Australian Psychological Society

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is a professional association representing psychologists and psychology students in Australia. It describes its purpose as improving the lives of Australians through psychology and contributes to the field through professional support, public education, advocacy, research communication, and the promotion of evidence-based practice. The society operates across a wide range of settings and sectors, reflecting the breadth of psychology in Australia, including clinical, community, counselling, educational, developmental, forensic, health, organisational, sport, and exercise practice. The APS provides a membership structure with grades linked broadly to an applicant's education and professional status in psychology. Applicants generally need to be qualified in, or studying, programs accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. Membership therefore functions both as a professional network and as a route to information, continuing education, practice resources, and engagement with psychology policy and standards. The society's activities are directed primarily at psychologists, psychology students, allied professionals, policymakers, and members of the public seeking reliable information about psychological practice. A central part of the APS offering is professional education. Its nine colleges represent major practice areas and support standards, quality assurance, training, and information exchange within their specialties. The colleges cover clinical neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community psychology, counselling psychology, educational and developmental psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, organisational psychology, and sport and exercise psychology. The APS also promotes professional events, including the APS Festival of Psychology and the APS Psychology Career Expo. The society publishes and supports psychology journals that communicate research as well as conceptual and policy discussions affecting the discipline. Publications associated with the APS include the Australian Journal of Psychology, Australian Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Educational and Developmental Psychologist, and The Australian Community Psychologist. Through these publications and its broader communications work, the organisation helps connect academic research, professional practice, and public debate. Ethical practice is another important part of the APS's role. The APS adopted its Code of Ethics in 2007, and the Psychology Board of Australia adopted it in 2010. The society's professional guidance operates alongside the statutory registration system administered under Australia's National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. Registration requirements are set by the Psychology Board of Australia, and psychologists must meet the Board's standards to practise in Australia. The regulatory framework generally requires a minimum six-year education and training sequence for general registration, with pathways including an approved higher degree or the 5+1 internship route. The APS is not a commercial product brand or a listed company. Its principal outputs are professional membership, specialist communities, publications, education, events, public information, and policy advocacy. Its influence is consequently institutional and professional rather than based on consumer goods or retail distribution. Publicly available reference material identifies it as one of Australia's leading associations for psychologists and reports membership of more than 25,000, although membership figures can change over time.

The Australian Psychological Society is Australia's principal professional association for psychologists. Its role is centred on developing and supporting psychology as a profession and on helping the public understand and access psychological knowledge and services. Rather than operating as a commercial consumer brand, the APS functions as a membership and professional institution, bringing together psychologists and psychology students across Australia. The society's work spans professional representation, education, ethical guidance, research communication, public information, and advocacy. Its membership system includes multiple grades, with eligibility generally connected to a person's psychology education, training, or professional standing. Applicants are typically expected to have completed or be undertaking psychology programs accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. This structure allows the APS to serve both established practitioners and people progressing through psychology education. A major organisational development is the creation of specialist colleges representing different areas of practice. The nine colleges cover clinical neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community psychology, counselling psychology, educational and developmental psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, organisational psychology, and sport and exercise psychology. These colleges contribute to practice standards, quality assurance, education, training, and professional information-sharing. They also give members a specialist forum within the wider national association. The APS has also built a publishing and events program. Its journal portfolio communicates current psychological research and addresses conceptual and policy questions affecting the profession. Publications associated with the society include the Australian Journal of Psychology, Australian Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Educational and Developmental Psychologist, and The Australian Community Psychologist. Events such as the APS Festival of Psychology and the APS Psychology Career Expo support professional exchange, career development, and engagement with emerging issues in the discipline. Ethics and regulation form a further part of the society's history and public role. The APS adopted its Code of Ethics in 2007. The Psychology Board of Australia subsequently adopted the code in 2010. The APS code sits alongside statutory requirements administered through the Psychology Board under Australia's National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. In this system, psychologists must be registered and satisfy applicable registration standards before practising. General registration normally involves at least a six-year sequence of psychology education and training, with routes including an approved higher degree or the 5+1 internship pathway. The Board's planned regulatory code of conduct, scheduled to commence on 1 December 2025, represents a further development in the external regulation of the profession. In its contemporary form, the APS combines member services with broader public-interest functions. It promotes evidence-based psychology, provides information to the community, supports professional learning, publishes disciplinary research, and advocates on issues affecting psychology and the wellbeing of Australians. Reference material describes a membership of more than 25,000, although that figure is time-sensitive. The available material does not establish a complete chronology of the society's founding, leadership, headquarters, or corporate structure, so those details remain unspecified here.

• 2025

  Regulatory code of conduct scheduled to commence

  [1]Australian Psychological Societyen.wikipedia.org

  A Psychology Board of Australia regulatory code of conduct was scheduled to take effect on 1 December 2025.

• 2010

  Psychology Board of Australia adopts the APS Code of Ethics

  [1]Australian Psychological Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The national psychology regulator adopted the APS Code of Ethics in the context of professional regulation.

• 2007

  APS adopts its Code of Ethics

  [1]Australian Psychological Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society adopted a Code of Ethics for psychology professionals and members.

A national professional body for psychologists that connects professional membership, specialist education, ethical guidance, research publishing, public education, and advocacy in Australia.

• Professional membership

  APS membership

  The APS offers multiple membership grades for psychologists and psychology students. Eligibility is generally connected to psychology education and training, including study in programs accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. Membership provides access to professional communities, information, education, publications, and engagement with the society's advocacy and professional activities.

• Professional education and accreditation support

  Specialist colleges

  Nine APS colleges organise professional activity around specialist practice areas: clinical neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community psychology, counselling psychology, educational and developmental psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, organisational psychology, and sport and exercise psychology. They support practice standards, quality assurance, education, training, and information-sharing.

• Academic and professional publishing

  APS journals

  The APS publishes or supports journals covering psychological research, professional practice, and policy issues. The named titles include the Australian Journal of Psychology, Australian Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Educational and Developmental Psychologist, and The Australian Community Psychologist.

• Professional event

  APS Festival of Psychology

  The APS promotes and facilitates the Festival of Psychology as an event for professional exchange and engagement with psychology-related research, practice, and public issues.

• Career and education event

  APS Psychology Career Expo

  The Psychology Career Expo is an APS-supported event focused on career information and professional pathways in psychology.

• 2025

  Transition toward a dedicated regulatory code of conductStrategy

  Background

  The Psychology Board of Australia developed its first regulatory code of conduct for the profession.

  Action taken

  The new code was scheduled to commence on 1 December 2025.

  Aftermath

  The change is expected to add a distinct regulatory conduct instrument alongside existing registration standards and ethical guidance.

  Source

• 2010

  National adoption of the APS Code of EthicsOther

  Background

  Australia's psychology profession operates within a national registration and accreditation system.

  Action taken

  The Psychology Board of Australia adopted the APS Code of Ethics.

  Aftermath

  The code became part of the ethical reference environment surrounding registered psychology practice in Australia.

  Source

• 2007

  Adoption of the APS Code of EthicsOther

  Background

  The society required a formal ethical framework to guide psychology practice and professional conduct.

  Action taken

  The APS adopted its Code of Ethics.

  Aftermath

  The code later became relevant to the national regulatory framework when adopted by the Psychology Board of Australia in 2010.

  Source

• Unconfirmed

  APS appoints Zena Burgess as CEO[3]澳大利亚心理学会任命 Zena Burgess 为首席执行官miragenews.com

  The Australian Psychological Society appointed Dr Zena Burgess as its new Chief Executive Officer.

1. 1Australian Psychological Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Australian Psychological Society official websitepsychology.org.au
3. 3澳大利亚心理学会任命 Zena Burgess 为首席执行官miragenews.com