Last updated: November 23, 2022
Becoming a registered psychologist in Australia will take some serious commitment and time. And you don’t want to waste resources on something that won’t get you anywhere. We’ve got a list of the top accredited psychology courses in Australia that’ll set you in the right direction toward becoming a fully registered psychologist.
You have no educational background in psychology. Your work experience isn’t relevant either. And you’re not sure which courses can help you get your foot into the door.
Becoming a registered psychologist in Australia will indeed take a significant amount of study and training. But this doesn’t mean you can’t make a career switch if you’d like to now.
We’ve compiled this list of the best online psychology courses in Australia with the necessary accreditation to help you land your dream job as a psychologist.
To become a registered psychologist in Australia, you’ll need to complete a minimum of six years of relevant study and training.
The first step toward becoming a registered psychologist in Australia is your undergraduate psychology degree, for instance, a Bachelor of Psychology or a Bachelor of Psychological Science.
Some undergraduate degrees come with a built-in honours year, allowing you to secure your 4th year of study through a comprehensive program.
You’ll need to complete this 4th year of study to progress toward becoming a registered psychologist. You may either complete this 4th year through an honour’s program or via a postgraduate diploma.
Say you’ve already completed a bachelor’s degree unrelated to psychology. In this case, you can instead complete a graduate diploma (about one year) with subjects related to psychology as your undergraduate study.
After completing your undergraduate program, you can either opt for further study or an internship program—which you must complete to practice as a registered psychologist in Australia.
The pathway to becoming a psychologist usually takes a minimum of 6 years of study and training.
You will need to take an accredited course to become a registered psychologist, which we’ll explore further below.
What makes or breaks a psychology course? These are some things to keep in mind while looking for a suitable course.
Completing your undergraduate study won’t immediately make you a psychologist. But it is a fundamental part of becoming a registered psychologist in Australia.
Here’s our list of the top online psychology courses in Australia. And don’t worry—you won’t need relevant education or work experience to meet their entry requirements.
Let’s take a look at them!
3 years
Online
~$13,500(Subsidised)
The Diploma of Psychological Studies offers a seamless transition into a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology). This may be useful for those who wish to gain relevant knowledge before entering a bachelor’s course or don’t currently meet the entry requirements of their desired bachelor’s course.
This diploma allows you to transfer into the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) after completing just two first-year subjects. The Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) is a 3-year course you can undertake as part of the 6-year pathway to becoming a psychologist.
During this diploma course, you’ll cover the foundation of psychology via assignments, assigned readings, research, tutorial assistance, and lectures. All this will be completed online, either part-time or full time, and the course will take one year of full-time study.
3 years
Online
~$70,000 Approximate fee
The University of South Australia currently ranks as one of the top 15 universities in Australia to study psychology. The entire course is designed and informed by cutting-edge research, where you’ll learn to dissect and interpret scientific research as well as dive into evidence-based practices essential for psychologists.
No placement is compulsory through this course, but the focus lies heavily in real-world practice. For instance, you’ll learn how to help clients with everyday things like sleep, exercise, and diet and assess the characteristics and abilities of employees that are necessary for them to succeed in their roles.
The course is 100% online and done at your own pace. Around 10-15 hours of study are recommended each week, and this course stretches over three years of full-time study.
This degree forms a strong foundation for further study or training and forms the first three years of the 6-year route to becoming a registered psychologist. In addition to that, this degree helps boost your employability in industries such as marketing, healthcare, HR, and education.
3 years
Online
~$25,000(Subsidised)
The APAC-accredited online degree equips you with a scientific and research-based understanding of psychology and behavioural studies. You’ll dive deep into the methods and techniques used to understand the causes of human behaviours. Plus, you’ll learn more about motivation, emotions, and cognitive processes (memory, perception, learning) of the human mind.
Like the previous undergraduate course, this one also forms the first three accredited years of study required in the 6-year pathway to becoming a registered psychologist. But other prospects you can look after completion include counselling, research, and human resource management.
This course runs online, either three years full-time or the part-time equivalent. They have a support team that you can contact seven days a week. Everything is done at your own pace and time, allowing you complete control over your study schedule.
4 Years
Online
~$35,000(Subsidised)
Currently, Deakin is the only Victorian university where you can take on specialist psychology majors as part of your undergraduate degree. This allows you to explore your interests earlier on in your pursuit.
The significant difference between this bachelor’s and the previous ones is this: It’s a four-year honours program. Essentially, this course includes the practical training that preps you for provisional registration under the Psychology Board of Australia. You’ll be completing four out of the six years of training and education required to become fully registered.
After graduation, you can continue your pursuit of becoming a fully registered psychologist. Or you could explore other career prospects, such as human services, marketing and communication, child support, public health, and social work.
The course can be completed online, and its flexible delivery allows you to juggle other commitments while pursuing your passion. You may also opt to do it part-time.
Looking for short courses to sharpen your knowledge and expertise in a specific field?
Well, these online courses offer bite-sized lessons you can digest at your own pace.
CBT is definitely one area you’ll dive into in psychology. You’ll learn about the most important themes of cognitive psychology and how to apply cognitive psychology in everyday life. The course covers the following areas:
Your course instructor has over a decade of relevant experience teaching CBT and modern applied psychology. So rest assured you’re in good hands.
Positive psychiatry is a rather new term that involves a dual approach to supporting mental health—firstly by building social support, resilience, and a healthy lifestyle, and secondly by treating any illness or distress.
Throughout the course, you’ll dive into the different mental health disorders and their causes and treatment options. You’ll also explore the different approaches to strengthening mental health, from yoga and creativity to psychotherapies and psychiatric medications.
Additionally, you’ll learn about evidence-based approaches that anyone can utilise to boost their own mental health, such as relaxation techniques and exercise.
The course is presented by several Australian experts and leaders in psychiatry, psychology, and mental health. It can be completed 100% online and at your own pace and takes around 20 hours to finish.
We’ll take a closer look at the two common career outcomes of completing your course.
A counsellor primarily focuses on talk-based therapy. You’ll help your clients mainly with the following:
A counsellor typically works on a short-term basis with their clients. Unlike psychology, counselling is a self-regulated profession.
A counsellor in Australia earns an average salary of around $85,000 a year. The Skills Priority List by the National Skills Commission notes that there will likely be a strong demand for counsellors in the future.
There are various fields of psychology you can tap into, such as:
Essentially, a psychologist will study, interpret, and explain certain feelings, emotions, and behaviours. Your possible job scope could include:
Psychologists cannot prescribe psychiatric medications or perform medical procedures.
The psychology profession is regulated in Australia. And you’ll need to undergo a minimum of six years of training or education to become a registered psychologist in Australia.
The average salary of a psychologist in Australia is $100,000 per annum. According to the Skills Priority List by the National Skills Commission, there is currently a shortage of psychologists in Australia and an expected strong demand for psychologists in the future.
The most important thing to keep in mind while picking a psychology course is this: It must have APAC accredition. This allows you to register as a psychologist in the future under the Psychology Board of Australia.
There are various accredited online psychology courses in Australia that offer subsidies to local students—many of which do not require relevant work or study experience.
So, it is very possible to start from an unrelated background and study to become a psychologist without getting into a lifelong debt!
Yes, it is absolutely possible to gain an online psychology degree from the top universities in Australia. Many of these are 100% online and typically run on at-your-own-pace learning. Online psychology courses also tend to be cheaper compared to on-campus ones.
Yes, you will be required to work with Math and statistics in almost all (if not all) psychology courses. Psychologists working in research or social psychology are very likely to deal with numbers often. Also, because research is a fundamental part of this field, you will need an understanding of the basic concepts of statistics and quantitative analysis. But the components of Math covered in your courses won’t be rocket science. So don’t worry too much about that.
It takes a minimum of 6 years of education and training to become a registered psychologist in Australia.
The Psychology Board of Australia is in charge of overseeing and regulating the psychology profession, and this determines who can practice psychology in Australia. To gain full registration as a psychologist, you’ll need to complete four years of tertiary study that is accredited by APAC. After that, you will go for two more years of postgraduate study and/or training approved by the board.
Psychology can be challenging. But if you have a genuine interest and passion for understanding the human mind and behaviour, you’ll be more motivated to complete your coursework and revision. Ultimately, it all boils down to your personal interests.
