UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

As part of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Psychology or Graduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology courses, students undertake supervised field placements in approved agencies. Students are encouraged to choose placements that provide them with a range of experience. Students are also encouraged to gain experience working in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

The practicum provides students with an opportunity to observe the role of the clinical psychologist in a clinical setting and to gain experience and develop competence in assessment and intervention strategies and techniques.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Face to face
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Face to face
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) apply evidence-based assessment, diagnosis, case formulation, intervention, and evaluation for clients with diverse backgrounds (e.g., age &/or culture); (2) implement setting specific professional practice policies and procedures, including culturally-responsive written and oral communication with clients and colleagues regarding findings and progress; (3) show effective and respectful professional interactions with colleagues, peers, and supervisors, consulting when appropriate

; (4) show self-reflective practice and openness to supervisor feedback, maintaining professional practice within the boundaries of one's competence; (5) apply a biopsychosocial framework to understand the client's background, including consideration of diversity with respect to culture, age, and other factors (e.g. psychopharmacology); and (6) demonstrate the competencies in the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council's Standards at Level 3 (Professional Competencies 3.2-3.16) and Level 4 (Professional Competencies for Specialised Areas of Practice, Clinical Psychology 4.2). A summary of these competencies are offered as learning outcomes below..

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: placement documents (log book and placement reports). Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the placement documents (log book and placement reports) component.

This unit is assessed on an ungraded pass/ungraded failed basis. All assessment items must be successfully completed.

Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Lisa Saulsman

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in

01870/54570 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Psychology (ID 233)
and Unit(s) PSYC5678 Practicum I (ID 3857)

Contact hours

45 days

Note

Students enrolled in an APAC accredited program must hold provisional registration as a psychologist. It is the students' responsibility to ensure registration eligibility. Enrolled students are also responsible for maintaining provisional registration for the duration of their enrolment in the program. In addition, students are responsible for ensuring they have a valid working with children's check and a police clearance to enable them to undertake practicum work.