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Postgraduate

Master of Clinical Psychology - Advanced Entry

Domestic students International students
Master of Clinical Psychology - Advanced Entry (MCPA)
Entry requirements
View full details
Study mode
  • On-campus
  • External
Campus
  • Ipswich
  • Toowoomba
Duration
  • 1 year(s) (or part-time equivalent)
Start
  • Feb
Note: All coursework courses  are offered as mandatory workshops. USQ Ipswich offers on-campus Saturday workshops. The Toowoomba on-campus and External course offerings comprise a blend of a residential school and online workshops.

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Overview

  • Have you completed a postgraduate Psychology Masters (coursework) degree, or held General Registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia for a minimum of 12 months?  This degree allows you to fast-track your studies and training in Clinical Psychology, with a focus on psychological assessment and clinical intervention.
  • The first qualification of its kind in Australia, the Master of Clinical Psychology - Advanced Entry gives you the opportunity, as a registered psychologist, to return to study to gain a Master of Clinical Psychology qualification in just 1 year. 
  • The coursework component is offered as mandatory workshops. USQ Ipswich offers on-campus Saturday workshops. The Toowoomba on-campus and External course offerings comprise a blend of a residential school and online workshops.

Professional accreditation

The Master of Clinical Psychology – Advanced Entry has received accreditation with conditions from the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as a sixth-year program in psychology.

Graduates can apply for:

Career outcomes

  • Graduates of this degree can work as a fully registered General Psychologist in the public and private sectors, and as a Clinical Psychologist following completion of the Clinical Psychology registrar program. 

Entry requirements 

  • Completion of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)-accredited masters (coursework) degree in Psychology, or have held General Registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia for a minimum duration of 12 months.

In addition, applicants are also asked to submit the following for consideration as part of their application:

  • provide two referee reports1 and a 1-2 page report which addresses the Master of Clinical Psychology - Advanced Entry selection criteria (PDF 89KB) 
  • be assessed in a face-to-face interview with a panel of School staff, including completion of the USQ Psychology Competency examination.
  • provide an academic transcript demonstrating strong academic performance
  • provide a CV of your work and study history. Applicants who have not completed a four-year bachelor degree or Masters (coursework) in Psychology degree within the last three years, will be required to demonstrate how they have maintained up-to-date knowledge and skills in the area of Psychology.

1The Australian Psychology Postgraduate Reference Request systemis the same across all Australian universities. To be able to use the system, you will need to have an active membership. The membership allows you access the service during the application period and will expire on 31 July of each year. The cost is $25.00 and can be paid for through the "My Account" section in the payment tab.

Work and life experience

You may be able to use your work experience and other adjustment factors to increase your selection rank and meet USQ's entry requirements.

English language requirements

You are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements and this degree requires a minimum of IELTS 7.0 or equivalent. If you do not meet the English language requirements you may apply to study a University-approved English language program.

Recognition of prior learning or work experience

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Pathways

If you don't meet the entry requirements, we have pathway options available to you.

Degree structure

To complete this degree students must complete 8 units. Most courses (similar to ‘subjects’) are valued at 1 unit. To study full-time you would usually complete 4 units per semester.

Courses to be studied Units
Coursework courses 6
Practicum courses 2
Total 8

All coursework courses are offered as mandatory workshops. USQ Ipswich offers on-campus Saturday workshops. The Toowoomba on-campus and External course offerings comprise a blend of a residential school and online workshops..

You will be required to accrue a minimum of 750 hours of practicum experience plus at least 50 hours of supervision from a registered psychologist who is accredited as a board-approved supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Refer to the USQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Clinical experience

As part of the degree, you will complete clinical experience during practicum courses, where you will further develop your knowledge and skills in provision of psychological assessment and intervention to clients under supervision of a board-approved psychology supervisor.

All students are required to meet the professional requirements of clinical psychology practice within the degree. 

It is a mandatory requirement for all Master of Clinical Psychology – Advanced Entry students to be registered as Provisional Psychologists or General Psychologists with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). 

Fees and scholarships

Your actual fees may vary depending on the courses you select. We review our fees annually so these may be subject to change.

Approximate annual costs1 for your first year of study (8 units) in this degree are:

Study Mode Cost
Domestic full fee paying

You are responsible for the full cost of your course and are charged a tuition fee.

AUD 24400

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2021. 

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Professional experience costs

This degree includes a professional experience component that may involve travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level. Find out if you are eligible for FEE-HELP. 

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships

At USQ, we offer a range of scholarships to support your success at university. Find a scholarship that works for you.

How to apply

Complete your online application directly to USQ.

Apply direct to USQ

Closing dates

  • Applications for Semester 1, 2021 - Major round applications close Friday 25 September 2020. A top-up round of applications close Monday 4 January 2021, where places are not filled in the previous round.
  • Applications for Semester 1, 2022 - Major round applications close Friday 24 September 2021. A top-up round of applications close Monday 3 January 2022, where places are not filled in the previous round.

Further information

Discover further information on applying to study at USQ that is relevant to you.

Got questions?

 

Begin your study journey today with Queensland's #1 University for graduate starting salary* and start the degree that’s right for you.

*Good Universities Guide, 2021

Talk to our degree advisors