Course Guide - Edith Cowan University

witnesses (for example, of family violence or criminal behaviour)
or as victims (of abuse or neglect). Working with them, either as
an assessor or counsellor, requires specific skills. This unit
introduces students to these skills and considers issues of
importance in working with children who may be at risk.
PSY4006
15 Credit Points
Working within the Court System
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit will introduce students to the skills required for working
with court personnel, counselling in court situations and for court
matters, preparing court reports and acting as witnesses in court.
Issues covered will include representing children’s best interests,
collaborating with lawyers and ethical issues for practitioners who
work within court systems.
PSY4107
15 Credit Points
Theoretical Issues in Professional Practice
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit provides an overview of the legal and ethical principles
that govern psychological interventions and an exploration of the
theoretical principles that underlie counselling.
PSY4121
15 Credit Points
Psychology in Society
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
The unit looks at people within the contexts of social settings and
systems of which they are a part. It examines the fit between
people and the wider community, trying to understand where and
why problems occur, looking at prevention and empowerment.
The unit examines the history and development of community
psychology, different theoretical orientations and approaches, and
how community psychology is practised.
PSY4139
15 Credit Points
Research Skills
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
The aim of this unit is to consolidate and extend knowledge of
research methods gained at undergraduate levels. The course
assumes competence with basic descriptive and inferential
statistics and with elementary research designs. Students will
apply this knowledge to critical appraisals of relevant research
domains and to generating researchable questions.
PSY4141
15 Credit Points
Psychological Assessment
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Psychological assessment is a basic function of the professional
psychologist and involves the assessment procedures being
undertaken to provide data for informed decision making. This
unit provides instruction in the major techniques developed for
psychological assessment. It includes examination of a range of
assessment strategies or approaches as well as a more detailed
investigation of a range of psychological tests, their
administration, scoring and interpretation. The usefulness of these
various assessment approaches and tools will be considered in the
context of how they can inform the decision making process given
the problems to be solved.
PSY4150
15 Credit Points
Health and Clinical Psychology
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit examines psychological, biological and social influences
on people’s health. The determinants of healthy behaviour will be
considered, as will how people stay healthy, how and why they
become ill and how they deal with acute and chronic illness. Both
physical and mental health and illness will be the focus of the
unit.
PSY4151
7.5 Credit Points
Contemporary Issues in Psychology
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit allows students enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma in
Psychology to study in depth a domain of literature that highlights
current issues impacting upon the development of psychological
theory or the application of psychological principles. The material
reviewed in this unit may focus on current debates in the areas of
research, clinical, forensic or community psychology.
PSY4152
7.5 Credit Points
Research Proposal
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
The research project and literature review is completed during two
semesters of full-time study (or the part time equivalent), during
which time the candidate is under the supervision of a member of
the School of Psychology staff. In this unit students develop their
research skills by designing a project, achievable in the time
available, to give a clear answer to a research question (or
manageable set of research questions). Projects need to be related
to content areas taught in the psychology course. During second
semester (in the units PSY4253 and PSY4254) the literature
review and research project are completed and written up by the
candidate.
PSY4205
15 Credit Points
Theoretical Aspects of Psychology and Law
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the field of
forensic psychology, by examining the application of
psychological knowledge and methods to issues in the operation
of criminal and civil law. This will include the psychology of
aspects of criminal investigations, the trial and post trial
processes, and civil and family law.
PSY4253
15 Credit Points
Research Literature Review
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Prerequisite :
PSY4152 Research Proposal
In this unit students enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma in
Psychology complete a literature review on a topic closely related
to their research project designed in the unit PSY4152 Research
Proposal, under the supervision of their academic supervisor.
PSY4254
15 Credit Points
Research Project
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Prerequisite :
PSY4152 Research Proposal
In this unit students enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma in
Psychology conduct the research project designed in the unit
PSY4152 Research Proposal, under the supervision of their
academic supervisor. The project is then written up by the
candidate in a research project format.
PSY4310
15 Credit Points
Applied Developmental Psychology: a Family Perspective
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit aims to provide students with an in-depth examination of
current issues in contemporary developmental psychology with
specific focus on the family. Developmental issues will be
explored from an ecological perspective taking into account intraindividual
and social cultural factors. The knowledge base gained
through this focussed inquiry will provide students with a
foundation for formulating research questions.
PSY5000
10 Credit Points
Family Practice Placement
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit will introduce students to family practice within an
agency context. During the placement, students will explore
practice issues and skills for assessing and working with clients
experiencing family difficulties and evaluating the outcomes of
interventions.
PSY5001
12.5 Credit Points
Contemporary Issues in Family Practice
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit will provide an opportunity for students to be exposed to
and engage with some of the contemporary issues in family
practice. It will encourage students to question some of the core
values and traditional frameworks for working with families and
ECU Postgraduate Course Guide 2007 283