Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)

Swinburne Online

Australia, Melbourne

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Swinburne Online

Australia , Melbourne

Key Facts

Program Level

Graduate Diploma

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

Online

Campuses

Online

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesMarch-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 16 month(s)

Tuition Fee

AUD 3,710 / per unit

Next Intake March-2026

Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)

About

This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

Becoming a registered psychologist in Australia is a rewarding undertaking that will take at least five years of study, depending on the pathway you take. This typically includes a three-year undergraduate psychology sequence; a fourth year of psychology studies; and one or two years of postgraduate study with supervised workplace experience.

Our Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) is the next step, after completing an APAC approved Level one program of study, for those pursuing a career as a psychologist. Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) will fulfil the fourth-year study requirement for those seeking provisional registration as a practising psychologist.

To qualify for entry, you need to have already completed an APAC accredited Level 1 Program OR have completed a Graduate Diploma of Psychology, which serves as a bridging course for students who have completed an unrelated bachelor degree.

The Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) is a fully online course, in which you will learn to recognise and interpret how the practice of psychology is influenced by varied social, historical, professional and cultural contexts. You will develop a nuanced understanding of ethical issues in psychological practice, and how to apply an evidence-based approach to psychological intervention.

Completion of this course will lead to job opportunities in the mental health sector, including counselling, psychological research, and social work. You will also have the opportunity to apply for provisional registration with APAC if you are successful in enrolling into two years of study and/or supervised professional practice to attain general registration.

You can find out more information about pathways to general registration in psychology on the Australian Psychological Society or APAC website.

What will you learn?

Research: Learn advanced research and analytical skills that will form the basis of your ongoing professional development, allowing you to critically investigate a range of research topics that inform your professional practice.
Conceptual Understanding: Cultivate a comprehensive theoretical knowledge of core areas of psychological enquiry, including: cognitive, behavioural, developmental, social and clinical methodologies.
Problem-Solving: Apply psychological theories, research findings, and skills to theoretical and practical problems in academic psychology and professional practice.
Ethical Practice: Develop a nuanced understanding of the ethical responsibilities integral to psychological research and practice.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

To be eligible to apply, Australian applicants must have completed an APAC-accredited three-year or equivalent sequence in psychology. Students must achieve a minimum of a Distinction average (70%) in core psychology units at the third-year level.

Applicants who have completed a psychology major at an overseas university MUST provide evidence that their degree meets the requirements of an APAC-accredited Australian undergraduate degree in psychology.

Students admitted to the course with prior tertiary studies that satisfy part of the academic requirements of this course may be eligible for academic credit and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The University may determine selection criteria and restrictions in respect of courses to apply in addition to these entry requirements.

Eligibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Consistent with the mission of the Australian Psychological Society and the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project, Swinburne is committed to increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists and to delivering culturally safe training programs.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are interested in Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) are encouraged to contact the Moondani Toombadool Centre (indigenousstudents@swin.edu.au) and the course directors Dr. James Williams (jwilliams@swin.edu.au) and Dr. Pui Tzan Chan (puichan@swin.edu.au) to discuss their application and to explore the supports available during their candidature at Swinburne.

English language requirements

IELTS (Academic Module): Overall 7.0 with no individual band below 7.0
Swinburne English Language Centre: EAP 5 Advanced level with overall 75% and all skills 70% or above
TOEFL iBT: minimum score 95 (Reading no less than 20, Writing no less than 22)
Or equivalent measures available here.

English Program Requirements

English language tests

International students are required to demonstrate their English proficiency before enrolling into a Swinburne Online degree by undertaking one of the following English language tests; The International English Language Test Score (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score.

IELTS

IELTS have over 1,000 testing centres worldwide and run testing throughout the year. Use the IELTS worldwide search to find a testing centre near you.

TOEFL

The TOEFL test is administered worldwide through a network of testing centres. Use the TOEFL Testing Location Search to find a testing centre near you.

Minimum entry score: IELTS

Overall 6.5
With no band below 6

Minimum entry score: TOEFL

Paper Based: 550 (With a written English score of 5)
Internet Based: 79 (With no individual band below 18)

Test results

Once you have received your test results simply contact us via our online application form or by contacting our Course Consultants on 1300 069 765.

Career

Your pathway to becoming a psychologist

With a sufficiently broad focus – and an emphasis on building practical workplace skills through independent research projects – you will gain a unique insight into what field of psychological practice or research you wish to specialise in.

Upon completion graduates will be able to follow one of two pathways to attain provisional registration. This may be in the form of enrolment into an accredited higher degree; or alternatively a fifth year specialist qualification, plus one year of supervised practice.

Family Therapist

Work as part of a treatment team to provide counselling and therapeutic support to families navigating crisis, who in many cases have experienced significant disadvantage.

Mental Health Support Worker

Become an essential part of the mental health support network and specialise in assisting people with a variety of complex needs.

Human Resources Coordinator

Apply psychological research and analysis in a human resources context, creating positive workspaces that increase employee well-being and drive higher employee engagement.

Researcher

Delve into diverse topics with a research study. Research may include collating sources such as internet searchers, newspapers, journals and other publications to assist in your specific area of focus.

Research Assistant

Provide support to research teams who are conducting experiments or gathering and analysing data. Duties may include assisting with study design, data collection and management, and data analysis.

Client Relationship Officer

Build strong client relationships and guide clients in reaching their goals by identifying and resolving possible issues around their mental health. Working as part of a team, onboard new clients, manage caseloads and escalate certain cases to different team members.