Master of Professional Psychology MProfPsych
Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology) MProfPsych(SchlPsych)
Online - Bathurst
Availability is subject to change, please verify prior to enrolment.
Course duration referenced below is the effective time taken to complete a course when studied full time (full time equivalent duration). At Charles Sturt the standard calendar refers to 32 points a session over a 2 session calendar year. The Actual Duration is the time taken to complete the course following the prescribed enrolment pattern. A course's actual duration can be affected by the session calendar (number of sessions undertaken per year) and/or mode (full time, part time or mixed) and credit packages which may have been granted upon admission. Therefore, depending on the prescribed enrolment pattern, mode, calendar utilised and credit awarded a course may take less time or more time to complete than the duration noted as full time equivalent years. Students are advised to consult the Enrolment Pattern to determine the actual duration of study.
Full-time: 1 years (or part-time equivalent)
Completion of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited four year degree within the previous ten years with a Weighted Average Mark of no less than 75 for the fourth year of psychological studies
AND
The personal suitability to undertake professional practice as a psychologist, assessed through interview and referees' reports
AND
Eligibility for provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Due to accreditation requirements, academic credit can only be granted for equivalent subjects of an APAC-accredited postgraduate fifth or sixth year course in professional psychology.
To graduate students must satisfactorily complete 64 points.
The course consists of eight coursework subjects (64 points in total): seven core subjects and one restricted elective; or for the School Psychology specialisation, eight compulsory subjects.
Master of Professional Psychology
Core subjects
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology
PSY535 Adult Assessment
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1
PSY537 Child Assessment
PSY538 Child Interventions 1
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
Restricted electives
Students not undertaking the School Psychology specialisation choose one of the following:
PSY539 Adult Interventions 2
PSY542 Child Interventions 2
PSY565 Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Specialisation
School Psychology
Compulsory
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology
PSY535 Adult Assessment
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1
PSY537 Child Assessment
PSY538 Child Interventions 1
PSY565 Neurodevelopmental Disorders
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
Full-time
Students not completing the School Psychology specialisation
Full-time study is only available with the prior approval of the Course Director
Session 1
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1*
PSY537 Child Assessment
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology*
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
Session 2
PSY535 Adult Assessment
PSY538 Child Interventions 1
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
Plus one of:
PSY539 Adult Interventions 2
PSY542 Child Interventions 2*
PSY565 Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Part-time
Students not completing the School Psychology specialisation
Year 1
Session 1
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1*
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology*
Session 2
PSY535 Adult Assessment
PSY538 Child Interventions 1
Year 2
Session 1
PSY537 Child Assessment
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
Session 2
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
Plus one of:
PSY539 Adult Interventions 2
PSY542 Child Interventions 2*
PSY565 Neurodevelopmental Disorders
*These subjects have an associated compulsory residential school (Bathurst campus)
Full-time
School Psychology specialisation
Full-time study is only available with the prior approval of the Course Director
Session 1
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1*
PSY537 Child Assessment
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology*
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
Session 2
PSY535 Adult Assessment
PSY538 Child Interventions 1
PSY565 Neurodevelopmental Disorders*
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
Part-time
School Psychology specialisation
Year 1
Session 1
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1*
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology*
Session 2
PSY535 Adult Assessment
PSY538 Child Interventions 1
Year 2
Session 1
PSY537 Child Assessment
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
Session 2
PSY565 Neurodevelopmental Disorders*
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
*These subjects have an associated compulsory residential school (Bathurst campus)
Please note that the following subjects may contain a Workplace Learning component. Further details for Workplace Learning requirements are located via the subject page
PSY568 Psychological Practice and Research 1
PSY569 Psychological Practice and Research 2
Please note that the following subjects may contain a Residential School component. Further details of Residential School requirements are located via the subject page
PSY536 Adult Interventions 1
PSY564 Foundations of Professional Psychology
Enrolled students can find further information about CSU Residential Schools at About Residential School
The course will be submitted to the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council for accreditation as a fifth year of psychology, which would comprise the academic component of the pathway to general registration as a psychologist.
Accreditation Body: Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
Requirements for graduates to practice:
In order to practice as a psychologist in Australia, individuals must complete 6 years of education and training. At CSU this can involve 5 years of study in our APAC accredited programs, with the 5th year being undertaken in either the Master of Psychological Practice, or the Master of Professional Psychology, followed by a further 12 months (minimum) supervised practice in the community after graduation. This is referred to as the 5+1 pathway, with the final (6th) year not provided by the university. In this case, graduates are eligible, upon graduation, to apply to the Psychology Board of Australia for registration as a provisional psychologist.
The academic requirement to practice as a provisionally registered psychologist is completion of an APAC accredited 5 year sequence of study (APAC Level 3). Both of the CSU MPPs have this level of accreditation (with re-accreditation pending). Graduates of these courses can apply to the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), for registration as provisional psychologists in order to complete at least one year of Board approved supervised practice, under a Board approved supervisor in a PsyBA approved placement setting.
Alternatively the full 6 years of education and training required for practice as a psychologist can be undertaken at CSU in the Master of Clinical Psychology (MCP). Completion of the MCP provides both the academic and supervised practice components for general registration as a psychologist, and applicants can apply directly to AHPRA for PsyBA registration. The MCP provides the basis for practise as a clinical psychologist. Completion of a PsyBA registrar program is required to be endorsed as a Clinical Psychologist .
Start and End Date of accreditation: Accredited until 31 December 2022
Accreditation Status: Conditional
Potential impact on students:
The Psychology programs are currently accredited, and may have conditions imposed. As long as the programs remain accredited, graduates are able to graduate under the practice entitlements outlined above
Post conferral of award practice registration or additional study requirements for graduates:
Graduates of the MPPs must complete a further (postgraduation) period (minimum of 12 months) supervised practice as a provisional psychologist before they can apply to PsyBA (via AHPRA) for full registration as psychologist (ie general registration)
Graduates of the MCP are immediately, upon graduation, eligible to apply to PsyBA (AHPRA) for full registration as a psychologist, but must undertake a Board approved registrar program before being able to apply for endorsement as a clinical psychologist.
The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: July 2022. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.