Psychological Science: Theory & Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Estimated total time commitment for this subject is 120 hours.

Completion of 512302 Research Methods for Human Inquiry.

Completion of at least two Level 2 psychology subjects from Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Personality & Social Psychology.

For students undertaking a Bachelor degree with a major sequence in psychology, the completion of at least 200 points is required.

For students undertaking the Graduate Diploma in Psychology, the completion of at least 50 points is required.

Prior coursework in two Level 1 psychology subjects including Mind Brain and Behaviour 1, and Mind Brain and Behaviour 2.

512310 Psychological Science: Theory and Practice

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards of Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit Website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject draws together students' undergraduate experiences in psychology by emphasising links between the science and practice of psychology in contemporary life (the science-practioner model). The subject comprises a lecture and a research seminar stream. In the lecture stream the three areas of strength in the Psychology Department - Clinical Sciences, Social Psychology, Cognitive psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience - will be reviewed in depth. In the research stream, students work on a research topic with a small group of peers, under the supervision of a psychology department academic. The aims of the lecture research streams are to prepare students for further studies within the discipline or the workplace by practicing core research skills. These include understanding ethical aspects of research, collaborating with peers in planning research, collecting and analysing data, and report writing. Consistent with best practice, groups will construct and present professional research posters to report their findings.

The subject aims to:

• provide students with experience in research applications
• reinforce the critical importance of ethical research
• ensure that students are fully aware of cultural sensitivities and research practices
• introduce students to ideas about the complementary nature of different research methods
• reinforce issues related to designing research, selecting principled measures and analysis

The lecture stream will be assessed in a two hour end of semester examination worth 40% of the overall mark to be held during the specified University examination period.

The research stream will account for 60% of the overall mark and will be assessed through a project comprising two components: (1) an individual report of 1500 words to be submitted during the semester (worth 50%), and (2) a group poster presentation to be completed by the end of semester (worth 10%).

An 80% attendance hurdle requirement will be enforced. Failure to meet the 80% attendance requirement will result in an additional piece of assessment being set before students will be considered to have satisfactorily completed the subject.

No prescribed texts

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Commerce

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Students will be given appropriate opportunity and educational support to develop skills in:

• Report writing
• Data analysis
• Ability to undertake basic research