Diploma of Social & Psychological Science

The Diploma of Social & Psychological Science is a one-year qualification offered through Griffith College, the pathway provider attached to Griffith University. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it's a bit shorter and more applied than a bachelor degree but still a recognised higher education qualification in its own right. You study it over two or three trimesters, depending on the intake you start in, and you come out with a set of units that map directly into the first year of a related Griffith bachelor degree if you choose to keep going.

What you actually study

The coursework introduces the two disciplines side by side. You'll take introductory psychology units covering how people think, feel and behave, and you'll take social science units that look at how societies are organised, how inequality works, and how policy and community services respond to it. Expect units in academic writing and research skills as well, because both fields rely on reading evidence and arguing from it. Assessment is a mix of essays, reports, exams and group work, similar to what you'd meet in a bachelor degree. The diploma is delivered in trimesters, and each unit carries credit points that count toward the qualification and, on successful completion with the required grades, toward entry into a Griffith bachelor program.

Pathways and professional context

Most students use this diploma as a stepping stone. Finish it well and you can move into a Griffith bachelor degree in social work, psychology, counselling, human services or a related area, often with credit for the units you've already passed. That matters in Australia, where social work is a regulated profession: to work as a social worker you need a degree accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers, and this diploma is the on-ramp, not the destination. Psychology has its own pathway through APAC-accredited programs if you want to register as a psychologist. The diploma itself doesn't make you a registered professional, but it gets you into the programs that do.

Who it suits

This suits school leavers who don't quite meet the direct entry requirements for a bachelor degree, mature-age students returning to study, and international students who want a supported first year in Australia before committing to a full degree. It also suits anyone who wants to test whether social and psychological science is the right fit before signing up for three or four years. If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and on completion you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your subsequent qualification and visa rules at the time.

English and entry

International applicants need to show English proficiency. Griffith College publishes a standard of IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall for most programs, but social work sits in the higher band, so expect 7.0 to 7.5 for the degrees this diploma leads into. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programs are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, separate from the college's requirement. Tuition is listed on the CRICOS register under course code 092486M. Check the official Griffith College page and CRICOS for current unit lists, intake dates and fees before you apply.

This diploma is a pathway qualification, so most graduates continue into a bachelor degree before entering the workforce in a professional role. With the diploma alone, you can work in support and assistant-level positions while you study or after you finish.

• Community support worker in disability, aged care or youth services
• Casework assistant in a non-government organisation or community legal centre
• Support worker in mental health or homelessness services
• Education support officer in schools
• Administration or intake officer in a human services agency
• Research assistant on social policy or community health projects

These roles are found across Australia in the community services sector, state and local government, not-for-profit organisations, hospitals and schools. To practise as a social worker or registered psychologist you need to complete an accredited bachelor degree and, for psychology, further postgraduate study and registration. The diploma is the first step on that path.