Masters Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Professional and Clinical programs?
The Master of Professional Psychology offers an APAC accredited 5th year of professional psychology training, required for applicants pursuing the 5+1 pathway to General Registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. On completion, graduates undertake a one-year internship (the +1 year) and complete the National Psychology Exam, following successful completion of which they then are eligible for General Registration. At UNE this course is offered online only, and studied in one year full-time or up to four years part-time. The course involves 300 hours of practicum in one simulated placement unit.
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is a 2-year APAC accredited higher degree program leading to specialisation as a Clinical Psychologist, which involves professional training in psychological practice and 1000 hours of clinical placements over three placement units. The first year of the course is undertaken full-time on-campus, with the exception of those students admitted under Rule (c) (i.e. Registered Psychologists seeking to upskill), who can only study this course online, in full-time or part-time mode.
Completion of the course will enable graduates to apply for General Registration as a Psychologist (if they do not already hold this). Subsequent supervised practice will lead to endorsement as a Clinical Psychologist by the Psychology Board of Australia.
Can I transfer between the Master of Professional Psychology and the Clinical programs? It is possible to apply for a transfer from the Master of Professional Psychology into the Master of Psychology (Clinical) after completing the MPP. Places are limited on the Clinical program so this is a competitive application process which involves an interview. There is no guarantee that you will be successful if you apply. How do I apply for the PhD in Clinical Psychology? The Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology) is a 4-year double degree, which combines the Master of Psychology (Clinical) with an embedded research PhD, in a topic of relevance to the field of clinical psychology. Entry to the PhD (ClinPsych) is via the Master of Psychology (Clinical). You should apply for Master of Psychology (Clinical). If successful, you then apply to transition to the PhD in Clinical Psychology on completion of the first year of the clinical program. What if I am sick, do I still have to attend intensive schools? Intensive schools are mandatory and if you are unable to attend, you will need to withdraw from the unit. When are the intensive schools? These vary from unit to unit. The dates of intensive schools for each unit are published in the UNE Handbook. Typically, the intensive schools run for 6 days in April/May, 5 days in June/July and 3 days in August/Sept. There is also a non-mandatory 1-day orientation intensive school in February for MPSYC Rule C and MPP, which students are strongly encouraged to attend. All intensives schools are held online. Can I defer? Offers for the Master of Professional Psychology can be deferred for up to one year, but offers of a place on the Master of Psychology (Clinical) cannot be deferred. Can I intermit? Yes, it is possible to intermit for a maximum of 2 years, on a yearly basis. Students must reapply for intermission after the first year if they wish to intermit for the full two years. If they don’t, they will be deemed to have withdrawn from their candidature. Are there any CSP places available? There are no CSP places available for the Master of Professional Psychology. A limited number of CSP places are available for the Master of Psychology (Clinical), however quotas apply. When do I have to submit mandatory documentation? Why do I need it? You may submit your application for the Master of Professional Psychology and Master of Psychology (Clinical) without submitting your Working with Children Check, National Police Certificate or evidence of Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, or evidence of relevant immunisations. However, should you be offered a place on the program you will be required to submit each of these documents prior to the commencement of the program in Trimester 1. The Working with Children Check should be carried out according to the procedures of the jurisdiction in which you currently reside. Maintaining Provisional Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia is a requirement under National Law. These documents are also required to enable the University to demonstrate compliance with APAC accreditation requirements. You are required to maintain currency of these documents throughout your candidature. Failure to do so will result in being unable to complete your placement units. New unit rules for placement mean that students will be withdrawn from placement units if they are not 100% compliant with mandatory documentation. If their documentation lapses during the course of their placement unit, their supervisors will be notified and they will not be able to see clients until they have submitted updated documentation. Students on the simulated placement will not be permitted to continue placement should documents lapse. Please note that there is additional documentation that will be required before commencing placement – Student Declaration and Confidentiality Agreement. How does the simulated placement work? Tell me more about it. This simulated placement unit develops professional psychological skills and ethical practice required in the professional context. Students will access a suite of simulated training resources. Students will view video simulations of psychologists assessing and treating ‘typical’ clinical presentations, work through each case, submit session notes and answer questions to support learning, undertake role-plays, skills practice, and case analysis. Role-plays will be among peers, as well as with the Board-approved supervisor. The simulated placement is conducted fully online. Students will develop competency in: interview skills, psychological assessment, diagnosis, case formulation, psychotherapeutic interventions with individuals/groups, professional identity, conduct and ethical practice, and professional communication with clients, supports, and other professionals. The placement will include: (1) 300 hours of logged placement time over the trimester. This equates to 24 hours or 3 days per week. Students are required to attend weekly supervision and complete weekly tasks, however there is flexibility as to when tasks (other than supervision) are completed each week. Supervision is conducted via Zoom in both group and individual formats. It is mandatory to attend supervision. Supervision is provided by board-approved supervisors arranged by the University. Can I apply if my latest qualification is over ten years old? The University entry requirements continue to require applicants to have completed their APAC accredited 4-year sequence within the last 10 years. Exemptions to the 10-year rule may be considered by the Course Coordinator based on further educational attainments and/or professional experience. For example, an exemption to the 10-year rule may be made for currently registered psychologists who can demonstrate current compliance with the Psychology Board of Australia continuing professional development requirements. If your qualification is over 10 years old, but you have reasonable grounds to apply for an exemption to the 10 year rule, please include in your application an additional document outlining your request to be considered for an exemption to the 10 year rule, including a statement outlining your currency of knowledge in the discipline of psychology together with supporting documentation (i.e. a course transcripts/proof of completion of further educational attainment, a professional reference which speaks to your relevant professional experience). This information and relevant documents need to be attached to your application. Can I apply if my qualifications are from overseas? Most universities and higher education providers require an assessment of psychology qualifications (conducted by the Australian Psychology Society, APS) to apply for entry to an APAC accredited course. Students seeking to apply for APAC accredited postgraduate psychology programs will require an assessment conducted by the APS. For more information, refer to the APS website. Please note, there is a reciprocal arrangement with New Zealand universities, meaning that APS assessment is not required for NZ Universities. Can I apply if I am not an Australian citizen or resident? No, you must be a citizen or resident to apply for the Psychology Masters programs. Do I need to provide proof of proficiency in English if I am from a Non English Speaking Background? Yes, you will need to provide proof of proficiency in English if you are from a non-English speaking background. This must be no more than two years old. What is the application process? What are the selection criteria for an interview/an offer? Selection procedures will include consideration of: 1. the applicant's academic record; 2. referee reports from at least two referees; 3. written application and 4. interviews for shortlisted candidates (face-to-face or via teleconferencing) by a panel comprising at least two members of academic staff of the School of Psychology, one of whom have qualifications equivalent to those required for general registration as a psychologist. When will I find out if I have an interview? The School will begin to extend invitations for interviews after the applications have closed. Rule B closes on August 21st each year. Rule A & Rule C Clinical and Professional close October 31st each year. The timeframe around when invitations will be sent varies for each program and also for the number of applications received. When and where do the interviews take place? Interviews for Rule B, Rule C and Professional will be conducted via Zoom. Interviews for Rule A will be on campus with zoom available for applicants who are unable to attend in Armidale. What are the interview questions? I would like to be prepared in advance. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the questions ahead of the interview. When will I find out if I was successful in my interview? You will be notified of your outcome within two weeks of the interview process ending. A letter will be emailed through to you. Can I get feedback on my interview? Unfortunately, we are unable to provide feedback for individual interviews. How many places are there on the program? It is not possible to provide information about the number of places on the programs as this varies from year to year. Please note that places on both programs are limited and we typically receive a high volume of applications. Applicants are therefore reminded that failure to receive an invitation to interview or offer of candidature in the program does not indicate a determination of lack of suitability for postgraduate professional psychology training but, instead, reflects the high standard of applications UNE receives each year. Where can I find more information about the courses if I am accepted? We have set up Community pages in myLearn for both programs, which contain information on requirements, placements and mandatory documentation. There are also community discussion forums on these pages. All students are given a copy of the courses’ respective handbooks. These contain a great deal of information and students are encouraged to retain a copy and read it thoroughly. These handbooks also contain contact information for the placement and admin teams, as well as the Course Coordinator and Unit Coordinators. If I am accepted, how do I provide AHPRA with evidence that I am enrolled in a course in order to apply for provisional registration? After you enrol in the course, submit your application for provisional registration to AHPRA, listing UNE as your principal place of practice. UNE will notify AHPRA of students enrolled on the programs on your behalf. Do I have to study on campus, or can I study online? The Master of Professional Psychology is offered online only. Please note that there are mandatory online intensive schools associated with coursework units that must be attended (dates can be found in the UNE handbook). How long do I have to complete the course? 1 year full time or up to 4 years part time. This excludes periods of intermission or deferral. Can I get Advanced Standing for units from other degrees? Advanced standing may be granted for a maximum of 24 credit points of coursework units. In accordance with the course accreditation standards, students may only be given credit for coursework that is strictly equivalent to coursework in the current course and must have been successfully completed in an APAC accredited course within the previous ten-year period. Advanced standing will not be granted for research experience or employment experience prior to entry into the course. Placement experience completed as part of current employment should not normally be credited in a fifth year Master of Professional Psychology course. Advanced standing for the placement PSYC533 will not be granted. Do I qualify for General registration with AHPRA once I graduate? Upon completion of the Master of Professional Psychology, graduates complete a one year internship approved by the Psychology Board of Australia. Following completion of the internship and upon passing the National Psychology Exam, graduates are eligible to apply to General Registration. See Pathways document included with the FAQ. How many placement hours are required? There is a minimum of 300 hours in the Simulated Practice Placement unit. How do I arrange placements? Do I have to pay a supervisor? Students on the Master of Professional Psychology undertake a fully online simulated placement in their final trimester of study. Supervision from Psychology Board of Australia approved supervisors is provided by the University as part of this placement. Supervision includes weekly 2-hour group supervision sessions conducted via Zoom as well as individual supervision. Can I do my placement in a shorter period of time rather than over the trimester? Say, in a few weeks? For students undertaking the MPP, placements are completed within a single trimester. The commitment is approx. 24 hours or 3 days per week for the duration of trimester. What are the Placement Units? For Master of Professional Psychology, students will complete the PSYC533 Simulated Practice Placement unit. This unit involves completing a 300-hour simulated practicum, incorporating analogous experiences to the day-to-day work undertaken by a provisional psychologist on a 5th year field placement. This will involve working within an on-line environment with a broad range of simulated cases, under supervision from a Board-approved supervisor. Students are given the opportunity to develop skills in assessment, diagnosis, formulation, intervention, case note and report writing, and competencies in ethical and professional practice across the lifespan. What is the difference between entry via Rule A, B and C for the Clinical Program? Do I have to study on campus, or can I study online? The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is studied on-campus in first year for students admitted under the Rule (a) & Rule (b) entry. The second year involves external placements and online units, with mandatory online intensive schools (see the UNE handbook). Students admitted under Rule (c) study the Master of Psychology (Clinical) online. Please note that mandatory intensive schools associated with coursework units must be attended. Dates for these schools can be found in the UNE handbook. How long do I have to complete the course? This information can be found in the UNE handbook. Master of Psychology (Clinical): 2 years full-time, up to 6 years part-time. This excludes periods of intermission. Do I qualify for General registration with AHPRA once I graduate? Graduation from the Master of Psychology (Clinical) will confer eligibility to apply for General Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Can I get Advanced Standing for units from other degrees? Candidates may be granted Advanced Standing for a maximum of 48 credit points of coursework units. In accordance with the course accreditation standards, students may only be given credit for coursework that is strictly equivalent to coursework in the current course. Advanced standing will not be granted for three of the four Clinical Psychology Placement units (PSYC513, PSYC514, PSYC524) or research experience or employment experience prior to entry into the course. Candidates admitted under Rule (b) or Rule (c) receive advanced standing for one placement unit (PSYC523/PSYC534). How do I arrange placements? Do I have to pay a supervisor? Placements on the Master of Psychology (Clinical) Rule a and b are sourced and arranged by the Placement Coordination Team. Please be advised that placements must prioritise student training needs and geographical preferences cannot always be accommodated. Declining an arranged placement is considered to be withdrawal from the placement unit, and withdrawal from candidature. Therefore it is important to note that committing to the clinical program means committing to accepting all arranged placements. For students entering the Master of Psychology (Clinical) via rule c, placements are sourced by the student , and must be reviewed and approved by the Placement Coordination Team to ensure that they satisfy the supervision and practice requirements set by the accreditation and regulatory bodies. In some instances, students may have to pay for supervision if appropriate supervision cannot be provided by the placement organisation. One placement may potentially be undertaken in a current place of employment. However, the important qualifier is that all placements must be reviewed and approved by the Placement Coordination Team, to ensure that they meet certain requirements related to scope of practice, clinical supervision and oversight. Can I do my placement in a shorter period of time rather than over the trimester? Say, in a few weeks? In the Master of Psychology (Clinical), placements are typically undertaken over 2 to 4 days per week, to enable students to meet the placement learning outcomes and to develop the required competencies over the course of the placement. It is typically not possible to meet placement requirements through placement arrangements which are substantially different from 2-4 days per week. How many placement hours are required? Master of Psychology (Clinical): minimum of 1000 hours over three placement units. Students entering the Master of Psychology (Clinical) under Rule (a) or (b) must complete an internal placement of 20 weeks (300 hours, Rule a; 350 hours, Rule b) in the UNE Psychology Clinic in Armidale. Students entering the Master of Psychology (Clinical) under Rule (c) complete two placements externally. Rule (c) candidates are granted advanced standing for one 300-hour placement based on holding General Registration. What are the Placement Units? For the Master of Psychology (Clinical) there are three placement units. They are PSYC513, PSYC534 and PSYC535.
