Bachelor of Psychological Science

On successful completion you will be able to:

1. Acquire, assess, and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts
2. Collect, analyse, and evaluate information and ideas and solve problems using a scientific approach
3. Demonstrate awareness of cultural differences and show sensitivity to the diversity across people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, when applying knowledge and skills of psychology
4. Analyse and critique theory and research in the discipline of psychology and communicate effectively in written and oral formats
5. Distinguish appropriate values and ethics in psychology
6. Employ interpersonal skills and teamwork

Understand the human mind and how it drives behaviour.

La Trobe's Bachelor of Psychological Science will prepare you for a career as a professional psychologist, or in a psychology-related field across industries from clinical psychology to human services and marketing.

Elective subjects with a choice of minor sequences in Human Relationships and Neuroscience gives you the flexibility to work towards the career you want. 

You'll learn:

• Analytical, research and communication skills
  • Learn skills that are essential to your future career in psychology.
• Clinical and health psychology
  • Gain an understanding of how to help people cope with mental and physical disorders.
• Developmental and social psychology
  • Understand how environmental factors contribute to peoples' psychological makeup.
• Psychological assessment, intervention and research
  • Become familiar with methods to understand and measure people's psychological state.
  • Learn when and how to intervene and how to conduct research.

Recommended study pattern

This degree is an Open Access pathway course, which means there is a recommended series of subjects that, once successfully completed, can be credited towards this degree. To commence the pathway for this degree, simply select subjects identified within the Entry requirements field. 

Students who wish to enrol in a part time load are recommended to enrol in two subjects per study period. Please refer to the La Trobe University Handbook to review the full structure.

Students who are studying and want to take a break (minimum one study period) must submit a leave of absencecovering the relevant dates.

Students who have been accepted in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) are required to complete the following 2 modules in their first study period as a CSP student:

LTU0AIM Academic Integrity Module

ABS0WOM Wominjeka La Trobe: Indigenous Cultural Literacy for Higher Education

Award requirements

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Psychological Science, students must complete 24 subjects (360 credit points) as follows:

• 12 core subjects
• 12 elective subjects  (which can include a major or minors)

Students who have been accepted in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) are required to complete the following 2 modules in their first study period as a CSP student:

LTU0AIM Academic Integrity Module

ABS0WOM Wominjeka La Trobe: Indigenous Cultural Literacy for Higher Education

Choose your subjects

Electives

Students may wish to complete a major (detailed below), minor (detailed below) or elective subjects.

Students may wish to complete a major sequence consisting of 8 subjects (120 credit points) from the following arts majors:

• Anthropology
• Archaeological and Heritage Studies
• Asian Studies
• Creative and Professional Writing
• Crime, Justice and Legal Studies 
• Digital Media
• English
• Ethics and Social Justice
• Hindi Studies Beginners
• History
• International Studies
• Linguistics
• Philosophy
• Politics
• Sociology
• Sustainability and Development
• Visual Cultures

Students may wish to complete a major sequence consisting of 8 subjects (120 credit points) from the following business majors:

• Agribusiness
• Digital Business
• Management
• Marketing

Students may wish to complete a course related minor sequence consisting of 4 subjects (60 credit points) from the following minors:

• Neuroscience
• Human Relationships

Students may wish to complete a minor sequence consisting of 4 subjects (60 credit points) from the following arts minors:

• Anthropology
• Archaeological and Heritage Studies
• Asian Studies
• Cognitive and Developmental Psychology
• Creative and Professional Writing
• Crime, Justice and Legal Studies
• Digital Media
• English
• Environmental Humanities
• Ethics and Social Justice
• Hindi Studies Beginners
• History
• International Studies
• Linguistics
• Philosophy
• Politics
• Sociology
• Sustainability and Development
• Visual Cultures

Students may wish to complete a minor sequence consisting of 4 subjects (60 credit points) from the following business minors:

• Accountancy
• Agribusiness
• Digital Business
• Digital Marketing
• Human Resources Management
• Management

Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.

This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.

• Level one core subjects

• Level two core subjects

• Level three core subjects

• Level one elective subjects

• Level two elective subjects

• Level three elective subjects

• Major in Agribusiness

• Major in Anthropology

• Major in Archaeological and Heritage Studies

• Major in Asian Studies

• Major in Creative and Professional Writing

• Major in Crime, Justice and Legal Studies

• Major in Digital Business

• Major in Digital Media

• Major in English

• Major in Ethics and Social Justice

• Major in Hindi Studies Beginners

• Major in History

• Major in International Studies

• Major in Linguistics

• Major in Management

• Major in Marketing

• Major in Philosophy

• Major in Politics

• Major in Sociology

• Major in Sustainability and Development

• Major in Visual Cultures

• Minor in Human Relationships

• Minor in Neuroscience

• Minor in Accountancy

• Minor in Agribusiness

• Minor in Anthropology

• Minor in Archaeological and Heritage Studies

• Minor in Asian Studies

• Minor in Cognitive and Developmental Psychology

• Minor in Creative and Professional Writing

• Minor in Crime, Justice and Legal Studies

• Minor in Digital Business

• Minor in Digital Marketing

• Minor in Digital Media

• Minor in English

• Minor in Environmental Humanities

• Minor in Ethics and Social Justice

• Minor in Hindi Studies Beginners

• Minor in History

• Minor in Human Resources Management

• Minor in International Studies

• Minor in Linguistics

• Minor in Management

• Minor in Philosophy

• Minor in Politics

• Minor in Sociology

• Minor in Sustainability and Development

• Minor in Visual Cultures

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $30,618

The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Learn more about La Trobe University.

Explore La Trobe courses.

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15

Successful completion of two of the following four Open Access Pathway subjects:

• PSY1BAM Introductory psychology: brain and mind
• PSY1SFP Scientific foundations of psychology
• PSY1PAC Introductory psychology: people and culture
• PSY1APP Applied psychology

Demonstrate proficiency equivalent to Year 12 prerequisites

Satisfy the academic requirements by completing the STAT multiple choice if you:

• are not currently studying an Australian Year 12 (or equivalent)
• have no prior secondary school (Year 12), VET studies, HE studies or relevant work experience that can be considered for entry, or
• do not meet the minimum academic requirements for the program.

Refer to the La Trobe University STAT page for further information.

La Trobe University will consider applications for advanced standing, or credit for prior study. Credit may be applied to a current degree if you have undertaken previous tertiary study and completed and passed subjects similar in content and standard to those offered at La Trobe, from either another recognised tertiary institution or a different La Trobe course.

Note: Applications for credit will not be considered until you have successfully been admitted to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in a La Trobe course offered through OUA.

Assessing whether you should apply for credit for subjects in your course:

Credit may be granted for relevant subjects. The following steps will help you to decide which subjects you wish to apply for:

1. Identify subjects within your course that you think align with subjects you have already studied and have completed within 8 years of your La Trobe University course commencement year.
2. Provide subject outlines with detailed information for each subject that you wish to submit for assessment for credit, identifying which subject within your course that you have identified as a match. Include subject learning outcomes/objectives and subject content for each subject.
3. Provide your academic transcript for your previous studies.

*Note that a subject studied can only be used once for credit