University of Melbourne
Master of Applied Psychology
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 18 months
Designed for psychology graduates who want to develop practical skills in the applications of psychology and to employ them in business, government, the non-profit sector, marketing, consumer and social research and health.
Course overview
The Master of Professional Psychology is an innovative 1.5-year (full-time) program that includes subjects from the School of Psychological Sciences, the Faculty of Business and Economics and the School of Population and Global Health. Subjects will cover social psychology, influence and persuasion, the psychology of advertising and communications, judgement and decision-making, attitude and behaviour change, consumer psychology, research methods and data analysis.
The course is designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree with a psychology major. However, students who have completed a fourth year or a master's program in psychology are also encouraged to apply and may be eligible for advanced standing.
The Master of Applied Psychology does not carry professional accreditation and is not a pathway to professional registration as a psychologist.
Key facts
What you will study
The degree requires the completion of 150 credit points. Students will complete 125 credit points of compulsory subjects with an emphasis throughout the course on developing practical skills in applied contexts. The program will culminate in the completion of one of the following:
- 25-point Internship, which will place students in relevant workplaces
- 25-point research project
Unless otherwise indicated, each subject is worth 12.5 credit points.
Students must complete 125 points of compulsory subjects:
- Advanced Design and Data Analysis
- Advanced Social Psychology
- Psychology of Advertising
- Attitude and Behaviour Change
- Applied Research Methods
- Principles of consulting
- Qualitative Research in Public Health
- Thinking, Judgement and Decision Making
- Influence and Persuasion
Choose one of the following marketing subjects:
- Consumers and Consumption
- Marketing Management
Entry requirements
To be considered for entry into this course, you must have one of the following:
- An undergraduate degree (or equivalent) with a major in Psychology.
- A Graduate Diploma in Psychology (or equivalent).
Weighted Average Marks (WAM)
For the Master of Applied Psychology, the entry score is calculated using a weighted average of second-year (Level 2) and third-year (Level 3) psychology subjects. The average of the third-year (Level 3) Psychology subjects is weighted by 2 and the average of the second-year (Level 2) Psychology subjects is weighted by 1.
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, 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
Graduates will have an advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of knowledge in applying psychological principles and theories to real-world environments. Graduates will:
- Demonstrate advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of knowledge in applying psychological principles and theories to real-world environments.
- Understand how psychology theories and research can be applied to these real-world settings.
- Understand the implications of psychological research and theories in the commercial and social/government sectors.
- Be able to critically analyse research to determine its generalisability.
Career outcomes
The Master of Applied Psychology (MAP) will give you the skills and knowledge to apply psychological theories to real-world problems. As a graduate of this program, you’ll be in a prime position to pursue a career in marketing, social/consumer research, advertising, user experience, consulting, public policy or the non-profit sector.
The MAP was created to fill a gap in the market for applied psychology students (distinct from clinical or organisational psychologists) who want to work in emerging areas of behaviour change, behavioural insights and consumer decision-making.
The exciting opportunities for MAP graduates span numerous industries from advertising to government policy. While not a pathway to traditional registration as a psychologist, the MAP provides you with a wide range of career possibilities.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative first-year fee in 2026: $46,976 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Indicative total course fee in 2026: $72,813 (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.
