Master of Professional Psychology
Overview
The Master of Professional Psychology is a two year (full-time) program and offers an alternative pathway to your professional career in psychology, without the need for an honours degree.
The two-year program includes coursework on psychological assessment, interventions and professional skills; a group research project in the first year and practical placement experience in the second year. The Master of Professional Psychology is less research-intensive than honours.
This course is accredited with APAC, and will provide the fourth and fifth years of university study in the 5+1 pathway to registration as a psychologist.
Graduates from the degree will be required to complete a one year internship and pass the National Psychology Examination before they can apply for full registration as a psychologist. Graduates will be eligible for Associate Membership of the Australian Psychological Society.
The program is the first in Australia to combine the fourth and fifth years of study in the 5+1 pathway and was developed specifically to meet the requirements of students pursuing this pathway.
There are 25 places available in each intake of the Master of Professional Psychology due to availability of supervisors. 50% of these places are reserved for ANU undergraduate students and 10% of places are reserved for Indigenous applicants.
What you will learn
The Master of Professional Psychology is a two-year highly structured program with sequential enrolment. Upon completion of the first year (48 units) of study you will need to apply to the Psychology Board of Australia for provisional registration.
In this program you will study a variety of topics:
- Foundations of Professional Psychology
- Research Methods and Statistics in Professional Psychology
- Psychological Assessment
- Psychological Interventions
- Contextualising Professional Psychology
- Advanced Assessment in Professional Psychology
- Advanced Psychological Interventions
- Ethics and Professional Practice
- Preparation for Professional Psychology Placements
- Evidence in Professional Psychology
- Advanced Health Psychology and Lifestyle Medicine
- Professional Psychology Placement
- Professional Psychology Research Project.
Download the Master of Professional Psychology handbookk (1.17MB PDF)
Download the Master of Professional Psychology Student FAQ (178KB PDF)
Key facts
- #31 in the world for Psychology (QS 2020)
- 2 years full-time
- Semester 1 intake only
- APAC accredited Bachelor degree required
- Pathway to a psychology career without honours
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities
- #1 in Australia for graduate employability (Times Higher Education)
Careers
The Master of Professional Psychology can lead to a psychology career in a wide range of private, government and not for profit settings.
Graduates will be eligible for associate membership of the Australian Psychological Society. If you complete a one-year internship and the National Psychology Examination can apply for full registration as a psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
The Australian National University has been ranked as the top university for graduate employability in Australia in the Global University Employability Ranking 2020. As a student at ANU, you gain access to the ANU CareerHub – an online career development and employability tool that includes a jobs board and careers resources. You also have access to drop-in chats with a career consultant and to attend our career fairs to meet potential employers.
Almost everyone, at some point in their career, suffers from workplace stress. Chris decided to make a change, not just to his working life, but to yours too.
Read Chris's storyLearning experience
The new pathway to become a psychologist
The Master of Professional Psychology was co-designed with industry partners and health providers and positions students with a myriad of career options.
Learn more about Studying Professional Psychology
Helping young people with depression
A program to improve social connections could be just as effective as cognitive behavioural therapy when it comes to treating depression.
Find out more about Dr Tegan Cruwys' researchFees & scholarships
Scholarships
Whether you are looking for financial support to start your studies at ANU or help to move away from home for the first time, we have scholarship opportunities for you and your situation.
Key people
Dr Kristen Murray
Kristen is interested in the areas of clinical and health psychology. Her clinical practice and research focuses on psychological factors in health and well-being, particularly how these relate to obesity, eating disorders, chronic disease and health behaviour change. She is broadly interested in research that aims to understand, assess and treat these factors to improve health and well-being in the community.
Dr Conal Monaghan
Conal lectures on clinical assessment and statistics in the Master of Professional Practice program, and on psychometrics in the clinical psychology program. He is passionate about clinical research and assessment, dimensional models of personality disorder, clinician well-being, and working to improve youth / adolescent mental health.
Watch the webinar
Learn about what it is like to study Professional Psychology at ANU with Dr Kristen Murray, and hear from our current students Jack and Amelia about their experiences studying the Master of Professional Psychology.
How to apply
Key Dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 August | Applications open |
| 30 September | Applications close (including all supporting documents) |
| Early November | Interviews |
| Late November - December | Offers released |
These dates are subject to change. Email admissions.smp@anu.edu.au for confirmation.
Understand the entry requirements
Check admissions requirements on the program and courses website.
Applicants must meet the universities English language admission requirements.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration. Students in this program will be required to obtain provisional registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Registration requirements, such an English language for AHPRA may differ from those at the ANU. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they will meet the requirements to obtain provisional registration. https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au
Supporting documents
As part of your application to this program the below supporting documentation is required:
- Official academic transcripts from all undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications
- Document
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) - please ensure you include:
- relevant education, research and training qualifications
- relevant paid and/or volunteer work experience
- Two referee reports – referee reports are to be completed via the National Psychology Reference System. Reference’s must be professional and/or academic (not personal). At least one of the referee’s must be able to comment on your academic ability.
Your official academic transcript/s, supplementary form and CV must be uploaded as attachments when submitting your online ANU application.
Your application and all supporting documentation must be received by 30 September.
Submit an application
Start your application on the ANU Programs and Courses website.
Attend an interview
Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of their academic achievements and supporting documentation. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview in November.
Accept your offer
Once you receive an offer it is very important that you accept it to ensure your place at ANU is reserved.
Key Dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 August | Applications open |
| 30 September | Applications close (including all supporting documents) |
| Early November | Interviews |
| Late November - December | Offers released |
These dates are subject to change. Email admissions.smp@anu.edu.au for confirmation.
Understand the entry requirements
Check admissions requirements on the program and courses website.
Applicants must meet the universities English language admission requirements.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration. Students in this program will be required to obtain provisional registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Registration requirements, such an English language for AHPRA may differ from those at the ANU. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they will meet the requirements to obtain provisional registration. https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au
Supporting documents
As part of your application to this program the below supporting documentation is required:
- Official academic transcripts from all undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) - please ensure you include:
- relevant education, research and training qualifications
- relevant paid and/or volunteer work experience
- Two referee reports – referee reports are to be completed via the National Psychology Reference System. Reference’s must be professional and/or academic (not personal). At least one of the referee’s must be able to comment on your academic ability.
Your official academic transcript/s, supplementary form and CV must be uploaded as attachments when submitting your online ANU application.
Your application and all supporting documentation must be received by 30 September.
Get your overseas qualifications assessed
You are required to get your overseas psychology qualifications assessed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS). The APS assesses the level at which an applicant’s qualifications are comparable to an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) sequence of study in psychology. You have to pay a fee for this service to apply for entry to an APAC-accredited psychology course at ANU.
Submit an application
Start your application on the ANU Study website.
Attend an interview
Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of their academic achievements and supporting documentation. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview in November.
Accept your offer
Once you receive an offer it is very important that you accept it to ensure your place at ANU is reserved.