If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that psychology is utterly fascinating.

We understand selective attention thanks to a now-famous video of someone in a gorilla suit walking through a basketball game unnoticed. A study with dogs led to the discovery of learned helplessness. Research on twins gave us real insight into nature versus nurture. And the Dunning-Kruger effect explains why people who know the least about something often feel the most confident about it.

Can you see yourself building a career in this field, or helping tackle the global mental health challenge and bringing support to people who need it most? Get to know our School of Psychology and see why studying with us could be the right fit.

What you'll actually study

• explore how people think, plan, remember, and make decisions
• build a deep understanding of psychological disorders and how psychologists help
• get to grips with the statistics that underpin good research
• study the structure of the brain and how biology shapes behaviour
• take part in real cognition experiments

It rarely feels like a dull day. You can also read up on the career paths a psychology degree opens up.

What makes studying psychology with us different

Here, psychology isn't just theory. It's preparation for real impact. Whether you care about social justice, mental health advocacy, or community wellbeing, you'll graduate with the tools to make a difference.

A few things worth knowing:

• It's accredited - Our psychology courses are accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). That accreditation is what lets your study count towards becoming a registered psychologist, so it matters from day one.
• It's well regarded - We're ranked #1 in WA for overall educational experience, learning resources, and teaching quality in psychology, with a five-star rating for student support (Good Universities Guide 2026).
• It's personal - Small class sizes and flexible study mean you'll actually get to know your classmates and lecturers and feel supported the whole way through.

You'll also have access to facilities and opportunities that put theory into practice:

Murdoch Psychology Clinic

Gain real-world experience providing assessments and therapy to the community, under the supervision of qualified clinical psychologists. You might support people navigating mood disorders, life transitions, social skills, or OCD.

Mind-Body Lab

Our world-class research facility advances cognitive neuroscience and brings together psychology, psychophysiology, exercise science, and health and rehabilitation research.

Research from third year

High-performing students can take on a research internship in their third year, a genuinely uncommon opportunity at undergraduate level.

How do you become a registered psychologist?

If registration is your goal, it helps to know the road ahead. In Australia, becoming a registered psychologist takes a minimum of six years of study and supervised experience, and registration with the Psychology Board of Australia is a legal requirement to practise, just as it is for doctors and lawyers.

The usual route looks like this:

1. complete an accredited three-year undergraduate degree, like our Bachelor of Psychology
2. complete an accredited Honours year or graduate diploma
3. complete a master's qualification with a supervised internship
4. pass the National Psychology Exam and apply for registration

Specialist areas, like clinical psychology, involve further study on top. It's a long path, but a clear one, and accreditation at the undergraduate stage is what keeps every later door open.

Choose your path: single or combined degree

Becoming a psychologist is just one of many rewarding directions a psychology degree can take you. We offer the Bachelor of Psychology on its own, plus combined degrees that let you specialise from the start:

• Psychology and Criminology, to understand criminal behaviour and the mind behind it
• Law and Psychology, to explore how people think, decide, and interact with the legal system
• Sport and Exercise Science and Psychology, to understand motivation, performance, and wellbeing in athletes and active people

Whichever path you choose, you'll gain skills to make a real difference in people's lives.

Where psychology can take you

The scope is genuinely broad. Beyond practising as a psychologist (with further study), our graduates go into roles like human resource advisor, UX designer, social research worker, youth worker, policy and planning manager, and health, safety and wellbeing officer. The thinking skills you build, understanding people, evidence, and behaviour, are valued almost everywhere.

Whatever direction you take, you'll graduate career-ready and confident in your abilities. We're building a brighter future, together, and we'd love you to join us.

Discover more about studying psychology at Murdoch University.