Australia: Psychology

Program Snapshot
Semester: Summer
Offered: Summer 2026
Estimated Dates: Mid-May to early July
Program Focus: Regional Area Study with Psychology Emphasis
Prerequisites: PSY 100, 200, 300 and Junior or Senior class standing; or PSY 100 and consent of leader. Students must satisfy the Words and Numbers CORE requirement before participating in an overseas program.
Campus Contact: Yueping Zhang
Associate Professor of Psychology
yzhang@lclark.edu, 503-768-7646


Program Design

The history of Australia, the world’s smallest continent and largest island, has been molded from afar by the British and the western world and by its own diverse geography and aboriginal population.  Over the last two hundred years it has grown into a multicultural society with 90 percent of its population living in urban areas.

Students participating on the program will observe and participate in human and social services programs that exist within a context of socialized medicine—a system that, according to many of those it serves, works well.

This program will focus on history, culture and psychology in contemporary Australia. The program’s location is the urban coast area of Brisbane, Queensland, where students will live with Australian host families. The program begins with 2 weeks of academic sessions in a lecture/discussion format and continues with a 5-week internship in a social service agency of interest.


Academics

Requirements Fulfilled:

General Education - This program fulfills the Global Perspectives general education requirement for students who successfully complete 8 semester credits.

Major Requirements: PSY 345 may be applied to the Psychology major.

Credits: 8 credits (2 courses)

Curriculum:

IS 290: Australian Area Study (4 credits)

Traces the major developments in Australia’s history from its initial settlement by the aboriginal people through European colonization and into the present.  Emphasis is on the events that played a major role in shaping contemporary Australian society and Australia’s current relationships with East Asia, the United States, and the British Commonwealth.  Topics include Australian literature, non-indigenous art, exploration and settlement, military history, and political and social institutions.

PSY 345: Internship (4 credits)

Applied field learning experience and exposure to psychologically oriented occupations in Brisbane. Building human relations skills; becoming acquainted with important human service institutions and their social impact in an environment of socialized health and human services. Theoretical, cross-cultural and practical frameworks for intervention. Internship opportunities may include drug and alcohol treatment programs, women’s resource centers, community aftercare for psychiatric patients, programs for the elderly, and HIV/AIDS support services.

PLEASE NOTE: If a student has attended the spring LC program, and wishes to apply to remain in Australia for the summer Australia LC program, the student may not repeat the Area Study course.  The student must apply to be allowed to complete an independent study on a different topic in place of IS-290.

This option would only be offered to students who have completed the Area Study course on a previous Australia program, and will only be allowed if the instructor is available to oversee the independent study.  The option may not be available in all years.


Cost

2024-2025 Fee Breakdown*

Total Fee (includes Tuition, Program Fee, and Health & Wellness Fee): TBD

Tuition: TBD

Program Fee: TBD

Included in the program fee are room/housing, board/meals, and administrative fees. Not included are airfare, passport and visa expenses, primary insurance coverage, photographs, books, immunizations, and incidentals. 

*Fees are updated every February for the following academic year. The fees for the Summer 2024 program will be updated here as soon as they are finalized.

Stipend: Students will receive a stipend to cover the cost of meals and transportation costs not covered by the program fee.

Estimated Airfare (Round Trip PDX to SYD): $1,500 - $2,000

Estimated Health Insurance Fee: $1,943.50

All students participating in overseas programs are automatically enrolled in iNext, a supplemental travel insurance program. The fee for iNext is covered in the program cost. However, students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance during their time abroad. All students participating in overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program. Similar to a regular semester on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that 1) provides coverage for them in the geographic region in which they will be studying and 2) includes mental health benefits. Click here for more information regarding health insurance & overseas programs.


Australia Summer (Psychology)