How To Become A Registered (Clinical) Psychologist In Australia?

If you are fascinated and intrigued by human behaviour, a career in psychology is the right choice for you.

While becoming a psychologist takes serious commitment and dedication, it can be advantageous for your future. As a psychologist, you can indulge in various roles covering areas such as community services, health, forensics, business, and education.

The blog contains all the information on how to become a registered, licenced, and clinical psychologist in Australia, including an overview of the study pathways, registration, and experiences required to pursue a psychologist's career.

1. What Does A Psychologist Do?

Psychologists play a significant role in society by helping people overcome challenges and improve their everyday lives. They use scientific methods and study human behaviour associated with how people feel and think. Often they assist and provide treatment to people experiencing mental health disorders or grief.

Furthermore, psychologists offer support, guidance, and advice on various issues, including substance abuse, learning difficulties, relationship problems, and other problematic behaviours.

Psychologists may work in places such as hospitals, schools, prisons, community health services, courts, private practices, and businesses.

2. Major Duties And Tasks of A Psychologist

Here are the most common tasks and duties performed by a psychologist:

• Provide counselling and conduct therapeutic interviews. 

• Offer follow-up services to individuals and groups for evaluation and support purposes.

• Give psychological tests and review the results to determine the cause of problems and treatment.

• Evaluate the results of programs aimed at enhancing organisational and personal effectiveness. 

• Construct tests to measure performance and predict and access mental and emotional states.

• Collect client data and assess their behavioural, cognitive, and emotional disorders.

• Collect student data, analyse their characteristics, and recommend educational programs.

• Conduct research studies on group performance, motivation in learning, and individual differences in educational performance and mental abilities.

• Establish job requirements and perform job analyses by observing and interviewing managers and employees.

• Consult with other professionals and discuss details on cases and treatment plans. 

• Interpret and administer diagnostic tests and formulate treatment plans.

• Formulate diagnostic, achievement and predictive tests for use by teachers in planning methods and instruction content.

• Administer, develop, and evaluate group and individual treatment programs.

• Develop psychological tests, interview techniques, and other aids for placement, workplace selection, promotion, and appraisal.

3. How Long Does It Take To Become A Psychologist In Australia?

When considering a career in psychology, you may wonder how long it will take to become a licensed psychologist. The answer to this largely depends on your speciality, the time it takes to complete your education and career interests.

In most cases, minimum six-year education and training in psychology are required to become eligible for general registration as a psychologist in Australia.

4. Steps To Become A Psychologist in Australia

You need to be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) to become a psychologist in Australia. Typically, pathways to registration as a psychologist requires you to obtain six years of education and training.

Here is a step-by-step study pathways guide to becoming a psychologist in Australia:

Step 1: Complete an Accredited Undergraduate Psychology Sequence

To achieve the initial three-year undergraduate sequence, you need to complete an accredited bachelor's degree in psychology, such as a Bachelor of Psychological Science or Bachelor of Psychology. This degree must be recognised and certified by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

Alternatively, students who have previously completed a Bachelor's degree in a different field are also eligible to apply for an APAC accredited Graduate Diploma containing psychology subjects.

Obtaining an undergraduate degree in Psychology will enable students to gain the following skills:

• Ability to effectively communicate in a variety of settings and formats.

• Ability to implement, plan, and evaluate research. 

• Ability to act professionally within an ethical framework. 

• Ability to apply psychological principles to social, personal, and group issues. 

• Ability to think creatively and ethically and use scientific methods to solve problems.

Students who complete their undergraduate degree in Psychology continue their studies or find employment in health services, community services, protective services, business, or education. 

Suppose you are interested in one of these fields. In that case, you can also become an affiliate of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), which will help you stay updated with the recent developments and research in psychology.

Step 2: Complete an Accredited Fourth Year Sequence

To achieve the fourth-year sequence, you must complete an APAC accredited Postgraduate Diploma or Honours degree in Psychology. Additionally, candidates must complete an APAC-accredited three-year undergraduate sequence to enter one of these courses.

Remember, before pursuing other pathways and acquiring a general registration as a psychologist with PsyBA; you must complete the fourth-year study sequence successfully.

Fourth-year graduates have access to the same career opportunities as three-year undergraduate students. Additionally, they can also work as research assistants.

If you want to pursue psychology training after completing the fourth year of study, gaining work experience as a telephone counsellor or a research assistant can help you improve your awareness and expertise and strengthen your application.

Step 3: Complete Postgraduate Study or an Internship Program To Obtain General Registration

Fourth-year graduates can further undertake three different pathways to obtain a general registration as a psychologist:

Pathway 1: APAC-accredited Postgraduate Psychology Degree

This pathway requires fourth-year graduates to pursue a minimum of a two-year postgraduate degree (also known as the fifth and sixth year of study) accredited by APAC.

Fourth-year graduates admitted into the sixth-year program approved by APAC are qualified to apply for provisional registration with the PsyBA, which allows students to take up supervised psychological practice. 

Once the postgraduate psychology degree is complete, applicants can apply for general registration as a psychologist through PsyBA.

Current postgraduate degrees accredited by APAC include a Master's and Doctorate, which further involves a thesis, coursework, and placements. You can pursue these degrees in the following fields of psychological practice:

• Clinical Psychology

• Health Psychology

• Counselling Psychology

• Forensic Psychology

• Organisational Psychology

• Community Psychology

• Sport and Exercise Psychology

• Clinical Neuropsychology

• Educational and Developmental Psychology

You can visit the APAC website to read more about accredited psychology postgraduate courses.

Note: It is highly competitive to get entry into postgraduate courses. Therefore, contact the university you are interested in to get more details about their course and entry requirements.

Pathway 2: A 4+2 Internship Program

The 4+2 internship pathway requires you to complete a PsyBA-accredited two-year supervised practice internship, gain provisional registration with the PsyBA, and pass the National Psychology Exam.

Once you have completed the two-year internship program, you are eligible to apply for general registration as a psychologist through PsyBA.

To get further information about the 4+2 internship program, you can visit the PsyBA website.

Pathway 3: A 5 +1 Internship Program

The 5+1 internship pathway involves the following:

• Gaining provisional registration with the PsyBA.

• Completing an APAC-accredited one-year Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology.

• Passing the National Psychology Exam.

• Undertaking a one-year internship of supervised practice regulated by PsyBA.

Once the candidates have completed their 5+1 internship program, they can apply for general registration as a psychologist through PsyBA.

For more details about the 5+1 internship program, visit the PsyBA website.

Step 4: Apply for a Registrar Program For Area of Practice Endorsement

After you complete your postgraduate degree, you have the option to undertake a registrar program for area of practice endorsement. This program enables you to practice one of the nine PsyBA-approved areas of practice under supervision.

A registrar program consists of the following requirements for different areas of practice qualification:

• MPsych: Graduates under this qualification pursue two years of supervised practice, including 80 hours of CPD (Continuing Professional Development).

• MPsych/PhD: Graduates under this qualification pursue one and a half years of supervised practice, including 60 hours of CPD. 

• DPsych: Graduates under this qualification pursue one year of supervised practice, including 40 hours of CPD.

Note: You can only apply for the registrar program once you have completed MPsych, DPsych, or MPsych/PhD degree. 

Doctoral degree applicants can only begin the registrar program and apply for early general registration after progressing with their thesis and completing all coursework requirements.

5. What Skills Are Required To Become A Psychologist in Australia?

In addition to fulfilling licensing and education requirements, individuals also need specific skills to succeed in psychology. Let us check them out!

• Communication Skills: Psychology professionals whose work generally involves listening and talking to clients must possess both active listening and excellent verbal communication skills.

• Interpersonal Skills: As the profession of a psychologist is all about helping and studying individuals, you need to have strong interpersonal skills. It means you need to relate well and interact effectively with people.

• Critical Thinking Skills: A psychologist also needs to have the necessary solid thinking skills, which help to establish a proper treatment plan and come up with an accurate diagnosis.

• Empathy: You must be able to recognise and connect with another person's experiences to help them understand the cause behind their feelings and emotions. 

• Trustworthiness: As psychologists need to keep patient information confidential, they must be trustworthy.

• Patience: It may take a lot of time to treat a person. So you will need a lot of patience to see the session end.

6. Employment Opportunities For A Psychologist in Australia

Psychology graduates have a demonstrated interest and specialist knowledge in human behaviour, interpersonal relationships, personality, motivation, and learning.

Therefore, as a psychology major, you get the advantage of competing for jobs such as youth worker, welfare officer, employment officer, and support worker.

Here are some other careers you can consider in the field of psychology:

• Clinical Psychologist: Diagnoses, identifies, and assists while treating mental, emotional, and behavioural issues through interviews, observation, and tests.

• Behavioural Ecologist: Works with animals and analyses behavioural patterns. They may work at zoos, museums, and aquariums. 

• Training Officer: Watches over an organisation's professional and learning development obligations.

• Community Development Officer: Works toward bringing social change in the communities.

• Disability Support Officer: Offers support to people in the community with physical, intellectual, emotional, and social disabilities.

• Crime Prevention Officer: Educates young people about the impact of crime, teaches people about crime and methods of crime prevention and works with victims of crime.

• Human Resources Manager: Enhances employee relations in an organisation and plans and implements the programs, policies, and practices.

• Alcohol/Drug Case Worker: Provides support and counselling to families and individuals affected by alcohol or drugs.

• Counsellor: Works with clients and individuals in a confidential setting and helps them overcome problems.

To increase your value in the current job market, combine your psychology studies with other subjects like communication and media studies, business, and social work.

7. How Much Do Psychologists Earn in Australia?

A psychologist's salary in Australia may vary, depending on their area of expertise and experience. 

According to PayScale, the average annual salary of a psychologist may range somewhere between AU$67,000 to AU$95,000.

8. Job Outlook Of Clinical Psychologists In Australia

Working Arrangements

Around 52% of employed Clinical Psychologists work full-time for an average of 43 hours per week.

Area of Employment

83.3% of Clinical Psychologists work in Health Care And Social Assistance industry. Some also work in:

• Education and training 

• Public administration and safety.

• Administrative And Support Services

Percentage of Employment across Australia

Victoria has a large share of employment concerning its population size.

• New South Wales: 31.0%

• Victoria: 28.6%

• Queensland: 17.6%

• South Australia: 5.7%

• Western Australia: 11.7%

• Tasmania: 1.8%

• Northern Territory: 0.7%

• Australian Capital Territory: 2.9%

Worker's Age and Gender Profile

The average age of Clinical Psychologists is 43 years, and most are between 35 and 44 years.

9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Should I Learn Before Psychology?

Here are a couple of things you should know before learning psychology:

1. Psychology is a "Scientific" study of the human mind and behaviour.

2. It involves a lot of research and statistics to study human psychology and behavioural pattern. 

3. Independent and creative thinking is vital to work in this role. 

4. Psychology goes beyond Mental Health. It also encompasses other areas such as teaching, consulting, and research.

5. It takes at least six years to become a professional psychologist. 

6. Psychologists study things from Multiple perspectives, such as humanistic, biological, behavioural, cognitive, and evolutionary perspectives.

7. Psychology is a diverse field that has various sub-fields. Thus, psychologists can choose several career paths based on their educational level, specialisation, and work experience:

• Clinical psychology 

• Organisational psychology

• Sport psychology

• Health psychology

• Educational psychology

• Counselling psychology

• Forensic psychology

• Community psychology

• Developmental psychology

• Personality psychology

• Social psychology

• Industrial-organisational psychology

What Are The Three Types of Learning in Psychology? 

There are three main types of learning in psychology:

• Classical Conditioning: In this learning process, people learn to associate frequent occurrences with the resultant event and hence learn to anticipate them.

• Operant Conditioning: In this type of learning, the intensity of people's responses either increases or decreases by receiving rewards or punishments for their activities.

• Observational Conditioning: This learning type includes watching others' acts, remembering them, and later repeating them. Observational Conditioning is crucial in teaching, rewarding, or discouraging specific behaviours based on various factors.

What Qualifications Do You Need for Psychology Australia?

You usually require a combined six years of education and training and registration with the Psychology Board of Australia to become a psychologist in Australia.

• Complete a bachelor's degree in psychology, such as a Bachelor of Psychology or Bachelor of Psychological Science. It must be accredited and recognised by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council.

• Complete an accredited fourth-year sequence, i.e., a postgraduate diploma or an honours year.

• Complete a specialised Master's or Doctorate in psychology and a period of supervised practice.

• Register with the Psychology Board of Australia to work as a registered Clinical Psychologist in Australia.

Which Degree is Best for Psychology?

Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Psychological Science, and other related APAC-recognised degrees are ideal for pursuing a career in psychology in Australia.

• Bachelor of Psychology - The University of Sydney

• Bachelor of Psychology - RMIT University

• Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) - UNSW

• Bachelor of Psychological Science - UNSW

• Bachelor of Psychological Science - Deakin University

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology) (Honours) - RMIT University

• Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) - Victoria University

Course graduates can develop a career in advertising, marketing, public relations, market research, science journalism, or public policy.

They can work across a variety of roles, including:

• Clinical, organisational, forensic, or sports psychologist (with further study)

• Market researcher

• Neuroscientist

• Management consultant

• Social policy analyst

• School counsellor

• Advertising executive

• Learning and attention researcher

What Type of Psychology Pays The Most?

Some of the high-salaried Psychology job positions in Australia include:

• Psychiatrist: AU$148,310 (Highest-Paying position)

• Human resources manager: AU$95,314 per year

• Organisational psychologist: AU$92,021

• Neuropsychologist: AU$90,000

• Clinical psychologist: AU$87,347

• Educational psychologist: AU$85,000

• School psychologist: AU$83,895

• Organisational and industrial psychologist: AU$82,232

• Psychologist: AU$77,515

• Sports Psychologist: AU$74,369

• Forensic psychologist: AU$73,871

• Counselling psychologist: AU$70,000

• Community Support worker: AU$62,492

• Career counsellor: AU$60,820 

• Market Researcher: AU$54,945

What Are the Disadvantages of Studying Psychology?

Studying psychology can have some drawbacks that you should know when preparing for a psychologist career:

• You need more than a bachelor's degree in psychology to qualify for a psychologist job in Australia. You will need additional schooling as most employers seek candidates with a 2-year of master's degree or 4-5 years of a doctorate in psychology. On top of it, careers in clinical psychology need a doctorate along with a supervised internship and passing state-level exams.

• Besides learning about personality disorders, ways to manipulate people's behaviour, etc., you also need to study Statistics and Research subjects, including Chi Squares, ANOVAs, and the scientific method. These subjects might disinterest you, but they are a critically important part of your psychology degree.

• Psychology is a People-Oriented profession that involves substantial interaction and collaboration with people—those who enjoy working solo or independently might find it challenging. However, the social aspect of psychology should not discourage you from pursuing this profession, as many career paths outside the mental health professions don't necessarily require direct contact with clients.

• As the psychology degree leads to numerous specialisation options and multiple career paths, several students graduate with a psychology qualification each year. So, you must stand out and differentiate yourself from other job applicants when applying for jobs or graduate schools. Most aspiring Psychologists have this common question

Is Studying Psychology Stressful?

Yes. Psychology classes can be a struggle for students who have little or no background in the subject. As the field is so diverse, students may sometimes feel overwhelmed by the vast information available.

An introductory course comprises topics such as psychology's philosophical background, biological influences, social statistics, experimental methods, and more that can be challenging for a beginner.

What is the Easiest Psychology Degree To Get?

A Bachelor of Psychology, or Bachelor of Psychological Science, is the standard entry-level qualification to start in a psychology profession in Australia.

The best part of these courses is that you can study these courses online at Macquarie University and the University of South Australia.

Do Psychologists Get Paid Well in Australia?

Several factors influence the psychologist's salary in Australia, such as:

• Experience

• Educational background

• The specialty area you choose 

• The place you choose to work 

• Industry 

• Type of employment

Though most psychologists earn annually, consultants or freelance health professionals in this field earn at an hourly rate.

The average annual salary of a Clinical Psychologist is AU87, 347 per year. Students should not expect to start making big bucks after earning their qualification, especially those without a doctorate. You can undoubtedly draw a higher salary as you gain more experience and certifications.

Is a Psychology Degree Hard in Australia?

Studying Psychology can be challenging for some as various assignments require deep research and citing sources into numerous topics. Also, the course involves intense learning, and you should be ready for the grind.

However, If you have a strong desire to understand how the human mind works, solve practical problems, and improve people's lives, you'll find it easy to handle your studies.

How Do I Know if Psychology is Right For Me?

If you are still deciding whether Psychology is the right choice, here is a quick quiz to determine if you should major in psychology.

1. Do you enjoy helping people? 

2. Do you have a passion for psychology and enjoy taking psychology classes?

3. Are you resilient and able to manage stress and anxiety? It is vital as psychologists face pressure due to deadlines, vast piles of paperwork, irregular work hours, and dealing with emotionally- charged situations and patients undergoing major life crises.  

4. Do you plan to attend graduate school before entering the job market?

5. Do you enjoy working directly with patients and alongside other healthcare professionals such as physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists?

6. Do you like research, experiments, and statistics? It is crucial as psychology majors involve taking classes in statistics and experimental methods. 

7. Do you enjoy solving challenging problems? It is vital as psychologists may require dealing with anxious patients and use their psychological knowledge to develop real-world solutions to their problems.

8. Do you choose an emotionally fulfilling job (that has social service at its core) over a high-paying one? 

If you answered Yes to most of the questions, then a psychology profession could be an excellent choice!

Is There Math in Psychology in Australia?

Yes. Psychology courses involve a healthy dose of math and statistical methods to help students comprehend the brain and interpret data.

Applying mathematical formulas and models aids in understanding and evaluating human behaviour. You can understand published research containing graphs, tables, and statistical analysis with mathematical knowledge and provide the best patient care.

The output of the mathematical application helps students measure critical parameters related to psychological processes that affect people, such as learning, memory, social skills, etc.

Is Psychology in High Demand in Australia?

Yes. Psychology is among of fast-growing professions in Australia due to the boom in education, training, and healthcare industries that are the prime recruiters of professional psychologists.

The government expects strong demand for the profession in the coming years, ensuring excellent employment opportunities for skilled graduates.

Moreover, as modern-day psychologists deal with areas more than mental health, they may find several job positions across diverse environments, including health, education, business, sport, marketing, human resources, and more.

8. Closing Words

Hopefully, this guide on how to become a psychologist in Australia has helped you better understand the type of requirements you must fulfil to become registered and start practising in the psychology field. 

Regularly check the Psychology Board website as they keep updating the latest information on requirements.

Useful Links to Explore: 

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