Educational and Developmental Psychology

Whether you want to get ahead in your career faster, or improve your knowledge, a Monash postgraduate degree can give you a distinct advantage.

Educational and developmental psychologists assist children and adults with learning and developmental issues by providing assessment, intervention and counselling services. The course aims to develop graduates with the therapeutic skills involved in educational and developmental psychology. Students develop high professional standards in the administration and interpretation of a comprehensive range of psychological, educational and developmental tests and assessments, and the planning, implementation and evaluation of evidence based interventions with individuals and groups.

This program combines the coursework and practicum requirements of the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) degree with the thesis requirements of the PhD program.

Only students currently enrolled in the Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) at Monash University can apply for the combined PhD program. Students must achieve specific requirements in that program before they will be invited to apply for the Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental)/PhD.

Students begin by undertaking coursework units of the Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) degree (at least one unit of which involves a research project), while also preparing their research proposal for the PhD. Continuation to the PhD program is granted if performance on all components meets the required academic standard. A wide variety of thesis topics related to educational and developmental psychology across the lifespan are possible, subject to available supervision. On completion of the course, students submit a PhD thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words.

Graduates will develop as independent specialist professionals with a commitment to learning across the lifespan of the theoretical, research, assessment, and therapeutic skills involved in educational and developmental psychology.

Career opportunities

Graduates provide counselling and support to people of all ages, across a diverse range of organisations including primary and secondary schools, health and welfare services, care facilities, and within business and corporate environments. The PhD qualification will also allow graduates to work as academics in tertiary settings.

Professional recognition (Australian)

This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). Graduates meet the academic requirements for general registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia where from 1 July 2014 the Psychology Board of Australia will require applicants for general registration to also pass the National Psychology Examination. Applicants for general registration who have completed an APAC-accredited master's, doctorate or combined master's/PhD are exempt from sitting the examination until 30 June 2016. Following graduation, with a further two years of supervised practice in Educational and Developmental Psychology graduates are currently eligible for Endorsement as Educational and Developmental Psychologists with the Psychology Board of Australia. Graduates also qualify for membership of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS), and meet most requirements for membership of the College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society.