The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science (H603) offers students who have already successfully completed an undergraduate degree in any other discipline from a recognised university but who wish to change career path the opportunity to complete a major sequence in psychology without having to undertake a full-three-year degree.

This one-year Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science (H603) is a 10-credit point course that is compliant with AQF level 8 standards of knowledge and skills will be subject to Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accreditation assessment in 2019 and, if approved, will enable you to undertake additional study in pursuit of professional registration as a psychologist.

All 10 units are compulsory and there are no elective units. Upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science (H603) students can undertake the further study required to fully register as a psychologist, or enter a variety of professional areas that are demanding the skills of an undergraduate course in psychology.

All ten units of the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science are compulsory units. International students are required to complete all ten units over three consecutive trimesters in a 12 month period, therefore Trimester 3 is a compulsory trimester.

Professional recognition

The Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). This means that by completing this course you can:

• apply for a fourth-year of study (e.g. honours equivalent) which will then enable you to apply to the Psychology Board of Australia for provisional registration as a psychologist once you meet their requirements
• after completing your fourth-year of study, you can then apply for further study in an APAC-accredited master or doctoral level course that leads to general registration as a psychologist.

As it is the equivalent of a three-year accredited psychology undergraduate degree, this course a pathway to a fourth-year of study (e.g. Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) or Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)), which can then lead to an APAC-accredited master or doctoral-level course that enables general registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Areas of practice endorsement in psychology include:

• clinical psychology (available at Deakin)
• clinical neuropsychology
• organisational psychology (available at Deakin)
• sport and exercise psychology
• forensic psychology
• counselling psychology
• community psychology

Working as a generalist psychologist might involve:

• family therapy
• rehabilitation counselling
• psychological assessment

Not looking to become a registered psychologist? You will still have a broad and exciting range of career opportunities to explore when you graduate from this course. Your deep understanding of psychological assessment methods combined with your client-centred approach to practice will equip you for roles in:

• community welfare and case management
• disability services
• human resources
• mental health rehabilitation
• public health
• youth support.