Fourth Year in Psychology

The Department of Psychology offers an innovative fourth year program that has been designed to provide students with flexibility and choice in coursework areas, as well as a significant research component.

• About the course
• Admission requirements
• Selection Criteria
• How do I apply
• Research Supervision
• Course structure
• Research Participation Program
  

About the Course

The objective of the fourth year program is to help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and scholarship necessary for achieving excellence in psychology. More specifically, the fourth year program is designed to provide students with the opportunities to learn the intellectual background, ethical principles, and content areas of psychology as a scientific discipline, and to acquire the general skills for:

• critically analysing the existing knowledge about a research topic prior to one's own research (eg. sophisticated conceptual analysis of relevant content area/literature/intervention program etc., critical appraisal of one's own and others' research, generation of productive research questions);
• constructing a research plan (eg. research design, methods of observation) to address one's research question;
• executing one's research plan adequately to obtain data;
• analysing the data so as to address the research questions appropriately; and
• discussing the implications of the results coherently within the context of the existing knowledge relevant to the research topic.

The fourth year program in psychology is offered through the Honours degree or the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology, both of which are accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) . Staff supervising and teaching the fourth year program have national and international recognition in research in their specialisation, and bring to the program the breadth and depth of that experience.

Although both courses are identical in content and assessment, they have different grading structures (an Honours student requires a minimum of 65% to successfully complete the degree, whilst a Postgraduate Diploma student requires a minimum of 50%). The academic results obtained through both courses are considered equivalent for those intending to undertake further study.

The Honours course can be undertaken through the Faculties of Arts or Science, either through their single degrees or their various combined degrees. The Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology is undertaken through the School of Behavioural Science.

Graduates with a three-year undergraduate psychology APAC accredited sequence may be eligible for the:

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - normally requires a Bachelor of Arts degree;
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) - requires a Bachelor of Science degree (or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Faculty of Science);
• Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology - requires a Bachelors degree (or equivalent qualification) that does not qualify for Honours in Arts or Science, or a combined Honours degree.

Admission requirements

Honours

Entry is open to graduates who have qualified for the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) with an APAC accredited three-year sequence in psychology (or equivalent) at an honours level. Successful applicants must satisfy both the Department's and Faculty's selection criteria.

The Faculty of Science may also consider graduates of a three-year science related degree. For example, applicants who have undertaken a Bachelor of Applied Science or a Bachelor of Behavioural Science from an external university with an APS accredited three-year sequence in psychology (or equivalent) at an honours level, and have met the Department's selection criteria, will be considered by the Faculty of Science.

The Faculty of Arts recommends that entry into the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree requires the fourth year of study to be commenced within five years of completion of the Bachelor of Arts. If the Bachelor of Arts degree is more than five years old, the applicant should apply for entry into the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology.

Further faculty entry requirements should be checked with the Faculty of Arts or Faculty of Science.

Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology

Entry is open to graduates with an ordinary Bachelors degree (or equivalent qualification) that includes an APS accredited three-year sequence in psychology (or equivalent). Successful applicants must satisfy the Department's selection criteria.

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Selection criteria

Selection into fourth year is based on academic performance.

A numerical index is computed for each applicant using a combination of second and third level subjects. The index is a weighted average of all third level subjects and all second level psychology subjects. All results are converted to the University of Melbourne scale. Third level marks are weighted by their credit-point value, and second level psychology subjects are weighted by one third of their credit-point value. (For University of Melbourne students, second level psychology subjects usually contribute around 20% of the final index.)

In the event of students completing a psychology major as part of a combined degree, the selection committee exercises judgement in the use of non-psychology third level subjects.

For students completing a major as part of the Graduate Diploma in Psychology or other second degree (eg. BLitt), the numerical score is constructed in the manner described, but using only those non-psychology subjects (if any) completed in the second degree.

Students are ranked for selection according to the index and the highest ranked students falling within the agreed quota are recommended to the Faculties for selection. It should be noted that students are only considered for selection if the credit-point weighted average of all second and third level psychology subjects is at least 70% (when converted to the University of Melbourne scale).

How many places are available in the course?

In 2007, approximately 60 places are likely to be available within the fourth year program subject to supervision availability.

Can I receive credit for any previous studies at a fourth year level?

There is no credit or exemption available to students in either of the fourth year courses

Can I defer my place?

The Department does not allow deferral of study in either of the fourth year courses. However, applicants may choose to take a year or two away from study after completing their undergraduate degree before applying for the Honours or Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology courses. Applicants must be aware that entry at the future date is not guaranteed, even if entry would have been achieved at the time of completion of an undergraduate degree.

Can I study part-time?

Honours

This course is normally undertaken on a full-time basis, and is completed within a year. There is, however, provision for part-time enrolment over two years. In this case, students must complete the entire coursework component in the first year and the thesis in the second year. Transfer from full-time enrolment to part-time enrolment will not be permitted after the commencement of the first semester.

Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology

The Postgraduate Diploma may be undertaken in one year (full-time) or two years (part-time).

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How do I apply?

All Australian graduates applying for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology course, course code 104PY; Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology, course code 754PY and the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology, course code 443AA have to apply on line. The site opens early September and closes on 31st October 2007. Please apply at here : https://sis.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/course-application.pl No late applications will be accepted.

Once you have completed the form, a hard copy of the application must be printed out, signed and returned to the University.

Successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible of the outcome of their application

International graduates

All international applicants for the fourth year program are required to complete the appropriate application form from The International Centre. The International Centre requires different forms to be completed for the Honours course and the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology.

Honours applicants should complete the undergraduate application form found in the 'Undergraduate Prospectus for International Students' or from the International Centre.

Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology applicants should complete the postgraduate application form found in the 'Postgraduate Prospectus for International Students' or the International Centre.

How will I know if I have been selected?

Please note that you will NOT receive written acknowledgment that your application has been received. The Department of Psychology will notify you as soon as possible of the outcome of your application. The first round of provisional offers will be made in mid-December, and if necessary, a second round from early February. Once the selection process is complete, all unsuccessful applicants will be advised in writing, possibly as late as February.

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Research supervision

The Research project accounts for 50% of the fourth year program. The procedure for research topic allocation is based on general areas of research interest and individual projects.

Students are able to start working on their research projects once they have been offered a place and have been allocated a supervisor. This may be as early as January in the year of enrolment. Students are often allocated to work with a supervisor on an existing project. Other may be given the opportunity to develop an independent project.

Once students have been allocated a research topic and a supervisor, they will not be able to change unless there are extenuating circumstances, and the change has been approved by the Fourth Year Convenor.

Supervision allocation process

In order to achieve the closest match of supervisor's projects and student interests, the Department has instituted a three step process.

1. Research proposals
   
   Members of academic staff who are supervising students the following year will provide information about their research proposals. A copy of the list of proposal will be mailed to successful applicants.
2. Ranking
   
   Successful applicants will be asked to rank their 10 top preferred supervisors in a form provided with their provisional offer.
3. Supervisor Interview
   
   Successful applicants will be given a subset of potential supervisors to contact and discuss their mutual interest and proposals. This will occur around December/January. Students should be aware that leave arrangements and popular rankings preclude any assurance that the students will be allocated to a particular supervisor or project. The Department reserves the right to make supervision arrangements.

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Course structure

The course structure for both fourth year courses is the same, and involves the completion of three compulsory subjects (which includes the research project), and two elective subjects.

Compulsory Subjects

Elective Subjects