Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology)

There is no midyear entry available for this course.

The clinical neuropsychology program aims to provide students with the skills to work as a neuropsychologist. Since its inception in the 1970s, the clinical neuropsychology program has emphasised 'hands on' clinical training in hospitals and after service delivery settings. The breadth of this training experience has steadily increased over the years, and students are placed in a wide variety of services that cover acute care neurology and neurosurgery, psychiatry, geriatrics, rehabilitation, and paediatrics. The placement experience enjoyed by our students is one of the most extensive in the world.

All teaching staff are full members of the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists. The majority are actively involved in the practice of clinical neuropsychology (including supervision of clinical trainees) in a teaching hospital. Collectively, the staffs covers the Royal Children's Hospital, St. Vincent's Hospital, the Austin, Heidelberg Repatriation, and Royal Talbot Hospitals (Austin Health), and are therefore well positioned to bring to the teaching situation a high level of clinical and research expertise.

The program in clinical Neuropsychology aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for competent practice in relation to a variety of diagnostic problems and management issues. The acquisition of professional skills at a sophisticated level is the ultimate goal of the program. There is a strong emphasis on world-class research, disseminated as peer-reviewed publications.

The objective of this stream is to provide graduates with the skills to work as professional neuropsychologists. Graduates should obtain a detailed understanding of the affective, behavioural and cognitive manifestations of diseases of the central nervous system, particularly those affecting the brain, in adults and children. Graduates are expected to acquire competence in various approaches to the study of brain disease, including basic and applied clinical sciences, and are expected to acquire an understanding of objective assessment of the many behavioural features of brain diseases.

This course consists of coursework, placement and a minor research thesis (equivalent to 10,000 words).

Coursework consists of 13 classroom-based subjects taken over the two years of the course (see below) and 125 days of Placement (30 days in the first-year and 95 days in the second-year).

In order to satisfy the requirements of the Master of Psychology (Clnincal Neuropsychology), students must complete the following subjects:

First-year subjects:

Second-year subjects:

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• an Australian Psychological Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited four-year undergraduate sequence in Psychology, namely a three-year major in Psychology as part of an undergraduate degree plus a fourth-year Honours specialisation in Psychology, with a weighted average mark of at least H2A (75%), or equivalent; and
• an interview; and
• a personal statement; and
• nomination of three referees.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic performance; and
• suitability for clinical training as determined by the interview, personal statement and referee reports.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Student Application and Selection Procedure.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7 is required.


• Selection into the two Master of Psychology courses associated with a PhD place in Psychology requires the approval of the intended PhD supervisor, the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and the Melbourne School of Graduate Research.
• Direct entry into the combined Masters/PhD programmes is available to international applicants only.
• Local applicants must enrol in the Masters programme (Clinical or Clinical Neuropsychology) and then apply to articulate to the combined PhD programme towards the end of their first year in the Masters programme.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements, Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The program in clinical neuropsychology aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for competent practice in a variety of settings, and in relation to a variety of diagnostic problems and management issues. The acquisition of professional skills at a sophisticated level is the ultiamate goal of the program.

Accredited by the Australian Psychological Accreditation Council and recognised by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

• Attention to detail
• Written and spoken communication skills
• Analysis and critical thinking
• Time management and planning