Bachelor of Psychological Science

Bachelor

Are you fascinated by the human mind? Do you wonder what motivates our behaviour?Psychological science investigates the way people think, behave, feel and learn. It studies processes of the human mind- including personality, intelligence and memory-so that we can better understand ourselves.

Key details

Degree Type

Bachelor

Duration

3 years full-time

Course Code

394001, 3BG003, 060177M

Intake Months

Jul, Feb

International Fees

$46,500 per year / $139,500 total

ATAR

80

About this course

Uncover our inner workings

Are you fascinated by the human mind? Do you wonder what motivates our behaviour?

Psychological science investigates the way people think, behave, feel and learn. It studies processes of the human mind- including personality, intelligence and memory-so that we can better understand ourselves. Study at South Australia's #1 university for Psychology*.

Study locations

North Terrace

North Terrace Campus

What you will learn

Our Bachelor of Psychological Science nurtures creativity, analysis and communication skills. You will:

learn about human development and the biological bases of behaviour
investigate the mechanics of perception and learning
explore the nature of motivation and emotion
gain experience with psychological tests
develop skills for counselling
choose between over 35 majors and electives from related disciplines
design and undertake meaningful research projects.

Career pathways

You could become a social psychologist, doing large-scale research to change the way we go about our lives. You might work in community services with people of all ages and backgrounds, or in market research and advertising. Perhaps you'll go on to further study in the field and become a qualified psychologist.

Graduate entry

A graduate entry pathway is available. Learn more.

Direct access to industry leaders and paid internship opportunities: The Academy by Deloitte
Students who as part of their studies take part in The Academy by Deloitte experience will have the benefit of undertaking a paid internship with Deloitte. This internship is designed to shape their business readiness through significant real-world client exposure, access to multiple networking opportunities and relevant professional training.

Ranked in top 125 globally for psychology*
Strong career growth predicted (13% by 2026)^
Develop flexible and transferable skills

*Times Higher Education World Rankings by Subject, 2024.
^Australian Government, Labour Market Insights, 2023.

Course structure

The Bachelor of Psychological Science is a flexible degree with a variety of elective courses available. Students can choose their courses based on general interest or to broaden their major.

In the first year, students are able to choose four elective courses from areas such as arts, health and medical sciences, sciences, computer science and commerce, alongside the four core psychology courses.

At the beginning of second year, students either select a second major or continue to choose from a wide variety of electives alongside five core psychology courses.

In the third year, students complete four core psychology courses, including a compulsory research methodology course. The other four courses can be selected from psychology courses or electives. For students who chose to undertake a second major, the electives in third year will consist of second major courses.

The main objective of the degree is to provide students with a thorough education in the scientific discipline of psychology, while also introducing students to the application of the discipline. Since psychology is an evidence-based discipline, students will also have an opportunity to find out about the range of methodologies employed to collect and analyse data.

The Bachelor of Psychological Science enables students to graduate with a psychology specialty and a second specialty chosen from more than 35 available topics.

On completion of this degree, students are eligible to apply for an honours year in psychology at the University of Adelaide as well as other universities around the country that offer honours programs accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. It should be noted that an honours year in psychology is required to gain provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.

To become a registered psychologist, students need to complete a 2-year Masters program. At the University of Adelaide we offer three areas of specialisation; Master of Psychology (Clinical), Master of Psychology (Health) and Master of Psychology (Organisational and Human Factors).

The Calendar is a comprehensive handbook of the University's academic program rules.

Graduate outcomes

Graduate satisfaction and employment outcomes for Psychology courses at University of Adelaide.

71.4%

Overall satisfaction

80.5%

Skill scale

59.2%

Teaching scale

57.6%

Employed full-time

$61k

Average salary

Data source