The proposed program will provide a professional qualification for those who wish to work as psychologists within the applied health field. In particular, the aim of the program is to produce health psychologists who can apply psychological research and methods to the prevention and management of disease and illness; the promotion and maintenance of health; the identification of psychological factors contributing to illness; and the improvement of the health care system and health policy.

Successful completion of the program will enable graduates with an advanced level of training in health psychology to meet full registration of the Psychology Board of Australia; to meet entry requirements to the Australian Psychological Society (APS) as a full member; to meet entry requirements to the College of Health Psychologists of the APS; and to meet the demand of the private and public sectors concerned with health delivery.

The program will comprise the following components: three supervised placements (two in health promotion and one in clinical health psychology) in a variety of settings in government and non-government organisations; coursework; a research thesis in the form of a literature review; and a research article of a specified length.

Entry is available to graduates with a good Honours degree in Psychology comprising of a minimum of Second Class, Division A Honours and an individually-conducted research project carrying 33% or more of the years work. Selection procedures depend on academic results, referee reports and a structured interview conducted by a panel. There is usually very strong competition for the limited number of places available.

Coursework assessed by assignments and exams, placements assessed from reports by placement supervisor, and research report examined internally by two markers

Health Psychologists specialise in understanding the relationships between psychological factors and health and illness.  Health Psychologists practice in two main areas: health promotion and clinical health.

Health promotion

• Development and provision of programs that assist with the prevention of illnesses such as heart attacks, stroke, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, smoking-related-illness and dietary-related problems.
• Linking up with other health professionals to understand what behaviours might be contributing to illness and how they might be changed e.g. understanding why some people overeat or eat a high-fat diet.
• Identifying how behaviour is linked with the development of disease and injury.
• Designing public health education programs in areas such as exercise and alcohol, cigarette and drug consumption e.g. 'SunSmart', 'Life. Be in it'.
• Determining the distribution of disease and the health needs of communities within Australia.
• Working with community members to improve their health.

 Clinical health

• Developing therapy and education programs to help people cope with health issues such as weight management, cancer and heart health.
• Using psychological treatment for problems that often accompany ill health and injury, such as anxiety, depression, pain, addiction, sleep and eating problems.
• Understanding how psychological factors such as stress, depression and anxiety might be contributing to illness.
• Helping people with the self-management of chronic illness.
• Understanding how people cope with diagnosis and medical treatment of acute health problems and how they obtain medical care.
• Understanding how people cope with terminal illness, including the impact of grief, bereavement, death and dying.
• Identifying how the relationship between health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and psychologists, and their patients can influence how well they recover from illness and injury.
• Helping people cope with trauma, disability and rehabilitation

www.adelaide.edu.au/dvca/gradattributes/

This program provides graduates with the tertiary-level education required to be eligible for registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) College of Health Psychologists.

Faculty of Health Sciences

• Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
• Australian Psychological Society
• Psychology Board of Australia
• School of Psychology
• Scholarships
• University Contact Centre enquiry form