Bachelor of Psychological Science - Bachelor of Social Science

Combine an accredited psychology degree with your choice of major in a Social Science degree, to broaden your knowledge and develop your competitive edge. You can qualify for entry to the fourth year of Psychology, required for provisional accreditation as a psychologist.

This degree

You will undertake comprehensive study in processes basic to human psychological functioning, combined with an interdisciplinary foundation in studies that enable you to understand, describe, explain and predict human behaviour in contexts of their everyday lives, communities and environments. This knowledge and skill set will allow you to contribute to addressing the complex and changing needs of individuals, families and communities in the face of technological, economic, environmental and social change.

The skills and knowledge you will acquire from these combined degrees will give you a distinct advantage in your professional objectives after graduation.

What you will study

In the first year of your degree you will study the foundations of psychology, learn about research methods and statistics, and complete a common set of core subjects from a number of social science disciplines.

You will have the opportunity to specialise in one of the Social Science majors listed below and undertake further study in personality, biological psychology and learning, cognition and perception, and developmental and social psychology.

• Human Geography
• Indigenous Studies
• Public Health
• Social Policy
• Sociology

Additional electives and minors from the Social Science, Arts and Science disciplines are also available to complement your studies.

Course structure

(Current year structure - subject to change)

Course Learning Outcomes

A number of the course learning outcomes in each of these degrees complement and consolidate outcomes in the partner degree. Applied across two discipline areas, the outcomes are achieved at a broader and more comprehensive level.

Please refer to the Handbook page of each individual degree for a list of course learning outcomes.

Course Structure

The Bachelor of Psychological Science - Bachelor of Social Science requires the successful completion of a minimum of 216 credit points in accordance with the table below, including:

1. at least 78 credit points of core Psychology subjects*; 
2. at least 24 credit points of core 100-level Social Science subjects;
3. at least 24 credit points of core 200-level Social Science subjects;
4. at least 48 credit points from a Social Science major ; and
5. additional elective subjects, as required, to achieve a minimum degree total of 216 credit points, chosen from the Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Social Science or the General Schedule.

No more than 84 credit points shall be completed at 100 level.

Students may wish to consider completing a Social Science or General Schedule minor.

*Note: Students who plan to apply for entry to Psychology Honours and follow a path to professional registration as a psychologist should complete the extended psychology requirements as described in the Bachelor Psychological Science degree. 

 *Note: Students have increasing freedom to structure their course to fit their chosen major from Year 2. In particular, those planning an extended Psychology major for Honours eligibility should carefully plan the sequence of their subjects for their whole degree before enrolling in Year 2.

^ Please note:

• Students are advised to take SOC 103 if they are intending to complete a major or minor in Criminology, Social Policy or Sociology.
• Students are advised to take HAS 130 if they are intending to complete a major or minor in Health Promotion, Public Health or Social Marketing.
• Students in other majors should choose a subject according to their interests or planned minors.

Majors

The Bachelor of Psychological Science requires completion of a major sequence in Psychology.

The Bachelor of Social Science requires selection of a major from the approved list set out on the Bachelor of Social Science Handbook page.

Honours

Students who complete an extended major in psychology are eligible to apply for the one year honours program to confer the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours). To see the extended psychology subject list for entry into the honours program, please go to the Bachelor of Psychological Science Handbook page.

Honours in Social Science is also available for students who wish to undertake research training and advanced scholarship. See Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) for more details.