Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science
Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science
Strengthen your knowledge of human behaviour
Overview
Our Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science gives you deep insight into why we think and act the way we do, with an understanding of the connection between an individual, society and culture.
The degree provides students with psychological knowledge and skills that they will be able to apply to their current and/or future workplaces.
Note for International Students: The Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science is only offered as a pathway program into the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science. Additionally, three units will be delivered in one trimester and the remaining unit of this course will be delivered in the following trimester with units from the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science.
* This course is only available to international students on-campus in Melbourne and Sydney, on a full time enrolment basis (completion within 26 weeks).
What you'll learn
Expertise in human behaviour forms the foundation of all our courses including our Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science.
EXPLORE WITH AN APPLIED FOCUS:
Evidence-based approaches
The individual, society and culture
Biology, learning and cognition
Professional issues and applications
Course structure
The Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science course is comprised of 4 units, which are level 100 and 500 units. To find out unit delivery information view the relevant Yearly Planner.
The course duration is 26 weeks full time or up to 2 years part time. For more information on the recommended course sequence click here.
Level: 100 level core
Credit Points: 6
Pre-requisites: MULT1015 Applications in Context
Mode of delivery: On-campus and online
Unit description:
Opening up possibilities for developing multidisciplinary knowledge and practice, ACAP draws on the 4 Disciplines in the College to develop three integrative units that are core to first-year Undergraduate courses. These inquiry-driven units lay the groundwork for engaging students with multidisciplinary thinking, discourse and initiative in their fields of endeavour and in their future profession/vocation.
This unit will introduce students the issues of sustainability on a personal, professional and community level. We will examine individual and group practices that can meet the needs of current generations without compromising our or future generations ability to meet their own needs through a transdisciplinary perspective. This will encompass evidence-based approaches to promoting sustainability in the context of study, professional work and within our communities. The unit provides students with an opportunity to explore, analyse and reflect on the contribution of human behaviour to the sustainability of individuals and communities, and apply this to their personal, educational and future professional lives.
Please note: There are slightly different expectations in MULT1035 for Graduate Certificate of Psychological (GCPS) Science students. If you are enrolled in the Graduate Certificate of Psychology there are modified versions of Learning Outcome [c], the Assessment 1b rubric, and the Assessment 2 rubric in the relevant sections below. If you are not enrolled in the Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science, you can ignore these sections.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
a. Define sustainability in personal, professional and community contexts (undergraduate)
b. Apply the principles of sustainability to personal, professional and community contexts (undergraduate)
c. Demonstrate how evidenced-based approaches can be used to take action to support sustainability (undergraduate)
Unit workload
The workload for this unit is 10 hours per week.
Level: 500 level core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None
Mode of delivery: On-campus and online
Unit Description:
This unit is one of two introductory units in psychology for commencing students. Along with PSYC5172 Foundational Psychological Processes Advanced and MULT1025 Professions and Society, this unit builds foundational knowledge relevant to the history, philosophy, and methods underpinning the scientific study and profession of psychology. In this unit, the history and philosophy of both the quantitative and qualitative approaches are presented within the broader historical and philosophical themes of psychology as a discipline. The goals of this unit are to set the foundation for understanding research design and methods in psychology and to develop skills relevant to critiquing research, which involves developing knowledge and skills in research thinking, research doing, and research consuming. The unit considers the application of these research methods within the context of important concepts, such as the scientist-practitioner model, evidence-based practice, ontology and epistemology, and ethics. Content related to introductory concepts in the history of philosophy of psychology are also covered, along with content on the application of psychology in current professional and social contexts. This material will be presented in a manner that is scientifically rigorous yet culturally responsive and informs a broader discussion of psychology as both a professional practice in Australia and as an agent of social benefit. This unit is the first in a scaffolded series of units that, taken together, will facilitate the development of a comprehensive understanding of the skills and knowledge associated with research methods in psychology, the history and philosophy of psychology, and their contribution to the application of psychology.
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Learning and Teaching Process:
This unit is taught over 13 weeks. Students will participate in teaching and learning activities including:
a. Twelve (12) weekly pre-recorded 120-minute lectures
b. Twelve (12) weekly 90-minute live tutorials
For live tutorials, students will be enrolled to attend a regular class either a) on campus or b) online via Zoom.
In addition, the Unit Coordinator will be available for live online consultation for an hour on a weekly basis.
Level: 500 level core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None
Mode of delivery: On-campus and online
Unit Description:
This unit is a level 500 core and along with the PSYC5162 Psychology: History, Science and Application 1 Advanced and MULT1025 Professions and Society it provides an initial introduction to psychology. This unit will introduce fundamental psychological processes including principles of human learning, personality, motivation and emotion. The unit will provide a foundation for future study in psychology, including an introduction to the key processes of human cognition, human emotion, and human behaviour. Students will engage with empirical research as a means of evaluating competing theories and learn to engage in critical analysis of research findings. Culturally responsive approaches to the study of psychology are emphasised with the development of skills in communication of psychological processes across diverse contexts. Students will acquire skills in critical thinking and research communication that are necessary to progress through advanced and applied studies in psychology.
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Learning and Teaching Process:
This unit is taught over 13 weeks and totals approximately 10 to 12 hours of learning activities per week.
Students will participate in teaching and learning activities including:
a. Twelve (12) weekly 120-minute interactive self-directed learning activities
b. Twelve (12) weekly 120-minute lectures
c. Twelve (12) weekly 90-minute tutorials
In addition, Coordinators are available for consultation for an hour on a weekly basis.
Level: 500 level core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: PSYC5162 Psychology: History, Science and Application 1 Advanced (Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science only)
Mode of delivery: On-campus and online
Unit Description:
This unit is one of the core Level 500 units in the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science. In this unit, the history and philosophy of both the quantitative and qualitative approaches to research methods in psychology is presented within the broader historical and philosophical themes of psychology as a discipline. The goals of the unit are to develop an understanding the role of quantitative data analysis and statistical testing (using the SPSS data analysis package) and qualitative approaches in answering research questions in psychology, which involves developing knowledge and skills in research thinking, research doing, and research consuming. The unit considers the application of these research methods within the context of important concepts, such as the scientist-practitioner model, evidence-based practice, ontology and epistemology, and ethics. This material will be presented in a manner that is scientifically rigorous yet culturally responsive and informs a broader discussion of psychology as both a professional practice in Australia and as an agent of social benefit. This unit is the first of two units that, taken together, will facilitate the development of a comprehensive understanding of the skills and knowledge associated with research methods in psychology, the history and philosophy of psychology, and their contribution to the application of psychology.
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Learning and Teaching Process:
This unit is taught over 13 weeks and totals approximately 10 to 12 hours of learning activities per week. Students will participate in teaching and learning activities including:
a. Twelve (12) weekly 90 minute live tutorials
b. Twelve (12) weekly online 120 minute asynchronous lectures
c. Twelve (12) weekly online post-tutorial learning activities
For live tutorials, students will be enrolled to attend a regular class either a) on campus or b) online via Zoom.
In addition, Coordinators are available for consultation for an hour on a weekly basis.
View unit descriptions
Pathways for future study
The Graduate Certificate of Psychological Science course is a pathway to higher education, such as to the Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science.
This could be the first step on the path to training and registering as a psychologist in Australia or another career where understanding human behaviour is beneficial.