Graduate Diploma of Psychology

What is this course about?

CSU's Graduate Diploma in Psychology is designed for graduates in fields other than psychology who wish to obtain an accredited, undergraduate psychology major.

The Graduate Diploma in Psychology is designed for graduates in fields other than psychology who wish to pursue a career in psychology, giving them the opportunity to obtain the necessary accredited, undergraduate psychology major over two or three years of part-time study, usually by distance education.

The Graduate Diploma in Psychology is not a fourth year in Psychology and does not enable registration as a psychologist.

As the Graduate Diploma in Psychology is available by distance education, it meets the needs of geographically isolated students, as well as those in full-time employment seeking a career change while remaining in their present occupation. It specifically enables school teachers seeking the necessary psychology major to enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology in order to train as school counsellors. It also enables students with an outdated psychology major to update their qualifications.

Distance education students will receive comprehensive study material and will have access to teaching staff by telephone and email.

Graduates who successfully complete this eight subject Graduate Diploma are eligible to apply for postgraduate courses offering a fourth year in psychology. Two courses on offer at Charles Sturt University are the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology and the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours), both of which are accredited as fourth year psychology courses by the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

It should be noted that completion of the Graduate Diploma in Psychology does not guarantee admission to either of these courses.

Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the Australian Psychological Society.

Session 3 subjects

A number of subjects are offered in Session 3 each year (November - Februray): PSY101, PSY102, PSY201, one other Level 2 subject and one Level 3 subject. Please note that only students who are residing in Australia during Session 3 are eligible to enrol in Session 3 subjects.

Residential schools

There are compulsory residential schools, each of 2.5 days per subject per session, for some subjects. Residential schools are normally held on the Bathurst Campus, although some Session 3 residential schools may be held in Wagga Wagga.

Residential schools are held in the same week so students are encouraged to organise their program to take advantage of this by taking two subjects with residential schools in the same session.

Residential schools are held in the same week in Session 1 for PSY201, PSY204, PSY301 and PSY308.

Residential schools for PSY303 and PSY304 are held in the same week in Session 2.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.

Admission requirements

The University will review the structure and content of the Graduate Diploma of Psychology in 2013. Any changes to the course are anticipated to come into effect from 2014. Prospective students should note the following:

Current admission requirements will apply for all intakes into the Graduate Diploma of Psychology in 2013 (intakes in Sessions 1, 2, and 3):

Applicants must hold an appropriate undergraduate degree from a recognised tertiary institution and must have completed subjects PSY101 and PSY102 or their equivalents. These subjects are available through Single Subject Study at Charles Sturt University and both may be offered in Session 3.

There are three intakes to this course during the year. Students can choose to commence in Session 1, Session 2 or Session 3.

The admission requirements and course structure may change after 2013. PSY101 and PSY102 may remain as prerequisites for admission to the course, or may be incorporated within the course structure from 2014. If PSY101 and PSY102 are incorporated within the course structure, credit will only be granted for equivalent* subjects completed within the previous 10 years. It is anticipated that the revised Graduate Diploma of Psychology course structure and admission requirements will be available online from mid-2013.

*completion of the first year foundation subjects that were part of an APAC-accredited sequence of study will normally be considered equivalent to PSY101 and PSY102.

English language proficiency

The University has minimum requirements for English language proficiency prior to entry to our courses. Some courses also have a requirement for a higher entry or exit level of English proficiency. More information on English language requirements.

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

fee-paying
international-distance

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This course is available to commence study in

Session 1; Session 2; Session 3