Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Psychology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Canberra

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Canberra is a dynamic four‑year double degree that mixes scientific insight with creative thinking. It’s ideal for curious minds who love understanding people, exploring culture, and communicating ideas — and who want skills that make a real impact in health, research, policy, and beyond.

Curriculum Structure:
Year 1: You’ll ease into university life with units like Foundations of Psychology, Psychology Across the Life‑Span, and Big Stories: Culture, Memory and Power. These courses help you start thinking like a psychologist while discovering how culture shapes our world — giving you a solid foundation in both the science of human behaviour and the art of interpretation.

Year 2: This is where your curiosity really takes off. In psychology, you’ll explore Understanding People and Behaviour and Introduction to Research in the Health Sciences, learning to ask real questions and investigate them scientifically. Arts units give you a chance to develop your creative and critical voice through practical, hands‑on projects — broadening your understanding of people in exciting, unexpected ways.

Year 3: Now you start applying what you’ve learned. Psychology units like Professional Practice (Health) give you firsthand experience of how psychology works in real communities, while arts electives like Global Brand Communication or Word and Image let you shape your studies around your passions. You’ll gain confidence thinking, analysing, and creating in professional contexts.

Year 4: Everything comes together. Advanced psychology courses such as Professional Evidence (Psychology) and specialised topics in Motivation and Emotion challenge you to synthesise your knowledge, while arts capstones help you craft a creative identity you can carry into your career. By the end, you’ll be ready to step into professional life with versatility, confidence, and impact.

Focus Areas: Foundations of psychology, research methods, cultural insight, creative communication, professional practice.

Learning Outcomes: Graduates will think critically, understand human behaviour deeply, communicate clearly, apply research skills ethically, and adapt their talents across health, community, business, and creative sectors.

Professional Alignment: The psychology component of this degree meets Australian Psychology Accreditation Council standards, paving the way for further professional training, honours, or postgraduate study.

Reputation & Employability: The University of Canberra is globally recognised, consistently ranked in QS and Times Higher Education tables, and known for career‑ready education. Its strong employment outcomes — particularly for international students — mean you graduate with skills employers value and confidence to step into the world.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

This double degree isn’t just about theory — it’s built so you’re actually doing the work that matters in arts, communication and psychology from early on. You’ll analyse real problems, work with real people, and get out of the classroom and into situations that mirror what you’ll face in your future career. The structure includes community engagement, professional practice units and opportunities to complete internships that connect you directly to industry and health settings. Along the way, you’ll sharpen skills in research, communication and professional professionalism that employers recognise and value.

To make that practical experience crystal clear, here are the key experiential learning elements you’ll engage with in this program:

Industry and Community Engagement (Health) — a unit where you apply psychology concepts in real community or health‑related contexts as part of your study.
Professional Practice (Health) 1 — structured professional practice in a health‑linked setting, giving you hands‑on exposure to how psychological services operate.
Professional Practice Internship (multiple options across Arts and combined degree) — opportunities to complete internships that connect you with workplaces, industry projects or studios relevant to your arts or communication interests.
Professional Practice (Internships A) and Professional Practice (Internships B) — additional internship units you can choose that place you in real work environments aligned with your career goals.
Professional Practice (Advanced Industry Studios) — for students in digital media pathways, this offers studio‑based projects with industry relevance.
Professional Evidence (Arts & Psychology) — later‑level units where you produce work that demonstrates your professional skills, drawing on experience and projects you’ve completed.
Professional Orientation (Arts & Psychology) — early‑stage units designed to prepare you for professional contexts and practice‑based learning.

These structured, real‑world learning experiences help you move confidently from studying into doing — and from doing into meaningful work after graduation.

Progression & Future Opportunities

🎓 Why This Could Be a Great Fit for You

If you’re looking to build strong, practical skills in data and analytics, a postgraduate qualification at the University of Canberra is a smart move. These programs are designed to equip you with the tools and techniques that employers actually want — think Python, statistics, data visualisation, and real-world problem-solving. By the time you graduate, you could step straight into roles like Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Data Scientist, or Data Engineer, with plenty of related opportunities that blend technical insights with business strategy. And the good news? UC graduates do really well in the job market — nearly 93% of postgraduates move into full-time work after finishing their studies.

How UC Supports Your Career

Practical, hands-on experience: You won’t just learn theory — you’ll tackle real projects that mirror the work data professionals do in finance, health, government, and tech.
Career guidance that actually helps: UC’s Career Success Centre is there to guide you through CVs, interviews, networking, and internships so you’re job-ready from day one.
Industry-connected learning: Canberra is Australia’s hub for public-sector data work, meaning you have access to unique projects, employers, and networking opportunities that few other cities offer.

Where This Can Take You Next

Pathway to a Master of Data Science: If you want to dive deeper, your graduate diploma can often count towards a Master’s, letting you specialise in areas like machine learning, big data, or analytics consulting.
Step into research or PhD opportunities: If academic research or a PhD is on your radar, UC’s project-based work and research exposure gives you a strong foundation.
Flexibility to follow your interests: Whether you’re drawn to technical, business-focused, or policy-oriented analytics, UC lets you shape your study pathway to suit your goals.

In short, this isn’t just about learning data skills — it’s about opening doors to real, meaningful roles where your work can make an impact, with support every step of the way.