PSY4020 Ethical and Professional Practice

Subject Cat-nbr Class Term Mode Description Units Campus
PSY 4020 86262 1, 2009 EXT Ethical and Professional Practice 1.00 Toowoomba

Academic group: FOSCI
Academic org: FOS005
Student contribution band: 1
ASCED code: 090701


Contents



STAFFING

Examiner: Lucille Douglas
Moderator: Nola Passmore



REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in Program BSCH in Psychology major (12302) or in one of the following Programs: BPSH or BPSY



RATIONALE

There are a number of ethical and professional issues that are common to the various specialised fields of psychological practice whether they be in clinical psychology, counselling psychology, neuropsychology, educational psychology, forensic psychology, or any other area of psychological practice. In all such fields psychologists are exposed to a variety of clinical issues. These issues can include, but are not limited to: client and therapist relationship, choice of theoretical orientation when conducting therapy, exposure to various clinical disorders (such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders and personality disorders), and how to recognise and handle the difficult client. In addition it is also recognised that psychologists need to be acutely aware of ethical codes of conduct, the competencies required for registration, and how these guidelines affect the daily practice of psychology in Australia.




SYNOPSIS

This course is designed to introduce the student to a number of issues involved in the professional practice of psychology. Various issues such as working with challenging populations, learning, knowing, and applying ethical guidelines, and evaluating various ethical dilemmas in a variety of clinical settings (through real life and simulated case studies) will be explored. Students must be able to access StudyDesk.




OBJECTIVES

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1.
demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues that influence psychological professional practice (Ethics Analysis Assignment and Ethics Case Vignettes);
2.
relate basic skills of psychological practice to underlying theory and to concepts of professionalism (Essay).



TOPICS


Description Weighting (%)
1. Ethics
30.00
2. Psychologist Competencies
20.00
3. Professionalism
10.00
4. Developing & Maintaining the Therapeutic Alliance
10.00
5. The Role of the Therapist
10.00
6. Dealing with Difficult Clients
10.00
7. The Psychologist in the Workplace
10.00


TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Yalom, I.D 1989, Love's Executioner: And Other Tales of Psychotherapy, Bloomsbury, London.




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.

Nixon, M.C. (ed) 1984, Issues in Psychological Practice, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, Australia.




STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY HOURS
Assessments 45.00
Private Study 95.00
Residential Schools 32.00



ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description Marks out of Wtg(%) Due date
ETHICS ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT 174.00 10.00 30 Mar 2009
CASE VIGNETTES 40.00 45.00 30 Mar 2009
1500 - 2000 WORD ESSAY 20.00 45.00 01 Jun 2009


IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as workshops and the on-line discussion group) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. Participation in on-campus workshops is a mandatory requirement of Psychology Honours, and PSY4020. The skills components of this course will be across several compulsory workshops to be held on campus. If circumstances prevent a student from attending a workshop, the student will either fail the course or be required to repeat the course in the next year.
  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the total marks available from the summative assessment.
  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative items in the course.
  6. Examination information:
    There will be no examination for this course.
  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    As there are no examinations in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations.
  8. University Regulations:
    Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

9. The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the Examiner.
10. Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within 24 hours if required by the Examiner.

This version produced 11 Dec 2009.