Unit Synopsis
This unit will provide you with the opportunity to develop the theoretical knowledge and skills necessary to practice within a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) framework. You will explore the various cognitive and experiential components of CBT, and demonstrate your ability to critically reflect upon the needs of the client and the practitioner through CBT case conceptualisation/formulation. You will use technical, cognitive, and communication skills to engage in effective CBT practice, and investigate client needs, across a variety of client presentations (e.g. cultural diversity, across the lifespan, differing diagnoses).
Details
| Level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 9 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 4 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Students must be enrolled in CL68 Master of Professional Psychology or CG17 Master of Clinical Psychology.
Anti-req PSYC21003 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School |
Compulsory Residential School View Unit Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026
Term 1 - 2026 Profile
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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Written Assessment | 0% |
| 2. Practical Assessment | 0% |
| 3. Reflective Practice Assignment | 0% |
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.
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site .
Term 1 - 2025 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 92.31% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 43.33% response rate.
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.
Source: SUTE
Students reported more information about the video assessment would have helped the quality of their submission.
The teaching team will provide specific instructions for each separate video assessment to highlight the focus and goal of the assessment.
Students received specific instructions for their video assessments. These instructions provided a clear focus and goal for each part of the assessment.
Source: SUTE
Students wanted to view examples of intervention techniques.
The teaching team will develop videos of intervention techniques.
Due to time constraints, the teaching team was unable to develop the video resources. The unit coordinator demonstrated intervention techniques in lectures.
Source: SUTE Unit comments
Students commented that the unit coordinator's knowledge and enthusiasm increased their learning in this unit.
Staff teaching into the unit will continue to expand their knowledge and bring enthusiasm to their teaching.
In Progress
Source: SUTE unit comments
The feedback for the video assessments was not available, prior to their subsequent submission as students had to submit three video assessments whereby each assessment build upon the feedback of the previous assessment.
The teaching team will coontinue to provide feedback for the students for each assessments. This feedback will be returned to students prior to their subsequent assessment.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Apply effective therapeutic and communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy conceptualisations, treatment plans, and strategies.
- Evaluate and adjust therapeutic interventions, based on an evolving Cognitive Behavioural Therapy case formulation, using processes that are responsive to cultural context and practice across the lifespan.
- Critically analyse and reflect on therapeutic practice including technical skills and application of knowledge relating to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
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):
- 3.3 Employ professional communication skills, in a culturally responsive manner, with a range of socially and culturally diverse clients,
- 3.6 Conduct professional interviews and assessments and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk,
- 3.7 Monitor outcomes and modifications based on evolving case formulation, including health and health concerns, family and support networks, and organisational, cultural or community contexts, with care given to the appropriateness of interventions for the client within their wider context, and
- 3.8 Interpret and communicate findings in oral and written formats, including formal psychological reports, using culturally appropriate language,
- 3.9 Implement appropriate, empirically supported interventions, and monitor clients’ progress and intervention outcomes
- 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 (APC, 2019, p.13-14).
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment | • | • | |
| 2 - Practical Assessment | • | • | |
| 3 - Reflective Practice Assignment | • | • | |
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | • | • | |
| 2 - Communication | • | ||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | • | • | |
| 4 - Research | • | ||
| 5 - Self-management | • | ||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | • | ||
| 7 - Leadership | • | ||
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |