Handbook : Course informationEdith Cowan University

Course Information

Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)

Effective from 01-JAN-2025 : Code T63

This fully online course, delivered in accelerated learning model, is designed to introduce students to a range of pre-professional competencies for practice in psychology as well as the conduct and evaluation of psychological research. Students will develop knowledge and skills for engaging with clients and other stakeholders in culturally appropriate and evidence-informed ways, including interviewing and interpersonal communication skills, applications of psychological assessment techniques, applications of psychological intervention strategies, and the foundations of evidence-based practice. Students will learn about the empirical and theoretical bases of psychological assessments and interventions as well as ethical and legal frameworks for psychological practice to facilitate development of competencies as ethical, reflexive, and evidence-informed practitioners. Students will build on previously developed psychological inquiry skills to not only be skilful consumers of evidence, but to also undertake research under supervision to become competent producers of evidence and be able to communicate research evidence to a variety of audiences. Through the self-directed, collaborative learning environment as part of a community of scientific inquiry, students will develop teamwork and communication skills and reflect on their own professional development. The course will prepare students for further study in professional psychology, or for a range of roles that rely on a sound knowledge of human behaviour and foundational psychology practice skills..

Disclaimer

This course information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester. In particular please check the course requirements and the unit and unit set offerings, as these differ according to course delivery location.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Communicate advanced psychological knowledge in a variety of formats to a range of audiences.
2. Critique complex issues using psychological knowledge in an ethical, culturally responsive way to independently and collaboratively generate responses.
3. Demonstrate self-management, self-reflective and advanced scholarly inquiry skills by planning, implementing, and evaluating projects in psychology that create appropriate responses to applied and theoretical problems.
4. Apply high level independent judgement to evaluate and apply psychological techniques and assessment strategies at a level appropriate for pre-professional competence.

Admission requirements

Admission requirement (Band 8)

• Bachelor degree in a cognate discipline; or
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience.

English Language requirement (Band 4)

English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

• IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
• Bachelor degree from a country specified in the Admissions Policy;
• Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience; or
• Other tests, courses or programs as defined in the Admissions Policy.

Course Specific Admission Requirements

All applicants are required to All applicants are required to have completed an APAC accredited Level 1 qualification in psychology (either a Bachelor degree or Graduate Diploma of Psychology or equivalent). Applicants with qualifications obtained overseas must provide evidence that their psychology qualification has been assessed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) as equivalent to an APAC- accredited Level 1 qualification in psychology. Applicants must have: - a completed bachelor's degree with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 70 or above (or equivalent). OR - a completed bachelor’s degree with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 65 or above (or equivalent) in the APAC-accredited psychology units. OR - a completed Graduate Diploma of Psychology with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 65 or above (or equivalent).

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 8 Graduate Diploma Award.

Course Duration

• Part Time: 2 Years

Course Delivery

• Online: Part Time

Non standard timetable requirements

For accelerated online, enrolment is classified as part-time, as students are studying one unit per study period with 6 accelerated study periods per year, each 7 weeks in length.

Course Coordinator

Dr Cindy BRANCH-SMITH

Course Structure

Complete the following 8 units (120 credit points):