Master of Psychology

To be eligible for admission to The University of Notre Dame Australia, all applicants must meet the University's minimum requirements for admission. The requirements for admission are detailed in the University's Policy: Admissions.

Specific Program Requirements for Admission

To be eligible for admission to the program, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited 4-year sequence of study in Psychology within the last 10 years, with a minimum of Second-Class Honours Division B or equivalent;
2. 2. Be eligible for provisional registration as a psychologist (NB students must obtain and provide evidence of provisional registration from the Psychology Board of Australia before commencing the program and maintain it over the course of their program);
3. 3. Demonstrate suitability to undertake the course as evidence by satisfactory:
   1. Referee reports (1 x academic and 1 x professional) via HODSPA; and
   2. CV and personal statement; and
   3. For short-listed candidates, interview with the selection committee.

Please note that the application process is competitive, and the university can only accept a limited number of students into the program due to supervision requirements. This means that not all applicants who meet the minimum eligibility requirements will necessarily be interviewed. Short listing will take into consideration academic achievement and professional suitability.

Students who have obtained their qualifications outside Australia must have their qualifications assessed prior to applying for this program and prior to applying for registration with the psychology board of Australia. The Australian psychological society (APS) provides this assessment service for the board and the assessment assists the board in determining if the student's qualifications are equivalent to an 'approved qualification.' However, the final decision on equivalence rests with the board.

If you obtained your qualifications outside Australia, please submit evidence of your APS equivalency with your application.

We welcome and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply.

Applicants who have successfully completed subjects at another University, which are relevant to the selected program of study, may be eligible for Advanced Standing.

Key dates for entry

The postgraduate psychology programs are highly competitive and there are many more applicants than places available. Therefore, at Griffith there is a highly structured application process. Admission to the Master of Professional Psychology is restricted to students who are eligible for provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. The application process involves three stages.

Stage 1: The application

All applicants are required to demonstrate their capability for training in psychology as follows:

• Academic Achievement/Intellectual Ability: Applicants must have completed a program in Psychology extending over four years and accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) or equivalent as determined by the Australian Psychological Society. The Grade Point Average (GPA) in the undergraduate degree, fourth year and relevant courses will be taken into account. A minimum of an Honours Second Class Division B (or equivalent) is required.
• Interpersonal and Counselling Capability: Given the interpersonal sensitivity and awareness required for effective psychological practice, successful applicants will be expected to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills. Furthermore, in order for the program to build on a reasonably advanced applied skill baseline, successful applicants will be expected to demonstrate at least a basic level of competence in the counselling context, evidence of warmth and empathic responding and an openness to a range of approaches. This may be demonstrated by evidence of previous counselling training and relevant volunteer or work experience.
• Support from Referees: Two referee reports are required - one from an academic who knows your work well and a second from a professional referee who can attest to your interpersonal and counselling capabilities. See below for the Australian Psychology Postgraduate Program Reference Request System process.

Stage 2: The interview

Please note that, given the competitive nature of this program, only those applicants who have been evaluated by a panel of the clinical team as having demonstrated their suitability for training in psychology (according to the above criteria and ranked sufficiently high enough relative to others) will be shortlisted for interview.
The interview itself consists of a multi-station assessment process. Applicants are required to attend a face-to-face session that takes around half a day to complete. Applicants will be required to demonstrate sound interpersonal and emotion management skills as they respond to the various tasks at each station. Tasks include, for example, responding to an ethical dilemma, roleplaying an interview, roleplaying a supervision session, discussing research, responding to questions relating to their own reasons for applying for training in psychology and a written task.
Applicants are assessed by a panel of program staff who are registered psychologists in the multi-station interview process. Applicants will be ranked according to their performance at each station and those ranked highly enough will be offered a place in the program.

Stage 3: The offer

First round offers will be made by mid-November to applicants who are ranked at a sufficiently high level. A waitlist of applicants will be retained as second and third round offers may be made as late as January. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised as soon as is practically possible.

Note: Applicants are not permitted to defer an offer. Should you be unable to accept an offer, you must re-apply for entry in the following intake.