Accreditation and Registration
What qualifications do you receive upon the successful completion of the program?
On successful completion students will receive one of the following qualifications:
- Doctor of Clinical Psychology & Master of Science degrees, or
- Doctor of Clinical Psychology & Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Is the DCP/MSc accredited?
The course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as a fifth, sixth and seventh year of training, and is an approved qualification for Associate Membership of the Australian Clinical Psychology Assocation (ACPA) and the Australian Psychological Society (APS) College of Clinical Psychologists. The Psychology Board of Australia (PBA), through APAC, recognises the course for the purposes of registration and for endorsement of practice in clinical psychology. The DCP/MSc and DCP & PhD degrees are recognised by the New South Wales Department of Health as qualifying the holder for progression to the grade of clinical psychologist.
The DCP/MSc and DCP&PhD were introduced in 2002 to incorporate and extend the Master of Clinical Psychology which was accredited by the APS and developed in close consultation with the APS. The significant academic and professional improvements embodied in the DCP/MSc and DCP&PhD set a standard for training in Clinical Psychology in Australia.
When do I need to be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia? Before my application to the course, during or after?
All students who have been offered a place on the DCP/MSc program must apply provisional registration (or if applicable full registration) with the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) following enrolment. The provisional registration is to cover students whilst enrolled in the three years of full time study in the DCP/MSc program and completing clinical placements. Once enrolled in the DCP/MSc program in early February prior to the start of Semester 1 students advised to immediatelyapply for provisional registration. AHPRA will require proof of your enrolment with your application form. Following your enrolment in February, the Clinical Psychology Unit will send a letter to the AHPRA confirming student enrolments.
When will I be eligible for full registration as a Psychologist?
Students will be eligible for full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, after at least three years of provisional registration, following the successful completion of all coursework, clinical internship and research requirements, including the award of the MSc thesis, for the the DCP/MSc program.
Students will be eligible for full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, after at least three years of provisional registration, following the successful completion of all coursework, clinical internship and research requirements, including the award of the PhD thesis, for the the DCP & PhD program.
When will I gain recognition as a Clinical Psychologist?
In order to gain endorsement from the Psychology Registration Board of Australia as a Clinical Psychologist, following the completion of the DCP/MSc or DCP&PhD program, graduates need to undertake a one-year full time equivalent Registrar program. The Clinical Psychology Registrar program is one-year full time equivalent program which involves clinical psychology practice, supervision, and continuing professional development. Students are eligible to apply to the Registration Board of Australia, seeking approval to undertake the Registrar program upon successful completion of all coursework, clinical internship and research requirements for the DCP/MSc or DCP&PhD program, including the award of the MSc or PhD thesis and eligibility for placement on the University graduand list.
After the completing the DCP/MSc will I be able to work as a clinical psychologist in a private practice?
The DCP/MSc program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as a 5th, 6th and 7th year of training and an approved qualification for associate membership of the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA) and the Australian Psychological Society (APS) College of Clinical Psychologists. The Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) also regconizes the course for the purposes of registration and for endorsement of practice in clinical psychology. The qualification is recognized in principle by the NSW Department of Health as qualifying the holder for progression to the grade of Clinical Psychologist.
Students will be eligible for full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, after at least three years of provisional registration, following the successful completion of all coursework, clinical placement and research requirements, including the award of the MSc thesis, for the the DCP/MSc program. At this point students will be registered as psychologists.
Students are eligible to apply to the Psychology Board of Australia, seeking approval to undertake the Registrar program upon successful completion of all coursework, clinical placement and research requirements for the DCP/MSc or DCP&PhD program, including the award of the MSc or PhD thesis and eligibility for placement on the University graduand list. The Clinical Psychology Registrar program is one-year full time equivalent program which involves clinical psychology practice, supervision, and continuing professional development. At this point students are registered psychologists with endorsement in clinical psychology, clinical psychologists.
DCP/MSc graduates who are registered Psychologists and those with the additional endorsement in Clinical Psychology can work in private practice settings. However, we do not recommend that students work in private practice settings immediately on completion of their degree. Clinical Psychologists work in a variety of settings and many new graduates enjoy the support received by working in settings with multidisciplinary teams at the start of their career.
Does the University of Sydney meet standards for Psychological Associations and Registration Boards in other countries?
With careful selection of clinical internships and additional clinical internship hours DCP/MSc graduates can meet UK standards. Those students who upgrade to a DCP & PhD, and undertake additional internships hours, may be able to meet Canadian standards and equivalence in the US of the pre-internship PhD program in clinical psychology. However, to determine international equivalency for accreditation and registration of the DCP/MSc, students are advised to contact the relevant accreditation and registration bodies in their own country for accurate advice. You may also wish to contact the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Australia Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA).
What is APAC?
The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) sets the standards for accreditation of Australasian psychology programs. APAC is a body that assesses and approves the minimum qualifications from recognised Schools of Psychology for the purposes of eligibility for registration as a psychologist in Australia and for membership of the Australian Psychological Society. APAC does not conduct assessments, however, y ou may wish to view their list of Australian accredited qualfications.
http://www.apac.psychology.org.au/Content.aspx?ID=1084
What is APS?
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is the national assessing authority in Australia for assessment of overseas academic qualifications in psychology. For a fee of $AUD620, the APS determines the level at which an applicant’s qualifications are equivalent to an Australian program of study that has been accredited by the Society. As it is also a requirement of the Psychology Board of Australia, that all applicants with non-Australian qualifications to have their qualification assessed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the APS assessment is required as all students must be provisionally or fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia in order to commence clinical internships offered in the DCP/MSc. Therefore without the APS assessment and provisional registration, students will not be permitted to commence the DCP/MSc program.
http://www.psychology.org.au/membership/qualifications/