Postgraduate - Edith Cowan University

contexts. The course examines theoretically and practically how
information is conveyed or denied to modern audiences in order to
influence emotions, motives, and objective reasoning.
PSE4101 10 Credit Points
Working as School Counsellor
FACULTY OF EDUCATION & ARTS
School counsellors play an important part in supporting students,
teachers and parents in schools. The role is diverse as the needs
of people involved in a school community are diverse. This
unit introduces students into this diverse working world of the
school counsellor. This unit has a large practical component with
students being placed within schools working along side the
school counsellor. Through reflection and case study notes
students will begin to integrate theoretical knowledge with the
practice of school counsellors.
PSE4102 10 Credit Points
School Psychologist as Classroom Practitioner
FACULTY OF EDUCATION & ARTS
Working as a school counsellor traditionally revolved around
assessing students, seeing student for individual counselling
sessions as well as supporting staff and parents. The roles and
relationships held with school members was defined by these
activities. The place of a school counsellor within a school setting
is in transition and as such requires school psychologists to work
in less traditional areas. One such area is the classroom.
Teaching in the classroom is a different relationship than a student
counsellor one and demands that the counsellor navigate the
change in relationships with students and staff. This unit will
explore the changing nature of school counsellors and the new
role within the classroom setting while still maintaining a
therapeutic presence within the school.
PSY4000 15 Credit Points
Introduction to Family Practice
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit introduces students to the legal frameworks, policies and
theories of family practice. Legislative frameworks for working
with families will be explored from a variety of perspectives,
taking into account the social, political and ecological
expectations about families, their formation and growth. The unit
will provide a framework for understanding diverse theories and
practice models for working with families.
PSY4001 15 Credit Points
The Family Counsellor: Skills, Theory and Practice
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit introduces students to the practice of family counselling.
The unit will take an holistic approach to family work while
building an understanding of several approaches to working with
family members. Skills of family work will be discussed as
different models of family counselling are explored.
PSY4002 15 Credit Points
Cultural Influences on Families in the Australian Context
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit introduces students to issues of culture and its influence
on the ways in which diverse Australian families (including
indigenous families) define themselves in the context of a
multicultural society. Students will consider matters of cultural
identity, religion, the impact of discrimination and prejudice on
families and how families negotiate their identities as both
Australian and ‘different’ from the ‘mainstream’.
PSY4003 15 Credit Points
Working with Families in High Conflict
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit will explore the roles, tasks and skills that family
practitioners will need for working with families in high conflict.
It includes issues around the possible roles that practitioners might
assume and how these roles might impact on the way in which
they work. The unit provides students with an opportunity to
analyse issues of protection, the appropriateness of working with
families experiencing chronic conflict and standards of practice
for intervening in issues of high conflict.
PSY4004 15 Credit Points
The Family Mediator: Skills, Theory and Practice
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
This unit will introduce students to the processes and skills
involved in the problem-solving approach to mediation. Using a
social science approach and a combination of formal
presentations, discussions and role plays, the unit will familiarise
students with the theory, skills and practice of mediation as an
approach to helping families in conflict to resolve disputes.
PSY4005 15 Credit Points
Working with Children in the Shadow of the Law
FACULTY OF COMPUTING, HEALTH AND SCIENCE
Family breakdown and social disharmony can involve children as
participants (for example, when their parents separate), as
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.
294 ECU Postgraduate Course Guide 2008