Diploma
Graduate Diploma in Psychology
- CRICOS Code: 061720G
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What will I study?
Overview
The course is comprised of 125 credit points of psychology subjects, including eight compulsory psychology subjects (100 credit points), and two elective psychology subjects at Level 3, selected from a range of electives (25 credit points).
Graduate Diploma in Psychology students undertake most of the same subjects and attend most of the same classes as students completing the accredited undergraduate major in Psychology, with the exception of two compulsory advanced level subjects that replace the two compulsory Level 3 subjects in the undergraduate major. The two advanced level subjects recognise the graduate status of the students and specify learning outcomes consistent with an AQF Level 8 qualification, particularly in relation to research methods and communication skills.
The accredited sequence provides a strong grounding in core psychological concepts and theories in the areas of biological, cognitive, developmental, social, and clinical psychology, with reference to both the historical foundations of the discipline and to the latest cutting-edge research. The range of electives subjects in the final year provides the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge in at least one domain of interest.
Explore this course
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this diploma.
- 12.5 ptsMind, Brain & Behaviour 1
Mind, Brain & Behaviour 1 provides an introduction to how we uniquely sense and perceive our world to construct our own internal psychological experience. The subject explores how we learn, think, remember, and operate within our constructed worlds; and explains the neural mechanisms that underpin psychological processes and experiences.
The subject is designed to raise significant questions, prompting students to think about their own individual experiences and the experience of others. Students are introduced to the tools used in psychology to find answers to these questions. A common research-centred framework is adopted, and the methodological and statistical tools that support this framework are introduced and developed as an integral part of the subject.
The subject comprises 4 topic areas: Behavioural Neuroscience; Sensation and Perception; Learning and Cognition; and Psychological Research Methods.
- 12.5 ptsMind, Brain and Behaviour 2
Mind, Brain and Behaviour 2 focuses on the development of the individual and their interaction with their environment and considers what the consequences are, both when this interaction proceeds smoothly and when it does not proceed smoothly.
The subject comprises five core topic areas: Human Development; Social Psychology; Personality Psychology; Clinical Psychology; and Quantitative Psychological Research Methods. In presenting these topics, the subject aims to provide students with knowledge of major theories, historical trends and empirical findings.
An understanding of some basic issues in human development is complemented with an examination of the nature and development of personality and human interaction in social groups and cultural settings.
Moreover, the subject provides opportunity for students to develop and apply a range of fundamental skills in areas of critical thinking, psychological research methods, and communication of psychological knowledge.
A common research-centred framework is adopted and the statistical tools that support this framework are introduced and developed as an integral part of the course.
- 12.5 ptsBiological Psychology
This subject studies the relationship between brain mechanisms and behaviour. Its major aim is to develop an appreciation of the neurobiological basis of psychological function and dysfunction via two approaches. The first emphasises a top-down method that links psychological functions to their biological substrates. Neuroscientific research techniques and what they can reveal about psychological function are emphasised. These techniques are presented within an historical context, beginning with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), continuing with electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and finishing with modern molecular genetic techniques. The second approach emphasises a bottom-up approach including the topics of brain genetics and development, neurons and neural circuits, neurotransmission and neurotransmitter substances, and the structurofunctional properties of selected brain regions. Neurobiological principles are illustrated using conditions with abnormal neuronal function. The third approach combines the top-down and bottom-up approaches to demonstrate how combining knowledge of cognitive theory and structurofunctional properties of the brain enables diagnosis and interpretation of pathological conditions. Case studies are used to illustrate this approach.
A quantitative methods component will be integrated into the lecture, tutorial and assessment structure of this subject. The aim is to provide an understanding of, and practical experience with, the appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis techniques used to evaluate hypotheses in Biological Psychology.
- 12.5 ptsDevelopmental Psychology
This subject examines cognitive, biological, and social developmental psychology in infancy, childhood and adolescence.
Contemporary theories as well as recent and historical accounts of development will be reviewed. Subject topics will highlight major themes that have shaped thinking in developmental psychology. These themes are:
- How do nature and nurture together shape development?
- How do children shape their own development?
- In what ways is development continuous, and in what ways is it discontinuous?
- How does change occur?
- How does the socio-cultural context influence development?
- How do children become so different from each other?
- How can research promote children’s well-being?
This subject will also provide students with experience in the collection, analysis and interpretation of developmental data in either an applied or laboratory setting.
- 12.5 ptsCognitive Psychology
Mental processes such as attention, memory, language and categorisation form the basis of our creative human cognitive abilities. An understanding of these cognitive abilities and the methods used by cognitive psychologists to study them provides an essential foundation for ongoing study in psychology. Classic and current research findings will be discussed to reveal what is known about the workings of the human mind.
Specific topics may include: Perceptual processes and their role in cognition; the nature and function of selective attention; categorisation and the mental representation of knowledge; the structure, function and organisation of the human memory system; human linguistic ability, including language acquisition, language disorders, and models of spoken and written language processes; higher order cognitive processes such as explanation formation and decision making.
A quantitative methods component will be integrated into the lecture, tutorial and assessment structure of this subject to provide an understanding of and practical experience with the experimental design and statistical analysis techniques used to evaluate theories in Cognitive Psychology.
- 12.5 ptsPersonality and Social Psychology
This subject examines human individuality and relatedness, the core themes of personality and social psychology. Its focus is on how we are unique individuals but also connected to others. The personality section investigates the nature and structure of individual differences, how these differences are assessed, and how they can be explained psychologically and biologically. The social psychology section examines how individuals construct their sense of self and identity, how they perceive and evaluate other people, how they form relationships, and how their behaviour is influenced by their social groups and cultural context.
A quantitative methods component will be integrated into the lecture, tutorial, and assessment structure of this subject. The aim is to provide an understanding of, and practical experience with, the appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis techniques used to evaluate theories in Personality and Social Psychology.
- 12.5 ptsAdvanced Research Methods In Psychology
In this subject, students will be introduced to advanced research skills and methods to critically investigate, measure and assess research topics involving human behaviour, interactions, and thought in a variety of contexts. In addition, students will acquire an understanding of fundamental principles in psychological assessment of individual traits and dispositions, in particular, how to evaluate the reliability and validity of psychological assessments. Emphasis will be placed on how the skills and techniques being taught are tools for gathering evidence relating to real-world problems typically encountered in the behavioural sciences, but not limited to this area, for which meaningful inferences can be generalised beyond the particular sample data available. Topics to be covered may include research design, implementation, and evaluation; techniques for measuring human behaviour, emotions, and interactions; the application of quantitative models to data in order to identify differences and associations, make predictions, and assert possible causation.
- 12.5 ptsAdvanced Psychological Theory & Practice
This Capstone subject draws together students’ experiences in the Graduate Diploma in Psychology by emphasising links between the science and practice of psychology in contemporary life.
The lectures engage students in considering topics related to current applications of psychological research and practice such as the ethical practice of psychology and the measurement of attitudes, behaviour, and behavioural change as related to contemporary issues such as climate change, indigenous cultural respect, drug addiction, and psychological health and wellbeing.
The research seminars engage students in small groups to design and conduct a research project under the supervision of an academic researcher.
The graduate attributes seminars engage students in interactive activities to develop their skills in reflective practice and oral presentation.
Together, the three components of the subject prepare students for further studies in psychology or to enter the workplace having developed skills in applying psychological knowledge, conducting research, working collaboratively, and communicating effectively about psychological theories and findings.
Students present their research findings in individual oral presentations to their peers and academic staff at the end of semester. Students reflect on the development of their psychological knowledge and skills, articulating their achievements in a Graduate Attributes Portfolio.
Summer semester alternative
The following can be completed alternately in summer semester
- Mind, Brain & Behaviour 1 12.5 pts
Mind, Brain & Behaviour 1 provides an introduction to how we uniquely sense and perceive our world to construct our own internal psychological experience. The subject explores how we learn, think, remember, and operate within our constructed worlds; and explains the neural mechanisms that underpin psychological processes and experiences.
The subject is designed to raise significant questions, prompting students to think about their own individual experiences and the experience of others. Students are introduced to the tools used in psychology to find answers to these questions. A common research-centred framework is adopted, and the methodological and statistical tools that support this framework are introduced and developed as an integral part of the subject.
The subject comprises 4 topic areas: Behavioural Neuroscience; Sensation and Perception; Learning and Cognition; and Psychological Research Methods.
- Mind, Brain & Behaviour 2 12.5 pts
Mind, Brain & Behaviour 2 focuses on the development of the individual and their interaction with their environment and considers what the consequences are, both when this interaction proceeds smoothly and when it does not proceed smoothly.
The subject comprises five core topic areas: Human Development; Social Psychology; Personality Psychology; Clinical Psychology; and Quantitative Psychological Research Methods. In presenting these topics, the subject aims to provide students with knowledge of major theories, historical trends and empirical findings.
An understanding of some basic issues in human development is complemented with an examination of the nature and development of personality and human interaction in social groups and cultural settings.
Moreover, the subject provides opportunity for students to develop and apply a range of fundamental skills in areas of critical thinking, psychological research methods, and communication of psychological knowledge.
A common research-centred framework is adopted and the statistical tools that support this framework are introduced and developed as an integral part of the course.
Semester 1
- The Unconscious Mind 12.5 pts
Ever since Freud, the unconscious mind has been a critical part of our understanding of the human mind and behaviour. Despite its power to captivate popular imagination, scientific psychology's treatment of unconsciousness has a history of vicissitudes. This subject has three main components: historical background, contemporary theory and research, and applications and implications in contemporary culture and society. First, the subject traces the historical origin and subsequent development of the idea of the unconscious mind in psychological theories and practice. In so doing, Freud's notion of unconsciousness, as well as lesser known, but critically important theorists' contributions are examined and their contemporary implications are discussed. Second, the modern methods used in the contemporary examination of unconscious processes are introduced, and the current understanding of psychological unconsciousness is discussed from neuroscientific, perceptual, cognitive, developmental, social, and clinical perspectives. Third, we survey the uses of the scientific understanding of unconscious processes in a variety of applied contexts and explore implications of the psychological knowledge about the unconscious mind in contemporary culture and society. This includes a critical examination of the evidence for the role of unconscious processes in abnormal human behaviour and discussions about implications of the unconscious mind for identity and responsibility.
- The Psychopathology of Everyday Life 12.5 pts
This subject covers phenomena such as hallucinations and delusions, anxiety, somatisation, depression, dissociation, and changes in memory and cognition, and places them in the context of everyday experiences. It discusses the various factors, processes and mechanisms thought to lead some people who experience such phenomena to develop full-blown disorders. A theoretical basis for this continuum model is provided and students are encouraged to consider mental health issues from this humanistic perspective in comparison to the traditional categorical model.
- Perception, Memory and Cognition 12.5 pts
Why do we fall for visual illusions? How can we use the speed of our responses to tell us about the construction of the brain and the mind? How do we remember? How does the detection of noisy signals inform our understanding of faulty eyewitness memory? Are fingerprint experts better than novices at matching patterns? Perception, Memory and Cognition will cover a series of robust, valuable, and enduring findings illustrating the accumulation of knowledge through experimentation and theory development. From historical studies of response time and perceptual processes through to modern tests of applied decision making, you will learn how theories are tested, discarded, and revised in light of careful experimental evidence. We will discuss a variety of cognitive processes, from the initial stages of stimulus perception all the way through to decision making. The tutorial stream will provide an opportunity for students to develop an understanding of experimental techniques and scientific writing skills as they apply to forensic psychology.
- Neuroscience and the Mind 12.5 pts
How does the human brain—a vast, interconnected ensemble of cells—give rise to a mind capable of writing poetry, playing chess, and doing calculus? Understanding the neural underpinnings of the mental processes responsible for such complex activities is the central aim of cognitive neuroscience, the field of study dedicated to an integrated understanding of brain and mind. In this subject, students will be exposed to conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues at the centre of current debates in the field. Specifically, we will explore how brain-behaviour relationships are identified and used to inform models of cognition; methods of measuring and influencing cerebral activity; the neural mechanisms underlying a wide range of mental processes, such as attention, perception, and memory; and the implications of advances in our knowledge of the brain for psychiatric and neurological populations and society at large.
Semester 2
- Lifespan Social & Emotional Development 12.5 pts
This subject investigates issues of social and emotional development across all life periods of the life-span: childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. Students taking this subject will learn about major developmental tasks and issues for each life period, including: identity development, gender and sexuality development, moral development, family and peer relationships, and education.
- Development of the Thinking Child 12.5 pts
The subject will provide students with an opportunity to evaluate the relationship between cognitive and neuropsychological typical and atypical development in pre-adolescent children.
Contemporary theory and research methods for investigating cognitive and neuropsychological development will be reviewed. The focus will be on the adequacy of research methods for answering questions about typical and atypical cognitive and neuropsychological development. Subject themes will include:
- Characterizing the development of thinking and reasoning abilities.
- Characterizing neuropsychological development in pre-adolescent children.
- Understanding links between the adequacies of research questions, research methods and data analyses.
- Understanding the meaning and significance of variability in cognitive and neuropsychological change in pre-adolescent children.
- Formulating research questions that investigate typical and atypical development.
- Writing research reports that reflect an awareness of differences in typical and atypical developing pre-adolescent children.
The overall aim of the subject is to help students acquire an understanding of the issues associated with identifying typical and atypically cognitive and neuropsychological development in preadolescent children.
- The Integrated Brain 12.5 pts
There are more connections in a human brain than there are stars in the universe. This subject focuses on the brain as an integrated system and looks at how its many connected networks achieve coordinated effects, linking the mind to the brain and the body.
In exploring integration across the nervous system, this subject will examine topics such as the effects of neurotransmitters on emotions and behaviour, the nature of sleep and wakeful states and transitions between them, and mechanisms underlying the control of body movement. The connections between social factors and brain function will also be explored, as well as current ethical dilemmas in the field, such as the ethical consequences associated with recent technologies designed to alter our minds, or enhance brain function beyond normal healthy ranges.
- Trends in Personality& Social Psychology 12.5 pts
This subject has two components.
Personality: discusses major contemporary issues in the study of personality, and selected areas of contemporary research. Topics will be selected from the neuroscience of personality; personality processes; the emotional and motivational correlates of personality; personality change and stability; trait and type approaches to personality; the interface between personality and abnormal psychology.
Social Psychology: extends the understandings gained in the first two levels of the undergraduate program to consider more advanced theoretical and empirical work in the areas of individual, interpersonal and group processes. Topics will be selected from advanced research in attitudes and social cognition, interpersonal, small group and sociocultural processes.