Handbook home
Psychology of Health Problems (PSYC90027)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 6.25On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject aims to foster a sense of professional competence in health settings through the exploration of relevant assessment issues and advanced treatment approaches and complex clinical practice issues. The subject is concerned with the examination of aspects of clinical health psychology practice and theory with an emphasis on students developing a critical approach to various clinical, professional practice and evaluation issues within the context of medical referrals and health and illness. In addition, the subject will also focus on the management of psychological problems associated with specific medical conditions seen in acute and sub-acute health settings.
Intended learning outcomes
Students will have an opportunity to develop expertise in the following areas:
- Recognition, understanding and assessment of psychological responses to illness, hospitalisation, medical treatment and disability;
- Understanding of psychological factors contributing to illness;
- Planning psychological management/treatment of psychological issues found in medical patients (taking into account common issues such as patient adherence to treatment);
- Understanding of common presenting difficulties in medical and acute health settings such as pain, depression, anxiety, medical phobias, fatigue, post traumatic stress, fear of death and dying;
- Gain knowledge of psychological interventions relevant to major medical disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, eating disorders, and neurological conditions;
- Gain an understanding of the nature of the hospital and health care settings; and
- Preparation of patients for surgery.
Generic skills
Written, oral and communication skills
Analytical, information integration and synthesizing skills
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Enrolment in one of the following Psychology professional training programs, 527CL, 527CN, 080CL, 080CN or MC-PSYCHCS
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Completion of APAC approved psychology studies to fourth-year (Honours) level.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
A mid-semester case formulation of 500 words (20% of assessment)
A 1500 word essay due at the end of semester (80% of assessment).
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Lesley Stafford Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 1.5 hours of lectures/seminars per week for 12 weeks Total time commitment 85 hours Teaching period 26 February 2018 to 27 May 2018 Last self-enrol date 9 March 2018 Census date 31 March 2018 Last date to withdraw without fail 4 May 2018 Assessment period ends 22 June 2018
Time commitment details
85 hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Weekly readings are uploaded for each lecture/seminar. These are updated every year.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Last updated: 3 November 2022