Psychological Science major
Are you interested in how we learn, remember and think? Have you ever wondered how we control our movements? Psychologists are interested in how and why people behave the way they do. Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes and behaviour, and is a challenging and wide-ranging discipline.
The Psychological Science major will provide you with a scientific understanding of our psychological processes and the relationship of these processes to brain function. You will also develop an understanding of how these psychological processes are affected by ageing, brain damage and disease. Students hoping to pursue further study at postgraduate level leading to professional accreditation as a psychologist should complete the Psychology double major.
During the major you will be exposed to sensitive topics (e.g. depression, suicide, trauma, eating disorders). You will also be required to demonstrate skills across a variety of different formats and contexts (e.g. written assessments, participation in practical work, contribution to group discussions, oral presentations), and so it is important to carefully consider whether you are able to cope with the demands of a psychology major and whether there is anything that would impact upon your ability to complete the requirements of the major.
Outcomes
Students are able to (1) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological processes and their relationships with neurobiology; (2) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the scientific method in psychology; (3) demonstrate critical thinking in psychology including an appreciation of the use of the scientific method to study psychological processes; (4) demonstrate skills in the analysis and presentation of quantitative data; (5) demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills; (6) work effectively as a team member in solving problems; and (7) apply relevant employability skills for psychology.
Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.
Psychological Science can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:
BP004 Bachelor of Science
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Overview of unit sequence
Psychological Science is a degree-specific single major comprising:
- two Level 1 units
- five Level 2 units
- ten Level 3 units
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2021 |
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2022 or 2023.
Level 1
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | PSYC1101 | Psychology: Mind and Brain | |
| S2 | PSYC1102 | Psychology: Behaviour in Context |
Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1720.
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | MATH1720 | Mathematics Fundamentals |
|
Level 2
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | PSYC2203 | Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Psychology |
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points from this group:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | PSYC2208 | Psychology: Atypical Development | |
| S1 | PSYC2215 | Cognitive Psychology | |
| N/A | PSYC2217 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| S2 | PSYC2218 | Perception and Sensory Neuropsychology |
Level 3
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | PSYC3301 | Intermediate Quantitative Methods in Psychology | |
| S2 | PSYC3310 | Psychology: Specialist Research Topics |
Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points with at least 6 points from this group:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | PSYC3308 | Psychology: Atypical Development | |
| S1 | PSYC3315 | Cognitive Psychology | |
| N/A | PSYC3317 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| S2 | PSYC3318 | Perception and Sensory Neuropsychology |
If required, take one unit to the value of 6 points from this group:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | PSYC3309 | Industrial and Organisational Psychology | |
| N/A | PSYC3312 | Psychology and Social Behaviour | |
| S1 | PSYC3313 | Psychology: Lifespan Development | |
| S2 | PSYC3314 | Adult Psychopathology |
Choosing your degree-specific major
Specialised degrees – Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Bachelor of Automation and Robotics, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Music
You must satisfy the requirements of the degree-specific major in your degree before you complete your course.
Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics
This comprehensive degree does not require you to choose a degree-specific major.
General degrees
You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.
To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .
To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.
The following example illustrates how the Psychological Science degree-specific major can be included in the Bachelor of Science course.
There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .
Choosing a second major
You also have the option to choose a second major from those available in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students. and Bachelor of Science courses, giving you the opportunity to pursue your interests no matter how different they are.
The following example illustrates how the Psychological Science degree-specific major can be combined with a second major in the Bachelor of Science course.
For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .