CRICOS Code: 107229A

This program applies to students who commenced in 2022 or later.

Students should follow the program structure for the session start date relevant to the year they commenced.

For Commencement Year 2015 to 2021 - please refer to 1711.2 - Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology)

For Commencement Year 2014 - please refer to 1711.1 - Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology)

The Bachelor of Psychological and Social Sciences provides the core accredited sequence in Psychology. Psychology is the field of inquiry that applies scientific techniques and methods to understand and explain individuals’ behaviours and experiences. As a discipline, it involves the application of psychological knowledge to practical problems in human behaviour.

This Psychology program includes exciting topics of study such as, personality, psychological disorders, health and well-being, learning and memory, cognition, language and perception, motivation and emotion, neuroscience and the biological bases of behaviour, developmental and social psychology. The knowledge and skills learnt through this degree will prepare graduates for a broad range of careers and study options.

In addition to key studies in Psychology, students will also undertake a set number of subjects in Social Sciences to develop complementary knowledge and skills including studies in sociology, geography and urban studies, criminology and human welfare.

Western Sydney University Online students: please refer to Western Sydney University Online website for Program Advice.

https://online.westernsydney.edu.au/

Study Mode

Three years full-time or six years part-time.

Note: Bankstown/Liverpool students enrolled in this program will be required to attend both Bankstown (Psychology subjects) and Liverpool (Social Science subjects) campuses in order to complete this program.

Program Advice

Program Advice

Prospective students should visit the following websites for general enquiries about this program.

Enquire about this program| Local Admission | International Admission |

Location

Location

Campus	Attendance	Mode	Advice
Bankstown Campus	Full Time	Internal	See above
Bankstown Campus	Part Time	Internal	See above
Bankstown City Campus (from 2023)	Full Time	Internal	See above
Bankstown City Campus (from 2023)	Part Time	Internal	See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road	Full Time	Internal	See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road	Part Time	Internal	See above
Penrith Campus	Full Time	Internal	See above
Penrith Campus	Part Time	Internal	See above
WSU Online	Full Time	Internal	WSU Online Advice
WSU Online	Part Time	Internal	WSU Online Advice

Accreditation

This program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) on the basis that it meets all the APAC Accreditation Standards.

Admission

UAC entry: A competitive ATAR; or equivalent rank (using non-proximate indicators of success) for school leavers and non-recent school leavers.

Western Sydney University Online students: Prospective online students apply for admission to this program directly through WSU Online. A student’s eligibility will be assessed according to the existing admission criteria.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas may be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or directly through the Western Portal. Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University. Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

http://www.uac.edu.au/
https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

International students currently completing an Australian Year 12 in or outside Australia, an International Baccalaureate in Australia or a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 3 must apply via UAC International.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

All other International applicants must apply directly to the University via the International Office.  

International students applying to the University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Program Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.

Students must enrol in and complete:

• 140 credit points of Psychology Core subjects
• 20 credit points of Psychology Alternate subjects
• 40 credit points of Social Sciences Core subjects
• 40 credit point Social Sciences minor

Recommended Sequence

Bankstown/Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith campuses, full-time start-year intake

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Autumn session		Credit Points
BEHV 1018	Psychology: Human Behaviour	10
BEHV 2018	Personality	10
BEHV 1021	The Individual in Society	10
CULT 1017	Understanding Society	10
	Credit Points	40
Spring session
BEHV 1016	Psychology: Behavioural Science	10
BEHV 1003	Introduction to Research Methods	10
HUMN 1060	Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies	10
HUMN 1041	People, Place and Social Difference	10
	Credit Points	40
Year 2
Autumn session
MATH 2006	Experimental Design and Analysis	10
BEHV 2010	Perception	10
BEHV 2002	Brain and Behaviour	10
One Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subject		10
	Credit Points	40
Spring session
BEHV 3014	Motivation and Emotion	10
BEHV 2005	Human Learning	10
BEHV 3023	Social Psychology	10
One Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subject		10
	Credit Points	40
Year 3
Autumn session
BEHV 3004	Advanced Research Methods	10
BEHV 3009	Developmental Psychology	10
Two Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subjects		20
	Credit Points	40
Spring session
BEHV 3002	Abnormal Psychology	10
BEHV 3007	Cognitive Processes	10
Two Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subjects		20
	Credit Points	40
	Total Credit Points	240

Bankstown/Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith campuses, full-time mid-year intake

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Spring session		Credit Points
BEHV 1016	Psychology: Behavioural Science	10
BEHV 1003	Introduction to Research Methods	10
HUMN 1060	Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies	10
HUMN 1041	People, Place and Social Difference	10
	Credit Points	40
Autumn session
BEHV 1018	Psychology: Human Behaviour	10
BEHV 2018	Personality	10
BEHV 1021	The Individual in Society	10
CULT 1017	Understanding Society	10
	Credit Points	40
Year 2
Spring session
BEHV 3014	Motivation and Emotion	10
BEHV 2005	Human Learning	10
BEHV 3023	Social Psychology	10
One Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subject		10
	Credit Points	40
Autumn session
MATH 2006	Experimental Design and Analysis	10
BEHV 2010	Perception	10
BEHV 2002	Brain and Behaviour	10
One Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subject		10
	Credit Points	40
Year 3
Spring session
BEHV 3002	Abnormal Psychology	10
BEHV 3007	Cognitive Processes	10
Two Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subjects		20
	Credit Points	40
Autumn session
BEHV 3004	Advanced Research Methods	10
BEHV 3009	Developmental Psychology	10
Two Psychology Alternate or Social Science minor subjects		20
	Credit Points	40
	Total Credit Points	240

Western Sydney University Online, full-time start-year intake

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Trimester 1		Credit Points
BEHV 1018	Psychology: Human Behaviour	10
BEHV 2018	Personality	10
CULT 1017	Understanding Society	10
	Credit Points	30
Trimester 2
BEHV 1016	Psychology: Behavioural Science	10
BEHV 1003	Introduction to Research Methods	10
HUMN 1060	Introduction to Indigenous Australia: Peoples, Places and Philosophies	10
	Credit Points	30
Trimester 3
MATH 2006	Experimental Design and Analysis	10
BEHV 2002	Brain and Behaviour	10
BEHV 1021	The Individual in Society	10
	Credit Points	30
Year 2
Trimester 4
BEHV 2010	Perception	10
BEHV 3014	Motivation and Emotion	10
HUMN 1041	People, Place and Social Difference	10
	Credit Points	30
Trimester 5
BEHV 3023	Social Psychology	10
BEHV 3007	Cognitive Processes	10
BEHV 2005	Human Learning	10
	Credit Points	30
Trimester 6
BEHV 3009	Developmental Psychology	10
BEHV 3004	Advanced Research Methods	10
BEHV 3002	Abnormal Psychology	10
	Credit Points	30
Year 3
Trimester 7
Select one of the following paths:		30
Two Pyschology Alternate subjects
One Social Sciences minor subject
OR
Two Social Sciences minor subjects
One Psychology Alternate subject
	Credit Points	30
Trimester 8
Select one of the following paths:		30
Two Pyschology Alternate subjects
One Social Sciences minor subject
OR
Two Social Sciences minor subjects
One Psychology Alternate subject
	Credit Points	30
	Total Credit Points	240

 Psychology Flexible Alternate Subject Pool

Subject List

Subject	Title	Credit Points
BEHV 1001	Behaviour and Environment	10
BEHV 3010	Health Psychology	10
BEHV 3018	Psychology and the Online World	10
BEHV 3019	Psychology of Language	10
BEHV 3021	Psychology, Crime and Law	10
BEHV 1010	Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness, Resilience, and Wellbeing	10
BEHV 1024	Applied Psychology	10
BEHV 1025	Usable Design	10

Social Science Minors

Note for on-campus students: not all minors are available on all campuses. Please check availability.