Best Psychology Courses Online

Online learning platforms offer a vast range of free psychology courses. These are available for personal interest and professional development.

Studying for free typically involves taking a paid course in audit mode. This means no access to assessments or certificates. Your exploration of the program is also time-limited.

Best hosts: coursera, FutureLearn, edX.

TAFE and RTOs offer diplomas and certificates in mental health. Students gain skills for managing people with psychological challenges.

TAFE courses in psychology are not focused on the field exclusively, instead looking at the practical side of handling mental health issues. Programs include placements in community settings, preparing students for healthcare roles.

Popular: Certificate IV in Mental Health, Diploma of Mental Health

The Diploma in Psychology gives access to higher education. This one-year course is equivalent to the first year of a psychology degree. Each one is delivered by, or in partnership with, a university.

Graduates can directly enter the second year of a bachelor's program. Relatively relaxed entry standards make the diploma an accessible pathway to a degree.

Online courses: CDU, CSU

A Bachelor of Psychological Science or equivalent degree is the foundation for becoming a registered psychologist. The degree is also useful as a general qualification.

Australian universities offer many options for undergraduate psychology studies. Required ATAR scores range from around 50 into the 80s. Faculties offering this major include Science, Arts, and Business.

Top rated online programs: SCU, Deakin, UNE

The Graduate Certificate in Psychology is a short four-subject course. Open to students without a background in the field, it forms part of a Graduate Diploma program. Participants customise their studies via electives.

It can be a foundation towards becoming a psychologist. The learning and credentials are valuable when combined with careers in business, health, education, and social services.

For uni graduates from other fields, the Graduate Diploma in Psychology is a bridging course into psychology. It is an accelerated version of the Bachelor of Psychological Science for postgraduate students.

The program comprises 10 subjects that lay foundations for professional practice. Graduates are eligible for "fourth year" psychology studies, which is another potential step towards becoming a psychologist.

An essential step to become a psychologist is 4th year psychology. This is normally an honours year on top of a 3-year bachelor's degree. The other alternative is a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced).

Honours typically involves full-time study on campus, though online options exist too. The advanced graduate diploma is more flexible.

Options: Psychology Honours, Grad Dip in Psychology (Advanced)

A Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) or equivalent one-year degree is essential to become a psychologist. It is 4th-year psychology and preparation for master's degrees.

The program is open to students with good grades, normally a GPA above 5.5 or WAM exceeding 75%. It contains a blend of coursework and supervised research projects.

Program search: APAC (Level 2) Accredited Courses in Psychology

To become a psychologist, you need to complete a "fourth year" of study. An alternative to an honours degree is the Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced). This is available fully online for part-time study by working professionals.

The program is very similar an honours year following a bachelor degree. It balances coursework with research to provide further preparation for a career as a psychologist.

The fastest route to becoming a registered psychologist is the 5+1 pathway. This consists of a 1-year Master of Professional Psychology followed by a year working as an intern.

These 5th-year degree programs are general rather than specialised. They blend coursework with student placements.

Along with the 1-year Master of Professional Psychology, Australian universities offer many other psychology masters. You can qualify to be a registered psychologist with a 2-year specialised master's, such as a Master of Clinical Psychology.

There are well over a hundred Master of Psychology courses available on campuses, and online in some cases, around Australia.

To put a stamp on your career, study for a psychology doctorate. A Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology is the most widely available program and the only one available online.

Specialisations requiring campus attendance include Clinical Neuropsychology, Organisational, and Educational and Developmental Psychology.