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Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced
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Accreditations

Provisionally Accredited by the AHPRA

Study mode

Accelerated 100% Online

Duration

1.4 years part-time

Units

8

Intakes

Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Oct

Fees

$36,600 total course fee

Your final step to a psychology career

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World-leading research

The Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced is the final qualification you’ll need for a provisional AHPRA registration. You’ll be able to complete further study and work as a supervised psychologist across a number of industries with growing demand.

4.2 stars out of 5

Psychologists report very high job satisfaction

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Provisionally AHPRA accredited

Study with industry leaders
Provisionally accredited by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Register as a psychologist

Fourth year, honours equivalent course

Take the final step to becoming a registered provisional psychologist

Accelerated & 100% online

Study that’s flexible

Coursework and assessments designed to fit around your needs.

Expanding knowledge, improving practice

Push the boundaries of your learning and advance your psychological skill set. The Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced is a fourth-year, honours-equivalent program designed to continue your pathway to becoming a psychologist or pursuing a research degree. You’ll delve into specific areas of the science and practice of psychology and explore their contemporary applications. 

This course combines psychological theory and methodology with integral research skills, giving you a pathway into roles within universities and hospitals, education and training institutions, government departments influencing public policy, and corporate organisations conducting market research and consultancy work. 

What you will learn
  • Psychology fundamentals
    Explore topics such as developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and personality and social psychology.
  • Professional ethics
    Understand how ethics inform psychological research and practice.
  • Psychological perspective
    Understand human behaviour and motivation in diverse contexts.
Receive a one-on-one consultation about your study options.

Our worldwide Psychology rankings

Dedicated to academic excellence, Monash University has achieved international recognition in its Psychology courses. 
Australia
# 3
THE World University Rankings by Subject
(2024)
International
# 50
THE World University Rankings by Subject
(2024)

Pathways to an accredited psychology qualification

You can graduate with a Graduate Diploma in Psychology Advanced in 1.4 years part-time accelerated, after completing 8 units (48 credit points) and be eligible to register as an AHPRA accredited psychologist.

The course is structured in three parts: Part A. Core units, Part B. Research units and Part C. Elective units. All students complete all parts.

Need further clarification about our online course structure?

You can submit an enquiry directly to our student consultants by using the form listed on our contact us page. You’ll have the opportunity to schedule a call if you’d like to receive further information.

Please note that the indicated 20-24 hours study load is an estimate only, and extra hours should be considered for higher goals of achievement.

These units will address core issues in modern psychology, along with ethics and evidence-based approaches to psychological assessment and intervention.

Ethical and professional issues in psychology

Psychological assessment and intervention

Psychology in industry: Pathways to employment

These units will develop your understanding of scientific methodology, statistics and their application in psychology.

Psychological research project: Statistics and research design for professional psychology

Psychology research project: Introduction and project planning

Psychology research project: Methodology and data collection

Psychology research project: results and discussion

These units will enable you to further develop your knowledge of psychology through a choice of electives covering contemporary topics in the field – such as mental health and illness, or developmental clinical psychology.

Perspectives in clinical and developmental neuroscience

21st century applications of psychology

Direct Entry Pathway:

Prospective students will be guaranteed entry into the course when meeting the following requirements

An Australian undergraduate degree (or equivalent) with a major in psychology, accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) with at least a distinction (70%) average across second and third year psychology units (including psychology electives).

OR

A graduate diploma in psychology, accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) with at least a distinction (70%) average across all psychology graduate diploma units excluding any foundational units.

Applicants with international qualifications will need to have their qualifications assessed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

Single Unit Pathway:

Prospective students holding either of the above qualifications with an average mark of 60-69 will be eligible for the Single Unit Pathway.

Students opting for this pathway will complete two single units* included in the Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced which if successfully completed, will be credited towards that course.

Please note, as these are single non-award units, payments cannot be deferred to FEE-HELP and must be paid up front.

You will have 12 months to complete both units. These units are not repeatable units and must be passed at the first attempt to be eligible for the pathway.

You will also be required to take a forced intermission upon completion of your single units prior to being admitted into the remaining 6 units of the Graduate Diploma Psychology Advanced (GDPA).

A minimum of 60% Weighted Average Mark will be required for the two units to progress to the rest of the program, with FEE-HELP then being available.

Please note that any score below 55% across these two units will render you ineligible to continue the program. This single-unit pathway is only available once. If you do not meet the required average or choose to withdraw you cannot undertake the single-unit option again.

Students who successfully complete units and are eligible for the entry to Graduate Diploma Psychology Advanced (GDPA) should note that these two units will appear separately on their transcript, and the two units do not count towards the Weighted Average Mark for the Graduate Diploma Psychology Advanced (GDPA). The School of Psychological Sciences can provide students with a letter outlining their WAM with all 8 units, upon completion, if required.

English requirements

Applicants must meet the English language requirements.

University entrance requirements

Minimum entrance requirements apply for admission to Monash University Australia.

Fitness for practice and professionalism

To complete your course, you are required to demonstrate that you meet fitness for practice expectations.

Fitness for practice is part of the assessment in all units in this course. If you don’t meet the fitness for practice expectations you will receive a fail mark for the unit and be required to repeat the unit before you can progress to the next year level of the course. In some circumstances, not meeting fitness for practice requirements can lead to exclusion from the course.

View details of the course’s Professional Standards, Ethical Behaviour and Student Support (ProFESS) framework.

If you need help understanding any of the above entry requirements, reach out to our student consultants on our contact us page and schedule a booking for a chat.

For the Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced, the estimated cost is $4,575.00 per unit. You may be eligible to receive a FEE-HELP loan to cover part or all of your tuition. Fees are subject to change annually.

Scholarships

We offer over 360 types of scholarships, valued at up to $280,000. Some scholarships offer one-off payments while others continue for the length of your course. Learn more about Monash Scholarships.

Looking for clarification on fees or scholarships?

Enquire with our student consultants and schedule a call to get your questions answered.

The Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced is accredited through the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

Career outcomes

The workplace of the future is an exciting and dynamic place. A Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced degree is designed to equip you with the necessary skills to succeed in a constantly changing global environment.

What does the future look like for Clinical Psychologists?

With exceptional industry growth and job satisfaction, Clinical Psychologists are sought-after and well-paid.

Salary

$115,000

The most common salary for a Clinical Psychologist in Australia.

STAR RATING

4.2 / 5

Clinical Psychologists report very high job satisfaction.

INDUSTRY GROWTH

+22.8%

Expected growth for Clinical Psychologists over five years.

I think this course is fantastic and it offers a realistic way for many people who want to be a psychologist to fulfil that goal.

Will Sutherland

Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced

Psychology online at Monash

Studying psychology online through Monash allows you to learn from leading academics in the field and provides access to innovative technology solutions to complex psychological issues. Unique to Monash, you’ll conduct research through the award-winning Research Portal, a comprehensive, high-quality virtual environment.

The course is a collection of eight core, research and elective units designed to advance your knowledge of psychological theory and research methodology. Develop your discipline-specific research skills through a research project that opens up exciting opportunities in the research space come graduation.

Meet your academic team

Dr Ashlee Field

Dr Ashlee Field is a Clinical Psychologist with 10 years’ experience working in private practice. Evidence based therapeutic techniques utilised by Ashlee include: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Schema Therapy. Ashlee is the Senior Supervisor for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Domain and the Unit Coordinator for Psychological Assessment and Intervention.

Dr Michael Rowlands

Dr Rowlands is a forensic psychology researcher with over 10 years’ experience working with criminal populations. He specialises in assessing risk of sexual violence. Dr. Rowlands leads a team of researchers in the forensic domain, and coordinates/teaches in neuroscience and the application of psychology in the 21st century.

Dr Ashleigh Schweinsberg

Dr Ashleigh Schweinsberg’s research focuses on psychological education, online learning and self-development. Ashleigh enjoys working in academia with a passion for furthering online education in psychological sciences. Ashleigh is a GDPA graduate who is now the Unit Coordinator of PSY4405: Ethical and Professional Issues in Psychology and is the Senior Supervisor for the Educational and Developmental Psychology research domain in the GDPA.

Monash Online GDPA FAQs with Dr Lilani Arulkadacham

Course Convener
Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced

Dr Lilani Arulkadacham explains what makes Monash’s online Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced (GPDA) unique, how the course is structured, what you can expect to learn, how you will be supported and career opportunities on graduation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research is a significant component of the course, which enables you to pursue three different psychology career paths:
  • Practice Psychology path
  • Mental Health path
  • Research path
You will learn with a supervisor how to understand and conduct research so that you can complete the thesis component of the course.
A Virtual Lab within Monash University's portal gives you access to all the resources you need to conduct research. Within the Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced course, there are:
  • statistical packages, where research students can analyse their data.
  • research programs that enable students to conduct experiments with their supervisor and research participants.
  • recruitment applications, so that students can recruit their research participants.
You will collaborate with your peers as well as your supervisor and learn to conduct research in a supportive environment.
Many students want to go on to train in clinical psychology, but we also train our students to do research. This means you can go on to undertake PhD research studies and pursue a career in the tertiary education sector. 
Receive a one-on-one consultation about your study options.

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