Overview
In this unit you will focus on the professional ethics and standards that must be met as a registered psychologist. This unit will examine requirements for initial, and ongoing registration, and legal aspects of psychological practice. Opportunities for critical analysis, ethical decision making, and preliminary preparation for your internship will be provided.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Students must be enrolled in the Master of Professional Psychology
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Evaluate and apply relevant legislation related to psychological practice
- Apply the ethical principles and standards endorsed by the Psychology Board of Australia
- Articulate models and approaches for continuing professional development and registration.
Learning outcomes are related to core competencies stated by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsychBA), program of study criteria as stated by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), and specifications for study at level 9 as indicated by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 20% | |||
| 2 - Online Test - 50% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||
| 4 - Research | |||
| 5 - Self-management | |||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||
| 7 - Leadership | |||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | |||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| 1 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 20% | |||||||||
| 2 - Online Test - 50% | |||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||||||
Textbooks
APS Code of Ethics
- (2018)
- Authors: Australian Psychological Society
- Australian Psychological Society Ltd
- Binding: Other
APS Ethical Guidelines
- (2018)
- Authors: Australian Psychological Society
- Binding: Other
Ethical practice in applied psychology
- (2014)
- Authors: Boyle, C., & Gamble N.
- Oxford University Press Australia
- Melbourne Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
- ISBN: 978-1-1955-2310-2
- Binding: Paperback
Publication Manual of the American psychological Association
- Sixth edition (2009)
- Authors: American Psychological Association
- American Psychological Association
- Washington Washington , DC , United States
- ISBN: 978-1-4338-0561-5
- Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
As student members of the Australian Psychological Society students will have free online access to the Code of Conduct and Ethical Guidelines.
Publication manual of the APA is available as an E-book also. However, if you prefer a paper copy, you can purchase at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.blunden@cqu.edu.au
Week 1: Introduction to Unit: Professional and Collegial Behaviour
Begin Date: 11 Mar 2019Module/Topic
Introduction to the unit
Professional and Collegial Behaviour
What is an ethical psychologist?
Chapter
APS Code of Conduct and the following APS Ethical Guidelines:
- Ethical guidelines for managing professional boundaries and multiple relationships
- Ethical guidelines on the prohibition of sexual activity with clients
- Ethical guidelines for psychological practice in rural and remote settings
- Ethical guidelines for working with and in the media
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2: Legislation and Government Funding
Begin Date: 18 Mar 2019Module/Topic
Legislation and Government Funding (e.g. Disability services, Medicare, & Veteran Affairs)
Mental Health Act
Chapter
Refer to the following:
- Medicare Rebates for psychological services (APS website)
- Health Practitioner Regulation National Law
- Department of Veteran Affairs (mental health)
- Equal Opportunity Act 2010
- Anti-discrimination Act 1991
- Mental Health Act
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3: Working with Children and Adolescents: using the EDM model
Begin Date: 25 Mar 2019Module/Topic
Working with Children and Adolescents
Use of the Ethical Dilemma Decision (EDM) making model
Confidentiality, consent
Chapter
Refer to APS Code of Conduct and the following guidelines:
- APS EDM model
- Ethical guidelines for working with young people
- Ethical guidelines on confidentiality
- Ethical guidelines for psychological practice with men and boys
- Ethical guidelines for psychological practice with women and girls
- Ethical guidelines relating to procedures that involve psychologist-client physical contact
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4: Duty to Report and Protect
Begin Date: 01 Apr 2019Module/Topic
Duty to Report and to Protect
Mandatory reporting
Child protection, elder abuse, domestic violence
Use of EDM model
Chapter
Refer to APS Code of Conduct and Ethical guidelines on reporting abuse and neglect, and criminal activity
Refer to EDM model
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5: Keeping and accessing records
Begin Date: 08 Apr 2019Module/Topic
Keeping and Accessing Records
Referral procedures
Security and legality issues
Chapter
Refer to APS Code of Conduct and Ethical guidelines on record keeping
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 15 Apr 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6: 5+ 1 Internship
Begin Date: 22 Apr 2019Module/Topic
5 + 1 Internship Program
Procedures
Obligations
Supervision
Chapter
Refer to the Psychology Board of Australia website and read the following:
- Guidelines for the 5+1 Internship Program
- Guidelines for the National Psychology Examination
- National Psychology Examination Recommended Readings
- National Psychology Examination Curriculum
- Policy and procedure for candidates who fail the exam three times
- Ethical guidelines for supervision.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7: Working with Diversity
Begin Date: 29 Apr 2019Module/Topic
Working with Diversity
Working with Indigenous Australians
Psycho-legal principles
Disability
Minorities
Ethics, culture and religion
Chapter
Refer to APS Ethical Guidelines:
- Ethical guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- Ethical guidelines for psychological practice with lesbian, gay and bisexual clients
- Ethical guidelines on working with sex and/or gender diverse clients
- Ethical guidelines for psychological practice with clients with an intellectual disability
- Ethical guidelines for psychological services involving multiple clients
- Ethical guidelines for psychological practice in forensic contexts and
- Psychology Board of Australia policy for the management of notifications about single court appointed expert psychologists in family law courts proceedings
Readings on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8: Complex cases using the EDM model
Begin Date: 06 May 2019Module/Topic
Ethical decision making
Indigenous case examples
Chapter
Readings for this week will be uploaded to the unit moodle page.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9: Clients who pose a risk to self and/or others
Begin Date: 13 May 2019Module/Topic
Clients who Pose Risk to Self and/or Others
Mandatory reporting
Use of EDM model in case examples
Chapter
Refer to APS Ethical Guidelines:
- Ethical guidelines for working with clients when there is a risk of serious harm to others
- Ethical guidelines relating to clients at risk of suicide
- Case study on Moodle
Readings on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10: Ethical Research & Practice
Begin Date: 20 May 2019Module/Topic
Ethical Research and Practice
Guest lecture by Chair of Human Ethics Research Committee
Chapter
Refer to:
- National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research
- Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018
Events and Submissions/Topic
Guest lecture by Prof. Tania Signal
Week 11: Developing as a professional
Begin Date: 27 May 2019Module/Topic
Developing as a Professional
Procedures for practice, supervision, professional development
Multi-disciplinary team practice
Private practice vs Government employment
Chapter
Refer to APS guidelines:
- Ethical guidelines on supervision
Refer to Psychology Board of Australia website:
- Guidelines for mandatory notifications
- Guideline on professional indemnity insurance for psychologists
- Guidelines for continuing professional development
- Guideline - Informing a National board about where you practise
- Guidelines for advertising regulated health services
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12: Online in class test
Begin Date: 03 Jun 2019Module/Topic
On-line Test
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Your online test will become available through moodle during usual class time. This is an open book test, however it is timed.
Record of professional practice Due: Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 9:00 am AEST
Online Test Due: Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 10 Jun 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 17 Jun 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This assessment provides you with the opportunity to prepare for the completion of your Internship Program plan. The assessment will consist of two Parts.
Part A requires you to respond to questions/considerations taken from the Guidelines for the 5 + 1 Internship Program.
Part B requires you to respond to criteria that will be found in Section F of the Internship Program plan (INPP-76) which relates to the core competencies to be achieved throughout your internship.
Week 9 Monday (13 May 2019) 9:00 am AEST
To be uploaded through assessment portal on moodle
Week 12 Monday (3 June 2019)
Feedback and grades will be uploaded through assessment portal on moodle
This assessment will be marked out of 100 and is worth 30% of the overall unit grade.
Part A questions:
Where am I working and what supervisory needs relate to this setting?
What are my professional needs and goals?
Do I have a career plan or path in mind?
Does my career plan include ultimate specialisation in an area such as counselling, clinical or organisational psychology?
What types of supervision would enable me to achieve the maximum gains in learning?
What might I expect from supervision?
What is my preferred learning style and what am I looking for in a supervisor?
Does my proposed supervisor have the experience and skills I need?
Meeting times and arrangements for cancellations of meetings.
Payment arrangements.
Records and other documentation to be kept.
Availability of the supervisor(s).
Expectations, rights and responsibilities of all parties.
Reporting arrangements, including those that are part of the internship plan and other required reporting (e.g. in the workplace)
Processes for feedback.
Policies for dealing with confidentiality and other ethical issues, and
If a secondary supervisor has not been selected, discussion about an appropriate secondary supervisor is desirable.
Part B will focus on the following competencies:
Knowledge of the discipline
Ethical, legal and professional matters
Psychological assessment and measurement
Intervention strategies
Research and evaluation
Communication and interpersonal relationships
Working with people from diverse groups
Practice across the lifespan
- Evaluate and apply relevant legislation related to psychological practice
- Apply the ethical principles and standards endorsed by the Psychology Board of Australia
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
This assessment requires you to read a provided scenario which depicts a psychologist's activities across a number of weeks. You are then required to complete a Logbook: Record of professional practice (LBPP-76) template located on the Psychology Board of Australia website using details from the scenario.
Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 9:00 am AEST
Document to be uploaded to the Assessment portal on moodle
Exam Week Friday (21 June 2019)
Feedback and grade will be uploaded to the Assessment portal on moodle
The assessment will be marked out of 20 and is worth 20% of the overall unit grade. Marks will be awarded for all correctly identified activities.
- Articulate models and approaches for continuing professional development and registration.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Online Test
You will be required to complete an online test during Week 12. This test will be open book, however it will be timed - note once you commence the test you will only have 1.5 hours to complete. Once 1.5 hours has passed the test will automatically close. You will need to be well prepared prior to the commencement of the test and ensure you are in a location that allows you to not be interrupted.
Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Monday (17 June 2019)
Grades will be entered into gradebook
The online test will cover all aspects of the unit and will require you to make reference to a number of the resources utilised throughout the term.
- Evaluate and apply relevant legislation related to psychological practice
- Apply the ethical principles and standards endorsed by the Psychology Board of Australia
- Knowledge
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
