COURSE INFORMATION

Disclaimer

This course information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Q81 / L19 Doctor of Psychology

The Doctor of Psychology course combines coursework in an area of professional practice in Psychology with additional placements and research experience than are found in the Master of Psychology course.  Candidates specialise in one of the areas in which the School of Psychology offers a Master of Psychology degree: Clinical, Community, or Forensic Psychology.

 

COURSE LOCATION

The course is available by full-time or part-time study on Joondalup campus.

 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission is available to graduates with a relevant Bachelor degree with 2A Honours or higher, or a relevant Master of Arts, Science or Psychology degree which has a substantial research component.  Admission also depends upon the availability of a principal supervisor from the School of Psychology with expertise in the field of inquiry.

 

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Students who enrol part-time are expected to take a minimum of six hours per week.  Part-time students should consult the stream coordinator regarding the recommended units for each semester.

Any student who has not completed and submitted their research project within the normal period of time will re-enrol in PSY6286* until the project is submitted.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Normally the course will be completed over three years of full-time study or the equivalent period of part-time study.  All years of the course involve coursework, practical experience in structured placements, and the preparatory work on the thesis. An initial supervisor will oversee the production of the thesis proposal, and a supervisory panel will assist the development and production of the student’s research.  Students are required to make satisfactory progress in each semester for their doctoral thesis units.  Students with unsatisfactory progress will not be allowed to remain in the course.

 

Any student who wishes to register as a psychologist within Australia or to join a College of the Australian Psychological Society should consult the course coordinator to learn the additional course requirements.  Similarly, any student who wishes to practise as a psychologist in another country should consult the professional regulatory bodies in that country to learn of the necessary requirements.

 

The Doctor of Psychology will culminate in the completion of a thesis that makes a contribution to knowledge in a specialist area of study.

 

The normal course details for the three major areas of specialisation are as follows:
 
 
 Clinical Psychology
 Community Psychology
 Forensic Psychology
 

Students who wish to obtain registration as a forensic psychologist with one of the state registration boards in Australia should consult with either the Postgraduate Coordinator or the coordinator of the forensic program to determine if there are additional requirements that should be met.  Students who wish to obtain membership with the College of Forensic Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society should also do so.

The placement component involves 1500 hours of supervised field experience in at least three different settings.  Part of the placement requirements is the compilation of a logbook of essential skills and experience.

Students complete an individual research project in collaboration with a supervisor from among the staff of the School.  The scale of this project is roughly equivalent to that of a Master of Science.  Anyone interested in this course should contact the School of Psychology to request a copy of the brochure on staff research interests.

 

 
 
Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)
For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Student Equity, Diversity and Disability Service website:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/student/support/student-equity

Last Updated - Higher Education: 11/18/2004