Inherent requirements for postgraduate psychology courses

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Psychology is a profession governed by the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychology Board of Australia (opens in new window) where psychologists are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts. Students / provisional psychologists should demonstrate knowledge and engage in ethical behaviour in practice.

2

Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Compliance with the codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people they engage with. This ensures the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all.

4

Adjustments must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychology Board of Australia or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Complying with conduct required to maintain provisional registration as a psychologist.

» Understanding and practising appropriate professional boundaries including confidentiality and duty of care in work with clients whilst on placement/practicum.

» Demonstrating appropriate behaviour with confidential information in classroom settings.

» Demonstrate ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in this role.

2

Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic and clinical/professional environment, which may at times be challenging and unpredictable.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in diverse and changing environments. Students will be exposed to situations which are challenging and unpredictable, and will be required to have the behavioural stability to manage these objectively and professionally.

4

Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and placement/practicum settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» The ability to be self-reliant, organised, and an effective time manager.

» Demonstrating respectful behaviour and being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback

» Managing own emotional state in order to be able to develop and maintain an appropriate relationship with a diverse range of clients, professional colleagues and supervisors, academic staff and peers.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Psychology practice is mandated by specific legislation to enable the safe delivery of care.

2

Student demonstrates knowledge and compliance with relevant laws and professional regulations.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Knowledge, understanding and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites to placements in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others
» Compliance with these regulations and the law ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice and professional registration.

4

Adjustments must be consistent with legal and regulatory requirements. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Complying with legal requirements regarding all aspects of practice
» Complying with the requirement for student registration with the Australian Health Professional Registration Authority (AHPRA)

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe and effective delivery of psychology care.

2

Student demonstrates:
» Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences.
» The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner.
» The ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation.
» Timely, clear feedback and reporting.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships.
» The practice of psychology requires a wide range of communication skills including effective verbal communication with clients and members of the professional team.
» Speed, accuracy, and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety and/or assessment.
» Timely, accurate and effective communication is necessary to provide safe psychology care.

4

Adjustments must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues to ensure appropriate support. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Participating in tutorial, simulation and applied psychology discussions.

» Responding appropriately in an interview in the field placement environment.

» Collecting information from clients by asking questions during assessments

» Explaining a treatment plan to a client

» Discussing the client's progress with other professionals

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to the psychology profession and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathic and non-judgemental.

2

Student demonstrates:
» The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues.
» Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours
» Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
» Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships.
» Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences demonstrates respect and empathy to others, and permits the development of trusting relationships required to work with clients during placement/practicum.
» The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for the safe and effective observation of clients' symptoms and reactions as part of their assessment and psychology care.

4

Adjustments must enable the recognition, assessment and initiation of an appropriate response to non-verbal cues as well as initiation of effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator..

5

Exemplars:

» Recognising and responding to non-verbal cues in the field placement environment.
» Recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in classroom situations.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental psychology student responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.

2

Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice.
» Accurate written communication for a range of purposes and audiences is vital to provide consistent, safe, and accurate assessments and professional care in the field placement context.

4

Adjustments must not compromise the necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and field placement settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Constructing an essay to required academic standards.
» Preparing psychology reports in a timely manner that meets professional standard.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Consistent and effective knowledge and cognitive skills must be demonstrated to undertake safe and competent clinical psychology practice.

2

Student demonstrates:
» The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information
» The ability to process information relevant to practice
» The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Safe and effective psychology practice is based on knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately.

» A range of knowledge and cognitive skills is a requirement for course accreditation, field placements and professional registration by AHPRA.

4

Adjustments for knowledge or cognitive skills impairments must not compromise or impede student's ability to demonstrate the minimum acceptable level of knowledge and cognitive skill required to practice safely. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.

» Ability to apply academic knowledge, and knowledge of policy and procedures in field placement settings, for example through developing and testing hypotheses, developing treatment plans and then conducting individual sessions for clients based upon this.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Competent literacy skills are essential to permit safe and effective practice of psychology.

2

Student demonstrates:
» The ability to accurately acquire information and convey appropriate, effective messages
» The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information
» The capacity to understand and implement academic and practice conventions to construct written text in an appropriate manner for the intended audience.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of care.
» The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective professional support in the field placement context.

4

Adjustments to address literacy issues must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate the minimum acceptable capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Conveying a spoken message accurately and effectively in a field placement setting.
» Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic and/or professional practice conventions.
» Producing accurate, concise and clear case notes while on field placement which meets legal and professional practice requirements.

Inherent requirement statements

1

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential to provide safe and effective psychology practice management.

2

Student demonstrates:
» the ability to interpret and correctly apply numerical data, measurement and numerical criteria.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in psychology to facilitate accurate and effective delivery of results when collecting and interpreting numerical data.

4

Adjustments to address numeracy issues must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate the minimum acceptable capacity to manage and interpret numerical data. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Accurately scoring and interpreting psychometric assessments and psychological measures (outcome data) while on field placement.

» Accurately gathering and interpreting data using psychology specialist software, e.g. SPSS.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Psychological practice requires the ability to use highly developed interpersonal skills and establish strong relationships with a wide range of individuals, groups and communities.

2

Student demonstrates:
» The ability to make and maintain rapport with clients, academic staff, supervisors, and peers.
» The ability to engage in effective and empathic psychology practice.
» The ability to engage and relate appropriately in individual and group applied psychology and experiential learning groups.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Highly developed relational skills are a cornerstone of effective therapeutic relationships that permit effective engagement, assessment, intervention and closure.

4

Adjustments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an acceptable level of effective relational skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Rapidly building rapport with a client in order to engage them in an assessment or therapeutic session while on field placement
» Effectively using relational and interpersonal skills to manage the therapeutic relationship with clients on field placement.
 » Relating effectively, openly and sensitively to academic staff, supervisors, other professionals, and peers.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Psychological practice requires self-awareness and a capacity for reflection and reflexivity in order to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours on practice.

2

Student demonstrates:
» The ability to accurately reflect on their professional performance
» The ability to accept feedback on their professional practice and respond constructively

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Participation in supervision is a key teaching strategy in psychological education which requires well developed understanding oneself in order to appropriately engage in this activity.
» Working with clients while on field placement and understanding and responding to them requires the ability to notice, understand, and effectively manage one's own reactions to situations that may arise.

4

Adjustments for reflective skills impairments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an acceptable minimum level of capacity in this area. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Identifying when a practice issue is outside one's scope or expertise, or when one's practice may be negatively affected by personal experience and/or reactions.
» Reflecting in supervision on how one's own responses may impede or enhance work with particular clients on field placement.

Level

Inherent requirement statements

1

Psychological practice requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level to meet individual needs over time.

2

Student demonstrates:
» Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over a specified period of time
» The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately
» The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

» Sufficient energy and physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care.

4

Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor and Course Coordinator.

5

Exemplars:

» Participating in educational settings, e.g., tutorials, lectures throughout the day.
» Consistent and focussed involvement in field placement practice over a negotiated time frame.