Could a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni be for you?
Are you into all things brain-related? Helping people understand themselves while simultaneously learning more about yourself? Or maybe you just want a better understanding of what makes humans tick!
No matter what sparked your interest, we’re here to help! We’ve compiled all you need to know about campus culture, skills you learn, assessments and more!
Have a look below!
What is a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni?
Core Units for this Degree
How to Get into a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni
What’s the Teaching Format?
What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?
What is a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni?
A Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni helps students develop their proficiency in understanding the complex and often mysterious patterns of the brain! This degree gives students the opportunity to learn about a wide range of psychological concepts, apply concepts to practical situations and to conduct research to a high standard.
Although you are required to take a number of core units, there is a vast amount of psychology electives relating to all aspects of the field. So studying psychology at Macquarie University really gives you the freedom to explore the areas that pique your curiosity.
Who should study this degree?
This degree is excellent for people wanting to expand their awareness, become more acquainted with neuro patterns and rhythms, find out more about how we tick as a whole – also, you mustn’t be afraid of lots of reports and statistics!
Can this degree be studied in conjunction with another?
The Bachelor of Psychology can be studied as a double degree. This means that study will be longer than just studying Psychology on its own.
However, when the study is completed, students will emerge with double the qualifications in more disciplines. Popular combinations and additions to the Bachelor of Psychology include: Education, Laws and Human Sciences!
Honours
This degree can also be completed as an honours study if students remain within the ideal weighted average mark (WAM).
Within the second year of study, students must maintain a WAM of 70 or higher. For third year, the WAM increase to 75, so if you really want to have a thesis under your belt with another year of uni, make sure to keep up those marks!
Career Paths
Career paths for this course are extremely broad! With minor limitations, this degree can take you on many different paths which could include:
- Health and community program manager
- Health researcher
- Human resources consultant
- Market researcher
- Research assistant
- Social program coordinator or policymaker
- Trainer and educator
- Counsellor
Now if you are looking to become a professional psychologist, you’ll need to graduate with honours — so make sure that you’re working towards the required WAM!
Studying Psychology at Other Universities
Macquarie Uni isn’t the only university that offers this degree and you obviously want to put a lot of thought into where you’ll be taking on your undergrad studies.
If you’re thinking about which university will best suit your needs, you can check out what it’s like studying a Bachelor of Psychology at the following universities:
- University of New South Wales
- University of Sydney
- Western Sydney University
- Griffith University
- Monash University
Core Units for this Degree
Core Units within Macquarie University Psychology are very open and broad, which allows students to get a taste of many different disciplines! Some units are compulsory for the completion of the degree, but, there is also a pool of elective units to choose from.
What are the Core Units?
Two of the compulsory units are Introduction to Psychology I and II. These First-Year units introduce students to the discipline of Psychology, through research and analysis on topics such as Behaviour, Learning, Motivation and more!
Another compulsory unit is Social and Personality Psychology which introduces theory, research and applications behind the structures we now know as social and personality psychology. This unit will provide students with an in-depth knowledge of prominent theories and developments in the field!
Design and Statistics is another core unit that delves into the design and statistical components of experiments that are common within the discipline of psychological research! This unit teaches interpretation, implementation and creation of statistics related to psychology experiments and research.
Electives
As well as compulsory core units, there are elective units — students can pick and choose psychology subjects relating to their interests. As there is no major structure within this degree, choosing electives within a specific area allows students to explore their varied interests within Psychology at Macquarie Uni!
Elective units include Introducing Indigenous Australia, Psychology of Music, Psychology, Health and Wellbeing, Cognitive Neuroscience and many more!
Are there built-in placements?
In the third year, students have the opportunity to gain relevant work experience in a professional or community setting that’s relevant to the Psychology degree! Lecturers will help students with finding placements suitable to student’s interests.
How to Get into A Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University
The ATAR required for guaranteed entry to the Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni is 80. However, if you have not obtained this ATAR, don’t be discouraged — Macquarie Uni has pathways tailored to different students and their needs prior to commencing study at Macquarie!
Next Step Pathway
This pathway ensures prospective students study two or four tailored units on campus, alongside Macquarie students! This could take one session (two units in six months to get into the degree), or four units across two sessions in one year — it all depends on how good the student’s marks are.
Once students have completed two or four of the units designed to prepare and accelerate students for their courses, they will obtain entry into their desired degree! To gain entry into a Bachelor of Psychology, it is recommended that students undertake the units Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities and/or Critical Thinking as two of their units!
You can find out more here!
Diploma Programs
These allow students to gain valuable skills and knowledge required to study their desired Bachelors degrees. The delivery mode of these diplomas can be either Intensive (lasting two terms) or Standard (lasting four terms)!
The successful completion of a diploma will allow students to transfer into the second year of study of their related degree!
You can find more on the Diploma Program here.
Are there any prerequisites?
To study a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie Uni, there are no prerequisite subjects, however, it is recommended that students study HSC Mathematics!
What scholarships are available?
Macquarie University offers a wide variety of scholarships. To see if you qualify from any, check out the Scholarships Search here!
What’s the Teaching Format?
Macquarie University follows a semester teaching format. This means that the teaching periods are separated into two each year, with breaks in between!
Class Structure
The teaching format for the Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University varies from class to class, but students can typically expect:
Lectures
Lectures have a large number of students, approximately anywhere up to 200, and the professor shares new ideas, concepts and theories by going through a powerpoint. This content informs the tutorials that follow and will typically last for two hours.
Tutorials
The tutorial setting is a lot more relaxed, with a class of 30 students having the opportunity to collaborate on tasks, ask questions and have class discussions — these usually run for 1-2 hours! For Stats units, students will have the opportunity to learn new softwares and computer programs!
How much time do you spend in classes?
Generally, students will have four subjects to study per semester for a Macquarie University Psychology — this means the contact hours for this subject will be up to 16 hours per week! By the end of the degree, you will know the ins and outs of the campus and know all the niche hideouts to study in!
What are the assessments like?
For lots of subjects, participation and contribution to the discussion in tutorials are worth 10% of your final grade — that means there will be no dozing off in the back of the classroom if you want that 10%!
Sometimes students can also gain 5% participation credits for joining academic research within the university discipline. On a more conventional note, students can also be assessed through more familiar mediums, such as research reports, essays, mid-term and final exams!
Skills That You Refine and Learn
The skills that a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University gives students who study the degree are invaluable!
Studying this degree will improve your reading and writing comprehension greatly. You will get the opportunity to read and engage with essays and theses from psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors, professors and even peer review essays and critical works by fellow classmates!
Through the study of a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie, students will learn higher-order, critical thinking! You will also become acquainted with new and innovative techniques to analyse and theorise.
Not only will your reading and writing skills be developed if you study Psych at Macquarie, but your numeracy skills will vastly improve. It may not be the first thing to be equated with a humanities subject, but numeracy is vital to the degree as students will learn to analyse data, use computer programs relating to analysing statistics and more!
What’s the Faculty and Culture at Like?
Studying Psychology at Macquarie Uni means you’re in safe hands with tutors who are extremely approachable and want to see their students succeed. If you take the time to reach out for help, your efforts will be reciprocated by your tutor to help you!
The Psychology cohort is quite large and unified — students are always there to give each other some reassurance and a helping hand!
To gain closeness with your cohort, joining a society is recommended! Macquarie University hosts MacqPsych — this group unifies students studying Psychology through fun social events and outings! They also bring together students academically, by allowing students to network and share knowledge and experiences.
Macquarie University also runs a first-year mentee program; the Macquarie University Peer Mentors help first-year students to settle into university life and study! This program takes away any animosity students may have and creates a safe space for students to ask questions, find like-minded people and foster a welcoming entry into uni.
You can find more info here!
Matilda Elliott is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and a Communication graduate with a major in Journalism at Western Sydney University. You can find some of her published work in a range of platforms including SBS World News, The Music Network and within her own creative exploits with her twin sister. Matilda is a lover of listening, helping people to tell their stories, making genuine connections, clowning around in her circus troupe and dancing like no one is watching at live music shows!
