Course Catalogue

Bachelor of Psychological Science (WPSYS2)

2026

Course Structure

The first year provides a general introduction to psychology and the research methods that underpin psychology. In the first year, students will also cover ethics, indigenous protocols and intercultural sensitivity which are essential skills for psychological practice. In the second year, students will explore the main areas of psychology, such as social and cognitive psychology, in more detail, while in the third year these basic principles will be applied to higher level topics such as abnormal psychology and personality. Throughout the course, there are opportunities for students to take specialist electives.

A candidate must successfully complete units totalling 240 credit points (cp) as detailed below. All units are valued at 10 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Unit type	Credit Points	Specific requirements
Core Units (18 units)	180cp	Compulsory Core units totalling 180 credit points as detailed below. HSC132 Introduction to Health Promotion IAS142 Ethics and Protocols in Indigenous Contexts PSY101 Introduction to Research Skills PSY116 Intercultural Sensitivity and Psychological Communication PSY150 Introduction to Psychology A PSY151 Introduction to Psychology B HSC220 Society, Culture and Health: A Sociological Introduction PSY203 Developmental Psychology Across the Lifespan PSY219 Social Psychology PSY228 Neuroscience and Biological Bases of Behaviour PSY246 Cognition, Language and Perception PSY248 Research Design and Analysis PSY307 Theories of Individual Differences and Personality PSY330 Learning and Memory PSY337 Advanced Research Design and Analysis PSY356 Motivation and Emotion PSY363 Abnormal Psychology PSY365 Applied Community and Health Psychology
Specialist Electives (6 units)	60cp	Specialist Elective units totalling 60 credit points from the units listed below. HSC119 Counselling Theory and Micro Skills IAS101 Indigenous Australia PSY144 Traumatology Assessment and Intervention SWK101 Introduction to Human Services SWK102 Communication Skills AOD202 Alcohol and Other Drugs Studies HSC203 Perspectives of Indigenous Health (no longer offered) HSC211 Mental Health and Wellbeing SPE206 Health, Exercise and Sport Psychology SWK201 Human Service Organisations SWK202 Dynamics of Group Work AOD311 Counselling/Interventions in Alcohol and Other Drugs IAS355 Indigenous Knowledges and Wellbeing PSY311 Introduction to Forensic Psychology (not offered 2025) PSY390 Counselling SPE351 Psychology and Sport (no longer available from 2025)
	240cp	Total Credit Points

Course Rules (unless otherwise indicated in the above course structure) (240cp)

A maximum of 100 credit points may be taken from 100 level units.
A minimum of 60 credit points must be taken from 300 level units or above.
See the Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) in the Units and Courses Policy.

If course commenced prior to 2023:
No more than 20 credit points shall be counted with a grade of "PC" in a Bachelor AQF Level 7 course award and no more than 10 credit points at "PC" may be received at the highest level of the program of learning.

Further Assistance

For further assistance please contact Student Central on 1800 061 963 (freecall) or student.central@cdu.edu.au. Student Central staff will assist you with applying for or enrolling in a course and provide assistance with timetables, fees, HELP (Higher Education Loan Program), external materials, enrolment changes and many other issues.

Unit Catalogue - provides general information about each unit including a brief description, the semester and mode offered as well as the fees for Commonwealth Supported places.
Timetables - provides information about individual class times for units offered internally. Timetables for the following academic year are published early in December each year.
Bookshop - if text books have been prescribed, recommended or ordered for units in this course, details are available by unit code through the Casuarina Campus Bookshop.