Overview
Professional Practice in Psychology 1 is the first of two professional practice units designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop the required skills and knowledge necessary for progression in the general psychology registration pathway (5 + 1). This unit incorporates a practicum designed to simulate 'real-world' aspects of working as a psychologist within a safe learning environment. Opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration, critical analysis, reflective practice, and ethical decision making will be provided. Class content draws upon case studies and evidence-based theoretical formulation frameworks, and will examine requirements for initial and ongoing registration, and legal and ethical aspects of psychological practice. You will also deliver an oral presentation in an area of applied psychological practice.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Students must be enrolled in the Master of Professional Psychology
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE Unit comments
Students would have liked more class time dedicated to understanding the practicum requirements.
In 2024, classes will begin in Orientation week instead of week 1 to allow more time for class discussion of practicum requirements.
Feedback from SUTE Unit comments and verbal feedback from students
Students enjoyed the group supervision and group presentations from fellow students.
The group supervision will be maintained and topics will be expanded to aid students with their choice of topic for their presentation
Feedback from SUTE Unit comments
Students commented that the lectures containing the research content would be better delivered at the end of the term.
The research component of this unit will be taught in the final weeks of the term, accommodating students' learning and retention of the material for Term 2.
- Evaluate and apply relevant legislation and ethical principles related to psychological practice, including those endorsed by the Psychology Board of Australia
- Critically evaluate the contemporary scientific literature to develop appropriate evidence-based practice
- Articulate and apply models and approaches for the professional and ethical practice of psychology
- Communicate effectively with a range of client, specialist, and nonspecialist audiences.
Learning outcomes are drawn from specifications for study at level 9 as indicated by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), program of study criteria as stated by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsychBA), and the following core competencies stated by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC):
- 3.1 Demonstrate successful (prior or concurrent) achievement of pre-professional competencies,
- 3.10 Demonstrate respect for the skills and contribution of other professionals,
- 3.11 Work effectively with a range of professional and support staff in the workplace and communicate and collaborate effectively, within the bounds of ethical and legal requirements,
- 3.12 Operate within the boundaries of their professional competence, consult with peers or other relevant sources where appropriate, and refer on to relevant other practitioners where appropriate,
- 3.13 Rigorously apply professional practice policies and procedures, including as they relate to referral management and record-keeping, across a range of workplace settings and with recognition of different organisational cultures and practices,
- 3.14 Engage in self-reflective professional practice, taking account of the impact of their own values and beliefs, and taking appropriate actions as a result,
- 3.15 Evaluate the effectiveness of their professional practice, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes where needed, and
- 3.16 Critically evaluate contemporary scientific literature to inform practice (APAC, 2019, p.13-14).
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Professional Practice Plans (learning plans) - 0% | ||||
2 - Online Test - 0% | ||||
3 - Written Assessment - 0% | ||||
4 - Presentation - 0% | ||||
5 - Portfolio - 0% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||
2 - Communication | ||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
4 - Research | ||||
5 - Self-management | ||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
7 - Leadership | ||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
t.depauw@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Orientation and overview of unit and psychology practicum.
Professional practice topics: Micro-counselling skills, professional communications, ethical decision-making, risk assessment and management, and record-keeping.
Chapter
Boyle, C. & Gamble, N. (2014). Chapter 3 of Ethical Practice in Applied Psychology. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Kämpf, A., McSherry, B., Ogloff, J., & Rothschild, A. (2009). Chapter 7: Ethical decision-making in confidentiality dilemmas. In Confidentiality for mental health professionals: A guide to ethical and legal principles (pp. 93-116). Bowen Hills, QLD: Australian Academic Press.
Shaw, E., Bancroft, H., Metzer, J., & Symons, M. (2013). Professional practice: How to make a sound ethical decision. InPsych, 35(6).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Residential School.
Ethics Test Due: Week 1 Wednesday (6 Mar 2024) 3:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Professional competencies and practice; Code of conduct.
Chapter
Refer to the Psychology Board of Australia:
• Guidelines for the 5 + 1 Internship Program
• Guidelines for the National Psychology Examination
• National Psychology Examination Recommended Readings
• National Psychology Examination Curriculum
• Policy and Procedure for Candidates who fail the exam three times
Refer to Ethical Guidelines:
• Code of Ethics
• Ethical Guidelines for Supervision
• Ethical guidelines for managing professional boundaries and multiple relationships
• Ethical guidelines on the prohibition of sexual activity with clients
• Ethical guidelines for psychological practice in rural and remote settings
• Ethical guidelines for working with and in the media
APS (December 2019). InPsych, 41(6):
Psych alert: Taking privacy obligations seriously.
And: What I have learned...
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Module/Topic
Simulated psychological practice.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
No class.
Residential School in Rockhampton for students in PSYC20058 and PSYC21001.
Module/Topic
Reflective practice in psychology.
Chapter
Refer to Ethical Guidelines:
• Ethical guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• Ethical guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients
• Ethical guidelines for working with sex and/or gender-diverse clients
• Ethical guidelines for psychological practice with clients with an intellectual disability
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Module/Topic
Group supervision.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
No class - Rest and recharge.
Module/Topic
Group supervision.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Internship Plan Due: Week 6 Friday (19 Apr 2024) 4:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Simulated psychological practice.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
No class - Public holiday.
Module/Topic
Group supervision.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Module/Topic
Group supervision.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Module/Topic
Group supervision.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Module/Topic
Group supervision.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Inter-Professional Education Due: Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024) 4:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Group supervision; Term debrief.
Chapter
Please see unit Moodle for required and recommended reading lists.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online class: Thursday 9 - 12pm.
Group Supervision Presentation Due: Week 12 Thursday (30 May 2024) 11:59 am AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
This is a non-graded (Pass/Fail) unit and therefore, in accordance with CQUniversity's Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework), all assessment tasks must be passed in order to pass this unit. The minimum pass rate for each assessment task is 70% for this unit. Students who have made a reasonable attempt to complete an assessment task initially will have one opportunity to re-attempt a failed assessment task. The mark achieved for the re-attempted assessment task will be recorded as the final mark.
1 Online Test
Students will complete an online test comprising written responses to a case study. You will identify any personal needs, sources of information, and responsibility, as well as the ethical dilemma, action and alternatives, and negatives and positives of each action. You will also indicate your chosen action and provide a rationale for why this was chosen over other alternatives.
The test will be completed within class time as part of the online residential school. Students who do not pass this test will be offered an opportunity to re-sit this assessment but will not be permitted to commence simulated direct client contact until the test has been passed.
Week 1 Wednesday (6 Mar 2024) 3:59 pm AEST
The online test will be available for 3 hours and students will have 2 hours to complete the task.
Week 3 Wednesday (20 Mar 2024)
Feedback will be uploaded to Moodle.
Your test responses will be assessed according to the following criteria:
• Identification of any personal needs, sources of information, and responsibility
• Clear description and identification of ethical dilemma
• Clear discussion of factors involved in the ethical dilemma
• Identification and evaluation of action and alternatives
• The negatives and positives of each action described
• Description of your choice of action
• Explanation of why you chose this action over the others
- Evaluate and apply relevant legislation and ethical principles related to psychological practice, including those endorsed by the Psychology Board of Australia
2 Professional Practice Plans (learning plans)
This assessment provides you with the opportunity to prepare for the completion of your Internship Program Plan. The assessment will consist of two parts:
Part A requires you to respond to questions/considerations taken from the Psychology Board of Australia Guidelines for the 5+1 internship program.
Part B requires you to respond to criteria that will be found in Section F of the Internship Program Plan (INPP-76) which relates to the core competencies to be achieved throughout your internship.
Both documents can be located on the Psychology Board of Australia website for your reference. A more detailed Information Sheet will be found under the Assessment tab on Moodle in week 1.
Week 6 Friday (19 Apr 2024) 4:59 pm AEST
Upload submission via assessment portal on Moodle.
Week 8 Friday (3 May 2024)
Feedback will be uploaded to assessment portal on Moodle.
To achieve a Pass grade, you need to achieve a minimum of 35 marks out of 50 in total. Assessment criteria will be based on the following.
Part A:
• Clear description of placement type
• Needs and goals clearly expressed
• Consideration of supervision requirements
• Clear discussion of your expectation and desires of supervision
• Consideration rights and responsibilities of all parties in supervision
• Payment arrangements clearly discussed
• Consideration of record keeping and documentation
• Consideration of secondary supervisor
• How to deal with ethical issues discussed
Part B:
• Knowledge of discipline
• Ethical legal and professional issues
• Psychological assessments
• Intervention strategies
• Research and Evaluation
• Communication
• Working with diverse groups
• Discussion of supervision needs and delegation
• Evidence of critical thought given to the placement
• Evidence of self reflection
• Professional writing style, within word limit
• Adherence to APA formatting and referencing conventions
- Evaluate and apply relevant legislation and ethical principles related to psychological practice, including those endorsed by the Psychology Board of Australia
- Articulate and apply models and approaches for the professional and ethical practice of psychology
3 Written Assessment
Inter-professional Education (IPE) involves the collaboration between different health professions to learn about, from, and with, other disciplines, to enhance treatment and improve health outcomes for patient/client care. The IPE process will involve collaboration across the disciplines of Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Speech Pathology, to provide assessment and intervention recommendations for a mutual patient/client.
You will work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team through a dedicated Moodle site to develop:
1. An assessment plan for your client
2. An intervention plan for your client
After each multi-disciplinary team meeting, you will also write a 250-word reflection using the provided checklist for team meeting observations as a guide. You will submit one (1) reflection for the assessment plan meeting and one (1) reflection for the intervention plan meeting; two (2) reflections in total. In both reflections, you will critically reflect on your observations within the multi-disciplinary team meeting, and consider how you might adjust your future practice, based on your experience and learnings.
Please ensure you submit both plans and reflections on Moodle by the relevant due dates:
Assessment plan and reflection due week 9 (Friday 10 May 2024).
Intervention plan and reflection due week 11 (Friday 24 May 2024).
Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024) 4:59 pm AEST
Upload submission via assessment portal on Moodle.
Review/Exam Week Friday (7 June 2024)
Feedback will be uploaded to assessment portal on Moodle.
You will submit your IPE group's assessment plan and intervention plan to Moodle, along with a reflection for each. To achieve a Pass grade, you need to achieve a minimum of 28 marks out of 40 in total. Assessment criteria will be based on the following.
Assessment Plan (10 marks):
• All relevant sections of plan are completed
• Presenting problems clearly outlined
• Client/Family goals are clearly outlined
• Assessment goals and plan are clearly outlined
• Assessment plan links to family and care team goals
Intervention Plan (10 marks):
• All relevant sections of the plan completed
• Presenting problems clearly outlined
• Client/Family goals are clearly outlined
• Intervention goals and plan are clearly outlined
• Intervention plan links to family and care team goals
Reflections - 250 words x 2 (10 marks each):
• Meeting observations are succinctly described
• Demonstrated critical reflection, including reflexivity
• Clear connection between reflections and future practice
• Professional writing style, within word limit
• Adherence to APA formatting and referencing conventions
- Articulate and apply models and approaches for the professional and ethical practice of psychology
- Communicate effectively with a range of client, specialist, and nonspecialist audiences.
4 Presentation
You will be required to facilitate one (1) 45-minute presentation in class to your fellow group supervision members on a topic of applied psychological practice.
Possible topics may include the following:
• How you resolved a practice issue from your own simulated practice
• Working with couples or families
• Program development and/or evaluation
• An ethical problem you encountered and how you managed it
• LGBTIQ+ inclusive practice
• Working with sensory-impaired clients
• Skills-training with clients (e.g., communication, assertiveness, sleep hygiene)
• Describe and deliver a brief intervention to your group
Group membership and presentation timing will be decided in class in week 1.
You are encouraged to deliver your presentation in a way that is appropriate for the content, and the key learnings that you would like to impart to your fellow group members. This may take the form of a PowerPoint slide deck, interactive activities, viewing video material, facilitating class discussions, or any other relevant modality or activity. You may also ask your colleagues to engage in pre-reading or other preparatory activities for your presentation however, this must be provided to the Unit Coordinator via email by the Monday of the week prior to your presentation so that the information can be included on the Moodle site and your peers have time to complete these tasks.
Please upload your in-class presentation materials and/or planned session structure to the Moodle site by 8:59am of the Wednesday in the week that you are presenting.
Week 12 Thursday (30 May 2024) 11:59 am AEST
Upload presentation materials and/or planned session structure via assessment portal on Moodle by 8:59am of the Wednesday of your assigned week. Deliver group supervision presentation in class of assigned week.
Exam Week Thursday (13 June 2024)
Feedback will be uploaded to assessment portal on Moodle within two weeks of your in-class presentation.
To achieve a Pass grade, you need to achieve a minimum of 17.5 marks out of 25 in total.
Assessment criteria will be based on the following:
• Quality of the content provided
• Usefulness for target audience
• Clarity of content
• Evidence of critical thinking and synthesis of information
• Timing and pacing
• Appropriate referencing
- Critically evaluate the contemporary scientific literature to develop appropriate evidence-based practice
- Communicate effectively with a range of client, specialist, and nonspecialist audiences.
5 Portfolio
As part of the Master of Professional Psychology course, you are required to complete a psychology practicum. This psychology practicum will be completed across two units, this unit (PSYC20056 Professional Practice in Psychology 1), and the partner unit (PSYC29002 Professional Practice in Psychology 2). The psychology practicum must be at least 300 hours of psychological practice comprising at least 90 hours of simulated direct client contact, with the remainder including client-related activities, and individual and group supervision. The practicum portfolio assessment for this unit comprises the first component of your psychology practicum.
Students will be assigned an individual supervisor in week 1 to support professional growth and development. You will meet with your supervisor on a regular basis throughout the term to review your progress towards and obtain feedback about your competency development. There are two formal review milestones:
1. Mid-term review: Due week 6 (Friday 19 April).
2. End-term review: Due week 14 (Monday 10 June).
At these formal review milestones, students will collaboratively review their progress and competency development with their supervisor and complete the documentation provided on the unit Moodle site (i.e., the mid-term review must be completed at the mid-term milestone and the end-term review must be completed at the end of term milestone). This documentation must be signed by yourself and your individual supervisor before being uploaded to Moodle. These milestones also give you an opportunity to reflect on your own growth and progress towards your professional competencies and broader career goals. The mid-term review can be used to inform Part A of the Internship Program Plan (Assessment 2), and the end-term review includes a reflection on your learnings throughout Term 1, based on the end-term review conducted with your supervisor. This reflection will follow the Gibbs model and must include an action plan for the psychology practicum in Term 2. This reflection may also link to your Internship Program Plan (Assessment 2). More information about this reflection and the Gibbs model will be provided in week 1.
The end-term practicum review document must also indicate that you have achieved sufficient competencies to pass the first component of the practicum.
You will be required to record all simulated practice that is conducted online and complete all documentation in preparation for and to reflect upon your experiences both as client and practitioner. These recordings and documents must be stored as a practicum portfolio in a OneDrive folder that is accessible to your individual supervisor and the Head of Course. Only the material inside your OneDrive practicum portfolio can be counted towards completion of your psychology practicum and therefore towards completion of your practicum hours and it is student's responsibility to ensure that the documentation and recordings are complete and correct (role-play recordings, roleplay records, supervision records, logbook, end-term reflection, and both mid-term and end-term practicum reviews). The end-term review must include a link to your practicum portfolio on OneDrive, for validation by the Head of Course at the end of the term.
Exam Week Monday (10 June 2024) 4:59 pm AEST
Upload submission via assessment portal on Moodle.
Exam Week Friday (14 June 2024)
Feedback will be uploaded to assessment portal on Moodle.
To pass this assessment item you will be required to maintain the OneDrive practicum portfolio throughout the term for review at your individual supervision sessions and by the Head of Course. Only the material inside your OneDrive practicum portfolio can be counted towards completion of your psychology practicum, and this material must match the information in the supervision records, logbook, and practicum review documents.
The criteria are set out in the end-term practicum review document and cover the competency areas which define the critical capabilities and attributes deemed necessary to ensure that graduates are equipped to practice psychology safely and effectively subsequent to graduation. It is expected that across the entire Master of Professional Psychology course, students will demonstrate incremental development across these competency areas. In addition to these core competencies, the student and individual supervisor are asked to reflect on the student’s response to supervision and course-wide learnings.
Your final practicum review will be assessed according to the following criteria. More detail will be provided in the psychology practicum handbook and the practicum review document.
Professional, Legal, and Ethical Duties:
• Written and verbal communication
• Psychological documentation
• Relationship-building
• Ethical disclosures and considerations
• Evidence-based practice
• Reflectivity
• Adherence to professional standards
Psychological Assessment and Intervention:
• Observation and history-taking skills
• Formulation
• Diagnosis and differential diagnosis
• Micro-counselling skills
• Goal-setting skills
• Intervention techniques
• Intervention and session planning
• Integration of key models and guidelines
• Practice across the lifespan
• Cultural competency
• Risk assessment
• Professional reasoning
• Safe practice
Practicum Components:
• Progress within individual and group supervision
• Feedback
• Reflectivity and reflective practice
• Competent simulated practice
• Completion of adequate progress towards psychological practicum completion
Reflection of practice:
• Clear consideration of each stage of reflective practice
• Tied reflections to practice framework
• Demonstrated critical reflection, including reflexivity
• Professional writing style, within word limit
• Adherence to APA formatting and referencing conventions
- Critically evaluate the contemporary scientific literature to develop appropriate evidence-based practice
- Articulate and apply models and approaches for the professional and ethical practice of psychology
- Communicate effectively with a range of client, specialist, and nonspecialist audiences.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.