne offers two master's pathways that prepare you for registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
The Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology) equips you with advanced skills in psychological assessment, case formulation and therapeutic intervention, working with individuals, families and groups across the lifespan.
Training combines supervised clinical placements with research, preparing you to work across complex presentations, from anxiety and depression through to severe and enduring conditions.
You'll study areas including:
Counselling theory and skills
Advanced psychological assessment
Adult psychopathology
Cognitive behaviour therapy and research
Systemic family counselling
Psychology practice with children and adolescents
Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental Psychology)
The Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental Psychology) prepares you to work with clients across the lifespan in educational, clinical and community settings, developing advanced capabilities in assessment, counselling and intervention.
With a distinctive focus on psychology practice schools and universities, you'll learn to address learning difficulties, developmental challenges and behavioural concerns while promoting positive outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
Training combines supervised placements with research, and you can enter from a four-year psychology sequence or through relevant professional experience.
Graduates are eligible for general registration with AHPRA, with a pathway toward endorsement in educational and developmental psychology through the Psychology Board of Australia.
You'll study areas including:
Ethical psychological practice and leadership
Psychological assessment in educational settings
Therapy across the lifespan
Educational and developmental psychologist interventions
Child, adolescent and adult psychopathology
Doctoral programs
At the doctoral level, you'll reach the pinnacle of psychology training, integrating advanced research with intensive clinical practice to develop the skills, judgement and expertise of a specialist psychologist. Swinburne offers two doctoral pathways.
Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology)
The Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology) prepares you to work across mental health and justice settings, assessing, diagnosing and treating mental health conditions while applying your skills in legal contexts such as courts, corrections and forensic services.
Training combines 20 core units and 1,500 hours of supervised clinical placement with a substantial research thesis, through which you'll make an original contribution to the field.
Graduates are eligible for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Following an additional 18 months of approved supervised practice, you can apply for area of practice endorsement in both clinical and forensic psychology.
You'll build skills in:
Psychological assessment and diagnosis
Clinical and forensic intervention
Risk assessment and case formulation
Research design and evaluation
Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology)
The Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology) combines advanced clinical training with doctoral-level research, developing deep expertise in psychological assessment, diagnosis and intervention across the lifespan.
With a strong emphasis on reflective practice, ethical decision making and cultural competence, training comprises 8 core units, 4 clinical placements and 8 research units, culminating in a doctoral thesis that contributes original knowledge to the field.
Graduates are eligible for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Following an additional 18 months of approved supervised practice, you can apply for area of practice endorsement in clinical psychology.
You'll build skills in:
Psychological assessment and diagnosis
Evidence-based therapeutic intervention
Case formulation and treatment planning
Research design and evaluation
3. Register as a psychologist
With your accredited qualifications and supervised practice complete, you can apply for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and begin your career as a psychologist. General registration makes you eligible for endorsement in a specific area of practice within psychology.
Why study psychology at Swinburne?
30 years
Shaping psychology research and careers
Learn
In one of Australia’s largest university-based psychology clinics
#1
In Victoria for graduate employment and salaries1
How long will it take to become a psychologist?
To become a registered psychologist in Australia you’ll need to complete a minimum of six years of study and undertake supervised training, depending on your chosen pathway.
-
Bachelor degrees
3 to 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
-
Postgraduate courses
2 to 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
-
TAFE courses
8 to 18 months of full-time study and can lead to a bachelor degree
What skills do you need to become a psychologist?
Communication skills:
Build rapport with clients
Listen actively and communicate clearly
Write reports, case notes and interview summaries
Communicate with professionals across health and non-health settings
Adapt communication to suit individual client needs2
Technical skills:
Conduct and interpret psychological assessments
Develop case management plans
Identify and manage risk
Plan and deliver interventions
Adapt to digital healthcare systems3
Research skills:
Apply scientific research methods in practice
Critically evaluate psychological research
Translate research into evidence-based practice
Stay current with advances in psychology
Analyse and interpret data in clinical and research settings
Study psychology at Swinburne
Study psychology at Swinburne with industry-connected learning, opportunities for supervised clinical experience through one of Australia’s largest university psychology clinics, and access to advanced brain imaging facilities including MRI, MEG and EEG.
Courses and study pathways
Duration:
3 to 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent.
Entry requirements:
Successful completion of VCE , other TAFE course, or similar.
Career outcomes:
Psychologist (with further study)
Market researcher
Research scientist
Rehabilitation counsellor
- Case manager
Entry requirements:
Successful completion of VCE Year 12 (or equivalent), including the required English study score, with ATAR used for selection.
Professional accreditation:
Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
Recommended courses:
Duration:
2 to 4 years full-time (or part-time equivalent).
Career outcomes:
Psychologist
Entry requirements:
Completed an APAC-accredited four-year psychology sequence.
Professional accreditation:
Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
Recommended courses:
Duration:
8–18 months full-time (or part-time equivalent).
Entry requirements:
Pathway into the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences with advanced standing.
Career outcomes:
Youth mental health worker
Child safety officer
Disability support worker
Entry requirements:
Completion of VCE, Year 11 (or equivalent), approved TAFE course. Non school leavers without formal qualifications can apply.
Recommended courses:
Frequently asked questions
Psychologists assess, diagnose and treat mental health conditions, using evidence-based approaches to support behaviour change and wellbeing.
Some work directly with clients, conducting assessments, developing treatment plans and delivering therapy with individuals, families or groups. Others work in settings like schools, hospitals, courts or community services, applying psychological frameworks to support learning, health and decision-making.
Beyond one-on-one practice, psychologists contribute to areas like forensic assessment, organisational development and research, using data and evidence to inform interventions and improve outcomes.
At Swinburne, you’ll start building this experience early through placements, projects and supervised practice. By the time you graduate, you’ll be applying psychology in real settings, working with clients and contributing across health, education, justice and community sectors.
Becoming a psychologist typically takes at least six years of study and training. Training typically includes a three-year undergraduate degree, an honours year, followed by postgraduate study.
Swinburne offers psychology training at all levels, from APAC-accredited undergraduate degrees through to advanced professional psychology programs. We also offer TAFE and UniLink diploma courses that meet the entry requirements for further undergraduate study.
Guaranteed entry scores for 2026 are:
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours): 80
Bachelor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience: 70
Bachelor of Forensic Psychological Science: 60
Bachelor of Psychological Sciences: 60
Your ATAR may be adjusted based on equity schemes or other factors, so it’s worth checking your individual eligibility.
If you’re unsure, reach out to our Future Students team or book a one-on-one chat to talk through your options
An ATAR score is not required to study psychology at Swinburne. As a dual-sector university, we also offer TAFE and diploma courses that meet the entry criteria for entry into the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences. Diploma study options include:
Yes, practical experience is built into every psychology course.
At undergraduate level, you’ll undertake work-integrated learning through industry-informed projects, optional placements and industry-linked experiences embedded across your degree.
At postgraduate level, training becomes more immersive, with supervised placements and professional practice experiences as you work towards becoming a registered psychologist.
Explore our courses or contact us for one-on-one advice and to learn more about the experience of studying psychology at Swinburne.
Psychology is a science-based discipline, so understanding research data is part of the process. At Swinburne, you’ll build skills gradually starting with foundational statistics in first year, then progress to more advanced statistical methods in later years of study.
Sources
1 QILT: Graduates Outcomes Survey 2022-2024
2 Psychology Board of Australia
3Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
Start your journey in Psychology
Where understanding people becomes your career.