In this unit of study students will develop the practical skills of clinical psychology practice and apply these skills with child and adult cases during clinical skills practice in the Psychology Clinic. An emphasis is placed on skill development through active learning (observation, modelling, role play , feedback) and intensive supervision. Specific topics addressed in the unit include concepts and practices related to clinical assessment and formulation (e.g., diagnostic systems and interviews, mental status examination), as well as counselling micro skills and basic relational skills, and skills for the design and delivery of evidence-based cognitive behaviour therapy interventions. Where relevant, attention is given to the distinct clinical skills involved in effective practice concerning problems of childhood versus adulthood, and the use of such skills as part of culturally responsive practice with diverse client populations. Attention is also given to practical procedures involved in the operation of mental health clinics (e.g., intake processes), skills for participating in clinical supervision, and skills for collaborating with other mental health professionals and support staff in the course of clinical practice.

This unit introduces current perspectives on the conceptualisation and treatment of child and adult psychopathology. Core theories and models are presented within a developmental-ecological framework, and examined in relation to the aetiology, course, and maintenance of common psychological problems. Theoretical and practical skills-based training addresses core consultation processes (e.g., relational skills, engaging families) and clinical assessment and intervention practices across a range of formats for intervention (e.g., individual, group, parent/family, school-based, eHealth). Content related to children and adolescents focuses primarily on evidence-based psychosocial interventions for the major externalising disorders in these periods (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), as well as child and adolescent anxiety and mood disorders. In line with current best-practice guidelines, an emphasis is placed on placed on processes that are ecological and family-centred (e.g., parenting interventions; the role of teachers and schools in assessment and intervention). Content related to younger and older adults includes evidence-based psychosocial interventions for anxiety disorders (e.g., post traumatic stress disorder), mood disorders (e.g., unipolar depression, suicide management), and eating disorders (e.g., bulimia nervosa), and issues related to personality-related psychopathology. Throughout the unit attention is given to issues involved in the culturally responsive delivery of mental health interventions with diverse client populations.

In this unit students will develop expert understanding of theories and acquire advanced clinical skills that are important for psychological assessment of children and adults. The unit is based on the scientist-practitioner model which highlights the importance of critical thinking and utilisation of up to date research in selection of instruments and techniques to be used in assessments. The unit will promote a clinical approach that integrates clinical history, presentation and results obtained from psychometric testing (when appropriate) to form an opinion. Assessment and management of suicide risk will also be covered. It will develop a conceptual framework for understanding core psychological and developmental disorders, and assessment of these disorders. The unit will focus on assessment of behaviour, affect and cognition across the lifespan. Students will be taught how to undertake psychological assessments and how to communicate these complex findings to a range of audiences.

This unit will introduce students to current standards of ethical and professional practice in clinical psychology and promote life-long learning and understanding. Students will learn to apply current relevant legal framework, mental health practice standards, and the code of ethical practice. The unit will also strengthen theory-practice links by exposing students to a range of topics that are relevant to ethical and professional issues that present in the Psychology Clinic and later in professional life, including cultural competence. Students will attend lectures on research methods and evaluation in clinical research, and a series of seminars where they will listen to second year students who will present clinical cases and brief research presentations. Within this unit of study, students will also begin to plan their own research project and submit a preliminary research proposal. All students are required to attend and contribute to discussion of case and research seminar presentations throughout the semester, and are expected to attend the School Colloquium.

This unit of study will continue the case and research seminars introduced in PSYC6089 Research, Ethics and Professional Practice. All students are required to attend and contribute to discussion of case and research seminar presentations throughout the semester, and are expected to attend the School Colloquium. Students will formally present their research plan in order to receive a range of feedback from academic members of the School of Psychology. Students will also, under the guidance of their research supervisor, submit their ethics application, as necessary.

The unit is designed to provide students with intensely supervised practice in conducting the fundamentals of clinical assessment, diagnosis, formulation, treatment planning, and treatment implementation for adult patients, psychometric assessments for adults and children/adolescents and child, adolescent and family work. A cognitive-behavioural approach is predominant in this placement for adult work. It will also provide an introduction to the practice of conducting psychometric assessments with the aim of achieving competency in the administration, scoring, interpretation and report writing for these assessments. It is expected that three to four cases will be undertaken, but additional cases may be prescribed until a student reaches competency. All students will also conduct child, adolescent or family therapy under the supervision of clinical psychologists with expertise in this area. Students may be offered the opportunity to run a group, subject to availability. Students will be allocated to specific supervisors for adult and child, adolescent and family therapy. While supervisors vary in the format in which they offer supervision, with a mixture of individual, group and observation formats being offered, supervision is intense and with a high level of observation by supervisors throughout the placement.

This unit aims to integrate neuropsychology and health psychology to understand the psychological implications of health disorders/disabilities across the lifespan. The health psychology component will examine the relationships between psychological and physical functioning across a range of medical disorders and the way in which cognitive and behavioural factors influence psychological and physical functioning of those with health-related problems. This component of the course will be concerned with theories and interventions that improve quality of life for people with medical problems. The course will aim to investigate theories and practice in the areas of adjustment to illness, working with patients and their families with chronic illness and dealing with death and dying. The neuropsychology component of this unit of study will introduce students to core neuropsychological concepts in the common disorders that involve the central nervous system. The course aims to develop students’ understanding of functional brain organisation, recovery of function, core neuropsychological syndromes and rehabilitation. Lectures will include theoretical components, case presentations, informed by a research evidence base and discussions.

The aim of this unit is to introduce students to specialised areas of assessment, formulation and treatment focused on diagnosis and forms of distress not covered to date. This Unit of Study will also provide students with an opportunity to be taught directly by a wide range of clinicians working in the field in specialized areas. Visiting lecturers will bring their scholarly, practical and real-world knowledge into the classroom, preparing students for work with complex, severe and/or enduring problems. Students will also be taught when to refer clients to specialized treatment and will develop an awareness of psychopharmacology for complex presentations.

This unit of study will continue the case and research seminars introduced in PSYC6072 Case and Research Seminars 1. All students are required to attend and contribute to discussion of case and research seminar presentations throughout the semester, and are expected to attend the School Colloquium. All students will present a clinical case and prepare written case report(s). The case presentation requirement ensures that students demonstrate their clinical psychology competencies in a format in which they use oral presentation skills and critical thinking skills in needing to repond to on-the-spot questions and feedback from clinically qualified academic staff. The case report requirement ensures that students demonstrate competent report writing skills, and that they are provided with feedback from clinically qualified staff on competencies including assessment and history taking, formulation, the development and implementation of an intervention plan, and the monitoring of its effectiveness. Students are required to complete one adult therapy, one child assessment or therapy, and one assessment case report across all case and research seminars units of study.

During this unit students will be involved in data collection for their studies, with the expectation that at least a day a week will be involved in data collection. MCP students are to complete a research report comprising a literature review including their research question, method section, analytic plan and research timeline including relevant details of their research. The total length of this initial project report must be no less than 2000 words. MCP/PhD students will complete a research plan which will include a critical review of the relevant background literature. In this plan you will define your proposed area of research and articulate your central research question, describe and justify the goals and aims of your research in the context of relevant background literature. The length of the research plan with literature review should be 3000-5000 words.

This unit of study involves students completing a placement in a setting external to the University Psychology Clinic. The placement will expose students to a range of presentations in hospitals and community health settings. One external placement is required to be adults and one with children/adolescents and families. All placements are supervised by clinical psychologists who have approved supervisor status with the Psychology Board of Australia. Oversight of the student's progress in each placement includes a Mid-Placement Review visit to each placement site by a clinically qualified staff member of the University.

This unit is designed to extend skills in the Psychology Clinic, specifically clinical assessment, formulation, treatment planning, and treatment implementation skills and knowledge for adult and child patients. It also extends trainees' knowledge and experience conducting and interpreting psychometric assessments. Trainees will be allocated to new supervisors for this placement and supervision methods will become less intense, more individual and begin to reflect formats available in external placements, although frequent direct observation of the trainee's clinical practice continues. Clinical work may involve the integration of more than one model of therapy, a capacity to reflect more on process as well as content, the capacity to respond to more complex issues, including those related to personality and the greater individualization of approaches for each case. An additional aim of this unit of study is to equip students to assess and treat complex presentations such as personality disorders or more intractable chronic presentations, using appropriate models of therapy developed from cognitive behavioural principles.

This unit of study will continue the case and research seminars introduced in PSYC6073 Case and Research Seminars 2. All students are required to attend and contribute to discussion of case and research seminar presentations throughout the semester, and are expected to attend the School Colloquium. Students will prepare case reports written up from an external placement. The case report requirement ensures that students demonstrate competent report writing skills, and that they are provided with feedback from clinically qualified staff on competencies including assessment and history taking, formulation, the development and implementation of an intervention plan, and the monitoring of its effectiveness. Students are required to complete one adult therapy, one child assessment or therapy, and one assessment case report across all case and research seminars units of study. MCP students will present their research.

MCP students will conduct analysis and interpretation of the data they have collected for their empirical research project. They will write up a completed study, which will be in the form of a manuscript ready for submission to a peer reviewed journal. This paper can, but does not have to be, submitted to a journal prior to being included in the project report. A concise review of the relevant literature needs to precede the manuscript. The total length of the project report must be no less than 5000 words. MCP/PhD students will complete a systematic review. The systematic review is prepared as a manuscript for submission, including introduction and aims, method, results and discussion sections. The length of the systematic review will be determined by the area reviewed and journal guidelines, but should be at least 3000 words. These assessments will facilitate the write up of their thesis.

This unit of study involves students completing a placement in a setting external to the University Psychology Clinic. The placement will expose students to a range of presentations in hospitals and community health settings. One external placement is required to be adults and one with children/adolescents and families. All placements are supervised by clinical psychologists who have approved supervisor status with the Psychology Board of Australia. Oversight of the student's progress in each placement includes a Mid-Placement Review visit to each placement site by a clinically qualified staff member of the University. As the final clinical placement, this unit represents a capstone experience in bringing together learning from prior coursework and clinical placements.

This unit is designed to provide students with advanced level training in psychotherapeutic approaches. It serves to build on foundations skills and prepare students to respond to more complex presentations, using multiple models, short and longer term solutions and practices that can extend beyond the individual. This unit includes practices with are conducted in family and/or community settings and develops an awareness of the importance of peer knowledge and lived experience. Students will also develop an awareness of social and emotional well-being as a framework for working respectfully with First Nations peoples.