The shortest postgraduate course in psychology, designed for people new to the field.
If you're a university graduate or an experienced professional interested in studying psychology for the first time, consider the Graduate Certificate in Psychology. This relatively short course consists of just four subjects. You can choose units from a larger graduate diploma or master's program.
The course can be a foundation for further study and even becoming a registered psychologist. However, the qualification can also be a useful complement to careers in fields such as business, education, healthcare, social care, and protective services.
What Can You Do with this Qualification?
A Graduate Certificate in Psychology is a flexible course that, depending on electives, helps you understand cognition, emotions, counselling practices, or mental illness. You can design a program of study to suit your interests and goals.
Employers recognise a graduate certificate as an advanced achievement. It is rated at Level 8 in the Australian Qualifications Framework, equal to an honours degree and graduate diploma. Within the psychology field, it represents partial completion of a graduate diploma, which in turn is equivalent to a Bachelor of Psychology degree.
The qualification can round out or upgrade your credentials, depending on your career stream. It is evidence of interest and capability in managing, persuading and developing people based on scientific principles. Sectors where this certification may be valuable include education, healthcare and nursing, human services, human resources, marketing, and corrective services.
Online Courses from Australia
Earn a psychology graduate certificate online as a working professional. Accelerated courses offer part-time, online study, enabling you to complete the program in just 8 months. You can finish each subject within a 6-7 week period, with study hours that fully adapt to your schedule.
JCU Online - Graduate Certificate of Psychology
The Graduate Certificate of Psychology from James Cook University offers a menu of 10 subjects, from which students choose four. The fully online course can be completed in 8 months part-time. Topics include social psychology, personality differences, health and wellbeing, human development, psychological disorders, learning and memory, neuroscience, environmental psychology, counselling principles, and research methods. Graduates can continue studying towards a Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Bridging).
Graduate Diploma in Psychology
For university graduates from other fields, the quickest pathway to becoming a psychologist includes a Graduate Diploma in Psychology. Professionally, this qualification is equivalent to a Bachelor of Psychological Science degree.
Compared to bachelor's studies, this program is focused and efficient. It typically consists of 10 subjects and can be completed in 20 months of part-time study. Fully online courses are available.