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Find out what courses you need to take to complete a Bachelor of Psychology (BPsyc) and see what courses make up the optional majors.

At the core of the new degree is the compulsory Psychological Science (PSCI) major. This is made up of 12 courses that cover a broad range of key topics in psychology.

Along with your core courses, you have the option of choosing a second, complementary major that explores a specific area in more depth. Your complementary major can come from the BPsyc or from another degree, such as the BA or BSc. Adding a second major is a great way to set yourself up for future employment or postgraduate study.

Degree requirements

For this degree you'll need to:

  • Complete at least 360 points, including:

    • at least 210 points above 100 level

    • at least 240 points from the BPsyc schedule

    • at least 75 points at 300 level

  • Complete the requirements of the compulsory Psychological Science major and (optionally) a second, complementary major. See ‘Select your majors’ below for the course requirements.

Important information

  • A minor is made up of at least 60 points at 200 level or above from courses listed in the major requirements for that subject area. At least 15 of these points must be at 300 level, and not counted towards a major or another minor.
  • There are a number of subjects in the BPsyc with specific minor requirements. Contact our future student advisers to learn more about studying these subjects. If you’re already a student here, contact a student adviser.

Select your majors

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Māori Psychology

This major focuses on the psychological wellbeing of the Māori community and considers Māori perspectives on a range of psychological issues. This major is designed for students interested in pursuing careers working with Māori or in relevant policy positions.

Choose one of three streams, depending on your interests and work aspirations. The Education stream emphasises applications in education contexts. The Health stream focuses on health settings, and the Te Kawa a Maui stream embeds psychology topics within the broader social, political, and cultural context as it relates to Māori.

Find out more about studying Māori Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington

Psychology

Major requirements

In addition to the degree requirements, for this major you'll need to complete:

  • Three (or four) courses at 100 level:

    • One of the following:

  • Four (or five) courses at 200 level:

    • and one of the following:

      • or two courses from:
  • Three courses at 300 level:

    • One course from:

    • one further course from:

Important information

  • If you take MAOR 123 in the Māori Psychology (MPSY) major, you don’t need to take MAOR 126 to meet the requirements of the compulsory Psychological Science (PSCI) major.
  • For more programme details and requirements, see the University Calendar. It’s an annual publication and an authoritative source for planning your degree.

Adding a major from another degree

As an alternative to the complementary majors listed above for the Bachelor of Psychology, you have the option of doing a complementary major from one of the other undergraduate degrees at the University. Your Bachelor of Psychology degree could include a second major taken from one of our other degrees:

For more information about your options, email our advisers at info@vuw.ac.nz.