Skip to Content

Department of Psychology

Master of Organisational Psychology Selection Process

Important Points

  1. Domestic student applications must be made through the University Admissions Centre
  2. International student applications must be made through the Macquarie International
  3. All applications must be complete with UAC by the October submission date to be considered for selection
  4. Students must complete the Supplemental Information Form and send the completed form to the address stated.

Selection for the Master of Organisational Psychology is competitive and involves a two stage process. In Stage 1, students are
selected for interview based on their undergraduate results and whether or not the Master of Organisational Psychology was
listed as the first preference. Under normal circumstances, this involves a consideration of the Grade Point Average (GPA) for
the undergraduate degree within which the accredited major in psychology was completed. The GPA is calculated for the entire
degree, irrespective of the level of units and includes non-psychology units. The selection for interview is normally conducted
during the first two weeks of November and students are advised by email whether they have been selected for interview.
Students who are not selected for interview are held in reserve, and a final notification may not be issued at this time. This
ensures that a sufficient pool is available, should there be a need to extend the pool of applicants interviewed.

Interviews are normally held over two days in late November. In 2011 those days will be November 29 and 30. Students seeking to enter the program MUST attend an interview and must be available on one of these days. However, please note that there is limited availability to change interview days once they have been allocated. No interviews are conducted over the telephone to ensure that the process remains equitable.

The interviews comprise a multi-mini process in which applicants move through a number of ‘stations’, and respond to questions from both academics and practitioners who are associated with the Department of Psychology. Interview questions relate to ethical issues, the role of the scientist-practitioner, and interest in organisational psychology. Applicants are also expected to complete some psychological assessments. Stage 2 of the selection process involves the generation of a ranked score based on a combination of the interview and assessment scores and the fourth-year GPA.

Applicants who are selected for the program are normally notified in early December and are offered a place conditional on the
receipt of at least a distinction-average in their fourth year. Where the mark has yet to be determined because of thesis marking etc, students will be required to provide evidence to the effect once fourth-year marks have been released, prior to confirmation of their acceptance into the program. Note that in the Master of Organisational Psychology, no distinction is made between honours students and postgraduate diploma students, given that the degrees are considered equivalent fourth-year degrees by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council.

Industry experience is not explicitly considered by the selection committee due to difficulties in ensuring equity across applicants. However, it is assumed that industry experience will prove useful in responding to the interview questions.

Where students are offered a place in the Master of Organisational Psychology but do not attain a distinction average, they may
be offered entry into the Postgraduate Diploma of Behaviour. Although this is not an APAC-accredited degree, it comprises the
coursework component of the Master of Organisational Psychology. Students who obtain a distinction-average, and complete
the Postgraduate Diploma of Organisational Behaviour, will be offered a place in the Master of Organisational Psychology and
will be permitted to gain advanced standing for the units that they have completed. In effect, this is an opportunity to allow highly -capable students to demonstrate that they can meet the demands of the course. Final offers or rejections are normally issued through UAC in mid-December.