Undergraduate: Course rule and topic information

Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

(BPsych(Hons))

Program of study

INTRODUCTION

The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) requires four years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time), including the compulsory honours program. The course is offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences.

COURSE AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course is designed to provide a high standard of training in both academic and professional areas that will prepare graduates for either positions as trainee psychologists or entry into recognised masters programs, both professional and research.

Specifically students will develop skills in the following areas: interviewing and counselling; data collection, analysis and interpretation; essay and report writing; behavioural observations and analysis; psychological assessment; and thesis preparation and presentation.

Students will gain practical experience by completing placements in psychological settings as well as gaining exposure to professionals from the field who are invited to present to the students as part of the honours year.

Learning outcomes

Students will gain knowledge and skills in relation to:

• influences on human behaviour, both normal and abnormal;
• the principles and techniques of psychological research;
• psychological and behavioural assessments;
• interviewing and counselling;
• discipline-based writing skills and APA-style conventions.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2008]

To qualify for the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic. This must include:

• 64.5 units of Psychology topics;
• 9 units of First Year topics taken from the major sequence options in the Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) topics, as set out below;
• 34.5 units of electives, which may be selected from any topics offered by the University provided entry and course requirements are met;
• the 36-unit Fourth Year program.

At least 27 units, but no more than 45 units, of First Year topics can be included in the 144 units.

All other components (a total of 108 units) must be completed before undertaking the Fourth Year program.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

The following may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress:

• the award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion; or
• failure to achieve a GPA of 5 (an average grade of CR) in all Second Year Psychology topics attempted; or
• failure to achieve a GPA of 5.25 in all Third Year Psychology topics attempted.

PSYCHOLOGY TOPICS

# May only be taken in conjunction with PSYC3036.

Students must complete all First Year Psychology topics before commencing studies in the Third Year of the program. In special circumstances, the Head of School may approve topics other than those specified above, including those offered by any other Faculty or institution.

Not all elective topics are avalable every year.

Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) students who choose not to continue with the honours program may wish to graduate at the end of their third year with a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) degree. These students will be required to apply for permission to graduate with the Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) degree. To qualify for this degree they will need to have completed a minimum of two levels of a Behavioural Science cognate sequence and have completed more than 75 units of the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) degree. Academic counselling should be sought and permission may be granted to vary the course rule to permit such graduations.

BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE MAJOR SEQUENCE OPTIONS

Students must choose a minimum of 9 units of First Year topics from one of the following areas:

	Biological Sciences
BIOL1101	Evolution of Biological Diversity	4.5
	and either
BIOL1102	Molecular Basis of Life	4.5
	or
BIOL1112	Biology and Society	4.5

Students who have completed CRIM1001 but not CRIM1002 and now want to undertake a Criminal Justice major cannot take CRIM1003 and CRIM1004. Such students may take SOCI1007 Crime, Deviance and Social Control: Introduction to Sociological Ideas (4.5 units). Alternatively, they may take upper level topics only (all 6 units). In the latter case, they would in fact complete a total of 34.5 units.

Students who have completed CRIM1002 but not CRIM1001 can enrol in either CRIM1003 or CRIM1004.

Students who have completed CRIM2001 but neither CRIM1001 nor CRIM1002 can still take CRIM1003 but not CRIM1004. Such students may take SOCI1007 Crime, Deviance and Social Control: Introduction to Sociological Ideas (4.5 units). Alternatively, they may take upper level topics only (all 6 units). In the latter case, they would in fact complete a total of 34.5 units.

* Students taking WMST1001 may not enrol in WMST2005.

** Students taking WMST1002 may not enrol in WMST2007.

FOURTH YEAR PROGRAM