Master of Professional Psychology

Year

View in 2021+ Handbook

Course Overview
Further Information
Course Rules & Plans
Course Outcomes

Why study the Master of Professional Psychology at UNE?

The Master of Professional Psychology provides selected psychology graduates with a fifth year of professional training in psychology. This includes 300 hours of practical training at a worksite identified by the student and meeting the supervision and experience requirements of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. The course is delivered online and can be studied full-time or part-time. Graduates of the course complete an additional one-year Psychology Board of Australia approved internship to be eligible for general registration as a psychologist in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

Please note:

Applications close EST 11.59pm on Friday 19 October 2018.

The Master of Professional Psychology is an approved Student Income Support course. Eligible students may apply for Youth Allowance or Austudy.

Career Opportunities

Registered psychologists have a unique skill set that is valued in a wide range of workplaces across the private, public and non-government sectors. These include: schools, hospitals, community health services, academic and applied research settings, law courts, prisons, defence forces, private practices, consulting firms, market research companies, and many more.

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Degree Snapshot

DURATION

1 Year Full-time
Up to 4 years Part-time

FEES

CSP (quotas apply) or Full Fee

2019 STUDY OPTIONS

Armidale

Trimester 1, Online

Official Abbreviation

MProfPsych

Course Type

Postgraduate

Commencing

Location	Admission Period	Mode of Study
Armidale	Trimester 1	Online

Course Duration

1 Year Full-time
Up to 4 years Part-time

Fees

CSP (quotas apply) or Full Fee
For fee information, click here

Total Credit Points

Entry Requirements

A candidate shall:

(a) hold an AQF Level 8 four-year Bachelor honours in Psychology, or AQF level 7 three-year accredited sequence in Psychology plus an AQF Level 8 fourth year Bachelor honours or Graduate Diploma, Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)-accredited sequence in Psychology within the last 10 years and be eligible for registration with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) as a provisional psychologist. An exception to the 10-year rule may be made for currently registered psychologists who can demonstrate current compliance with the PsyBA CPD requirements seeking to gain a professional postgraduate qualification;

1. have done a National Police Certificate;

2. have done a Working with Children Check; and

3. have provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Please Note: You may submit your application for the Master of Professional Psychology without submitting your Working With Children Check, National Police Certificate or evidence of Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. However, should you be offered a place on the program the offer will be made on the condition that you submit each of these documents prior to the commencement of the program in Trimester 1. The Working with Children Check should be carried out according to the procedures of the state in which you are planning to conduct your clinical placement.

Selection procedures will include consideration of:

1. the applicant's academic record;

2. referee reports from at least two referees;

3. checking of original degree certificate; and

4. interviews for shortlisted candidates (face-to-face or via teleconferencing) by a panel comprising at least two members of academic staff of the Discipline of Psychology, both of whom have qualifications equivalent to those required for general registration as a psychologist.

Additional Requirements

Inherent Requirements: Students must meet the Inherent Requirements in order to complete this course.

There are also several mandatory requirements that need to be completed as part of the University enrolment process. Please note a number of these requirements take some time to complete, thus admitted students are advised to commence processes immediately to ensure early compliance requirements are met. Please note that these are requirements that must be met by all students before commencing placement.

Students in APAC accredited professional programs must be provisionally registered from the commencement of enrolment and for the duration of enrolment.

The Master of Professional Psychology involves completing a clinical placement as part of the Unit PSYC531. Please note that the majority of placement sites will require you, as a student practitioner, to present evidence of immunisations consistent with NSW Health for Category A risk personnel. The cost of checks, registration and immunisations are the responsibility of the applicant.

It is your responsibility to liaise with any potential placement site to ensure that you will meet their immunisation/vaccination requirements prior to undertaking a placement.

The University will not ask you to provide evidence of these checks or require you to complete these prior to enrolment but advise that it is likely that you will need these in order to undertake your placement.

Students must sign and return a confidentiality agreement at the commencement of the course, which relates to confidential and sensitive information which will be raised within the class setting and also within clinical skills training and practice sessions.

Student Declaration/Fitness for Practice Form

All students on UNE professional psychology programs will be required to complete an electronic Student Declaration form at the commencement of the course, by the due date. Students must read the document carefully and ensure that they fully understand and comply with all compulsory requirements for the clinical placement component of the course. Students MUST complete the document prior to enrolment in the placement unit.

It is the individual student's responsibility to ensure that they are aware of the contents of the declaration, including all associated documents and abide by it at all times when enrolled in the Master of Professional Psychology course.

Students who are aware of any injury or health impairment which may affect the safety of themselves or others in the clinical placement setting, will be required to provide a Fitness for Practice Certificate signed by their Medical Practitioner prior to commencement of clinical placement. According to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, a health impairment is defined as a physical or mental impairment, disability, condition or disorder (including substance abuse or dependence), that detrimentally affects or is likely to detrimentally affect a registered health practitioner's capacity to safely practise the profession or a student's capacity to undertake clinical training.

Non-compliance with the above requirements will result in students being ineligible for placement. Ineligible students must withdraw from the placement unit prior to the last day to withdraw without academic penalty (if they have not already withdrawn by census date). Failure to do so will result in a fail grade for the placement unit. Compliance with all the above requirements at all times remains the sole responsibility of the student.

Practical, Clinical or Work Experience

Students must complete a minimum of 300 hours of logged supervised practical and skills training. This can include, but not be limited to, role playing and skills practice, simulated learning environments, observation of supervisors working with clients and case analysis.

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing may be granted for a maximum of 24 credit points of coursework units. In accordance with the course accreditation standards, students may only be given credit for coursework that is strictly equivalent to coursework in the current course and must have been successfully completed in an APAC accredited course within the previous ten year period (APAC Accreditation Standard 5.1.9).

Advanced standing will not be granted for research experience or employment experience prior to entry into the course. Placement experience completed as part of current employment should not normally be credited in a fifth year Master of Professional Psychology course (APAC Accreditation Standard 5.1.10).

Academic Colours

Old Rose (BCC 157)

Further Information

You can find instant answers to many of your questions or contact UNE directly via AskUNE AskUNE

These course rules & plans are ONLY to be used if you commenced, transferred or changed versions in the Master of Professional Psychology in 2019.

Admission to Candidature

A candidate shall:

(a) hold an AQF Level 8 four-year Bachelor honours in Psychology, or AQF Level 7 three-year accredited sequence in Psychology plus an AQF Level 8 fourth year Bachelor honours or Graduate Diploma, Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) - accredited sequence in Psychology within the last 10 years and be eligible for registration with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) as a provisional psychologist. An exemption to the 10-year rule may be made for currently registered psychologists who can demonstrate current compliance with the PsyBA CPD requirements seeking to gain a professional postgraduate qualification;
1. have done a National Police Certificate;
2. have done a Working with Children Check; and
3. have provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Please Note: You may submit your application for the Master of Professional Psychology without submitting your Working with Children Check, National Police Certificate or evidence of Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. However, should you be offered a place on the program the offer will be made on the condition that you submit each of these documents prior to the commencement of the program in Trimester 1. The Working with Children Check should be carried out according to the procedures of the state in which you are planning to conduct your clinical placement.

Selection procedures will include consideration of:
1. the applicant's academic record;
2. referee reports from at least two referees;
3. checking of original degree certificate; and
4. interviews for shortlisted candidates (face-to-face or via teleconferencing) by a panel comprising at least two members of staff of the Discipline of Psychology, one of whom has qualifications equivalent to those required for general registration as a psychologist.

Additional requirements:

Students must meet the Inherent Requirements in order to complete this course.

Students in APAC accredited professional programs must be provisionally registered from the commencement of enrolment and for the duration of enrolment.

It is your responsibility to liaise with any potential placement site to ensure that you will meet their immunisation/vaccination requirements prior to undertaking a placement.

Student must sign and return a confidentiality agreement at the commencement of the course, which relates to confidential and sensitive information which will be raised within the class setting and also within clinical skills training and practice sessions.

Student Declaration/Fitness for Practice Form

Advanced Standing

Period of Candidature

The period of candidature shall be:
(a) one year as a full-time candidate;
(b) up to four years as a part-time candidate.

Course Requirements

To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 48 credit points as prescribed in the course accreditation standards and approved by the course coordinator. These units shall cover coursework and practicum requirements.

Program of Study

Candidates shall complete an approved program of study as outlined in the Course Schedule comprising:

Course Structure	Credit Points
Core Units including 300 hours of practicum	48 cps
Total	48 cps

To view complete Program of Study click here

Award of Degree

Candidates who meet the course requirements shall be admitted to the Master of Professional Psychology.

Progression and Conduct

1. Candidates may have their candidature terminated on the grounds of unsatisfactory progress or unprofessional or unethical conduct.

2. Unprofessional or unethical conduct shall be determined with reference to the Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics.

3. Failure in any unit shall result in termination of candidature.

4. Before a candidate has his/her candidature terminated, he/she shall be given opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken.

Course Aims

The Master of Professional Psychology provides one year of full-time education (or part-time equivalent) in the professional practice of psychology sufficient to prepare candidates for a final year of supervised internship in the field prior to general registration.

The course is designed to:

(i) be at the foundational (professional) level, building and extending on the knowledge and skills of an APAC-accredited four-year undergraduate sequence;

(ii) take an evidence based approach and be based on the scientist practitioner model;

(iii) be broad and generalist (rather than specialist) in nature; and

(iv) concentrate on core professional capabilities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

effect an advanced body of knowledge of the principles and practice of professional psychology;
effect knowledge of the legal and professional frameworks for practice and interact responsibly and ethically with clients and other professionals;
apply the principles and practice of assessment, diagnosis and case formulation; including psychological testing and test data interpretation;
execute high level skills in individual and group clinical interventions, including counselling skills;
apply advanced skills in research and evaluation; and
appraise, interpret and communicate information in both oral and written formats and interact on a professional level with a wide range of clients and professionals.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline

Graduates have an advanced knowledge of general psychology practice, including an understanding of assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology across the lifespan. Graduates site their practice within international perspectives on theory, diagnostic systems and evidence-based treatments. Graduates respect clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and understand the impact of culture on therapy.

Communication Skills

Graduates have high level verbal and written communication skills and effective interpersonal skills for psychology practice. Graduates communicate with professionals, and the general and scientific community, via case reports and oral presentations.

Problem Solving

Graduates are logical and critical thinkers, able to select and use evidence-based procedures and techniques and critically evaluate their practice as well as research evidence.

Information Literacy

Graduates have advanced information literacy skills gained through literature searching, objective scientific writing, and exposure to resources for professional practice.

Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility

Graduates practice within the legal and ethical frameworks of the profession. Graduates also have a sense of social responsibility for knowledge and decision-making and its application in professional practice. Through the application of the scientist-practitioner model, graduates contribute to the development of the profession.

Lifelong Learning

Graduates engage in continuing professional development accessing research and skills training to inform practice. Graduates are also adaptable and flexible, open to new ideas and able to manage change.

Independence and Collaboration

Graduates practice across a variety of settings, working independently or collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams. Graduates respect multiple points of view and interact in accordance with professional ethics.