Bachelor of Psychological Science
at University of Canberra, 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 University of Canberra 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 UC Bachelor of Psychological Science is a three-year APAC-accredited program from the Faculty of Health. Year one builds the foundations: Introduction to Psychology 1 (biological, cognitive, developmental), Introduction to Psychology 2 (social, abnormal, personality, individual differences), Statistics for Psychology and contextual electives from the Faculty of Health. Year two layers Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Biological Bases of Behaviour, Research Methods in Psychology and Statistics 2 (using SPSS and R). Year three runs Psychopathology, Personality and Individual Differences, Neuropsychology, Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology and a research-led seminar or project. UC psychology has particular strengths in sport and exercise psychology (links to the AIS and University of Canberra Health Hub), forensic psychology and applied cognition. APAC accreditation requires demonstrated competency across the six APAC core knowledge domains. UC operates psychology clinics on campus where senior students observe and (in later programs) participate under supervision.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Psychology 1
- Introduction to Psychology 2
- Statistics for Psychology
- Brain, Behaviour and Cognition
- Research Methods in Psychology
- Communication and Scholarship
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 SPSS, R 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 at Department of Veterans Affairs, NDIA and Department of Defence wellbeing teams
- Research assistant at UC Health Research Institute and Discipline of Psychology
- Drug and alcohol support worker at ACT Health and Karralika Programs
- Sport psychology assistant at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
Graduate starting salary
$58,000 - $70,000 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 UC Psychology Honours, with a year-long research thesis under a Faculty of Health supervisor) and then a two-year postgraduate professional sequence (Master of Clinical Psychology, Master of Psychology in Forensic, Sport and Exercise, Educational and Developmental, or Organisational) plus supervised practice to register with AHPRA. UC offers the Master of Clinical Psychology and Master of Forensic Psychology as direct pathways. Alternative options include the Master of Counselling, Master of Suicide Prevention Studies (a UC flagship) and PhD by research. Many graduates take APS support-officer roles (Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defence wellbeing teams, 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 SPSS or R
- Students considering Honours and a research project
- Those interested in sport and exercise psychology with proximity to the AIS
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 UC
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of Canberra handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/canberra/bachelor-of-psychological-science.