The Master of Psychology (Clinical) placements provide students with an opportunity to integrate theory and practice within both internal clinics (PSY703 and PSY706) and in the field (PSY752 and PSY757). The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) governs and informs the academic and placement content for all University level Psychology training in Australia to ensure a similar standard is met across the country. APAC therefore states that Psychology students must complete a total of 1,000 placement hours across their Masters program.
Opportunities for placement
Psychology placements can be in a number of government or non-government agencies, including but not limited to:
- Queensland Health
- Non-government organisations
- Schools
- Nursing homes
Some examples of organisations that have recently hosted USC Psychology students include: Queensland Health Hospital and Community Services, non-government organisations working with individuals from birth to older persons, primary and high schools, and nursing homes – all offering students exciting opportunities to develop real-world business skills.
Structure of placement
In PSY703 Practicum Placement 1, PSY706 Practicum Placement 2, PSY752 Practicum Placement 3, and PSY757 Practicum Placement 4 students undertake placement from 2-3 days per week, in conjunction with coursework. Students can do one paid placement in an organisation, however it will need to be in a different role to any current or previous role within the organisation and be supervised by a different supervisor (and also requires Program Leader approval).
Students are required to attend a pre-placement workshop prior to commencing their placement to prepare for and share placement experiences.
Remuneration and insurance
No remuneration or payment is made by the placement organisations to the students or to the University for hosting a student (other than arrangement outlined above). Students undertaking unpaid placement are covered by the University’s insurance policies for worker’s compensation and third party insurance.
How is my placement determined?
Students receive an email to begin preparing for placement in the semester prior to undertaking their relevant placement course. From here there are a couple of simple steps to identify the student’s preference for placement and begin the matching process.
- Students will be asked to provide details of their preferred field for placement.
- Potential suitable placements will be identified and discussed with the student.
- A pre-placement interview will be organised with the placement organisation’s supervisor.
More information
For more information about placements for Psychology courses please contact:
Dr Tamara De Regt
Senior Lecturer, Psychology
Program Coordinator, Master of Professional Psychology
Program Coordinator, Master of Psychology (Clinical)
School of Health
Contact
For general enquiries about work integrated learning opportunities please contact:
Technical Operations - Work Integrated Learning
Email: TechOpsWil@usc.edu.au