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PSYC13026 - Psychology Capstone

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This capstone unit provides you with the opportunity to reflect upon what you have learned from your undergraduate psychology degree, and to apply your discipline-specific knowledge within a professional context. There will be a focus on the transition into the workforce or further study, including the opportunity to review and finalise your professional ePortfolio, and to reflect on your values and current competencies as a future professional in the field of psychology. You will work in a small team to complete an applied major group project to address a real-world problem faced by an external organisation. Working as scientist-practitioners, your project (such as a research proposal, grant application, literature review, intervention, or evaluation), will be based on contemporary research evidence and consideration of cultural and ethical issues, and will highlight your discipline-specific and professional knowledge and skills.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 3
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 4
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

96 credit points including PYSC13015.

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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2022

Term 2 - 2022 Profile
Online
Term 2 - 2023 Profile
Adelaide
Bundaberg
Cairns
Online
Rockhampton
Townsville
Term 2 - 2024 Profile
Adelaide
Bundaberg
Cairns
Online
Rockhampton
Townsville

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).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate 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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Group Work 0%
2. Portfolio 0%

This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 2 - 2023 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 81.25% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 43.24% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: Student end of term unit evaluation
Feedback
Students requested an opportunity to receive feedback from the unit coordinator in relation to their presentations.
Recommendation
Schedule a formal session where groups can receive one-on-one feedback about their project and presentation from the unit coordinator, prior to final delivery in week 12. This would be in addition to opportunities to meet with the project partner.
Action Taken
All groups were offered a feedback session with the unit coordinator over weeks 9 and 10. About 80% of groups took up this opportunity and reported that the sessions were positive.
Source: Student end of term unit evaluation
Feedback
Students suggested that examples of the group work project, including instruction on preparing research budgets should be provided.
Recommendation
More resources and support will be provided to students to assist in the preparation of their group's presentation (e.g. examples of past group pitches, assistance with pitching, and developing budgets and timelines).
Action Taken
Examples of pitches from previous years were deliberately not given. This was because some topics offered by partner organisations were repeated. Doing so may also reduce the level of creativity in developing the solution and delivering the pitch. This was made clear to students. However, additional support was given, including a workshop dedicated to delivering an effective industry pitch, and examples of timelines and budgets. This session was delivered in conjunction with an expert guest speaker.
Source: Student end of term unit evaluation
Feedback
Students commented that the e-portfolio was useful but would have preferred it on a more well-known platform such as LinkedIn.
Recommendation
Students will continue to be required to prepare an e-portfolio. It is a university requirement that all students prepare a portfolio during their degree, and Portfolium is the current preferred and supported platform. The unit coordinator will continue to provide resources for producing high-quality and professional portfolios, including how to integrate the portfolio with other online job-seeking tools such as LinkedIn.
Action Taken
Additional resources were provided. However, issues continued to occur with the Portfolium software, which are extremely frustrating for staff and students. Will look at options to offer alternatives (such as a written portfolio, and/or LinkedIn).
Source: Unit Coordinator reflection
Feedback
Groups would benefit if they had to complete and submit a group memorandum of understanding (MoU) rather than it be a suggested activity.
Recommendation
Review submission requirements and schedule a time point early in the term when groups are required to submit a copy of their group memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Action Taken
An additional assessment item was introduced to Assessment 1. Groups had to prepare and submit a group charter or Memorandum of Understanding. This was well received and a positive addition.
Source: Student end of term unit evaluation
Feedback
Some students found that having the unit centred around a group assessment was stressful and unfair because of having to rely upon groupmates to pass the unit.
Recommendation
Assessments will continue to be reviewed and amended to ensure fairness and that they are clearly related to the unit learning outcomes. Working collaboratively is a vital graduate skill, and this skill is identified as an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) foundational competency. The Psychology Capstone unit provides an opportunity to work in groups on a real-world problem. Two of the three assessment items related to the group work activity are individual tasks. This will be made clearer to students.
Action Taken
Changes were made to the assessments. Groups had to prepare and submit a memorandum of understanding or group charter in the first few weeks of term. This was a good addition as it facilitated clearer expectations and relationships within groups. Feedback from groups was that it was a valuable addition.
Source: Unit Coordinator reflection.
Feedback
Several students failed the unit because they did not satisfy the minimum mark for Assessment 2 (portfolio). It was not possible to offer a reattempt because this option was not stipulated in the unit profile.
Recommendation
Unit Coordinator to discuss with the Deputy Dean (Learning and Teaching) about adding a statement to the Unit Profile, allowing students to resubmit Assessment 2. Any changes will be made in line with the university's policy on assessments.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Student end of term evaluation
Feedback
Several students commented on technical issues with Portfolium, and questioned whether it was the most effective tool for showcasing their skills, knowledge and experience.
Recommendation
Maintain the portfolio assessment, but consider alternatives to the Portfolium platform.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Student Personal Reflections (Assessment 1, Part D)
Feedback
The group contract (part of Assessment 1), was extremely beneficial in setting up the groups during the capstone unit, and has real application beyond university.
Recommendation
Keep the group contract as part of Assessment 1A, and continue to offer resources and tools to allow groups to develop group contracts effectively.
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate career readiness and insight into the skills, knowledge and personal attributes necessary to meet the standards of performance and practice expected in the workplace.
  2. Develop creative solutions to issues faced in the workplace.
  3. Critically reflect on the learning associated with the capstone project and identify further areas of learning and professional development.
  4. Identify and display interpersonal skills and teamwork to a level commensurate with a professional workplace.

In this unit, students will achieve all of the graduate competencies as outlined by the Australian Psychological Accreditation Council (APAC) (https://www.psychologycouncil.org.au/standards). These include:

  • Competency 1.1: Comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with a depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach.
  • Competency 1.2: Apply knowledge and skills of psychology in a manner that is reflexive, culturally appropriate and sensitive to the diversity of individuals.
  • Competency 1.3: Analyse and critique theory and research in the discipline of psychology and communicate these in written and oral formats
  • Competency 1.4: Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate values and ethics in psychology
  • Competency 1.5: Demonstrate interpersonal skills and teamwork
  • Competency 1.6: Demonstrate self-directed pursuit of scholarly inquiry in psychology.

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Group Work • • • •
2 - Portfolio • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication • • • •
2 - Problem Solving •
3 - Critical Thinking • •
4 - Information Literacy •
5 - Team Work • •
6 - Information Technology Competence • •
7 - Cross Cultural Competence • •
8 - Ethical practice •
9 - Social Innovation • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10