MPSYCH FAQs

We assess both academic results and your personal readiness for the role. Consideration is given to:

• Emotional and social intelligence

• Empathy, maturity, and open-mindedness

• Relevant work, service, or volunteer experience

Learn more about admission requirements

This course forms part of the pathway to Clinical Endorsement. After graduation, you must complete a further 2 years (minimum 3000 hours) of supervised practice in the clinical area and meet the PsyBA’s requirements for endorsement.

For detailed information, refer to the Guidelines on area of practice endorsements.

Placement proposals are reviewed and approved by UNE’s Placement Coordination Team after you have been accepted into the course. Placements must be approved before you begin for any hours to count towards your placement requirements.

Want to complete a placement at your current workplace? This must be approved by UNE’s Placement Coordination Team. Hours completed before approval cannot be counted towards your placement unit.

To be approved, placements must:

• Be supervised by someone who holds: General Registration; Area of Practice Endorsement in Clinical Psychology; and Board-Approved Supervisor status with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA)

• Provide new learning opportunities that support the development of required clinical competencies (this is especially important if applying to complete placement in your current workplace)

Placements are usually completed over 2–4 days per week to ensure consistent skill development. You cannot compress your placement into a few intensive weeks.

Students are responsible for any placement-related costs, including supervision, travel, or accommodation. In some cases, if suitable supervision cannot be provided by your chosen site, you may need to pay for a Board-approved Clinical Supervisor.

To learn more or confirm suitability of a placement site, submit your question via AskUNE, and include “Postgrad Psychology Placements Team” in the subject line.

There is a significant shortage of clinical psychologists in Australia, with the gap most pronounced in regional, rural, and remote communities.

At the same time, the demand for mental health support is rising:

• Nearly 1 in 2 Australians will experience mental ill-health in their lifetime

• The complexity and severity of presenting issues continues to increase across the lifespan

• Access to qualified clinical psychologists is limited in many areas

Graduates of this program are trained to provide evidence-based assessment and intervention for complex psychological conditions and are eligible to pursue Clinical Endorsement, opening doors to:

• roles in hospitals, private practice, and community mental health, where you can work with complex client presentations and access higher Medicare rebates.

• Higher earning potential — Clinical Psychologists typically earn 10% to 25% more than General Psychologists

• Leadership and supervision roles in the mental health sector

This program is designed to prepare you for clinical roles where your skills are most needed — especially in underserved communities.

A full-time study load equates to around 37 hours per week, including coursework, placement, and supervision.

• Students are advised to limit paid work to no more than 10 hours per week

• If you plan to work more than 10 hours per week, you will need to request written approval from the Director of the Clinical Psychology Program after enrolment