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Postgraduate

Master of Clinical Psychology

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Master of Clinical Psychology (MCPS)
Entry requirements
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Study mode
  • On-campus
  • External
Campus
  • Ipswich
Duration
  • 2 year(s) (or part-time equivalent)
Start
  • Feb
 

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Master of Clinical Psychology overview

  • Study clinical psychology and help your clients lead healthier lives as well as make positive impact on their families. Your expertise as a clinical psychologist is mental health and to diagnose and treat people with behavioural, mental, or emotional difficulties.
  • USQ’s Master of Clinical Psychology provides advanced training in psychological assessment and clinical intervention and has been developed for students wishing to gain registration as a Psychologist with an Area of Practice Endorsement in Clinical Psychology.
  • Learn high-level clinical skills through practical experience and direct client contact to become prepared for entry into the Clinical Registrar program leading to Clinical Endorsement. 
  • Our USQ Psychology and Counselling Clinics, located in Ipswich and Toowoomba, provide services for the community, including therapy services, and, developmental and cognitive assessments for children, adolescents and adults of all ages. Services are provided by postgraduate students who are provisionally registered psychologists working under the supervision of our USQ Supervisory team, who are registered psychologists and clinical psychologists, and are approved supervisors under the Psychology Board of Australia. 
  • The coursework component is offered as mandatory on-campus and online workshops. See the 'Degree structure' section for more details. 

Professional accreditation

USQ's Master of Clinical Psychology is accredited with the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as a fifth- and sixth-year program in psychology.

Are you looking to achieve registration as a Psychologist? Graduates of the Master of Clinical Psychology can apply for:

Career outcomes

  • Graduates of this degree can work as a fully registered General Psychologist in the public and private sectors, and as a Clinical Psychologist following completion of the Clinical Psychology registrar program. 

Entry requirements 

  • Completion of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited 4-year bachelor degree, or equivalent.
  • Hold, or be eligible for, immediate Provisional Registration or General Registration from the Psychology Board of Australia.

In addition, applicants are also asked to submit the following for consideration as part of their application:

  • provide two referee reports1 and a 1-2 page report which addresses the Master of Clinical Psychology selection criteria (PDF 512KB)
  • be assessed in a face-to-face interview with a panel of School staff.
  • provide an academic transcript demonstrating strong academic performance
  • provide a CV of your work and study history. Applicants who have not completed a four-year bachelor degree, or equivalent, within the last three years will be required to demonstrate how they have maintained up-to-date knowledge and skills in the area of Psychology since completion of their four-year bachelor degree, or equivalent.

1The Australian Psychology Postgraduate Reference Request system is the same across all Australian universities. To be able to use the system, you will need to have an active membership. The membership allows you access the service during the application period and will expire on 31 July of each year. The cost is $25.00 and can be paid for through the "My Account" section in the payment tab.

English language requirements

You are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements and this degree requires a minimum of IELTS 7.0 or equivalent. If you do not meet the English language requirements you may apply to study a University-approved English language program.

Additional requirements for placements

All students must provide the following documents prior to commencing clinical placements:

  • Blue Card or Working with Children Check
  • Psychology Board of Australia registration
  • Resume (CV)
  • Queensland Health Student Orientation Checklist
  • Queensland Health Student Deed Poll
  • Queensland Health iLearn Modules.

Plus evidence of the following immunisations:

  • Hepatitis B immunisation
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Pertussis, and Varicella immunisation
  • Tuberculosis risk assessment and Influenza immunisation.

Recognition of prior learning or work experience

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Pathways

If you don't meet the entry requirements, we have pathway options available to you.

Degree structure

To complete this degree students must complete 16 units. Most courses (similar to ‘subjects’) are valued at 1 unit. To study full-time you would usually complete 4 units per semester.

Courses to be studied Units
Coursework courses 12
Practicum courses 4
Total 16

It is a mandatory requirement for all Master of Clinical Psychology students to be registered as Provisional Psychologists or General Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

  • For the Ipswich offering, all coursework courses are offered as mandatory mid-week workshops on-campus at USQ Ipswich.
  • For the External offering, all coursework courses are offered via a combination of online workshops and mandatory mid-week residential schools held on-campus at USQ Toowoomba. 

You will be required to accrue a minimum of 1000 hours of practicum experience including 400 hours of direct client contact with a minimum of 87 hours of supervision from a registered psychologist who is accredited as a board-approved supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Refer to the USQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Clinical experience

As part of the degree, you will complete clinical experience during practicum courses, where you will further develop your knowledge and skills in provision of psychological assessment and intervention to clients under supervision of a board-approved psychology supervisor.

All students are required to meet the professional requirements of clinical psychology practice within the degree. 

Fees and scholarships

Your actual fees may vary depending on the courses you select. We review our fees annually so these may be subject to change.

Approximate annual costs1 for your first year of study (8 units) in this degree are:

Study Mode Cost
Commonwealth supported

The Federal Government contributes to the cost of your course and you need to pay a student contribution.

AUD 6680

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2022. 

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Professional experience costs

This degree includes a professional experience component that may involve travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level. Find out if you are eligible for FEE-HELP. 

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships

At USQ, we offer a range of scholarships to support your success at university. Find a scholarship that works for you.

How to apply

Complete your online application directly to USQ.

Apply direct to USQ

Closing dates:

  • Applications for 2022 intake are now closed. The closing date for the 2023 intake will soon be advised. 

Further information

Discover further information on applying to study at USQ that is relevant to you.

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Begin your study journey today with Australia's #1 university for graduate starting salary* and start the degree that’s right for you.

*Good Universities Guide, 2022

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What is clinical psychology?

The Australian Clinical Psychology Association describes clinical psychology as a science-based profession that combines theory and clinical practice to understand, prevent, and relieve psychological problems or disorders.

‘Clinical psychologists use their knowledge of psychology and mental health for the assessment, diagnosis, formulation, treatment, and prevention of psychological problems and mental illness across the lifespan. They research psychological problems and use their psychological knowledge to develop scientifically based approaches to improve mental health and wellbeing.' (Source: AHPRA)

Discover more about the Psychology discipline at USQ.

What is the difference between a registered and clinical psychologist?

All psychologists must be registered, but a psychologist with general registration (over 60% of Australia’s psychologists*) have a minimum of six years university training and supervised experience. They are not specialised in an endorsed area of specialised practice, such as sport and exercise psychology, community psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, organisational psychology, or clinical psychology.

A clinical psychologist is a psychologist who is an expert in mental health and is trained to assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent psychological problems and mental illness.  Clinical psychologists do not prescribe medication; instead, they develop tailored treatment plans using psychological techniques and therapies. 

* Australian Psychological Society (APS), 2022

What can you do with a Master of Clinical Psychology?

Psychologists can pursue a career in a multitude of industries. After graduating from a Masters in Clinical Psychology you can work in both public and private sectors, such as schools and youth organisations, government departments, community mental health services, or public hospitals. Clinical psychologists might have several roles and divide their time between seeing patients at a hospital or private practice as well as undertaking academic research.

What pathways are available for this degree?

If you don’t meet the admission requirements for this degree and haven’t completed an APAC-accredited four-year bachelor degree, you can apply for the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) or demonstrate an achievement of an APAC-accredited four-year honours program at a minimum Second Class Honours Division A, or equivalent. 

How long does a Master of Clinical Psychology take?

A Masters of Clinical Psychology in Australia takes two years of full-time study to complete, or longer if you choose to study part-time.

Are flexible study options available?

You can choose to study full-time, part-time or online to work around your family and work commitments. If you would like to study psychology online, the External mode offers a combination of online workshops and mandatory mid-week residential schools held at the Toowoomba campus. Full on-campus study is available via obligatory mid-week workshops at USQ Ipswich. Discover more about the different ways to study at USQ.

Why study a Master of Clinical Psychology at USQ?

Whether you are interested in working as a sports psychologist, a family therapist, relationship counsellor, or are just curious of why people do what they do and how they think, USQ’s Master of Clinical Psychology is the degree for you.

  • Become industry ready and gain practical experience in USQ’s Psychology and Counselling Clinics, located in Ipswich and Toowoomba. Our postgraduate psychology students develop hand-on skills while offering vital services at a reduced rate to the wider community, under the guidance of clinical psychologists and supervisors.
  • Build confidence through clinical placements and 400 hours of direct client contact and learn to build partnerships with allied health professionals and GPs.