Sciences Students enrol in psychology for many reasons. Those aiming at an academic career require an honours degree followed by a PhD, which involves a total of at least seven years. Professionals working in the community need postgraduate specialized training leading to a Masters degree or postgraduate diploma. Most students enrolled in undergraduate units are not aiming at a professional career in psychology, but choose the subject because it gives them a useful background for occupations such as teaching, personnel work, law, administration, management, social research and policy development.
Psychology has two specific aspects - scientific and professional.
Although training in psychological science is a pre-requisite to professional training, professional training is not part of the undergraduate curriculum in university departments of psychology. Students wishing to qualify to practice in areas such as clinical psychology should enrol in appropriate postgraduate courses. The professional body in Australia is the Australian Psychological Society. For associate membership, four years of academic training is required. For full membership, a postgraduate qualification over at least two full-time years is necessary.