Master of Psychology (Clinical)
Degree Level Postgraduate
Year 2023
You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
Degree Level Postgraduate
Year 2023
Program Code
MMCL
SATAC Code
4CM231 (Internal)
Study as
Full-time
or part-time
Mode
On-campus
Completion of a four year qualification in psychology, normally an honours degree, accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council, within the last 10 years, with an upper second class Honours (2A) or equivalent overall mark, is a necessary condition of entry. Relevant prior professional experience and acquired skills will also be considered in the selection process through written application, references and an interview.
For full application requirements, selection and admission processes visit Apply for the Master of Psychology (Clinical)
Important information
Students are required to be minimally registered as a Provisional Psychologist, prior to enrolment in the program. For information on provisional registration, please refer to the Psychology Board of Australia website. Students will be required to obtain relevant criminal history checks and screenings for working with vulnerable people and will need to complete training for identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect. Dependent on placements requirements, students may also be required to have appropriate immunisation and health check screenings.
Before applying, applicants must visit the full application details and requirements website.
1The only university in SA to have all its assessed Psychology and Cognitive Sciences research rated well-above world standard. 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).
This Master of Psychology (Clinical) degree is for students who want to become clinical psychologists.
Designed in consultation with practitioners, academics and students, and accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council, the curriculum is relevant and up-to-date. You'll gain an advanced understanding of established empirically-supported best practice and recent developments in clinical psychology. You’ll also explore research principles and how they apply to clinical psychology.
Under the supervision of fully-qualified clinical psychologists you will get the opportunity to practice your skills in our on-campus Psychology Clinic.
Students studying this degree will be required to undertake Criminal History Checks through the Department of Human Services (DHS), a National Police Record Check, and complete a one-day Safe Environments for Children and Young People course prior to being accepted for work placements. Some placements may also require students to hold a current driver's licence and or additional requirements as requested by a specific placement provider.
You will gain an advanced understanding of recent developments in clinical psychology. You will also explore research principles and how they apply to clinical psychology. You will develop:
This Master's degree has a strong practical component and, under the supervision of fully-qualified clinical psychologists, you will practice skills you have learnt in our on-campus Psychology Clinic.
You will also undertake professional clinical placements during your second year.
Be taught by world-class researchers in their field at a university that has been ranked number one in the state for research in psychology1.
This psychology Master's degree will see you graduate ready to register as a psychologist and practice independently. It will also allow you to begin a registrar program leading to endorsement in clinical psychology. The curriculum has been designed in consultation with practitioners, academics and students, and in accordance with level 3 and 4 standards of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council, meaning it is relevant, current and reliable.
You'll also get the opportunity to practice your skills in our on-campus Psychology Clinic, under the supervision of fully-qualified clinical psychologists. The clinic offers psychological services to the general public and is a great training resource equipped with state-of-the-art audio and visual recording devices for observing and providing feedback to students.
The University also offers a tele psychology service to clients in rural and remote areas and to those in metropolitan areas when it is not safe to provide face-to-face appointments. This service works in conjunction with the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Clinic to provide psychological solutions for sleep problems.
As Australia’s university of enterprise, we are No. 1 in South Australia for student satisfaction2 and we are the largest university in South Australia with more than 31,000 students.
We are fast becoming a renowned centre of innovation and enterprise in the sectors that will drive Australia's future, including health and biomedicine. It’s a very good time to choose UniSA for your postgraduate study.
1The only university in SA to have all its assessed Psychology and Cognitive Sciences research rated well-above world standard. 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). 2ComparED (QILT) Course Experience Questionnaire 2019-20 – Overall Satisfaction Indicator (Undergraduate). SA public universities.
Successful psychologists have the ability to listen, observe and analyse. Exceptional interpersonal skills are a must, as is the ability to think clearly and logically, and to communicate with ease. If you have all of these traits, the job prospects in Australia in the area of psychological science is expected to grow in the coming years1.
The Master of Psychology (Clinical) is a specialised degree which prepare trainees to become clinical psychologists. Graduates of this degree would be equipped for any of the following careers:
This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. On completion of the program graduates will have met the academic requirements for membership of the Australian Psychological Society and Associate Membership of the College of Clinical Psychologists within that Society. Graduates of the program are eligible for registration as psychologists with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Visit Apply for the Master of Psychology (Clinical) to view the full application process, including selection criteria, referee information and admission processes.
Once you are ready to apply, please make note of the SATAC course code at the top of this page in order to lodge your application directly via SATAC.
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
Available for students who are interested in undertaking specified activities with the aim of enhancing the overall student experience at UniSA.
Travel Grants are available to participate in our Study Overseas Programs. UniSA has agreement with over 80 institutions globally.
Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, tech zones, and spaces that simulate real work environments. You’ll also find student gyms and campus sport activities to keep you active. We also offer flexible study options, with online resources available for accessing lecture recordings, virtual classrooms, library resources and learning support.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
As a psychology student, you will have access to:
I am both the Program Director for this degree and Senior Clinic Supervisor. My research focuses on enhancing the delivery of psychological therapies in routine practice. Before academia, I worked as a clinical psychologist in adult mental health services, addiction treatment services and private practice. I believe low student-staff ratios, combined with close supervision and high-quality feedback, plays an important role in developing the skills and confidence our students need to be effective psychologists. Our teaching team has international training and extensive teaching, clinical and supervisory experience. We are very proud of our graduates who routinely receive glowing feedback from field supervisors and are in high demand from employers.
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Applications for admission into the University of South Australia’s undergraduate and most postgraduate degrees are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Visit satac.edu.au and follow the links.
For the MBA degrees please apply through the UniSA MBA Application Portal. Applications for a small number of degrees are submitted direct to UniSA through our Apply Online portal. It will be noted on the degree page if you need to apply via Apply Online.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Master of Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit unisa.edu.au/resdegrees.
Undergraduate
Yes. The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be given equal consideration is in early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers (mid January). Some degrees will not make any offers after the main offer round. Please click here find all of the key dates for applications here.
Postgraduate
Most postgraduate degrees do not have a closing date for applications. However, there are exceptions, so it is best to check – either on the SATAC website, Apply Online or the degree homepage. Postgraduate offers are normally ‘rolling’, meaning they may be sent out at any time up until the program starts. This also means that applications may close at any time without warning, if the quota is filled earlier. For this reason, postgraduate applications should be submitted without delay. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquiries team on (08) 8302 2376 or via the online enquiry form.
Credit transfer or advanced standing
You may be eligible to receive a credit transfer or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving a credit transfer will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
Recognised prior learning
If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning for this experience. Receiving recognised prior learning will normally reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and can reduce the duration of the degree.
How do I get credit?
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director who will discuss your prior learning and experience with you to ascertain what credit you may be eligible for.
Many of our credit transfer arrangements are listed on our online Credit Assessor.
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
If you are interested in studying an MBA please contact admissions@unisa.edu.au and our Future Student Enquiries team will contact you regarding your enquiry.
Alternatively, you can complete a MyCareerMatch career profile. MyCareerMatch is an online career profiling tool that you can use free-of-charge through UniSA. MyCareerMatch specialises in career profiles and provides you with a personalised career report outlining information about your personality style and a list of career options, which are complementary to your natural strengths and talents.
We have many events throughout the year where you can speak with a lecturer or tutor about your degrees of interest. You can find out what is happening at UniSA by visiting our events page or by signing up to our mailing list, so you're the first to know about careers events, information sessions, degree requirements, scholarships and more!
There are also many career counsellors external to the University that you can discuss your career options with. If you are unsure where to start your search, you can contact the Government's Work Ready team (formally Skills for All). Visit skills.sa.gov.au or call 1800 506 266.
You may also find Job Outlook a helpful resource in your decision-making.
It can be difficult to decide what degree you would like to do and where. You might find information from government organisations will help to weigh up your degree and provider options.
Find a course or a provider
TEQSA is a regulatory body for higher education providers. Use the TEQSA national register of higher education providers to search for a course or a provider. Compare courses and providers for undergraduates and postgraduates using the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) online comparison tool.
More information on university admission
Visit the SATAC website to find out important news, events and information on applying to university in South Australia. Visit Study with Us to find out everything you need to know about studying at UniSA, admissions and the application process.
Questions about your application
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application you should contact the Future Students Enquiries team in the first instance.