JCU's Master of Psychology (Clinical) offers a wide range of career options

A Master of Psychology (Clinical) at James Cook University Singapore offers graduates a wide range of career options

Esther Teo
Aug 12, 2018

THESE days, professional clinical psychologists have no shortage of career options, as they can take their pick from a range of psychology degrees.

Take for example, the Master of Psychology (Clinical) course — or MPsy for short —offered by James Cook University (JCU) Singapore.

Several of the course’s graduates now occupy key positions in the field across private and public sectors, while others have become site supervisors and JCU Singapore’s industry partners.

Associate professor Carol Choo, director of Professional Programs and Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at JCU Singapore, says the MPsy is designed to equip graduates with the advanced academic and practical training required for professional practice as a clinical psychologist.

The programme runs in tandem at JCU’s campuses in Townsville, Australia, and Singapore. It is aligned with prevailing Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) standards, and its learning outcomes address the professional competencies outlined by the Australian Psychological Society.

Prof Choo says: “As our programmes are accredited by the APAC, we conform to standards such as the stipulated student-staff ratio to ensure an optimal and supportive training experience for students.

“Our class sizes are kept relatively small to enable experiential learning and facilitate active coaching.”

Holistic approach

MPsy encompasses three main components — academic coursework delivered in a six full-day workshop format, supervised practica of a total of 1,000 practica hours, and a research thesis.

More than 100 graduates have successfully completed the MPsy and Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology), or DPsy, since the programmes were introduced in 2009.

Demand for graduates of the university is high, as evidenced in the university’s recent campus-wide JCU Graduate Survey, which showed that 87 per cent of graduates secured a job in less than six months.

Ms Acacia Lee, a recent MPsy graduate, says: “JCU Singapore takes a holistic view in equipping its graduates with both advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in preparation for professional practice.

“The supportive and nurturing environment has been a key factor in facilitating learning, and giving me the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed.”

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Aug 12, 2018.