Science Honours

Psychology

Completing fourth year Psychology Honours offers graduates a provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and enables them to apply for further postgraduate study leading to full registration as a professional psychologist in Australia. It involves intensive research, classes, and seminars that deepen content knowledge and substantially increase research skills, enhancing immediate employment prospects and future career potential. Besides the routes to a career as a professional psychologist or higher degree research student, there are many other career opportunities such as in organisational development, coaching, public relations and policy in the government sector, science journalism, and more.

Prerequisites for admission

Entry is competitive on the basis of academic merit. In order to be eligible to enter Psychology Honours, a completed APAC accredited major in Psychology is required with a minimum credit average or better across both the Intermediate and Senior Psychology units of study. This major must include 48 credit points (or equivalent) of Intermediate and Senior Psychology units of study, and must include senior statistical methods unit PSYC3010 (or equivalent from external institutions). The credit average is a minimum requirement and it may not be sufficient to gain entry into the Honours program as the strength of the applicants varies each year.

Additional Criteria:

• If you are a University of Sydney Faculty of Science student, a SCIWAM of at least 65
• If you wish to be considered for the Theoretical Thesis option, successful completion of a third-year level History and Philosophy of Psychology unit

Due to restricted resources for research supervision, the intake to Psychology Honours is limited to approximately 80 students and will be determined by academic merit in Intermediate and Senior Psychology units of study.

Course Details

Psychology Honours program is 1 year full-time study, consisting of:

Empirical Thesis (50% of final Honours mark) – throughout Semester 1 and 2; and

Coursework:
Semester 1:
a) 2 x Special Fields elective modules (each worth 15%) OR Theoretical Thesis (30%)
b) Psychological Research Methods (15%)

Semester 2
c) Ethics and Professional Issues (5%)

Assessment

In summary, students are required to:

1. devise, conduct and report upon an Empirical Thesis research project
2. attend two Special Fields seminars and complete required assessment tasks or write a Theoretical Thesis; and
3. attend all lectures for Ethics and Professional Issues in Psychology and Research Methods and complete the required assessment tasks

Empirical Thesis:
Semester 1: devise an empirical research project, submit a research proposal, and begin conducting the project (the research area is dependent on the interests and specialisation of the academic staff member supervising your thesis).
Semester 2: complete the project, finish writing the empirical thesis, and submit it.

Special Field modules:
Semester 1: written assessment/presentation in each of the modules
OR
Theoretical thesis:
Semester 1: draft and submit final Theoretical Thesis

Ethics and Professional Issues in Psychology:
Semester 1: exam

Research Methods:
Semester 2: exam

Honours Coordinator:
Asociate Professor Irina Harris
T +61 2 9351 3497
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Honours Support Team (administrative matters):
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General Honours Advice:
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Unit outlines will be available though Find a unit outline two weeks before the first day of teaching for 1000-level and 5000-level units, or one week before the first day of teaching for all other units.