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Computational Behavioural Science (PSYC30023)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Understanding human behaviour is a major challenge and a crucial step in solving many of the world’s most wicked problems. As access to computational power has grown and data sources have expanded computational modelling methods have become essential to progress in understanding cognitive and social processes. This course covers topics in perception, memory, language, reasoning, social structure and influence from a computational modelling perspective. For computer scientists, it illustrates how computational approaches can be used to capture and explain human behaviour. For behavioural scientists, it provides the skill set required to develop computational theories of cognition and social behaviour and to exploit new and emerging sources of digital data.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Recognise and identify key terms of cognitive processes including perception, memory, language and reasoning
- Explain and illustrate processes that give rise to social structure and influence
- Build, employ, and analyse computational models of cognitive and social processes
- Communicate and critique the outcomes of computational modelling exercises in written form.
Generic skills
- Think critically and coherently about complex problems in the behavioural sciences;
- Translate aims and objectives for investigating complex problems into measurable questions, hypotheses, findings, and answers;
- Evaluate both various kinds of evidence to support answers to, and inferences about, complex problems;
- Synthesise and present evidence in meaningful and interpretable ways for others to comprehend;
- Critically recognise and articulate various limitations when investigating complex problems.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
There are no prerequisite subjects but a basic understanding of computer programming will be assumed. For instance, completion of PSYC30013 Research Methods for Human Inquiry would be sufficient. The course is intended to be delivered in semester 2 to draw on previous training in this respect.
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
Description | Timing | Percentage |
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Six computational notebooks
| Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 | 60% |
Final Exam
| During the examination period | 40% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Johan Koskinen Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 26 July 2021 to 24 October 2021 Last self-enrol date 6 August 2021 Census date 31 August 2021 Last date to withdraw without fail 24 September 2021 Assessment period ends 19 November 2021
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 3 November 2022