SUMMER TERM 2025 (online as well) - I definitely would recommend this subject for anyone who doesnt really know what breadth to do or just wants to get them over and done with. I had never done anything related to psych at all so all of it was pretty much new. During the summer we did a 2 hour zoom and had about 1-2 hours or so worth of video lecture/podcasts that contained the lecture material each week. The zooms were completely compulsory. Also each week we did x2 modules that had a 4-question multiple choice each. And the big assessment was the essay which if you just start early isnt difficult to complete - plus you can pick any topic from the modules you like. Dr Kat is pretty good, clear and understandable as well. Well prepared and knowledgeable on all the topics whilst being actually entertaining and engaging - which is a big step up from other lecturers. They really push "bring your own background" so focus on that and what your 'expertise' are for the essay. Ofc you have to put some effort in but seriously its only 11 quizzes and an essay for one subject. The content you probably wont remember afterwards but got some fun facts along the way which is cool. I went in wanting to just get a breadth done over the summer, doing it online, not content heavy and music psych was exactly that. Coming from a BSci - never completed an easier, more straight forward subject, got H1 on both overall subject + essay. So hear me out, if you are a unimelb student, willing to do an online summer subject, can dedicate about 2 hours a week for some theory content and a couple more for the essay => do music psych. PS: Also, I agree with the review below.

Score: 85 This subject was actually really interesting, especially as someone who has passion for psych. A lot of people complained that they didn't learn anything from this subject, but I honestly don't get that because we covered a range of cool topics and I basically had some new fun facts to share every week. Very doable over the summer; I must've spent maximum 2 hours each week completing the quizzes. The essay was kind of harshly marked (I got a 78%), but I also think it's because it's a very different format to other essays people are used to. If you write everything out concisely and infuse your writing with your personal experiences then you'll be bound to at least get an H2A, which leads to an H1 overall result since the quizzes are super easy to score 100 on. Definitely not a bad option for a chill summer breadth!

Trash

Yo, listen up, let me tell you a tale, About a course that’s about to derail, Music psychology, man, it's a trap, Don’t sign up, don’t fall for that crap. You think it'll be chill, like a song on repeat, But it’s all just theories that you'll never complete. They'll talk about rhythm, and what’s in your brain, But the real lesson is a whole lot of pain. Don't take the course, it’s a ride you don’t wanna take, A mess of confusion, a mistake you’ll forsake. Music's meant to feel, let the beats just flow, But that class got you stuck in a theory show. You think you’ll unlock the magic behind the sound, But you’re lost in lectures, just spinning ‘round. They say music’s a science, that’s their big claim, But all you get is a headache and a whole lotta shame. You’ll sit in class, wishin’ you could escape, While they break down melodies, shape by shape. So do yourself a favor, just skip that ride, Don’t get stuck in the course where logic collides. Don’t take the course, it’s a ride you don’t wanna take, A mess of confusion, a mistake you’ll forsake. Music's meant to feel, let the beats just flow, But that class got you stuck in a theory show. So take my advice, and just walk away, There’s better ways to spend your day. Find a rhythm that’s real, don’t get caught in the trap, Music’s about freedom, don’t fall for the map.

This was a decent subject to take and easier to score well in but just a kind of boring. The essay is not as hard as what some people made it seem. I am not an essay writer but I still got a H1. The quizzes were not as easy and you need to watch the short video to get the most out of it since it was 40%. Also, I did this over the summer with another class.

A wam booster subject that is also interesting. Quizzes: Don't underestimate the quizzes, they are not as logical as you think. Got zeroes for my first 2 quizzes and really brought my confidence down, but nailed many perfect grade for the next ones. Watch the short video, podcast, and seminar on the day you do the quizzes. Download the transcript and do Ctrl+F. Take your time to answer each mcq and PLEASE recheck your answer before submitting. Most quizzes don't usually relate to anything from the seminars. A great tip here is: "Was the answer specifically mentioned in the podcast or video transcript?" Essays: Essays can bring up your grade even if your quizzes were average. Make sure you pick a topic you're really interested with, since the essay is about how you criticise the strengths and weaknesses based on your personal experience and knowledge too. Combine the sample paragraphs and rubrix into one document before writing the essay, so have it beside you while writing your work. I picked Music and Consumer topic since I was really interested about how music influence business aspects, having prior knowledge to a business back home. Make sure you refer closely to the sample essays given by them (you can also find essays in studocu ).

Scored 95 on this subject. Not difficult, but truthfully there isn't all too much to learn here. However, there is breadth in the fields introduced. As other comments have mentioned, Ctrl+F the transcript for the quizzes -- take your time as each question is worth quite a bit. For the essay make sure to use the exemplars as a template and the rubric to further guide you. This is key to scoring high imo. If you can, avoid picking a topic that everybody else is going to do (eg. music and Alzheimer's/memory) as the graders probably have already seen one too many.

mixed feelings on this subject. You can literally do no work (less that 1 hour a week) and do decent but the essay is hard to score well on, especially if you come from a psych background and are used to the rigorous nature of psych essays. Quizzes are a pain because there's only 4 questions in each quiz and they're work 1% of your grade per question, so if you mess one or two questions up each quiz per week it definitely adds up. Content is kinda boring, especially the podcasts which go for ages. The seminars are a waste of time, don't go to them. Overall, good if you've got a massive study load in other subjects but if you're actually looking for something that will go in depth into actual psychology, this subject isn't it.

look this wasn't the easiest subject, quizzes were easy but the essay didn't have a relevant structure we should follow? I got an 80 (expected higher lol), so you unfortunately can't treat it as a subject where you put 0 effort in and expect to do well

The other reviews about this subject being hard are bs. For the quizzes; there are 10 and each is worth 4% (4 question mcqs). The only annoying part is that if you get one mcq wrong it is a whole 1% lost. HOWEVER, the content in the quizzes assesses about 30mins of audio recordings a week (these are “lectures” but have zero slides). You get a transcript for all the quizzable content so can ctrl+F to find answers (do NOT google because it can sometimes contradict). If you actually take time on the quiz (they give you 2hrs but most can be done in 15-20mins). I didn’t watch a single seminar. The essay can be done without any prior knowledge of the subject imo. Just pick something ur interested in and treat it like a scientific literature review. Follow the criteria and structure exactly (this is most reliable to score well I reckon but they do say you can vary the approach if done effectively). I think this component is marked fairly firmly but if you adhere to criteria and treat it like you would an essay in a “hard” subject you can score well on it. Ended up with a 93 and it was the lowest amount of work i did for an undergrad subject. “WAM booster” doesn’t mean you can totally dismiss learning anything or trying - if you treat it like a “hard” subject you will do well.