Clinical psychologists care deeply about the mental health and wellbeing of people, and their careers usually involved providing psychological services to clients – whether they be individuals, couples or groups.
What is a clinical psychologist?
Clinical psychologists have the qualifications needed to assess and diagnose mental health conditions and other psychological problems. Many clinical psychologists are also involved in research, teaching and clinical supervision, program development and evaluation, public policy and other expert roles.
These days, there is more awareness about strategies to maintain mental wellbeing, and about the interconnection with physical health. In fact, many workplaces now provide counselling services and encourage their employees to use those resources to address issues causing them stress, which can range from short-term situations to chronic health conditions to sudden emotional upheavals. Think back a few years to how to people worldwide were feeling unprecedented stress of a pandemic and lockdowns, and suffering with frustration, illness and grief.
With a profound interest in the theories that explain human behaviours and how the human mind functions, Curtin student Alexandra Nelson is working towards her career as a clinical psychologist.
“I’ve always been passionate about mental health and psychology. I knew from high school I wanted to follow this passion and be able to treat people with mental disorders, to improve their quality of life,” Alexandra explained.
“I enjoy learning about how mental disorders develop and the methods to treat clients based on the theories. I’m also a support worker outside of Curtin. Working with people who struggle with mental disorders and helping them through their journey is a very rewarding experience.”
Gaining the qualifications to be a clinical psychologist
Clinical psychology is a highly specialised healthcare profession. In Australia, registered clinical psychologists have completed at least six years of education, as required by the Psychology Board of Australia.
To be a clinical psychologist you need to hold a four-year undergraduate degree (such as Curtin’s Bachelor of Psychology) and an accredited postgraduate degree – either a fifth-year-level Master of Professional Psychology degree, and/or a sixth-year-level Master of Clinical Psychology degree (or higher).
At Curtin, we offer two postgraduate courses that meet the Psychology Board of Australia’s requirements and are approved by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
The Master of Psychology (Professional) is a one-year course in which you’ll gain instruction from practising psychologists and complete placements at organisations such as hospitals, drug and alcohol services, private psychology practices, schools, youth and women’s services, and interprofessional health clinics. You’ll then complete a year of supervised practice and pass the national exam to become a registered psychologist in Australia. APAC calls this pathway the ‘5+1 internship’ pathway.
Our Master of Clinical Psychology is a one-year course for people who have completed their Master of Psychology (Professional) degree or equivalent. Rather than complete a year of supervised practice in an external organisation[TM1] (to obtain general registration as a psychologist), you’ll work with highly experienced clinical psychologists and gain practical experience in our Psychology Clinic, which specialises in working with the obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders. After completing your Master of Clinical Psychology, you’ll also eligible to enrol in the Psychology Board of Australia registrar program to obtain endorsement as a clinical psychologist.
To learn more about the pathways to becoming a registered psychologist, visit APAC. Of course, your postgrad study is an investment that gives you greater expertise and career rewards. (You can learn about recommended psychologist fees on the APS website.)
How do I enrol in a psychology course at Curtin?
If you think you’d enjoy learning all about the human mind and behaviours, and one or more careers in psychology will be ideal for you, find out more here about our Curtin’s psychology courses and how to apply.
