FAQs

An undergraduate psychology degree is the first step towards registration as a psychologist (although you’ll need to complete honours and postgraduate study, too) — but working towards registration as a psychologist is just one career path that this qualification can lead to. 

You’ll also be ready for a wide range of jobs that require an understanding of human behaviour, social dynamics, and complex systems.

The UTS Bachelor of Psychology is a new degree with our first intake in Autumn 2024. For a general guide on the selection rank requirement, you can refer to other undergraduate psychology degrees at universities near UTS — ours is likely to be in line with these.

The course has no subject prerequisites, but you’ll benefit from a solid grounding in Science, Maths, and English.

First-year lectures and tutorials all take place in person at the UTS City Campus, which is just a short walk from Sydney’s Central Station. From second year onwards, you’ll engage with a mix of face-to-face and online learning. 

There are lots of psychology degrees out there. What makes the UTS Bachelor of Psychology special?

We’re glad you asked! There are lots of things that make our degree stand out, including extensive industry partnerships, the opportunity to engage Indigenous cultural competence, and access to six psychology subjects in first year compared to two in most other undergraduate psychology degrees.

Read more about what sets the UTS course apart

Psychology graduates work across a range of settings, from solo private practice to group private practice and in schools, community mental health services, hospitals and more. 

If you’re planning to work as a registered psychologist, you’ll need to complete further study in addition to your bachelor’s degree in order to meet Australian registration requirements. 

Read more about how to become a psychologist in Australia 

But working as a psychologist is just one of many careers you can pursue. When you graduate with a Bachelor of Psychology, you’ll be armed with a fundamental understanding of human behaviour and cognition that’s in high demand across countless industries, including:

• research: design and conduct studies, analyse data and publish findings in disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and education
• business: use your knowledge of human behaviour to connect with people via marketing, human resources and customer service roles
• education: work as a teacher, tutor or education consultant and develop next-level teaching strategies and lesson plans that help students succeed in the classroom
• non-profit organisations: design programs and interventions that help individuals and communities overcome challenges like poverty, homelessness, and domestic violence
• government: develop policies and programs for government agencies with a focus on social issues like health, education, and welfare.     

It sure is — there’s a shortage of qualified psychologists in every state and territory in Australia, with some clients waiting up to six months for an appointment. 

As of 2022, 1 in 3 psychologists are so busy they’re no longer taking on new clients — in short, psychologists are in high demand!

Before you can start practising as a psychologist, you’ll need to meet the requirements for registration, which means you’ll need to complete further study after you finish your UTS degree. Once you’re registered, however, the answer is yes, you can absolutely open your own practice, although you might like to get a bit of professional experience under your belt first. 

Once you’re ready to set up shop, you might choose to work as a solo practitioner or as part of a group practice where you partner with other psychologists, counsellors and other health professionals. 

Psychologists are highly qualified professionals — and their salaries reflect their expertise: the average annual salary sits between $90,000 and $105,000. Psychology careers also come with a pretty high job satisfaction rating: on average, psychologists rank their job satisfaction at 4.2 out of 5 stars. 

Psychologists are advanced allied health practitioners who work with people to assess, diagnose, treat and manage a range of psychological conditions. They complete at least six years of training and deliver services in a range of therapeutic and medical settings. 

Through their detailed understanding of the science of human behaviour, psychologists help people from a range of life circumstances to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

More than 60% of psychologists in Australia have general registration. They work with people to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions and concerns. As the name suggests, they’re generalists — they don’t have a specific area of focus, which means they can apply their skills in a diversity of settings.

The remaining 40% of psychologists are specialists who work in one of nine areas of practice endorsement:

• Clinical neuropsychologists assess, diagnose and treat people with a variety of brain disorders.
• Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose and treat people experiencing mental illness and psychological problems. 
• Community psychologists help communities build resilience, resolve issues and manage change.
• Counselling psychologists support people who have experienced a range of traumatic life experiences, including grief, domestic violence and sexual abuse.
• Educational and developmental psychologists largely work with children, parents, carers and teachers on issues relating to children’s development.
• Forensic psychologists help people, employees and organisations navigate the legal and criminal justice systems.
• Health psychologists help people overcome attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that have a negative impact on their health. 
• Organisational psychologists work with organisations to support recruitment, training, talent development, change management and employee engagement activities.  
• Sport and exercise psychologists support athletes with issues such as burnout, performance, injury management and career transition.

Read more about areas of practice endorsement

Psychologists and counsellors are both allied health professionals, but they hold different qualifications and deliver different services and treatments. 

Psychologists complete at least six years of training. They specialise in the assessment and diagnosis of mental health conditions, and they formulate treatment plans that are based on evidence-based techniques like cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Psychology is a highly regulated profession — all psychologists must be registered nationally with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) via the Psychology Board of Australia (PBS).

By contrast, counsellors use a person-centred approach to help clients solve challenges. This involves asking questions, listening in a non-judgemental manner, and helping to identify options and strategies that can help them move forward. Counsellors must complete a Diploma of Counselling at a minimum to become qualified, although many go on to further study. 

All psychologists must be registered nationally with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) via the Psychology Board of Australia (PBS) before they can practise in Australia.

There are two pathways to AHPRA/PBS registration. Both involve completion of degrees that have been accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

To become a psychologist with general registration, you’ll need to complete at least six years of study: