Want to turn your fascination for how people think, feel and act into a career? If you’re driven to explore the psyche, you may be well-suited to a career as a registered psychologist.
Psychologists observe, interpret and record mental processes, human behaviours and how patients relate to one another and their environments. Psychologists understand and explain thoughts, emotions, feelings and behaviours. In turn, they can help people live better lives.
Now, if you’re thinking, ‘I’ll need a uni degree to become a registered psychologist’, you’re 100 per cent correct. Since psychology is one of the more complex and intricate disciplines – let’s face it, you’re dealing with people’s minds – there’s a bit more to it than just completing your degree. You’ll need to go a little further to become a fully-fledged registered psychologist. And after all that studying, you’ll be in high demand! The workforce in Australia is currently only meeting 35 per cent of the projected national demand.1
In this article, we will explore all the pathway options that Charles Sturt offers, what extra skills you can build on and answer any questions you may have about becoming a registered psychologist.
What you’ll learn
- Why choose psychology
- What does a registered psychologist do?
- How to become a registered psychologist in Australia: a step-by-step guide
- How long does it take to become a registered psychologist?
- What kind of skills does a registered psychologist need?
- How much can I earn as a registered psychologist?
- Why study psychology with Charles Sturt?
- FAQs
Why choose psychology
There are many reasons why psychology could be the right career choice for you. There is an increasing demand for psychologists over a broad variety of areas. As a psychologist you could work in mental health, domestic and family violence, counselling, sports and exercise or education and development.
We have put together a list of four key reasons you might choose a career in psychology.
- Who might be suited to this career: If you’re curious, investigative, kind and caring, you may have a solid foundation for a future career as a registered psychologist.
- Challenges and commitment: A career in psychology can be demanding, requiring significant investment in time, money and energy. Despite this, it offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
- Growing demand in Australia: There is increasing demand for registered psychologists. The Australian Psychology Society notes that, with rising mental health needs across the country, the profession is not currently equipped to meet this growing demand.
- Career pathways and specialisations: Psychologists are needed across a wide range of fields. Career pathways can include mental health, domestic and family violence, counselling, sports and exercise, as well as education and development. You could even choose to specialise in clinical psychology and complete our Master of Clinical Psychology.
What does a registered psychologist do?
There’s plenty of variety – and plenty of challenges – in the day-to-day activities of a registered psychologist. We spoke with Charles Sturt’s Associate Professor Gene Hodgins – who is also a clinical psychologist – to shed some light on what it is actually like to be a registered psychologist
A typical week for Gene can consist of:
- Seeing clients for assessment and therapy (often with anxiety disorders, depression, and post-trauma reactions) in outpatient clinics.
- Seeing patients on the inpatient psychiatric ward (including with schizophrenia and psychosis, severe depression and personality disorders).
- Coordinating clinical psychologists to visit our depression and anxiety clinic.
- Providing supervision to psychology interns and psychiatry registrars.
- Providing training to GPs and community health clinicians in mental health assessment and treatment.
- Conducting mental health research.
How to become a registered psychologist in Australia: a step-by-step guide
In Australia, becoming a psychologist will require you to complete an undergraduate psychology degree, gain hands-on experience in a real world setting and you’ll need to apply for general registration. We know it sounds like a lot of work, so we have put together a step-by-step guide for you to become a registered psychologist.
Step 1: three-year accredited psychology degree
First things first. You’ll need to get accepted into and complete an APAC-accredited Level 1 program. That’s typically an undergraduate psychology degree.
If you don’t get the ATAR you need or you’re looking for an alternative option into a psychology degree, you still have options. You can study our Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology)2 or an undergraduate degree with a major in psychology as a pathway to your first psychology qualification.
You can also start smaller before tackling the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology). Our Undergraduate Certificate in Psychological Studies and Diploma of Psychological Studies are ideal first stepping stones on your psychology study journey.
Alternatively, if you study an undergraduate degree without a psychology major, and decide you want to study psychology after completing your course, reach out to discuss your options for bridging courses.
Step 2: internship pathway or postgraduate study
So, you’ve got an undergraduate degree under your belt and possibly an honours degree or some postgraduate study related to psychology. You must be feeling so full of knowledge and ready to get hands-on with your new skills.
After completing your fourth year, it’s time to choose your own adventure through one of two pathways.
Option 1: 5+1 pathway
The 5+1 pathway means you’ll complete an APAC-accredited Level 3 course (a fifth year of study, such as our Master of Professional Psychology) as a provisionally registered psychologist. After that, you’ll do a one-year internship of supervised practice.
Option 2: 3+2+1 pathway
In this option, you complete a three-year undergraduate psychology qualification. Then you study the Master of Psychological Practice for two years, followed by a final year of a supervised internship approved by the Psychology Board of Australia.
Option 3: master’s or doctorate
Complete an APAC-accredited packaged Level 3 and 4 (fifth and sixth year of study) master’s, combined master’s/PhD or doctorate program as a provisionally registered psychologist. You can then choose to specialise. After you complete your postgraduate program, you must also complete the registrar program with the Psychology Board of Australia to be eligible for this option. There are nine areas of practice endorsement.
- clinical neuropsychology
- clinical psychology (such as our Master of Clinical Psychology)
- community psychology
- counselling psychology
- educational and developmental psychology
- forensic psychology
- health psychology
- organisational psychology, and
- sport and exercise psychology.
Step 3: registrar program
Finally, we’ve reached the most crucial step of your journey. You guessed correctly – it’s your registration to practice. Provisional registration is required after you complete your fourth year of study. This allows you to undertake clinical placements. After you’ve completed one of the above pathways, you’ll need to apply for general registration. General registration is done through the Psychology Board of Australia.
If you’ve chosen the 5+1 or 3+2+1 pathway, you’ll also need to pass the National Psychology Exam. And this needs to take place before you can apply for general registration. It’s worth noting that you won’t need to sit this exam if you’ve completed a master’s or doctorate in psychology that counts as the fifth and sixth years of study (lucky you!).
Once you have general registration – congratulations! – you can practice as a psychologist throughout Australia or New Zealand.
If you enjoy learning new things, here’s some good news. To keep your registration current, you’ll need to do some professional development. This could be through short courses, further study or supervision by an experienced practitioner. You need to renew your registration annually.
How long does it take to become a registered psychologist?
There is a minimum of six years of study and supervised training to become a registered psychologist. This will depend on which pathway you choose to follow, and if you decide to complete a master’s or PhD. To become a psychologist in six years it would require you to study full-time, which we know does not work for everyone. That’s why Charles Sturt has part-time study options to help you balance life and studying.
We offer various study options that will allow you to complete your studies at a pace that suits you most. We have put together a table for you to clearly see your options and choose what might be best for you.
| 5+1 Pathway | Full-time | Part-time |
| Undergraduate psychology degree | 4 years | 8 years* |
| Master of Professional Psychology | 1 year | 2 years* |
| Internship of supervised practice | 1 year | 2 years |
| 3+2+1 Pathway | Full-time | Part-time |
| Undergraduate psychology degree | 4 years | 8 years * |
| Master of Psychological Practice | 2 years | 4 years * |
| Internship of supervised practice | 1 year | 2 years |
| Master’s or doctorate | Full-time | Part-time |
| Undergraduate psychology degree | 4 years | 8 years * |
| Master of Psychological Practice | 2 years | 4 years * |
| Combined master’s, PhD or doctorate program | 3-4 years | 6-8 years |
*Not available for international students
What skills does a registered psychologist need?
Registered psychologists have a very important job connecting with patients to help understand them and provide them with the best care options. To ensure that you have the tools to help you in your field, we have identified essential skills that psychologists need.
You can identify which skills you already possess and where you can improve before you begin your journey to becoming the best psychologist you can be.
A good psychologist has:
- Interpersonal skills
- Compassion and empathy
- Ethical and legal competence
- Critical thinking and analytical skills
- Management skills
- Research skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
At Charles Sturt you will be able to build on these skills, as we prepare you to step into your practical internship and supervised practice.
How much can I earn as a registered psychologist?
Registered psychologists’ earning potential depends on your level of experience, qualification and sector.
According to Seek, an entry level position salary can sit between $80,000 to $100,000. As your experience increases, so does your salary. The average salary in Australia for registered psychologists ranges from $100,000 to $120,000.
Private practice, corporate and clinical psychologists have even more earning potential.
Why study psychology with Charles Sturt?
Studying psychology at Charles Sturt means learning from industry professionals, a strong focus on regional health with community healthcare partnerships, hands-on clinical placements and strong graduate employment outcomes. Be assured that you will be given the best opportunity to reach your full potential with Charles Sturt.
Apply for a Bachelor of Psychology now and get started on your journey!
If you have questions or would like to request course advice, contact our support service.
FAQs
Do you need a master’s degree to be a registered psychologist?
Ultimately, yes.
The minimum amount of study you can complete to be a registered psychologist is six years. You will need to complete a fifth and sixth year of study after the APAC-accredited Level 1 program (that’s typically an undergraduate psychology degree). The fifth and sixth year would include a master’s program and a year of an internship.
Do psychologists prescribe medication?
No, psychologists cannot prescribe medication in Australia. Psychologists are not medical doctors, and focus on psychological assessments, talk-based therapies and behavioural interventions. Psychologists work alongside GPs and psychiatrists who can prescribe medication for patients.
What is provisional registration?
Provisional registration is a temporary, time-limited registration granted to qualified psychology interns, allowing them to work under supervision while completing mandatory supervised practice or internships. After completing your internship, you will be able to apply for your general registration as a psychologist.
Why do psychologists have to renew their registration annually?
Renewing your registration yearly is a mandatory requirement set by the Psychology Board of Australia. It ensures that you are up to date with current standards and maintaining safe and ethical practices.
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is the review process of psychology programs for quality assurance and quality improvement against the Accreditation Standards. Our Bachelor of Psychology is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council meaning you will have no problems registering to be a psychologist after undertaking our program.
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