Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)

4 years full time
Honours is undertaken in the fourth year

The Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) is an Honours degree that provides the opportunity for students to combine study in Arts with a greater concentration in Psychology than is possible in the Bachelor of Arts and one which is equivalent to the Bachelor of Psychology. The combination of these two areas of study means that students develop the skills important to a potential career in Psychology and in many other areas within the humanities, such as the advanced writing skills required to write concise reports and more lengthy critical analyses, problem solving skills, computer skills, research skills and highly developed skills of analysis. Psychology graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to explore issues in their field in great detail and to develop critical reasoning abilities. On completion of this degree with Honours and two years of Postgraduate study in Psychology, students may apply to be registered with the relevant state Psychologists Registration Board to practice as a Psychologist.

The basic requirement of the Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) is 192 credit points in total including:

• At least one major from the Bachelor of Arts subject areas (Table A);
• Junior Psychology units (12 credit points) with at least a credit average (65%);
• Intermediate and Senior Psychology units (54 credit points) with at least a distinction average (75%);
• An additional year to complete Honours in Psychology.

"Psychology is the science of mental processes and behaviour - but it does not necessarily require an extensive background in "standard" science subjects at high school. Understanding a person requires consideration of an individual's biology, experiences and cultural context. Students need to develop scientific thinking and analysis skills but psychology also requires the literary analysis and communication skills necessary in humanities subjects. It is the ideal discipline for students who enjoy both the sciences and the humanities."

Having focused on humanities and languages at school, Professor Sally Andrews enrolled in a BA degree at the University of NSW planning to study drama. However, she quickly discovered a passion for psychology. Her initial plans to train to be a clinical psychologist changed when she experienced psychological research during her Honours year. She completed a PhD on the psychology of reading and took up an academic position at UNSW. She came to the University of Sydney in 2002, where she is now Head of the School of Psychology. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and served on the Australian Research Council’s College of Experts from 2003-2005. Professor Andrews continues to be excited by the mysteries of the mind, and the challenges involved in investigating unobservable mental processes. Her major research interests are in psycholinguistics, the study of the psychological processes involved in processing language, reflected in a forthcoming book, From Inkmarks to Ideas.