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Types of courses

There are a few different types of psychology postgraduate courses:

Masters by coursework, also known as professional masters Doctorate by coursework, also known as professional doctorate Masters by research PhD Masters/PhD combined degree

To save space, descriptions of these have been moved to here.

Specialisations in professional masters and doctorate
The professional courses - coursework masters and doctorate, and combined PhD/masters - are usually specialised degrees. Here are some of the different specialisations, although there are many more:

Clinical psychology Counselling psychology Child and adolescent clinical psychology Neurological psychology Neuro-Clinical psychology Educational psychology Forensic psychology Organisational/Industrial psychology Sports psychology

Descriptions of these specialisations are available on the APS website if you go to member services > studying and employment issues > students > careers in psychology.
The majority of psychology students are interested in clinical psychology, so you might find that some specialisations are easier to get into than others, as there is less competition to get into them. On the other hand, there may be only one or two courses available for an unusual specialty, so that competition is high. Either way, it's probably worth knowing, so you could check with the course coordinator.
After completing a professional post-grad course in the speciality of your interest you will be able to register as a psychologist, but if you want to join the appropriate specialist college of the APS (eg. College of Clinical Psychologists, College of Sports Psychologists, etc) you will have to obtain two further years of work under supervison of a psychologist who is already a member of the college of your interest.

HECS, fees and scholarships in post-grad courses

Masters by coursework
Coursework degrees such as the Masters by coursework are increasingly fee-based, although there are still some that have HECS places. Often HECS places are only available to full-time students, if they are available at all. For fee-paying courses the fees vary quite a bit across the courses. From 2002, students in postgraduate coursework courses can defer their fees using PELS much like the deferred HECS arrangement.

Masters by research and PhD
Masters by research and PhD degrees always have HECS places, with the possibility of applying for HECS-exemptions or scholarships. This is because they are considered research degrees, as the research component (the thesis) is worth more than 66% of the course. There are a range of scholarships available for postgraduate research degrees, in particular the Australian Postgraduate Award - APA - which is nation wide and across all faculties, as well as other university specific scholarships (see university websites for information). Getting a scholarship or HECS-exemption depends on marks and other criteria such as publications, and are usually only available to full-time students. I have heard that it is possible to apply for a scholarship after completing one year of a research degree, so if you cannot obtain a scholarship from the start, you may be able to apply again using the marks you have gained in the subsequent year.

Masters/PhD combined degree
The fees/funding for the Masters by coursework / PhD combined degree is a mixture of the two courses, as you would expect. As the PhD is a research degree, it is possible to get a scholarship and to have HECS places and HECS-exemptions. However in some (but not all) universities these possibilities do not apply until the second year of the four year degree. Thus the first year may be fee-paying, or HECS.

Doctorate
Some universities have made the thesis in the psychology Doctorate by coursework degree worth more than 66% of the course, so that the degree is considered a research degree. Where this is the case, the course may have HECS places, HECS-exemptions, and the possibility for scholarships. In doctorates where the research component is less than 66%, the funding for the course is much like the Masters by coursework: likely to be fee-paying, without scholarships, although there may be some HECS places.

How to find out about post-grad courses
You can find out which courses exist and are accredited by looking at the list of courses on the APS website. You can then find information about the courses that interest you by searching on the internet, utilising the Links to universities, or calling up the course coordinators and asking for course information. Another source of info is the APS Information Day, which is usually in around October in Melbourne and I guess exists in other states. This info day involves course coordinators from around the state coming and talking about their course, and providing written course info and application forms. If you are interested in a course, always check that it is APS accredited.

Getting in to post-grad courses
Post-grad courses are difficult to get into, and even if you have excellent marks you should apply to a few different courses so that you have multiple chances of being selected. I think usually around 6 students are selected for each course (ie. if a uni has MPsych (clin), DPsych (clin), and MPsych (org), then around 18 students will be selected in total - though you should check with your course of interest). Selection is based on your marks in honours and earlier years, information they obtain in an interview (I don't know what the interview is intending to identify), your references, any experience you have in the area or in other areas, whether you have published your honours thesis or presented at a conference, and whatever you write on your application form. Thus it is based on a range of criteria, and even if you have brilliant marks you shouldn't count on getting into your first preference course, and if you have average marks don't assume you won't get in anywhere. If you are worried that you won't get into a course, just remember that having great marks in psychology wouldn't necessarily make you a great psychologist, and if you genuinely want to work in the field, then keep persisting.

Alternatives to doing a post-grad course in psychology
You don't have to do a post-graduate course to become a psychologist (see How to become a psychologist), you can get your qualifications to register by doing Supervision. If you have finished fourth year and decided or realised that you can't face studying next year, or indeed ever again, then take time off, work, travel, do other stuff that you have been neglecting for the last year or last few years, and enjoy life without studying psychology! You might want to consider some Alternatives to psychology, but you can probably figure out what to do by yourself!