Master of Professional Psychology

VU course code: | Level of study:

Fees

Fee type for this course: Full fee

Location

Applications closed

Overview

Prepare for your final internship to become a practising psychologist, with a Master of Professional Psychology at Victoria University.

The Master of Professional Psychology at VU provides an accredited pathway to register with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) as a practising psychologist. Accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), this course concludes five years of university training, followed by a required year of supervised psychology practice at a professional internship of your choice, outside the university.

Through in-depth learning and supervised placements under expert guidance, you will build your skills and knowledge to progress towards becoming a practising psychologist.

At VU Psychology Clinic, you will provide psychological services under close supervision to a culturally diverse community seeking support for a range of mental health issues. For strong career outcomes, you will have opportunities to:

practise both face-to-face and using telehealth
facilitate group psychotherapy programs
apply for a placement at our Orygen outpost where you will gain experience in providing early-interventions for youth mental health.

Note that deferring your commencement is not possible because of the competitive nature of this course and the limited number of places available. If you're unable to start in the intake that you've been offered, you'll need to reapply for the next available intake.

: Based on the scientist-practitioner model of advanced psychology training, this postgraduate psychology course combines practical classes and supervised practice to help you acquire and apply the following skills:
psychological and cognitive assessment, case formulation and diagnosis of a range of common mental health and neurodevelopmental issues
ethical decision-making to support your safe and effective practice across interprofessional settings
culturally sensitive practice to assist your work with diverse communities
evidence-based interventions to support the wellbeing and recovery of young people, adults, older adults, groups and families.
: Over two practicum units, you will undertake at least 300 hours of supervised work placement at VU Psychology Clinic, where you will provide psychological services to members of a culturally diverse community seeking support for a range of mental health issues. You can also apply for a placement at our Orygen outpost.
In addition, several of our units include role-playing practitioner-client interactions in different contexts to ensure you feel best prepared to support real clients at VU Psychology Clinic. Our teaching, clinic and supervision staff bring a wealth of practical experience from the private and public mental health sectors to enhance your professional development at every stage of your training.
: Upon completing a Master of Professional Psychology at VU, graduates will have the competencies to complete a required year of supervised psychology practice at a professional internship of your choice, outside the university.
After completing this final internship year, you will become eligible to sit the National Psychology Exam and apply for general registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) through the '5+1 internship model' for registration.
The Master of Professional Psychology is currently accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and approved by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) as a suitable program of study for the purpose of gaining registration as a psychologist.
: Study this course via our award-winning VU Block Model®, where you complete one subject at a time over four weeks, rather than juggling several at once.
Learning in workshop-style classes, you’ll develop strong connections with your peers and practical skills for your future career.
You’ll also get fast feedback on your assignments, helping you to improve quickly as you progress through your course.
Learn more about the VU Block Model®

Entry requirements

When assessing your application, we consider your educational achievements and work experience, as well as your skills and personal attributes (where relevant).

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a related course or unit(s). We call this a ‘pathway’.

You may also be eligible for course ‘credits’, where you are granted a unit or units towards your qualification for equivalent previous study or work experience, so you can graduate sooner.

Entry criteria

Credit & Entry pathways into this course

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

After you are accepted into your course, you will need to enrol in your course units.

During enrolment, use your course delivery plan to understand the structure and requirements of your course.

Fees & scholarships

Fees

Scholarships

Careers

The Master of Professional Psychology provides an accredited pathway to registration as a psychologist. After graduating, you can apply for a required internship year of supervised practice in psychology, as approved by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA). Following completion of both this course and the internship year, you will become eligible to sit the National Psychology Exam, and apply for registration as a general psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA).

Graduates of the Master of Professional Psychology at VU go on to have rewarding careers that match their passions and interests in these areas: