University of Melbourne
Graduate Diploma in Psychology
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Designed for graduates from other disciplines interested in career paths as a registered psychologist or exploring psychology out of interest.
Course overview
The Graduate Diploma in Psychology course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and provides the required foundational sequence of subjects for students seeking to undertake further psychology studies to pursue a career as a registered psychologist or researcher. Studying psychology prepares graduates for diverse health, education, industry, commerce, welfare and government careers.
The accredited sequence emphasises critical thinking, scientific reasoning, research design, data analysis and the application of findings across various contexts. Students also develop ethical reasoning and respect for human diversity through in-depth biological, cognitive, developmental, social and clinical psychology studies.
Why study psychology at the University of Melbourne
- No. 1 university in Australia for psychology: The University of Melbourne is ranked #1 in Australia for Psychology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025), offering world-class courses by renowned psychologists.
- Professional accreditation: Many psychology courses at the University of Melbourne are accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), providing the necessary subjects for generalist psychologist registration in Australia.
- Practical learning environment: Students apply their knowledge in practical learning environments tailored to their needs through Melbourne's key partners and collaborators, such as Royal Melbourne Hospital, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Orygen.
Key facts
March, 2026
July, 2026
What you will study
The Graduate Diploma in Psychology course comprises 125 credit points of psychology subjects, including eight compulsory psychology subjects (100 credit points) and two elective psychology subjects at Level 3, selected from a range of electives (25 credit points). Each subject is worth 12.5 credit points.
Complete all of the following:
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour 2
- Biological Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Personality and Social Psychology
- Advanced Research Methods in Psychology
- Advanced Psychological Theory and Practice
Entry requirements
To be considered for this course, you must have an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with a major other than psychology.
English language requirements
All applicants to the University of Melbourne must satisfy the English language requirements. This may be achieved in several ways, including recognised previous studies taught and assessed entirely in English or an approved English language test.
If you are from a non-English speaking background, the required standard of English for this degree is one of the following English proficiency test scores:
- IELTS (Academic) - 6.5 overall, with no band less than 6.0
- TOEFL - 79+, with writing 21; speaking 18; reading 13; listening 13
- Pearson - 64+, with no communicative skill below 60
- Cambridge - 176+, with no skill less than 169
Recognition of Prior Learning
Prior studies may be credited towards your degree and potentially reduce the duration of your course. This is known as Advanced Standing (also known as credit or recognition of prior learning). Contact the university for more details.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
The Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences Graduate Diploma prepares graduates who are distinguished by their breadth and depth of psychological knowledge, research and inquiry skills and their ability to apply these to inform questions relating to human behaviour. Graduate Diploma in Psychology graduates demonstrate:
Academic distinction:
- In-depth knowledge of psychological science with a broad understanding of its multiple perspectives, spanning the neural to societal levels.
- Critical, creative thinking with strong reasoning skills. They can apply psychological knowledge, information and research skills to complex problems relating to human behaviour, psychological processes and behavioural change.
- Effective oral and written communication skills for explaining and evaluating psychological theories, processes and concepts.
- They are adept lifelong learners who generate bold, novel ideas by critically evaluating alternative possibilities and viewpoints.
Active citizenship:
- High regard for human rights, social inclusion, ethics and the environment.
- An awareness of the social and cultural diversity in communities and can work collaboratively with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
- In particular, they have an understanding of and deep respect for Indigenous knowledge, culture and values.
- They are equipped to be active, well-informed citizens who make substantial contributions to society and have the potential to become leaders in their professions and communities.
Integrity and self-awareness:
- Self-direction, with the ability to set goals and manage time and priorities.
- The ability to work effectively both independently and in groups.
- Skills in self-assessment, reflective thinking and self-awareness place great importance on their personal and professional integrity and their willingness to explore, experiment and learn from mistakes.
- Empathy and concern for the welfare of others and have developed skills in managing their own well-being.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative first-year and total course fee in 2026: $45,600 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Unless otherwise noted, the indicative total course fee shown above assumes a study load of 1 EFTSL (equivalent full-time student load) commencing semester one of the listed year, except for courses with a duration of less than 1 EFTSL.
Fees are subject to annual review by the University, with any new rates effective from the beginning of each calendar year.
A student’s fee may vary depending on:
- The number of subjects studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of subjects.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students.
