Study the Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and gain insight into why people think, feel and behave the way they do. At the same time, you will also open the door to a world of opportunity through your study in the Arts.

Why not study psychology your way, with more flexibility and diverse opportunities? 

Learn the perfect mix of skills sought by employers by studying one degree, with exposure to two distinct areas of interest. Combining your passions in psychology and the arts can open doors and make you more employable once you graduate.

You will study psychology as a scientific discipline and learn to appreciate the important role it plays within society. You will cover a range of psychology areas including:

• behavioural and clinical neuroscience
• child and adolescent psychology
• human social behaviour
• cognitive psychology
• forensic psychology

Our School of Psychology is one of the largest in Victoria. It has strong partnerships with industry, including collaborative activities with government agencies, public and private organisations, hospitals and other universities.

These partnerships ensure that your degree remains relevant to industry and workforce needs. You will be in high demand by employers who want graduates that are ready to face problems with confidence.

You will get the chance to build real-world experience by electing to undertake the Psychology at Work (Internship) unit in your final year of study, giving you 140-hours of practical industry placement, strengthening your employment prospects. The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) is also recognised for registration purposes by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

As a student in the Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), you will also choose an area of study in the Arts from over 28 disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, communication, languages, and the creative arts to build your future-focused degree.

You will develop specialist knowledge in your chose Arts discipline and learn how to apply critical, creative and strategic thinking to real-world issues. 

You will also develop essential skills in communication, critical thinking and problem solving that you will take with you into your futures.

If you are intending to become a psychologist, this course is the pathway to a 4th year level of study (honours or graduate diploma level). After completing a 4th year of study, you will be eligible to apply to register as a provisional psychologist. Students wishing to become fully registered psychologists can then apply to continue their study by undertaking one of the following:

• Master of Psychology (Clinical)
• Master of Psychology (Organisational)
• Master of Professional Psychology
• Doctor of Psychology (Clinical).

As a Deakin Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) graduate you will develop some of the most important skills a student can gain at university.

Through your study in the Arts you will build valuable and transferable career skills, making you highly employable within many industries. The range of disciplines on offer also lets you follow your passion and develop the specialist skills to pursue the career you want. You will be able to take your degree into a range of careers, including:

• Administration
• Advertising
• Business
• Communication
• Community services
• Criminal justice
• Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM)
• Government
• Human rights
• Journalism
• Media
• Not-for-profits
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Photography
• Policing
• Policy development
• Politics
• Public relations
• Publishing
• Research
• Tourism

Following the completion of your major in psychology, taking the next step towards becoming a psychologist involves applying for an honours year (e.g. Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Honours)). Once completed, you’ll be able to register as a provisional psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

If your passion isn’t to complete further study to become a registered psychologist, there are still many diverse career options available, including:

• child protection
• counselling
• family support
• human services
• marketing
• not for profit aid
• public health
• social work

If you choose to pursue full registration as a psychologist, you may find employment in a variety of roles, including:

• clinical psychologist
• cognitive neuroscientist
• counsellor
• criminal psychologist
• educational and developmental psychologist
• family therapist
• forensic psychologist
• health and community psychologist
• organisational psychologist
• rehabilitation counsellor
• sport and exercise psychologist
• youth psychologist

These positions can be found in:

• private clinics and practices
• public and private hospitals
• corporate organisations
• schools and universities
• government departments and agencies
• sporting clubs and institutes
• social research organisations