Professional Placement (Clinical) 1 (PSYC90121)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 18.75On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1
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Students are required to complete 300 hours of placement (equivalent to a 40 day placement) in the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic. Students will have the opportunity to observe a range of clinical presentations in adult and child patients and to begin functioning as a clinical psychologist, under the supervision of a supervisor. Students will receive experience in history taking, conducting a mental state examination, arriving at a case formulation and making treatment plans. Under supervision, students will be given the opportunity to develop competence in the provision of psychological treatments to individuals and (where possible) groups. In addition, the subject aims to give the student experience of professional psychology practice, including professional presentation, report writing and record keeping, managing a clinical caseload, and liaising with other professional practitioners.

Over the 40 days, students are required to complete at least 15 hours of psychological assessments and to accrue a further 85 hours of face-to-face contact with patients (assessment and ongoing treatment of adults). Students are required to participate in regular weekly supervision. Supervisors for the Clinic placement will be registered as both psychologists and supervisors with the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA). Students undertaking this placement must be provisionally registered with the PBA and hold current Police and Working with Children's checks.

In addition students are required to attend, and present cases seen on placement at a weekly group supervision session over the course of their enrolment in this subject.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this placement subject, students should be able to:

Knowledge

  • Demonstrate familiarity with the clinical features of many mental health disorders experienced by adults, problem-oriented interviewing and communication, formal clinical examination, diagnostic formulation, and case presentation
  • Apply the theory underlying practical skills in counselling, interviewing, conducting mental state examinations and history taking and diagnostic interviewing, and including mindfulness in treatment.

Skills


  • Demonstrate competence in administration and scoring of a wide range of standardized neuropsychological tests and abilities measures, and demonstrate understanding of their psychometric underpinnings and underlying cognitive and behavioural processes
  • Conduct professional interviews, and assessments (including standardised psychological testing to assess and interpret aspects of functioning as well as formal diagnostic assessments) and synthesise information from multiple sources, including assessment of risk, to formulate a conceptualisation of the presenting issues to determine the most appropriate interventions, including management of risk
  • Interprete and communicate assessment findings in oral and written formats, including formal psychological reports, using culturally appropriate language
  • Implement appropriate, empirically supported, culturally appropriate interventions, and monitor clients' progress and intervention outcomes.

Application of Knowledge and Skills

  • Apply professional practice policies and procedures, including as they relate to referral management and record-keeping, across a range of workplace settings and with recognition of different organisational and cultural practices
  • Work effectively with a range of professionals and support staff in the workplace and communicate and collaborate effectively, within the bounds of ethical and legal requirements, demonstrating respect for the skills and contribution of other professionals
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of their professional practice (in conjunction with clinical supervisors), identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes where needed.

Generic skills

  • An in-depth understanding of specialist practice
  • Expanded understanding of the range of ways in which learning occurs
  • Capacity to work collaboratively
  • Capacity to confront and manage unfamiliar problems
  • Valuing different cultures
  • Development of a high regard for human rights, ethics and equity.

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

All of

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
PSYC90009 Individual and Cultural Diversity
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 6.25
PSYC90030 Principles of Psychological Assessment
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 6.25
PSYC90011 Introduction to Assessment and Diagnosis
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
 6.25
PSYC90023 Child Psychopathology
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 6.25
PSYC90016 Advanced Psychological Practice 2
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 6.25

Note: these subjects can also be taken concurrently (at the same time)

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

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: 4 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Attendance at placement for 300 hours face to face clinical work (assessment and treatment)

  • 300 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must complete 300 placement hours.		Throughout the semesterN/A

Students must provide evidence that log books are checked and endorsed by their primary placement supervisor AT LEAST every fortnight.

  • 250 words (equivalent)
Hurdle requirement: Student must maintain log books to the satisfaction of the primary placement supervisor.		Throughout the semesterN/A

RiskAware online training as hurdle component to be completed prior to students commencing placement activities.

  • 20 minutes
Hurdle requirement: Student must complete online training prior to placement.		Week 1N/A

Regular attendance at, and contribution to group supervision.

  • 12 hours
Hurdle requirement: Student must particpate in group supervision by actively contributing to discussions on a regular basis.		Throughout the semesterN/A

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    Principal coordinatorLisa Phillips
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours
    Total time commitment306 hours
    Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025
    Last self-enrol date14 March 2025
    Census date31 March 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025
    Assessment period ends27 June 2025

    Semester 1 contact information

    Principal Coordinator: Prof Lisa Phillips 
    lisajp@unimelb.edu.au 

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Further information

  • Texts

    Prescribed texts

    There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.

  • Related Handbook entries

    This subject contributes to the following:

    TypeName
    CourseGraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology

Last updated: 4 March 2025