Course

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Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

Approved Abbreviation: BPsy(Hons)

Western Sydney University Course Code: 1865.2

AQF Level: 8

CRICOS Code: 106080C

Students should follow the course structure for the course version relevant to the year they commenced. This version applies to students whose commencement year for this course is 2022 or later.

Units may be revised or replaced to ensure students are provided with up to date curriculum throughout their studies, and this may result in a new course version. Refer to the Check My Course Progress page in MySR for the most up to date information for your course.

For Commencement Year 2018 to 2021 - Please refer to 1865.1 Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

For Commencement Year 2017 - please refer to 1834.1 Bachelor of Psychology

The Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is a four-year degree that equips students with a thorough grounding in the scientific discipline of psychology. In the first three years, Psychology will develop students’ scientific knowledge and skills to understand and explain human behaviour and experience. Students will comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with the depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts. Areas of study include: history and philosophy of psychology, individual differences in behaviour and personality, psychological health and well-being, psychological disorders and intervention, learning and memory, cognition, language and perception, motivation and emotion, neuroscience and the biological bases of behaviour, lifespan developmental psychology, social psychology, research methods and statistics.

Students have the opportunity to study sub-majors in the areas such as health sciences, business, education and social sciences to add the knowledge and skills of other disciplines and to enhance career options and job-readiness.

In the honours year, students will complete a 30 credit point research thesis and undertake 50 credit points of coursework including: counselling communication and interview skills; an introduction to the theory and practice of psychological assessment and intervention, an understanding of working in psychology in complex Australian society, and advanced research methods and analytical techniques and tools.

This program is designed for students intending to undertake postgraduate studies that lead to registration as a psychologist; and/or progression to Higher Degree Research.

This degree is also available for graduate entry.

Students who do not meet the entry requirements for entry into fourth year, or who do not wish to continue to fourth year, must transfer to 1835 Bachelor of Psychological Studies to graduate.

Study Mode
Four years full-time or eight years part-time.

Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) on the basis that it meets all the APAC Accreditation Standards (June 2010) for a four year sequence of study in psychology. This course has been submitted for re-accreditation for five years from 2022.

Admission

UAC entry: A competitive ATAR; or equivalent rank for school leavers and non-recent school leavers. Western Sydney University applicants with a completed or partially completed university degree must have achieved a GPA of 5 or above.

Graduate entry for students with a prior bachelor degree who have achieved a GPA of 5 or above, will be granted advanced standing for non-psychology units (80 credit points), which means that students will complete 240 credit points, equivalent to three years full-time.

Entry to the fourth year of the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) is limited to students who have achieved an Average Admission Mark of 70+ in Level 2 and 3 Psychology units. Students who have successfully completed the first three years, but who do not achieve this standard, or do not accept a place in the Honours program, will graduate with the Bachelor of Psychological Studies.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or directly to the University. Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University. Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website.

Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

International applicants must apply directly to the Western Sydney University via the International Office.

International students applying to The University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Course Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 320 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

All students must complete

140 credit points of Psychology core units and
20 credit points of Psychology Alternate units and
1 Sub-major (40 credit points) and electives (40 credit points) or
2 Sub-majors (80 credit points)

Graduate entry students must complete

140 credit points of Psychology core units and 20 credit points of Psychology Alternate units

They will get advanced standing for 80 credit points and will not be required to complete a sub-major.

A minimum of 60 credit points of level 3 units must be successfully completed within the degree.

Recommended Sequence

Full-time

Year 1

Autumn session

101184

Psychology: Human Behaviour

102906

Personality

20 credit points of Psychology Alternate units, sub-major units or electives

Spring session

101183

Psychology: Behavioural Science

101190

Introduction to Research Methods

20 credit points of Psychology Alternate units, sub-major units or electives

Year 2

Autumn session

100013

Experimental Design and Analysis

101684

Brain and Behaviour

101680

Perception

10 credit points of Psychology Alternate units, sub-major units or electives

Spring session

101678

Motivation and Emotion

101676

Human Learning

101683

Social Psychology

10 credit points of Psychology Alternate units, sub-major units or electives

Year 3

Autumn session

101689

Advanced Research Methods

101682

Developmental Psychology

20 credit points of Psychology Alternate units, sub-major units or electives

Spring session

101681

Abnormal Psychology

101677

Cognitive Processes

20 credit points of Psychology Alternate units, sub-major units or electives

Psychology Alternates

Students must choose 20 credit points from the following list of pool units.

101182

Behaviour and Environment

101193

Health Psychology

102606

Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness, Resilience and Wellbeing

102350

Psychology and the Online World

102399

Psychology, Crime and Law

100023

Psychology of Language

Suggested Sub-majors

Note: Not all sub-majors are available on all campuses. Please check availability.

SM1099

Child and Community

SM1091

Criminology and Criminal Justice

SM1100

Education Studies

SM2054

Global Sustainability

SM4003

Public Health

SM4001

Health Promotion

SM4004

Health and Recreation

SM4002

Health Practice Management

At the end of the 3rd Year, students who successfully complete 240 credit points may exit and graduate with 1835 Bachelor of Psychological Studies.

1835 Bachelor of Psychological Studies

Sub-major Elective Spaces

Elective units may be used toward obtaining an additional approved sub-major (40 credit points).

Search for sub-majors

Western Sydney University offers sub-majors in a range of areas including Sustainability and Indigenous Studies.

Indigenous Australian Studies Sub-major

Business Sustainability Sub-major

Students can apply for an elective sub-major via MySR.

MyStudentRecords (MySR)

Honours Fourth Year (80 Credit points)

Degree rules for exit and / or progression after 3rd year in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours).

Entry into the embedded Honours is limited to students who have completed the first three years of the program and have obtained an Average Admission Mark of 70+ in Level 2 and 3 Psychology units.

Students who have successfully completed the first three years, but who do not achieve this standard, or do not apply for Honours, will be transferred to 1835 Bachelor of Psychological Studies to graduate with that degree.

For advice, prospective students and current students should contact the Psychology Honours/Fourth Year Academic Course Advisor.

Psychology-Year4-ACA@westernsydney.edu.au

For students progressing to the embedded Honours year, the course structure is as follows:

Full-time Embedded Honours Pathway

Please note: Students must enrol in 102528 Psychology Research Thesis and 100983 Research Methods Seminar in both Autumn and Spring sessions in order to receive final grades and credit points.

Autumn session

102907

Advanced Topics in Contemporary Psychology

101247

Counselling and Consultation

100983

Research Methods Seminar

102528

Psychology Research Thesis

Spring session

101420

Theory and Practice of Psychological Assessment and Intervention

100983

Research Methods Seminar

102528

Psychology Research Thesis

Part-time Embedded Honours Pathway

Please note: Students must enrol in 102528 Psychology Research Thesis and 100983 Research Methods Seminar in both Autumn and Spring sessions in order to receive final grades and credit points.

Year 1

Autumn session

101247

Counselling and Consultation

100983

Research Methods Seminar

Spring session

101420

Theory and Practice of Psychological Assessment and Intervention

100983

Research Methods Seminar

Year 2