Bachelor of Psychological Science
at The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
An APAC-accredited three-year psychology sequence. Forms the first half of the six-year pathway to registration as a psychologist with AHPRA.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The Australian National University Bachelor of Psychological Science. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The ANU Bachelor of Psychological Science is a three-year APAC-accredited program from the ANU Research School of Psychology (College of Health and Medicine). It follows the Plan structure: 48-unit Psychology major plus a 24-unit second major (often Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Sociology or Statistics) plus electives. Year one builds the foundations: Introduction to Psychology 1 (biological, cognitive, developmental), Introduction to Psychology 2 (social, abnormal, personality, individual differences), Psychology Statistics 1 and contextual electives. Year two layers Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Biological Bases of Behaviour, Research Methods and Statistics 2 (using R and SPSS). Year three runs Psychopathology, Personality and Individual Differences, Neuropsychology, Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology and a research-led seminar or project. The Research School of Psychology is one of Australias largest psychology research schools and undergraduates have access to its experimental labs (eye-tracking, EEG, behavioural). APAC accreditation requires demonstrated competency across the six APAC core knowledge domains.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Psychology 1
- Introduction to Psychology 2
- Statistics for Psychologists 1
- Brain, Mind and Behaviour
- Research Methods in Psychology
- Cognitive Science Foundations
How you will be assessed
- Mid-semester tests and final exams in core psychology units
- Laboratory reports following APA style (1500 to 2500 words)
- Statistical assignments using R, SPSS and Jamovi
- Group experimental tasks and presentations
- Empirical research reports in research methods units
- Honours-year thesis of 18,000 to 20,000 words under research supervision
Career outcomes
- Graduates work in support roles in mental-health services, drug-and-alcohol clinics and community-services organisations.
- Common destinations include human-resources, market-research and user-experience research positions across the private sector.
- Most alumni continue into a fourth-year Honours programme and the Master of Psychology to register as a psychologist.
Professional accreditation
- APAC accredited (three-year sequence)
Typical first jobs
- Psychology graduate (provisional) in ACT Mental Health support roles
- Behaviour support practitioner under the NDIS
- APS support officer in Department of Veterans Affairs, NDIA and Department of Defence wellbeing teams
- Research assistant in the ANU Research School of Psychology
- Drug and alcohol support worker at ACT Health and Karralika Programs
- HR or talent-analytics graduate in APS agencies and Canberra-based corporates
Graduate starting salary
$60,000 - $72,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
The three-year degree alone does not lead to registration as a psychologist. Graduates must complete a fourth-year APAC-accredited Honours program (the ANU Psychology Honours, with a year-long research thesis under a research-school supervisor) and then a two-year postgraduate professional sequence (Master of Psychology in Clinical, Educational and Developmental, Organisational or Forensic) plus supervised practice to register with AHPRA. ANUs Honours program is well regarded for entry into the ANU Master of Clinical Psychology and Doctor of Psychology (DPsych). Alternative pathways include the Master of Counselling, Master of Cognitive Science (ANU) and PhD by research. Many graduates take APS support-officer roles (Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defence, NDIA) before further study.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students drawn to both qualitative and quantitative reasoning about human behaviour
- Those willing to commit to a six-year pathway to registration as a psychologist
- People comfortable with statistics, research methods and R or SPSS
- Students considering Honours and a research-school project
- Those interested in mental health policy and APS work post-registration
It is probably not for you if
- Students who want to practise as a counsellor without statistical research training
- Those uncomfortable with statistics, experimental design and APA-style lab reports
- Anyone unable to commit to a fourth-year Honours and a two-year master's
Related courses at ANU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The Australian National University handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/anu/bachelor-of-psychological-science.