Online Psychology Courses in Australia

Psychology industry in Australia 

Studying psychology means looking closely at the human mind and behaviour. When you develop an understanding of human behaviour, When you develop an understanding of human behaviour, you unlock a wide range of professional options.

If you want to practise as a registered psychologist, a master’s degree in psychology is essential. The job outlook for psychologists is strong. Job postings increased by 17.5 per cent from 2020 to 2021 and are projected to grow by over 45 per cent in the next 10 years.*

Data from the Australian Government’s JobOutlook shows that while most (70.7 per cent) psychologists work in health care and social assistance, over 17 per cent are employed in education and training. Top employers include state and national government and corrections groups. As a practising psychologist, you’ll earn a median yearly salary of over $103,000.

Who should study a postgraduate psychology course?

Postgraduate psychology courses are valuable for people who studied psychology at an undergraduate level and want to follow the trajectory of completing the educational requirements to become a registered or clinical psychologist. Speak to a Student Advisor to confirm if the course you’re interested in studying is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

Alternatively, you may not have studied psychology before but work in a human-related field like human resources, education and marketing and want to grow your skills in psychology to apply to your job.

The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) predicts strong growth in a number of fields that may benefit from psychology expertise. Employment is projected to increase approximately 29 per cent for social workers, 15 per cent for HR professionals and 25 per cent for management and organisational analysts. That’s compared to an all-jobs average of just 8.3 per cent.

If you want to be a sought-after professional in a psychology setting – or any other field centred around people – postgraduate study in psychology can help you achieve your goals.

Who can study a psychology postgraduate course?

The entry requirements for postgraduate psychology courses vary between institutions and course levels, but here’s a general overview:

Graduate certificate

• An APAC accredited bachelor’s degree in any discipline other than psychology OR
• Relevant professional experience in the industry

Graduate diploma

• An APAC accredited bachelor’s degree or higher-level qualification in any discipline besides psychology
• Some universities require prospective students to have a Graduate Certificate of Psychology

Graduate diploma (advanced)

• An APAC accredited 3-year bachelor’s degree in psychology (or equivalent) is the last 10 years OR
• An APAC accredited Graduate Diploma in Psychology completing in the last 10 years
• A credit average mark achieved in one of the pathways listed above

Master's degree

• Completion of an APAC accredited 4-year bachelor’s degree with first class or second class honours in psychology. The bachelor’s degree completed must include a research project and thesis

In most cases, only prior education studied in the past 10 years is accepted as a prerequisite. Read the entry requirements for your chosen course to check if you’re eligible to apply. Our Student Advisor can help run you through this.

Skills gained and learning outcomes for online psychology postgraduate studies 

Online postgraduate study allows you to prepare for the next stage of your career without interrupting your day-to-day responsibilities.  

Postgraduate study in psychology will build on your existing skills and introduce you to new ones. Topics covered include the following:  

• Psychology theory:
  Explore theoretical perspectives of psychology, from cognitive, social and emotional development to environmental psychology and neuroscience. Examine the scientific foundations and methodologies of theories, and how they’ve developed over time.
   
• Diversity and cultural awareness:
  Learn how cultural differences effect how we conceptualise and express psychological health and wellbeing. Take a closer look at the psychological challenges that diverse communities face in regional, national and global settings.
   
• Scientific inquiry: Cultivate a scientific approach to understanding psychological health and wellbeing. Understand and evaluate research, and learn to identify ethical issues.
   
• Data analysis: Use technology and statistical methods to do research, care for clients and drive positive outcomes. Prepare to succeed in an increasingly data-driven field.
   
• Application of theory and evidence: Review, evaluate and apply psychology theory and evidence to solve research problems. Apply legal and ethical frameworks to psychological practice and research.
   
• Professional practice: Get hands-on experience with industry technology, work on community-based projects, and undertake non-traditional assessments that reflect the application of psychology in the workplace.
   
• Communication: Design, evaluate and share information and initiatives to promote good mental health, resilience and wellbeing in culturally diverse and geographically dispersed contexts.
   

Passionate about a specialisation in psychology? If you pursue a clinical pathway, you’ll have the opportunity to become an endorsed:

• Clinical neuropsychologist
• Clinical psychologist
• Community psychologist
• Counselling psychologist
• Educational and developmental psychologist
• Forensic psychologist
• Health psychologist
• Organisational psychologist
• Sport and exercise psychologist

The skills and experience you gain studying a postgraduate psychology course can give you a winning edge in a non-clinical setting or support your journey towards registration as a practising psychologist.

Pathways to practising psychology 

The pathway you take through your psychology studies will depend on your career goal. If you want to become a practising registered psychologist, you must meet the standards and complete the milestones required by the Psychology Board of Australia.  

To pursue general registration, you’ll need to:  

• Complete a fifth year of psychology study  
• Complete a year of supervised practice 
• Pass the national psychology examination with the Psychology Board of Australia. 

To become a registered psychologist endorsed to practise in a specialist area, you’ll need to: 

• Complete a two year master's with one or more specialist areas of practice endorsement (AoPE) 
• Gain general registration  
• Complete a Psychology Board of Australia registrar program  
• Gain general registration with an AoPE 

Career outcomes for postgraduate online psychology courses 

Qualified psychologists are highly sought after in the current job market, and continued strong growth is projected.

Choose a specialisation that aligns with your interests and enjoy a fulfilling career. Or, if your goals lie within a different person-centred field, use your psychology expertise to bolster your employability and progress along your chosen career path. 

If you’d prefer to work for yourself, you'll also have the option of setting up and operating your own private practice or consultancy. 

Your career options may include the following roles, all of which have very strong growth projected by JobOutlook:  

Clinical psychologist  

• Average salary $110,000/year, median salary $103,000/year  
• Clinical psychologists work with clients to assess and treat psychological problems 
• Specialised postgraduate qualifications and supervised practice are essential for becoming a clinical psychologist 

Organisational psychologist 

• Average salary $130,000/year, median salary $121,000/year 
• Organisational psychologists help organisations function more harmoniously and effectively 
• They apply their psychological expertise to improve organisational structures, address performance issues and help promote better morale and motivation 
• Specialised postgraduate qualifications and supervised practice are essential for becoming an organisational psychologist 

Educational psychologist 

• Average salary $135,000/year 
• Educational psychologists help learners thrive in educational settings 
• They analyse student abilities and strengths and help teachers develop strategies to optimise learning 
• Specialised postgraduate qualifications and supervised practice are essential for becoming an educational psychologist  

There are many possible career paths other than registered psychologist, depending on previous study and experience, and how far you go, including: 

• Human resources 
• Behavioural science 
• Life/career coaching  
• Marketing research and strategy 
• Customer experience and/or user experience specialist 

Choosing the right postgraduate online psychology course for you 

Studying psychology online gives you future-focused skills you can apply to a range of different careers. With no requirement to attend campus, there’s no need to pause your current career. Best of all, you can graduate sooner than traditional part-time study allows.

Master’s degrees allow you to build skills and knowledge across different areas of psychology – for example, diversity and cultural awareness and data analysis.

Graduate diploma qualifications often have graduate certificates embedded within them, so you can work toward your desired outcome at your own pace or exit early having acquired new skills and career-boosting qualifications.

Choose a university that offers both specialist and generalist graduate certificates that all lead to a master’s degree and look into the electives you can do. If life gets busy, you can always take breaks as required.

Before committing to a graduate certificate, check the graduate diploma or master’s degree it’s embedded within. Some graduate certificates are specialist, others are generalist.

Reach out to the university’s Student Enrollment Advisor to help you decide if the program you want to enrol in aligns with your goals. If you plan to start a graduate certificate with the option to go on to complete a master’s degree, it’s important to confirm that pathway is available.

To make the best possible decision for you, start by reviewing the postgraduate psychology courses on offer in detail. If you need more information than what’s available online, speak to a Student Advisor who will make sure you have the information you need to make a decision.

Compile a list of the key questions you seek to answer while deciding which course to do. This list might include (but is not limited to) the following:

• How long do postgraduate psychology courses take to complete?
• What can I do with a psychology degree?
• How do the various courses on offer differ from one another?
• How do the universities offer the courses differ?
• What are their points of difference that are of value to me?
• Does this program give me skills and knowledge I need to progress my career in psychology?
• If I pick a specialisation/major, can I change my mind part-way through and study a different specialisation or take a generalist path?
• If I wanted to come back and study again in the future, does this degree offer me pathways?
• What support do universities offer students?
• Are there any additional fees?
• Who teaches the course?

*According to reporting by Esmi (formerly Burning Glass International Inc., an analytics company providing real-time job market data.