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; and (6) work effectively as a team member in solving problems.
Degree-specific major
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
- two Level 2 units
- four Level 3 units
- one Level 3 complementary unit
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2020; NS = non-standard teaching period |
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2021 or 2022.
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 |
Take the following complementary unit (only for students who do not have ATAR Mathematics:Applications, WACE Mathematics 2C/2D or equivalent or higher):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| NS, 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:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PSYC2208 | Psychology: Atypical Development | |
| N/A | PSYC2215 | Cognitive Psychology | |
| S1 | PSYC2217 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| N/A | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PSYC3308 | Psychology: Atypical Development | |
| N/A | PSYC3315 | Cognitive Psychology | |
| S1 | PSYC3317 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| N/A | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PSYC3309 | Industrial and Organisational Psychology | |
| S1 | PSYC3312 | Psychology and Social Behaviour | |
| N/A | PSYC3313 | Psychology: Lifespan Development | |
| N/A | PSYC3314 | Adult Psychopathology |
Choosing your degree-specific major
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. or Bachelor of Science course, 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 .
Psychological Science can also be taken as a second major.
Second major
Psychological Science can be taken as a second major in the following degree courses:
- BP001 Bachelor of Arts
- BP006 Bachelor of Biomedical Science
- BP002 Bachelor of Commerce
- BP003 Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students.
- BP004 Bachelor of Science
- BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Overview of unit sequence
The Psychological Science second major is a single major comprising:
- two Level 1 units
- two Level 2 units
- four Level 3 units
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2020 |
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2021 or 2022.
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 |
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:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PSYC2208 | Psychology: Atypical Development | |
| N/A | PSYC2215 | Cognitive Psychology | |
| S1 | PSYC2217 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| N/A | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PSYC3308 | Psychology: Atypical Development | |
| N/A | PSYC3315 | Cognitive Psychology | |
| S1 | PSYC3317 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| N/A | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PSYC3309 | Industrial and Organisational Psychology | |
| S1 | PSYC3312 | Psychology and Social Behaviour | |
| N/A | PSYC3313 | Psychology: Lifespan Development | |
| N/A | PSYC3314 | Adult Psychopathology |
Choosing a second major
The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you the option of including a second major. You have the choice to either nominate your second major when you first enrol in the course or delay it until your second year. For a major to be recorded on your academic record it must be nominated before the requirements of the course are completed.
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 Psychological Science can be included as a second major in an undergraduate degree course.
For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .
Psychological Science can also be taken as a degree-specific major.