Bachelor of Psychological Science
at The University of Queensland, Queensland.
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 University of Queensland 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 | QTAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official QTAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The UQ Bachelor of Psychological Science is a three-year APAC-accredited sequence taught from St Lucia, forming the first half of the six-year pathway to registration as a psychologist. Year one introduces the breadth of the discipline: the foundations of psychology, an introduction to the major sub-fields (cognition, development, social and biological psychology), and a strong grounding in research design and statistics, which run through every year of the program. Year two systematically covers the core areas required for accreditation: biological psychology and neuroscience, cognition and perception, learning and behaviour, developmental psychology, social psychology, personality and individual differences, and quantitative research methods. Laboratory and tutorial classes pair theory with data collection, experimental design and statistical analysis. Year three deepens the core, adds advanced electives (such as abnormal and clinical psychology, health psychology, organisational psychology and forensic topics) and emphasises research skills and psychological assessment. The three-year accredited sequence does not by itself qualify graduates to practise; competitive entry to a fourth-year Honours or graduate-diploma program followed by a professional masters is required for registration.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Psychology (Foundations)
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour
- Developmental and Social Psychology
- Research Methods in Psychology
- Statistics and Data Analysis for Psychology
- Cognition and Learning
How you will be assessed
- Final exams in core psychology units, often 40 to 60 percent
- Statistics and data-analysis assignments using software
- Laboratory reports written in APA style
- Research-method and experimental-design tasks
- Online quizzes and in-semester progress tests
- Literature reviews and research essays
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
- Mental-health support or peer worker in community services
- Drug-and-alcohol or disability support officer
- Human-resources or recruitment coordinator
- Market-research or user-experience research assistant
- Research assistant at universities and research institutes
- Case or program officer in not-for-profit and government services
Graduate starting salary
$58,000 - $68,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
The standard pathway is competitive entry into a fourth year (Honours or an accredited graduate diploma), then a professional masters such as the Master of Clinical Psychology, Master of Organisational Psychology or other AHPRA-approved program, followed by supervised practice to register as a psychologist. The UQ APAC-accredited fourth year is also the entry point to MPhil and PhD research. Graduates who do not pursue registration commonly move into research, human resources, market and user-experience research, policy and community or mental-health support roles, sometimes via further study in counselling, public health or social work.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students fascinated by human behaviour, the brain and the mind
- Those comfortable with statistics, research methods and APA-style writing
- People aiming for the full pathway to registration as a psychologist
- Students who can sustain a competitive GPA for Honours entry
- Independent learners interested in evidence and experimentation
It is probably not for you if
- Students expecting to practise as a psychologist after three years
- Those who dislike statistics, research methods and quantitative assessment
- Anyone wanting hands-on clinical work from the first year
Related courses at UQ
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Queensland handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/uq/bachelor-of-psychological-science.