Master of Clinical Psychology
Overview
As a clinical psychologist you may be employed in a wide range of practice-related fields including outpatient, inpatient, counselling, educational, forensic, health and other settings that focus on assisting people across the lifespan, from children through to elderly. You may also be employed in teaching and research settings. Upon graduation, you may work in both the private sector and the public sector, including hospitals, government departments and agencies.
The course is supported by two full-time clinical psychologists appointed at the level of Associate Professor and a number of both part time and casual appointments. Clinical psychologists develop skills in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a wide range of psychological disorders. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to gain entry to this exciting and challenging career path. The course is grounded in the scientist-practitioner ethos where the building of theoretical knowledge is integrated with the graduated and supported the development of clinical practice skills.
The Master of Clinical Psychology course at CQUniversity is an accredited 5th and 6th-year psychology course that, upon successful completion, allows you to apply for both registrations as a generalist psychologist and enrolment in the relevant registrar courses for endorsement as a clinical psychologist. Completion of the Master of Clinical Psychology also provides you with the opportunity for membership with the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
The Master of Clinical Psychology is an intensive two-year course, currently offered internally at the Rockhampton campus. The first year of the course is centred around the Wellness Centre which is the university psychology clinic. This is a busy public clinic where you will have the opportunity to work in a supportive, supervised environment to build practice skills with adult and child therapy and assessment referrals. In the second year of the course as a sixth year student, you extend your clinical practice skills with two external placements. Currently, the course offers student placements at public and private inpatient mental health services, community-based outpatient mental health services, including Child and Family Services, AODS and Aboriginal Health Services. Other student placements are offered with NGO organisations, the local correctional centre, Headspace and Medicare Local.
Study Experience
- Accredited Qualification
- Authentic Learning Experiences
- Experienced Teaching Team
- Seamless Pathways
- Work-integrated Learning
Career Opportunities
Completion of the Master of Clinical Psychology will enable you to pursue employment opportunities in roles such as:
- public mental health
- public community health
- private practice
- hospital psychology settings
- educational settings
- child and adolescent mental health agencies
- occupational health
You can also explore the range of career options by visiting the Australian Psychological Society website.
Structure & Availability
The course structure and available locations can change depending on when you want to study. You can choose the intake that best suits you in the drop-down menu below.
Available Locations
Your Course
You must complete 15 units (96 credits):
- 1The core structure (14 units)
- 2One elective unit
What You'll Study
In this course, you will study 14 core units and one elective.
The units you'll study are listed below. The first 14 units listed are the core units. You will also have the option to select one elective from either:
- PSYC29003 Coaching Individuals for Positive Change
- PSYC29001 Applied Positive Psychology
Click on a unit to learn more.
Course Planner
To help you plan your studies and see which unit comes first, if one unit should be completed before another and when you will study each unit, check out our course planners.
Additional Information
Professional Practice - Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC)
Core
This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) until 31 December 2025 and is a pathway to General Registration as a Psychologist and to the Psychology Board of Australia Registrar Program for Area of Practice Endorsement in Clinical Psychology.Clinical Practice 3 - PSYC22005
Students are required to undertake an off-site placement.
Clinical Practice 1 - PSYC21007
Students are required to undertake clinical work at the university based clinic.
Clinical Practice 2 - PSYC21008
Students are required to undertake clinical work at the university based clinic.
Clinical Practice 4 - PSYC22006
Students are required to undertake an off-site placement.
You must complete one on-site placement (CQUniversity Psychology Wellness Centre) and two off-site placements (outside agencies). These placement experiences are organised and coordinated by the staff of the Master's course and as a student, you are not expected to source your own placement opportunities.
If you have completed prior study relevant to units within this course, you may be eligible for credit for your past studies. Learn more about credit and recognition of prior learning.
Requirements
To Be Eligible
For your application to be considered, you must meet the following entry requirements.
During Your Study
While not needed to apply, you'll need to meet the following requirements throughout your studies.
Fees & Scholarships
Indicative First-Year Fee
The Indicative First-Year Fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one full-time academic year (eight units over two terms) depending on the type of place you are offered, for example, a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or Full Fee Paying (FFP) Place. The indicative fee provided should be used as a guide only. Your actual fees may vary, depending on the units you select to study and your study load. Check the cost-per-unit spreadsheet available on our fees webpage for the approved unit fees. Fees are reviewed each year and are subject to change.
Commonwealth Supported Places
With Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) available for this course in 2025, you may be eligible for significant fee savings, provided you meet CSP eligibility requirements. CSPs are subsidised by the Australian Government, meaning you are only required to pay the student contribution rather than full tuition fees.
If you are not eligible for a CSP or if CSPs are full, you will be required to pay full fees.
HECS-HELP
You may be eligible for a HECS-HELP government loan if you are offered a CSP. HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists you in paying your student contributions. Provided you meet the HECS-HELP eligibility criteria, you may use HECS-HELP to defer part or all of your student contribution fees.
Part of your course costs will include Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF). SSAF is charged in addition to your student contribution or tuition fees and is used to help enhance your study experience. There may also be other costs as part of your studies, such as textbooks, technology expenses, travel expenses, professional certifications, uniforms, or vaccinations. Explore other study costs.
How to Apply
How to Apply
Select where you'd like to study and your preferred intake
You'll need to choose where you would like to study in the 'choose where you live' selector. This course is only available on campus, so not all states or territories will be listed.
Your Application Options
Follow These Steps
Extra Admission Information
Learn about the assessment of applications and everything you need to know about receiving and accepting an offer to study with CQU.
HODSPA Psychology Reference Portal
As part of the application process, you'll need to submit the required references via the HODSPA Portal. Register to use the Portal.
Registration is free of charge and enables you to access resources such as applicant guides, FAQs, tips for using the portal, news and announcements and more.
When you request your references via the Portal, you will be prompted to pay the Portal’s annual subscription fee – if you subscribe in 2024 to apply for the Term 1 2025 intake, the subscription fee is a flat fee of approximately $45.
