Coursework

Master of Applied Psychology

  • CRICOS code: 096378E

The experience

Overview

The Master of Applied Psychology (MAP) gives students a unique experience and skillset in the application of psychology to the worlds of business, advertising, social research, government policy, and consumer behaviour. You will learn from academics and industry professionals about how to put theory into action in a wide range of possible career paths.

Day-to-day experience

Many MAP subjects are delivered with a unique blend of theoretical and applied content, and the integration of industry guest lecturers. This gives students valuable insight to how psychological theory is applied in a range of industries.

MAP students form a tight-knit cohort as they progress through the degree and learn from one another as well as from their lecturers. MAP students are also included in the graduate student community of the School, with access to frequent colloquium presentations and the School’s PsychTalks series.

Learning mode

Many MAP subjects are taught in a small seminar-style teaching format, allowing for an engaging and interactive learning environment.

In your final semester, you will have the option of a research project or an industry internship as your capstone element of the course.

Research project

The group research opportunity allows MAP students to work on a project with an industry partner, exploring a real-world challenge for an organisation. This is designed to develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to demonstrate how the knowledge you’ve gained through the MAP has value to an organisation.

The research project will also help lay the foundation for any future scholarship paths you may wish to pursue.

Industry internship

One of the most exciting components of the MAP is the opportunity for students to take part in an immersive industry internship in the final semester of their degree (students choose between an internship or a research project). The internship provides students with the experience of potential career paths in applied psychology, with a focus on behaviour change, social/market research, or consumer behaviour.

For a look at some of our current internship experiences, explore the video below:

Opportunities

The MAP is only offered at the University of Melbourne. As a student of this course, you will be at the forefront of the growth in applying behavioural and psychological insights to industry and government policy. The exciting opportunities for graduates span numerous industries, from advertising to government policy.

Read about Emma's experience:

Profile

Emma Leith

Although I really enjoyed my undergraduate Psychology degree, I didn’t know what I wanted to do afterwards. I knew I was most interested in human behaviour, but felt that the clinical pathway wasn’t right for me. I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives – but on a larger scale. When I heard about the MAP, everything about it made so much sense to me. From the first week of the course, I knew I had made the right decision.

The MAP has small class sizes which I’m really enjoying – I’m always so engaged. We have continuity with our teachers too and I really feel like I know them. They genuinely care about our learning and future pathways.

An exciting part of the MAP is the opportunity to do an Internship. I’m interested in how psychological theory can help achieve positive behaviour change and inform public policy, so I was thrilled to do my internship in Sydney at the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT). The BIT started as a small team in the British Government in 2010 and is now leading work in this field globally.

Being in the office and having a ‘real’ job for four weeks really built my confidence. I know I can write an essay, but sitting in a meeting and engaging with stakeholders was a new experience. Every day I was learning things I couldn’t learn in a classroom and to gain this experience and knowledge as part of the MAP will be invaluable for my future.

If you’re thinking about studying this course, I would say that not being tied to one specific job title when you graduate is a benefit, not a curse. It’s more advantageous to possess diverse and transferable skills – and the MAP opens you up to so many different career opportunities.