Bachelor of Psychology (Counselling and Interpersonal Skills), Bachelor of Business

This four-year double degree at Adelaide University pairs a psychology major with a business major, so you graduate with two qualifications and a set of skills that sit across both fields. You'll study how people think, feel and behave, and you'll learn how organisations work, how money moves, and how to manage people and projects. The psychology side focuses on counselling and interpersonal skills, which means you spend time on listening, communication, group work and the practical side of helping people. The business side gives you the language of commerce, so you can take what you know about people into a workplace and actually apply it.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are normally three years full-time, but a double degree adds a year because you complete the requirements of both awards. This one runs for four years. You'll study in semesters, with each unit of study worth a set number of credit points. Over the four years you'll complete units from both the psychology and business sides, and you'll need to pass the required units for each degree. The exact sequence and unit list is set by the university, so check the official course page for the current structure.

Psychology units at this level cover the core areas: developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, research methods and statistics, and the psychology of individual differences. The counselling and interpersonal skills strand is where you practise the applied side, how to run a conversation, how to listen without jumping in, how to work with people in groups. Business units typically cover accounting, economics, management, marketing and organisational behaviour. You'll also do a research methods sequence, which is standard for psychology degrees and gives you the skills to read and conduct research.

Because psychology is a science, you'll spend time on statistics and research design. That's not everyone's favourite part, but it's what separates a psychology degree from a general arts degree. You'll learn to collect data, analyse it and write it up. On the business side, you'll do group projects, case studies and presentations. Some units may include work-integrated learning or industry projects, where you work with an organisation on a real problem. The university will tell you which units have placement or project components. If you're aiming for a career in counselling, you'll want to check what practical experience is built in and what further study or supervision is required for registration.

This degree suits students who want to work with people but also want a practical business qualification. Maybe you're interested in human resources, organisational psychology, marketing, management, or running your own practice one day. Maybe you want to understand people and also understand how a business operates. The double degree gives you both. It's a four-year commitment, so it suits someone who is ready to study across two disciplines and who doesn't want to choose between them. If you're only interested in psychology, a single degree might be enough. If you want the business skills as well, this is a direct route.

International applicants need to meet English requirements. For undergraduate courses, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard, though some fields ask for higher. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa. While you study, your visa allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during term. After you graduate, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. Check the current rules with the Department of Home Affairs.

Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. The CRICOS course code for this double degree is 117885H. For fees, intake dates and the exact unit list, go to the official course page and confirm the details before you apply.

• Human resources officer or coordinator, Australian organisations across the private and public sectors hire HR staff to manage recruitment, onboarding, performance and workplace relations.
• Recruitment consultant, recruitment agencies and internal talent teams need people who can assess candidates and understand organisational fit.
• Marketing or communications assistant, businesses use psychology and business knowledge to understand customers and craft messages.
• Policy or project officer, government departments and not-for-profits hire graduates to research, coordinate and implement programmes.
• Customer experience or service manager, banks, insurers, retailers and tech companies look for staff who can improve how organisations deal with people.
• Research assistant, universities, research institutes and market research firms employ graduates with statistics and research methods training.
• Support worker or case coordinator, community services and mental health organisations hire graduates for front-line roles. Further study and supervision may be required for counselling registration.
• Business analyst or operations coordinator, many graduates move into general business roles where understanding people and data both matter.
• Further study, many psychology graduates go on to honours, a master's or a doctorate to become registered psychologists or researchers. Admission is competitive and based on your grades.