Master of Professional Psychology

The item you are viewing is Phasing out

Suspended or closed

This degree is being phased out. No new enrolments will be permitted from 2024. Students admitted will be able to complete their studies. Students who are undertaking the course on a part-time basis are strongly recommended to complete the core subjects as soon as possible.

Overview

If you’re passionate about the importance of mental health, La Trobe’s accredited Master of Professional Psychology will give you the foundations for a rewarding career that supports others to develop resilience and good mental health. Designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and the Australian … For more content click the Read more button below. Gain essential tools that you’ll use every day, such as counselling, psychological assessment, assessment, formulation, and creating and implementing treatment plans. You’ll learn the latest best practice from experienced academic staff, as all your teachers have a wealth of recent clinical experience and have worked in a variety of settings such as public health, perinatal mental health, private practice, neuropsychological services and others. You’ll benefit from both online and in-person learning. This flexible and accessible course includes just two weeks of intensive face-to-face classes at our Bendigo Campus in the first semester, so you can be based anywhere in Australia. Created to increase accessibility and equity, this course is designed to support you continuing your postgraduate study no matter where you live in Australia. Get real-world skills working alongside industry professionals with our practice-based curriculum. You’ll gain clinical skills via simulation and role play in your first semester and an in-person placement in your second semester (located in your home state). Take advantage of La Trobe’s connections to hospitals, clinics and community health organisations around Australia when you work directly with patients in your second semester. You’ll graduate confident, experienced and ready to take your psychology career to the next level. You'll learn:Cognitive behavioural therapyLearn about cognitive and behavioural models of psychological disorders. Develop the skills to apply cognitive behavioural therapy, such as assessment, case formulation and treatment planning.Case reviews and discussionObserve cases and develop your practical skills through online seminars and discussion.Psychological assessmentLearn the concepts and techniques central to the assessment process. Understand psychometric theory and gain hands-on experience of assessment interviewing.Professional placementGet hands-on experience when you complete a placement as a probationary psychologist in a relevant mental health environment, located in your home state.Research in clinical practiceLearn to source, evaluate and apply research findings to develop effective treatment plans for clients.*Please be aware that this course includes mandatory in-person placement requirements. Students are expected to complete these placements in Australia.

Designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) for a generalist fifth year in psychology, after you graduate from La Trobe’s accredited Master of Professional Psychology you’ll be eligible to undertake a one-year internship. After you successfully complete this supervised internship, you’ll be eligible to register for full registration as a general psychologist.

Gain essential tools that you’ll use every day, such as counselling, psychological assessment, assessment, formulation, and creating and implementing treatment plans. You’ll learn the latest best practice from experienced academic staff, as all your teachers have a wealth of recent clinical experience and have worked in a variety of settings such as public health, perinatal mental health, private practice, neuropsychological services and others.

You’ll benefit from both online and in-person learning. This flexible and accessible course includes just two weeks of intensive face-to-face classes at our Bendigo Campus in the first semester, so you can be based anywhere in Australia. Created to increase accessibility and equity, this course is designed to support you continuing your postgraduate study no matter where you live in Australia.

Get real-world skills working alongside industry professionals with our practice-based curriculum. You’ll gain clinical skills via simulation and role play in your first semester and an in-person placement in your second semester (located in your home state). Take advantage of La Trobe’s connections to hospitals, clinics and community health organisations around Australia when you work directly with patients in your second semester.

You’ll graduate confident, experienced and ready to take your psychology career to the next level.

You'll learn:

Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Learn about cognitive and behavioural models of psychological disorders. Develop the skills to apply cognitive behavioural therapy, such as assessment, case formulation and treatment planning.
Case reviews and discussion
- Observe cases and develop your practical skills through online seminars and discussion.
Psychological assessment
- Learn the concepts and techniques central to the assessment process. Understand psychometric theory and gain hands-on experience of assessment interviewing.
Professional placement
- Get hands-on experience when you complete a placement as a probationary psychologist in a relevant mental health environment, located in your home state.
Research in clinical practice
- Learn to source, evaluate and apply research findings to develop effective treatment plans for clients.

*Please be aware that this course includes mandatory in-person placement requirements. Students are expected to complete these placements in Australia.

Portfolio

Office of the Provost

School

Course coordinator

Kirstie McKenzie-McHarg

Location(s)

Bendigo

Course instance contact

Leah Brennan

Course duration (full time)

1 year

Course duration (part time)

2 years

Study level

Postgraduate

AQF level

Level 9 - Masters Degree

Available only as an exit award

Study options

Domestic

Completion requirements

To qualify for the award of Master of Professional Psychology, students must complete 120 credit points consisting of: 120 core credit-points

Course structure
120 credit points

Level one120 credit points

Core120 credit points

Course intended learning outcomes

On successful completion you will be able to:

Apply specialised practical skills with a critical understanding and mastery of the underpinning theory and evidence-base to work as a professional psychologist

Apply advanced knowledge and skills in psychology to engage with a wide range of clients and colleagues across different service settings

Critically apply research skills in professional psychology to inform evidence-based practice

Employ high standards of professional integrity by competently identifying and responding to ethical and legal issues in professional psychology practice

Demonstrate a flexible and reflective approach to professional psychology practice, research and service development

Justify and sensitively communicate outcomes of psychological assessments, professional decisions and research in psychology to specialist and non-specialist audiences

Evaluate appropriate assessment and management strategies based on psychological research, clinical and community practice and relevant case studies

Career outcomes

After graduation, you’ll be eligible to undertake a one-year internship. After you successfully complete this supervised internship, you’ll be eligible to register for full registration as a general psychologist.

Registered psychology professionals can find employment in a variety of settings, including:

General psychologist
- Once fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, you'll be equipped to work with children, adolescents and adults in a range of settings.
Private practice
- You'll have the option to go into business for yourself as a general psychologist.
Public sector
- Schools, hospitals, prisons and aged care homes all need psychological professionals.

Professional recognition

The Master of Professional Psychology is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). Professional registration may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

Other course instances

Select a related course instance to view more information.

Core participation requirements

Behavioural and relational skills

Core requirement

Students must be able to manage their own responses and behaviour to work effectively in a range of learning environments with diverse people and tasks. This includes the capacity to be receptive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback. Students should also be able to work with others in a team or group environment and make and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals in order to complete tasks or for professional practice.

See also Student behaviours policy for more information.

Course-specific requirement

Psychology is a profession governed by specific regulatory and ethical standards and requirements set out by the Psychology Board of Australia in order to ensure healthcare is delivered in an accountable, professional, and safe manner. Provisional psychologists are registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and must be both accountable and responsible for ensuring ethical and professional behaviour in all contexts.

Under these regulations and standards provisional psychologists must:

• be able to manage personal responses, beliefs or preferences such that they can work with diverse groups, for example they must be able to work with clients of any gender, different sexual orientations, different religious and cultural backgrounds, and all psychological disorders.

• engage in ethical behaviour in professional practice, in compliance with these codes, guidelines and policies, in order to facilitate safe, competent interactions and relationships for the people they engage with. This ensures the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the individual is not placed at risk.

• display behavioural stability and manage their personal responses while working with emotionally and physically distressed individuals from diverse groups and backgrounds, and in diverse and changing environments. For example, provisional psychologists will be exposed to situations which are challenging and unpredictable and will be required to have the behavioural stability to manage these objectively and professionally. This includes being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback, managing their own emotional state in order to be able to develop and maintain an appropriate relationship with a diverse range of clients.

• accurately reflect on their professional performance, in order to accept feedback on their professional practice and respond constructively, identifying when an issue is outside one's scope or expertise, or when one's practice may be affected by an impairment.

• must also consistently possess and demonstrate relational skills in order to make and maintain strong therapeutic relationships with a wide range of clients in order to provide effective assessment and intervention. For example, provisional psychologists must sufficiently demonstrate an ability to make and maintain rapport with clients, engage in effective counselling skills, provide accurate empathy, and effectively manage difficulties arising in the therapeutic relationship.

Adjustments must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychology Board of Australia, result in unethical or unprofessional behaviour in both academic and healthcare settings, or compromise client care.

https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/
https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Standards-and-Guidelines/Registration-Standards.aspx
https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Standards-and-Guidelines/Codes-Guidelines-Policies.aspx

Cognition

Core requirement

Students must be able to locate, acquire, retain and apply knowledge as part of their learning and for assessment. They must have the ability to sustain their attention over a designated period, maintain their focus in a variety of learning environments and remember information long enough to complete tasks in a reasonable and safe timeframe.

Course-specific requirement

Provisional psychologists must demonstrate consistent and effective knowledge and cognitive skills to undertake safe and competent psychology practice. They must be able to acquire, remember and locate appropriate and relevant information, process information relevant to practice in a timely manner, and then integrate and implement this knowledge in practice, for example:

• to develop and test hypotheses, develop treatment plans and then conduct individual sessions for clients based upon retained and newly acquired knowledge

• to retain, apply and comply with legal and regulatory requirements regarding all aspects of practice and the requirement for provisional psychologist registration with the Australian Health Professional Registration Authority (AHPRA) that facilitate safe, competent interactions and relationships for the clients they engage with. This ensures the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the individual is not placed at risk.

Provisional psychologists must also consistently and effectively demonstrate and apply sufficient cognitive skills to undertake safe and competent psychology practice. For example, provisional psychologists must be able to:

• Attend and focus their attention for sustained periods of time and process information in order to respond effectively to critical changes in instructions, measurements or observable behavior.

• Maintain consistent and sustained level of attention and mental performance as needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care.

• Elicit, understand and respond to sensitive and challenging information (both verbal and written) accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner; and provide timely clear feedback and reporting to clients and other professionals.

• Interpret and correctly apply numerical data, measurement and numerical criteria in the execution of psychology practice, such as accurately scoring and interpreting psychological test data in order to ensure safe client care.

• Read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of empirical and client information in a timely manner in order to ensure safe client care.

Adjustments for knowledge or cognitive impairments must not compromise or impede student's ability to demonstrate the minimum acceptable level of knowledge and cognitive skill required to practice safely and sufficiently, and must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychology Board of Australia, or client care.

Sensory (visual, auditory, tactile, olfaction)

Core requirement

Students should possess the ability to interact with visual, auditory or tactile inputs sufficiently to manage their learning environment and to meet professional performance needs.

Course-specific requirement

Provisional psychologists must demonstrate the capacity to recognise and interpret auditory and visual information, including, verbal, non-verbal and behavioural cues, in order to respond appropriately and timely to the dynamic needs of the clients they work with. They must be able to observe and understand auditory and visual cues for safe and effective observation of clients' symptoms and reactions as part of their assessment and treatment, including recognising and responding to non-verbal and auditory cues indicating a change in the emotional and mental state of a client. This capacity to interact with visual and auditory inputs is essential for provisional psychologists to be able to effectively and sensitively communicate with clients, build rapport, and demonstrate respect and empathy, thus permitting the development of trusting relationships required to work with clients during placements. Provisional psychologists must also be able to process auditory and visual information in classroom situations.

Adjustments for visual impairments must enable the recognition, interpretation and appropriate response to non-verbal cues as well as initiation of effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.

Adjustments for auditory impairments must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy of verbal communication issues to ensure safety.

Adjustments must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychology Board of Australia, or compromise client care.

Strength and mobility

Core requirement

Gross motor skills: Students should possess the strength, range of motion, coordination and mobility sufficient to manage their learning environment and ultimately, professional performance needs.

Fine motor skills: Students should possess the manual dexterity and fine motor skills sufficient to manage their learning environment and ultimately, professional performance needs.

Course-specific requirement

Provisional Psychologists must demonstrate sufficient physical capacity and endurance at a consistent and sustained level to undertake and complete common and repetitive tasks, such writing case notes and reports, engaging in client sessions for the duration, in a timely manner and over time in order to provide safe and effective care.

Adjustments must ensure that physical performance is consistent and sustained over a given period, and must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychology Board of Australia, or compromise client care.

Additional costs

Registration with professional body

WWCC

Immunisations - Standard

Prior to commencing a placement, students are required to meet all of the requirements of the degree in relation to immunisation. Students must visit a medical practitioner who will complete and sign the Immunisation and Health Record form.

Depending on a students immunisation history, the overall costs for vaccination may be up to AUD$1030. Students are responsible for all costs incurred. Further information will be provided post enrolment.

Handbook