Course Outline
PSY750 Ethics and Professional Practice of Psychology
Course Coordinator:Kathina Ali (kali@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Psychology
2025Semester 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
The UniSC postgraduate psychology program is committed to maintaining the primacy of public safety in the delivery of the program within the education and placement environments. This course introduces you to the ethical and professional standards that apply to work undertaken by a clinical psychologist in professional contexts.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – 3 hour workshop | 3hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Course Topics
Course topics encompass professional practice and ethics associated with contextual decision-making, managing multiple relationships, marketing and advertising, self-care and burnout, working with diverse populations, inter-professional learning, and broader professional practice issues.
What level is this course?
700 Level (Specialised)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Psychology Accreditation Council | |
| 1 | Understand and apply knowledge of the APS Code of Ethics and associated Guidelines regarding the practice of psychology. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.12 |
| 2 | Show awareness of potential ethical problems that arise in working with vulnerable populations, including individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
3.11, 3.15 |
| 3 | Demonstrate knowledge of the contribution of other professions and ability to effectively collaborate with multidisciplinary professions in the context of psychology. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 4.2.3.3, 4.2.3.4 |
| 4 | Show engagement in self-reflective practice in the context of own values and beliefs and recognition of impact on professional practice. | Creative and critical thinker |
3.14
|
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Australian Psychology Accreditation Council | |
| 3.1 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, and consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings and codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically demonstrate successful (prior or concurrent) achievement of pre-professional competencies. |
| 3.2 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, and consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings and codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically apply evidence-based and scientific methods to professional practice across the lifespan in empirically valid and culturally responsive ways. |
| 3.3 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, and consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings and codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically employ professional communication skills, in a culturally responsive manner, with a range of socially and culturally diverse clients. |
| 3.10 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, & consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings & codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically demonstrate respect for the skills and contribution of other professionals. |
| 3.11 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, & consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings & codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically 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 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, & consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings & codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically 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. |
| 3.14 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, & consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings & codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically 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 | Taking into account the broad diversity of clients, & consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards, occupational settings & codes of ethical practice, graduates apply psychological knowledge to competently and ethically evaluate the effectiveness of their professional practice, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes where needed. |
| 4.2.3.3 | Graduates apply advanced psychological knowledge to culturally responsive interventions in the area of clinical psychology, including: consultation and collaboration with other professionals regarding clinical planning and referrals, particularly in the context of complex case presentations |
| 4.2.3.4 | Graduates apply advanced psychological knowledge to culturally responsive interventions in the area of clinical psychology, including: evidence-based practice in the understanding and management of psychological disorders, including across the age range and across modalities such as e-health approaches. |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Enrolled in Program AR702 or AR703.
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Limited Grading (PNP)
Details of early feedback on progress
Early formative feedback will be incorporated into class activities.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Written Piece | Individual | 1500 words |
Refer to Format | Online Submission |
| All | 2 | Artefact - Creative, and Oral | Individual | 10-15 minutes |
Refer to Format | Online Submission |
| All | 3 | Written Piece | Individual | 1500 words |
Refer to Format | Online Submission |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Written Assignment | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | This assessment is to help you develop ethical decision making skills with a focus on working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. |
|||||||||||||||
| Product: | Written Piece | |||||||||||||||
| Format: | The 1500 word written essay will adhere to APA publication style, excluding the title page and reference section. This assessment task will be due between weeks 4 and 6 of the teaching semester. The final date of submission for this task will be determined once public holidays and the course timetable have been published prior to the commencement of semester. Please refer to your course Canvas site at the commencement of the teaching semester to confirm the due date for this assessment task. |
|||||||||||||||
| Criteria: |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Generic Skills: | Problem solving, Information literacy |
|||||||||||||||
| All - Assessment Task 2:Video Role-Play | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this assessment is for you to demonstrate professional practice and sound ethical decision making in psychological practice when working with different professions. |
|||||||||||||||
| Product: | Artefact - Creative, and Oral | |||||||||||||||
| Format: | Record a 10-15 minute role play which demonstrates your ability to apply professional practice and sound ethical decision making when working within a multidisciplinary team. Ensure the context of the role play is also provided (e.g., weekly multidisciplinary team meeting). This assessment task will be due between weeks 9-12 of the teaching semester. The final date of submission for this task will be determined once public holidays and the course timetable have been published prior to the commencement of semester. Please refer to your course Canvas site at the commencement of the teaching semester to confirm the due date for this assessment task. |
|||||||||||||||
| Criteria: |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
|||||||||||||||
| All - Assessment Task 3:Reflective Journal | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this assessment is for you to reflect on your personal ethics and develop self-care strategies to prevent burnout. The task encourages you to develop a solid understanding of your own ethics to successfully integrate these within your clinical and professional practice. |
|||||||||||||||
| Product: | Written Piece | |||||||||||||||
| Format: | This written piece if two-fold. 1) Consider your own motivation and values and how they might affect your ethical decision making, particularly when working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds or when working with other professions (approximately 750 words). 2) Develop a self-care plan that will help you in challenging and difficult situations as well as how to take care of yourself on a daily basis working in the profession of psychology (approximately 750 words). This assessment task will be due between weeks 9-12 of the teaching semester. The final date of submission for this task will be determined once public holidays and the course timetable have been published prior to the commencement of semester. Please refer to your course Canvas site at the commencement of the teaching semester to confirm the due date for this assessment task. |
|||||||||||||||
| Criteria: |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration |
|||||||||||||||
Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
| Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
| Required | Christopher Boyle,Nicholas Gamble | 2014 | Ethical Practice in Applied Psychology | n/a | n/a |
Specific requirements
You are expected to attend all lectures. For any lectures that are missed you will need to demonstrate to your course coordinator that you have covered the required material. This will usually take the form of a detailed summary and reflection of the Directed Study Activities for the missed lecture.
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 5.1.1.3 and 5.1.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Academic Policy.
In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.
Assessment: Submission penalties
You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.
Refer to the Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Procedures.
SafeUniSC
UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.
Study help
For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.
Wellbeing Services
Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
AccessAbility Services
Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
-
In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
- Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au