Honours in Psychology
Honours in Psychology is an important and rewarding year in a student’s
psychology training. The Honours year provides a more advanced qualification
in psychology and is a prerequisite for further training or postgraduate
study in psychology. Honours graduates are eligible to apply for the PhD in
Psychology or one of our Master of Psychology programs.
On completion of Honours in Psychology graduates are eligible for Associate
Membership of the Australian Psychological Society.
Students whose aim is to practise as registered psychologists will, after
successful completion of their Honours program, undertake a 2 year Master of
Psychology program to qualify for full membership of the Australian
Psychological Society, and registration with a state registration board.
• Contacts
• Campus facilities
• Honours program
• Four year program MHPU Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
• Applying for the 4th (Honours) year only
• Internal transfer for UniSA psychology students
• Honours prizes
• Honours research project
• Further study
Honours contacts
In 2008, the Honours Program Director is Dr Jillian Dorrian.
E: jill.dorrian@unisa.edu.au
T: 08 8302 4480
Program Support Officer: Mrs Lorelie Ball
E: lorelie.ball@unisa.edu.au
T: 08 8302 4323
Student Ambassador for Honours: Louise Williams.
To see Louise's video testimonial about the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
program, go to
http://www.unisa.edu.au/eas/testimonials.
If you have any general enquiries about the Honours program, please contact
the Program Support Officer or email:
psychology@unisa.edu.au
Campus facilities
UniSA’s Honours in Psychology program is conducted at its Magill campus, in
dedicated facilities including a modern suite of interview rooms and
dedicated psychology computer facilities.
Honours program
At the University of South Australia, the Honours year is the final (4th)
year of the 4 year program called the
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours).
Students may apply for entry to the 4 year program as first year
undergraduates.
Every year, UniSA invites applications for entry to the 4th year (Honours
year) also.
The Honours year is a one year program for those undertaking it full-time. Part-time
students may take the program over 2 years, with the coursework generally
undertaken in the first year followed by the research project in the second
(final) year.
Four year program MHPU Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
Applications to UniSA’s
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) program are via SATAC. This highly regarded program had a TER (Tertiary Entrance Rank) of
90.15 for entry in 2008.
The first three years of the program are almost identical in content to the
UniSA 3 year program MBPU Bachelor of Psychological Science.
To progress to the 4th (Honours) year, MHPU students must successfully
complete the first 3 years of the program, and achieve a Grade Point Average
(GPA) of at least 5.0 in the level 2 and level 3 psychology courses to be
eligible for the Honours year. Students who do not achieve this minimum GPA
may either exit the program and graduate with a Bachelor of Psychological
Science, or complete the 4th year Pass Stream for the award of Bachelor of
Psychology.
How to apply for Honours in Psychology (4th year)
Each year, the University of South Australia invites applications for the
4th year (Honours in Psychology) program. Applications are accepted via the
UniSA Apply Online website
from eligible students who have completed an Australian Psychology
Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited undergraduate sequence in
Psychology. Applicants are selected on the basis of academic merit and
ranked according to their GPA in the second and third year psychology
courses of their undergraduate program. To be eligible to apply, students
must have a minimum GPA of 5.0 in these courses. Entry to the Honours year
is highly competitive as there are usually more applicants than available
places in the 4th year, which has resulted in a cut-off GPA of more than 5.5
in recent years.
An information package about applying for Honours is available around August
each year – see contact details above. The ApplyOnline website begins
accepting applications around September and usually closes 30 November.
Successful applicants are advised around mid-December.
Internal transfer for UniSA psychology students
UniSA psychology students may apply for internal transfer to the 4 year
program MHPU Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) on completion of the second
year of their current psychology program.
Applications are considered at the next intake into the MHPU program
(currently only at the commencement of each year), and only if there are
available places. Entry is based upon the applicant’s GPA in their current
psychology program at UniSA.
Honours prizes
Australian Psychological Society Honours prize
The 2007 recipient is Elissa Pearson. She is shown here with Associate
Professor Jacques Metzer, SA President APS, receiving her prize.
Tony Winefield Psychology Honours Thesis prize
The 2007 recipient is Kristy Carter who is shown here with her supervisor
Professor Maureen Dollard, being presented with her award by Professor
Winefield.
Honours Research Project
Honours students complete a Research Project which amounts to half of the
workload for the award (18 units).
The project involves the conduct of empirical research and the reporting of
the results in a literature review and research report, under the guidance
of a supervisor.
The School of Psychology proudly presents the research projects submitted
for the Honours in Psychology award in 2007. The abstracts are supplied here
for your information. Electronic copies of these research projects are
available on request from the School of Psychology by emailing
psychology@unisa.edu.au.
| Clinical and Forensic Psychology Challis, Christina (2007) Examining obsessive compulsive disorder internet information. Supervisor: Dr Nadine Pelling Abstract Cornish, Matthew (2007) The nature and accuracy of alcohol dependence information on the internet. Supervisor: Dr Nadine Pelling Abstract Dao, Mai (2007) An examination into the positive psychological outcomes of an intervention to promote forgiveness through written disclosure. Supervisor: Associate Professor Andrew Day Abstract Koszegi, Rachel (2007) Fear of crime: A psychological perspective. Supervisor: Associate Professor Andy Day Abstract Macdonald, Lee (2007) Understanding suicide and suicide in cyberspace: a biophysical approach. Supervisor: Dr Nadine Pelling Abstract Vermeenko, Kate (2007) Exploring the fear of crime phenomenon. Supervisor: Associate Professor Andrew Day Abstract |
| Cognition and Development Forward, Danielle (2007) Exploring self-talk as a sporting cognitive strategy, and its effect on athletic performance. Supervisors: Ms. Lyn Leaney, Ms. Mathilde Clements Abstract Gates, Jemma (2007) Becoming adult: A longer road to adulthood. Supervisor: Dr. Janet Bryan Abstract Gerschwitz, Melanie (2007) New directions for research on the executive functions and its application in testing a neuropsychological hypothesis of risk taking in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Supervisor: Dr Janet Bryan Abstract Griffiths, Catherine (2007) The links between social cognition and bullying in school. Supervisor: Lyn Leaney Abstract Spence, Elissa (2007) An investigation into the development of emotional intelligence in school-aged children and adolescents. Supervisor: Lyn Leaney Abstract |
| Conservation Psychology Galatis, Nicola (2007) Environmental enrichment for captive common Hippopotamus’ (Hippopotamus amphibious): A review and a behavioural analysis. Supervisor: Dr Carla Litchfield Abstract Peacock, Jasmin (2007) The role of enclosure size in the housing of African wild dogs in captivity. Supervisor: Dr Carla Litchfield Abstract Pearson, Elissa (2007) The need for research and an empirical study of the orangutans (pongo pygmaeus abelii) and siamangs (hylobates syndactylus) at Adelaide zoo. Supervisor: Dr Carla Litchfield Abstract |
| Methodology and Measurement Borlace, Darrin (2007) Self report instruments and response distortion: Development and validation of a 12-item response distortion scale. Supervisor: Dr Sharon Casey Abstract Menashe, Lynda (2007) Exploring the influences on invalid responding in self report questionnaires. Supervisor: Dr Sharon Casey Abstract Quast, Cassandra (2007) Is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator still the premier typological personality test today? Supervisor: Dr David Haynes Abstract |
| Psychology and Indigenous Australians Bradbury, Karen (2007) Exploring outcomes for anti-racism education regarding Indigenous Australians. Supervisor: Dr. Rob Ranzijn Abstract Lynch, Kimberlee (2007) Shift for Western therapists: Working in partnership with Indigenous people. Supervisor: Dr Rob Ranzijn Abstract Migliaccio, Natalie (2007) Antecedents to custody for Indigenous Australians. Supervisor: Dr Rob Ranzijn Abstract |
| Sleep Research Bauer, Katie (2007) The effect of sleep restriction on declarative memory consolidation in children. Supervisor: Associate Professor Kurt Lushington Abstract McCusker, Levi (2007) The effects of road safety advertising on fatigued driver behaviour. Supervisors: Dr Matthew Thomas, Dr Stuart Baulk Abstract Peters, Jacqueline (2007) The effects of acute sleep deprivation on attention and performance in children. Supervisor: Associate Professor Kurt Lushington Abstract Sandford, Debra (2007) Sleep patterns in Australian primary school children and their impact on daytime behaviour and cognitive performance. Supervisor: Dr Jill Dorrian Abstract |
| Work and Organisational Psychology (including Stress) Bond, Stephanie Anne (2007) The effects of workplace bullying on mental health and cognitive performance: The role of trauma symptoms. Supervisor: Dr Michelle Tuckey Abstract Carter, Kristy (2007) Emotion work: a conflict of interest between the employee and the organisation. Supervisor: Professor Maureen Dollard Abstract Garrick, Adam (2007) The relationship between non-work time activities, work strain recovery, sleep quality and work engagement: A diary study. Supervisor: Dr Peter Winwood Abstract Hall, Garry (2007) Spillover effects of job demands to emotional exhaustion and work-family conflict: Reciprocal and cross-domain relations. Supervisor: Professor Maureen Dollard Abstract Hayward, Renae (2007) Posttraumatic growth in police officers: Using a job demands and resource paradigm. Supervisor: Dr Michelle Tuckey Abstract Huynh, Ngan (2007) Applying the job demands- resources model in volunteer populations. Supervisor: Associate Professor Jacques Metzer Abstract Miljevic, Mirela (2007) The predictors of work family conflict and psychological strain among employees. Supervisor: Professor Tony Winefield Abstract Walkden, Sarah (2007) The work psychology of rural policing: Job demands, stress and help seeking for rural police of South Australia. Supervisor: Professor Maureen Dollard Abstract |
The Honours Theses list provides details of theses submitted in the School of Psychology during the period 1995 – 2006. Hardcopies of these theses are available for borrowing from the library at UniSA, Magill. |
Further study
Honours graduates may wish to consider the following programs to continue
their studies in Psychology.
Master of Psychology (Clinical)
Master of Psychology (Work and Organisational)
Ph.D in Psychology