Bachelor of Psychological Science
at University of the Sunshine Coast, 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 University of the Sunshine Coast 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
First year covers the core areas of psychology: introductory psychology, biological psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology and a research-methods and statistics sequence. The course is APAC-accredited, so the content map is set nationally. UniSC's smaller classes give closer access to lecturers through the statistics and methods material. Second year deepens core topics such as cognition, learning and memory, personality and psychopathology, with a more advanced statistics subject covering analysis using SPSS or R. Research methods become more rigorous, with weekly data-handling labs. Third year features advanced topics across the core areas, a research-methods capstone or empirical research project and electives. Practising as a registered psychologist requires three more years of study after the bachelor (an accredited Honours year plus a two-year master's or internship pathway). Many graduates use the three-year sequence as a stepping stone into Honours.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Psychology 1
- Introduction to Psychology 2
- Research Methods in Psychology
- Statistics for Psychology
- Biological Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
How you will be assessed
- Final exams worth 40 to 60 per cent in core subjects
- Research reports in APA format (1500 to 3000 words)
- Statistics assignments using SPSS or R
- Group research presentations
- Empirical research project in third year
- Online quizzes and peer-review tasks
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 worker in community and NDIS services
- Behaviour support practitioner
- Disability support coordinator
- Research assistant at a university lab or research project
- Human resources or learning-and-development graduate
- Market-research or user-experience research assistant
- Pathway into Honours and master's leading to registration
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
Registration as a psychologist requires Honours (year four) plus a two-year accredited master's (such as Clinical, Counselling, Organisational or Educational Psychology) or the five-plus-one internship pathway. Without Honours, postgraduate options include the Master of Social Work (qualifying), Master of Counselling, Master of Mental Health and the Master of Teaching. Many graduates work in community, mental-health and disability services across the region while deciding on further study.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who liked psychology or biology at school
- Curious thinkers interested in human behaviour and the brain
- Patient students comfortable with statistics and research design
- Strong writers who can produce structured APA-format reports
- People willing to do further study to register
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike statistics or quantitative work
- Those wanting to register as a psychologist after just three years
- People who prefer a regulated profession with single-licence entry
- Students who want to avoid research-methodology subjects
Related courses at UniSC
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of the Sunshine Coast handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/usc/bachelor-of-psychological-science.