Diploma of Psychology in Canberra

This course has closing dates to submit applications that vary from standard UC application submission dates. For a semester 1 start, applications are due by the 31st October; for a semester 2 start, applications are due by 30th June.

Applicants must meet the following minimum entry requirements:
A) completion of a qualifying psychology degree which is accredited by the Australian Psychological Accreditation Council (APAC) or equivalent*. The qualifying degree can be either:
i) a three year undergraduate psychology course or
ii) a Graduate Diploma for candidates who previously completed an undergraduate degree in a different discipline
B) Credit average in the APAC-required second and third year psychology units or graduate diploma units.

Entry is competitive. Applications are ranked by performance (GPA) in the APAC-required second and third year psychology / graduate diploma units. Thus, a higher than minimum GPA is generally needed to be offered a place.

* Equivalency is as determined by the Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Assumed knowledge

None.

Periods course is open for new admissions Credit arrangements

To be considered for the Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology course, a prospective student must (by the 30th September):
- Apply for the Master of Clinical Psychology component: Domestic applicants must apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) http://www.uac.edu.au/postgraduate/
- AND Apply for the PhD component (specifying Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology) directly to the University of Canberra via the HDR Application Portal: How to Apply - University of Canberra https://www.canberra.edu.au/research/graduate-research/future-research-students/how-to-apply
Note: applications must ensure all requirements for BOTH courses are included as part of each application process.

Applications for scholarships typically close the last Friday in September. The Master of Clinical Psychology course has an early closing date to submit applications by the 15th October of every year. Referee reports must be submitted through the Australian Psychology Postgraduate Program Reference Request System for the Master of Clinical Psychology application component. https://www.psychologyreference.org/ Applicants must ensure they share the reference with the University of Canberra. If the reference is not shared, we cannot access the referee report and the application will be deemed incomplete and not be processed further. Please note that separate referee reports are required and to be submitted via the UC HDR Application portal for the PhD component of the admissions process.
Admission to the degree is highly competitive, based on GPA, a written research proposal, referee reports, research, and publication history along with a clinical suitability interview. Successful candidates will need to meet admission requirements for both courses to be offered a place.

Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:
1. Completion of a four-year APAC accredited sequence in psychology, typically an honours degree, within the last 10 years with a minimum GPA of 80%; and
2. be eligible for, or hold, provisional registration as a psychologist with AHPRA.


Course Transfers:
Candidates in the Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology course seeking to transfer into the Master of Clinical Psychology course will require course convener approval, and they must have successfully met all the admissions requirements (including passing the clinical suitability interview) for the Master of Clinical Psychology course within the past two years. If it has been more than two years since the candidate successfully passed a clinical suitability interview, they will be required to undertake and pass another interview prior to a course transfer being approved.

Periods course is open for new admissions Credit arrangements

Please be advised that domestic applications open on the 1st September and close on the 15th October each year for the following year. Domestic applicants must apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) http://www.uac.edu.au/postgraduate/ Referee reports must be submitted through the Psychology Reference Portal https://www.psychologyreference.com.au. Applicants must ensure they share the reference with the University of Canberra. If the reference is not shared we cannot access the referee reports and the application will be deemed incomplete and the application will not be processed further.

Limited Commonwealth-supported places (CSPs) are available for this course and will be awarded on academic merit. Eligible applicants who are not given a CSP will be recommended for fee-paying (FEE) places.

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
1. Completion of a four-year APAC accredited sequence in psychology, typically an honours degree, within the last 10 years with a minimum GPA of 75%; and
2. be eligible for, or hold, provisional registration as a psychologist with AHPRA

International applications are accepted at any time but need to be submitted by 15th October to be considered for the following year. Please refer to the key dates https://www.canberra.edu.au/future-students/apply-to-uc/key-dates for further information.

Additional admission requirements

Applicants must also provide:
- a current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- proof of eligibility for registration as a provisional psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, and
- two referee reports submitted through the Psychology Reference Portal https://www.psychologyreference.com.au

Shortlisted applicants (domestic and international) will be required to attend an interview in which their suitability for clinical practice will be assessed. Interviews are preferably attended in person (on campus). Requests for an online interview can be submitted in special circumstances for consideration. The time and date of the interview is unfortunately not negotiable, due to the tight scheduling requirements.

NOTE
Above requirements are the minimum standard and not negotiable. Entry is competitive and places limited. Shortlisting for interview is determined against the applicant's academically ranked place in the applicant list, and the referee reports. The thresholds for interview considerations vary each year in response to characteristics of the applicant pool. It is emphasised that meeting the minimum entrance requirements does not of itself guarantee an interview. Please note that it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that UAC and UC have the correct and most current information against which applications are assessed.

Periods course is open for new admissions Credit arrangements