• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

BPsych - Science stream (1 Viewer)

tanna

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
178
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
Just a quick question to all.

While doing a straight up Bachelor of Psychology - specifically the science stream - you can pick 96 units of credit of science subjects, am I right?

If so, does this allow you to somehow major in a science discipline. As if somehow doing a combined degree (but not quite).

And if the answer to the above is yes, is this recognised on the 'piece of paper' when you graduate?

Thanks for your input. I'm very interested in this degree, but not so keen about leaving my science behind. I would do it within a BScience, but you people on this forum make me anxious about job prospects within the degree. Arghhhhh, so confused!
 
Last edited:

ddtng

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Messages
118
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Thanks for your input. I'm very interested in this degree, but not so keen about leaving my science behind. I would do it within a BScience, but you people on this forum make me anxious about job prospects within the degree. Arghhhhh, so confused!
"You people" being those either not doing a science degree or those yet to do one. And don't think of job prospects hanging entirely on whether your degree is a BSc or BPsych, most employers aren't that ignorant.

Looking at the course structure of the BPsych, seeing as you require 30cp of Senior Psych units, it would still be possible to complete a second major if you take 6cp of Senior units in the second year and the other 18cp in the third year, or if you overload one of the semesters of the third year.

In reality the BPsych science stream is simply a special version of the BSc that requires you to complete specific Psych units of study, and to a sufficient standard.

I don't think it would come out as a 'combined degree'. Your majors will get listed on the final piece of paper.
 
Last edited:

tanna

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
178
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
"You people" being those either not doing a science degree or those yet to do one. And don't think of job prospects hanging entirely on whether your degree is a BSc or BPsych, most employers aren't that ignorant.

Looking at the course structure of the BPsych, seeing as you require 30cp of Senior Psych units, it would still be possible to complete a second major if you take 6cp of Senior units in the second year and the other 18cp in the third year, or if you overload one of the semesters of the third year.

In reality the BPsych science stream is simply a special version of the BSc that requires you to complete specific Psych units of study, and to a sufficient standard.

I don't think it would come out as a 'combined degree'. Your majors will get listed on the final piece of paper.
Thank you for that answer, it was extremely helpful :)

So, as I can do two science majors, it is possible for me to pursue careers in those areas if I decide against psychology - or at least a discipline which overlaps psychology and chosen science fields.

How many majors will I be able to do within a simple Bachelor of Science (Adv)? If I can do two within BPsych, I can do three within a BSc(Adv) right? Would I be able to squeeze another minor in perhaps?

I mean are there any advantages/disadvantages of doing a BPsych rather than a BScience?
 
Last edited:

ssglain

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
445
Location
lost in a Calabi-Yau
Gender
Female
HSC
2007
tanna said:
So, as I can do two science majors, it is possible for me to pursue careers in those areas if I decide against psychology - or at least a discipline which overlaps psychology and chosen science fields.
Yes, you can certainly have a career related to your other major. But if you're not entirely certain whether you want a career in psychology, why not just do B Sc or B Sc (Adv) and try psychology in your 1st/2nd year and see if you want to major in it or not?

tanna said:
How many majors will I be able to do within a simple Bachelor of Science (Adv)? If I can do two within BPsych, I can do three within a BSc(Adv) right? Would I be able to squeeze another minor in perhaps? I mean are there any advantages/disadvantages of doing a BPsych rather than a BScience?
In B Sc (Adv), you can choose any two out of twenty-something majors whereas B Psych locks you into a psychology major and you will have to overload or accelerate to fit in a second science major. Another difference is the honours year in B Sc (Adv) is optional and can be done in any of your majors.

So B Psych just a more prescribed science degree with a compulsory honours year in psychology, which is required for provisional registration with the Australia Psychologist Society. To gain full registration and be able to practice as a psychologist, you need an additional two years of postgraduate study or supervised practical experience.

In short, B Psych is a pre-cut pathway for people who want to have a career as a psychologist - although it only gets them as far as provisional registration. You can very easily do the same through B Sc (Adv) with a major in psychology followed by honours in psychology, while having the flexibility and freedom of not being locked into a particular major from your first day at uni.
 
Last edited:

ddtng

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Messages
118
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
I mean are there any advantages/disadvantages of doing a BPsych rather than a BScience?
Not really. There's nothing in the BPsych that you can't do in the BSc. If you're definitely certain you want to pursue Psych, then go for it. But if you have other interests you may wish to pursue, you won't be disadvantaged by taking the BSc.

EDIT: Hmm, we seem to be answering at the same time ssglain. Your answers are more helpful than mine, I think I'll leave you to it.
 

tanna

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
178
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
Big thanks to both of you :)
You've made my decision much easier!
+rep
 

Monsterman

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
345
Location
Syd
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2009
Go the macq.. Psychology is better there..just so you know.. and not the science one... I heard that its the 2nd best uni for it in Australia..
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top