| Semester 1, 2020 On-campus Toowoomba | |
| Short Description: | Comprehensive Psychological As |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences |
| School or Department : | School of Psychology and Counselling |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 090701 - Psychology |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Requisites
Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MPPS or MCPS or be undertaking the course as professional development
Rationale
Psychological Assessment is a core competency area in the practice of Psychology. The skills-based competencies of this course will enable the student to contribute to individual assessments with an appreciation for and mastery of the technical, multi-disciplinary, cultural, and personal aspects of psychological test use with a focus on evidence-based analysis, interpretation, and report-writing.
Synopsis
This course aims to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of a broad range of approaches to assessing individual behaviour in adults and children through the use of standardised tests. Students will develop expertise in the analysis, interpretation, and communication of psychological test data pertinent to psychological practice. Attendance at the five on-campus workshops is mandatory. Dates of the five workshops will be according to the 'Workshop Schedule' which will be emailed to students at the outset of the program.
Objectives
On completion of this course students will be able to:
- inspect appropriate methods, tools, and approaches with an awareness of ethical issues in the conduct and use of psychological tests and consider the implications for test selection and interpretation
- interpret assessments conducted and make recommendations regarding intervention;
- integrate cognitive, psychosocial, psychoeducational, and behavioural test findings according to evidence-based best practices.
- communicate results of assessments in an effective manner and in the context of multidisciplinary teams and clients.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Scope of Psychological Assessment from referral to feedback and recommendations, and ethical and professional issues in regard to psychological assessment. | 20.00 |
| 2. | Evidence-based report writing. | 20.00 |
| 3. | Adult Psychosocial Assessment. | 20.00 |
| 4. | Adult Cognitive/Intellectual Assessment. | 20.00 |
| 5. | Educational and Developmental Assessment. | 20.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=01&subject1=PSY5140)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
There are no texts or materials required for this course.
Reference materials
Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Lezak, MD, Howieson, DB, and Loring, DW 2012, Neuropsychological Assessment, 5th edn, Oxford ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press, New York.
Mitrushina, MN, Boone, KB & D'Elia, LF 2005, Handbook of Normative Data for Neuropsychological Assessment, 2nd edn, Oxford ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press, New York.
Strauss, E, Sherman, M.S., & Spreen, O 2006, A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests, 3rd edn, Oxford ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Press, New York.
Vanderploeg, RD 2000, Clinician's Guide to Neuropsychological Assessment, 2nd edn, Erlbaum, New Jersey.
Journals: Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology; Assessment; Journal of Clinical Psychology; Psychological Assessment; The Clinical Neuropsychologist.
Handouts and other recommended readings will be distributed during the semester.
Handouts and other recommended readings will be distributed during the semester.
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Private ¾«¶«´«Ã½app | 125.00 |
| Workshops | 40.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL ASSESS | 50 | 40 | 04 Jun 2020 | (see note 1) |
| PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSESSMENT | 34 | 60 | 18 Jun 2020 |
Notes
- Assessment pieces are generally due two to three weeks following the presentation of the workshop for which they are intended to examine. A schedule of due dates for each piece of assessment will be distributed at the first workshop.
Important assessment information
-
Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in the compulsory workshops held on-campus, where the skills components of this course will be taught. During these workshops, students will engage in the development and practice of skills. Further, it is the students' responsibility to study all assigned material. If circumstances prevent a student from attending any portion of a workshop, the student MUST contact the examiner IN ADVANCE, if at all possible. The student must also contact the examiner in order to arrange an alternative activity, although it is important to note that it will be at the examiner’s discretion as to whether an alternative activity will be made available. Attendance at, and participation in, the five workshops and/or completion of one or more alternative activities at a standard judged to be appropriate by the examiner is required to pass this course. Attendance at the five on-campus workshops is mandatory. Dates of the five workshops will be according to the 'Workshop Schedule' which will be emailed to students at the outset of the program. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item. See also point 4 below. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade, a student must submit each assessment item, and achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for each assessment item. All courses in the MPPS and MCPS, are approved by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), which requires that students pass all assessment items in all courses. Where a student fails any assignment, the student will be allowed one opportunity to re-submit their work following feedback from the course examiner. If a student fails any assignment a second time, he or she will be deemed to have failed the course and will be required to undertake the course again at its next offering. This rule applies regardless of whether or not the aggregated marks for remaining assessment in a course are higher than 50% overall. Where illness, bereavement, or circumstances of similar gravity affect a student’s ability to meet the high standards expected in the course, the student should meet with the course examiner and Director of Postgraduate Psychology to negotiate suitable management of the person’s individual needs in accordance to ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and procedures. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course, with a passing grade only awarded where all workshops were attended and all assessment items were passed. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
There will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course -
¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
-
The due date for assessments is the date by which a student must despatch an assignment to USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the Examiner. In accordance with the university's Policy on Assessment, the Examiner of a course may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances. This policy may be found in the USQ Handbook, the Distance Education ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Guide and the Faculty of Sciences' Orientation Handbook for new on-campus students. All students are advised to study and follow the guidelines associated with this policy.
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APA style is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use APA style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide.
Other requirements
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Students will require regular access to e-mail and internet access to UConnect for this course. Reliable access to the internet is a requirement of this course as the course contains elements that are managed electronically via USQ ¾«¶«´«Ã½appDesk. In order to avoid internet issues, on-campus students should access the student computer laboratories to complete assignment work. External students who knowingly do not have reliable access to the internet should actively seek alternative internet access (e.g., Internet cafes, local libraries, or work places) for assessment submission and electronic assessment attempts. External students are able to use the on-campus student computer laboratories once access has been enabled. To be granted access, external students need to contact ICT and ask to have a student account enabled so that they can work on-campus.