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Department of Psychology

Fourth Year in Psychology

Graduate Diploma of Advanced Psychology

(formerly Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology)


This program is not open for enrolment in 2013.


 

This course is recognised by the Psychology Board of Australia (http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/) and has conditional accreditation from the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as constituting a fourth year in psychology to prepare graduates to register as provisional psychologists. Graduates of Macquarie University’s Graduate Diploma of Advanced Psychology are equipped with advanced level skills in research design, methodology and analysis, and with practice-oriented theoretical skills. Generic interpersonal competencies also allow graduates to gain employment in a variety of psychological or psychology-related professions.

Admission and Quota

Applications will be considered from those who hold a three-year APAC accredited undergraduate degree, or equivalent conferred within the past ten years. In addition, applicants are required to have attained an overall GPA of 3. A quota is in place and all applications will be ranked.

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Length of Candidature

1 year full-time; or either 18 months or 2 years part-time

Attendance

Units are offered in the day time, or late afternoon and early evening. Students are required to attend all classes and full day workshops. The program is not available by external study.

Commencement

1st half year only. Please note that an Orientation Session and various optional workshops are run early in the month of February and applicants are advised to consider this when planning their candidature and return from holidays.

Tuition Fees

Eligible domestic students may access the Government's loan scheme FEE-HELP. Please note that Australian permanent residents are not eligible for FEE-HELP unless they have a humanitarian visa. In 2012 the fees will be: 24 credit points at $649.00 per credit point, a total of $15,576 for the entire program. Details about Government assistance via the Higher Education Loan Program (FEE-HELP) are available from www.goingtouni.gov.au Applications for FEE-HELP are available on eStudent during the enrolment process.

Program of Study

The course requires the completion of a Research Project, two compulsory units and two elective units, making a total of 24 credit points. All units are taught within one semester except for the Research Project which is a full-year unit. Part-time students typically complete the Research Project and the Research and Design unit in their first year of study, and the remaining units in their second year. It is possible for students to arrange their program so that they complete in 18 months or two years.

Weekly classes for coursework units are usually two hours in length. Some units may be offered in a workshop format e.g. four full-day workshops per semester.

Time commitment to the full year Research Project will vary as the project progresses. Initial, weekly meetings are common (sometimes more often) between group members and their supervisor as groups work together to search the relevant literature and collect the data. Students work individually on interpreting their results and writing-up their thesis in preparation for submission in mid-October.

Compulsory Units

Elective Units: (all units are 3 cps and students choose two elective units, only one of which can be a Developmental Psychology unit). Note that not all elective units will be offered each year. Unit availability depends on staff commitments and student numbers. If an elective unit has reached its quota, students are required to enrol in an alternative unit.

Elective Units

         Or

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Progression to Masters-level Programs

Most postgraduate Masters programs at Macquarie require an Honours degree as a prerequisite. However the Master of Organisational Psychology accepts applications from high achieving Graduate Diploma of Advanced Psychology graduates.

To assist in such selection, grades and final percentage marks of each unit are awarded to students, so they may be cited when seeking entry to higher-level courses.

The Psychology Registration Programs (see Course Finder web page: http://www.courses.mq.edu.au/2012/Postgraduate/Diploma/Postgraduate+Diploma+of+Professional+Psychology ) also accept applications from Graduate Diploma of Advanced Psychology graduates.

UAC Online Application Procedure

There are two forms for completion:

  • UAC Postgraduate Coursework Application Form available on the UAC website Course Code: 862987: http://www.uac.edu.au/postgraduate during the month of September.
  • Personal Information Supplementary Form available from http://www.postgrad.mq.edu.au/forms.html Complete and forward to the Administrative Officer, Graduate Diploma of Advanced Psychology, Psychology Department, Faculty of Human Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109.

Applicants with an undergraduate degree conferred at an overseas university are required to provide a Statement of Qualification (equivalency) from the Australian Psychological Society (APS: http://www.psychology.org.au/study/assess_qualifications/ ) and submit together with their application - a copy may be forwarded to the University together with the Personal Information Supplementary Form. Please note that the APS assessment process can take up to 6-8 weeks.

International applicants must apply through Macquarie International http://www.international.mq.edu.au/  

Applicants please note, in terms of Psychology Board of Australia registration requirements, if your undergraduate degree was undertaken in a language other than English, Academic English proficiency certificate is also required in the form of an IELTS examination (Academic module) with a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Closing date for applications is 31st October. Successful applicants are generally advised during the month of January.

Enquiries - https://ask.mq.edu.au/

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