UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This unit is the first practicum unit for postgraduate clinical psychology students. The aim is to provide a broad introduction to the practice of psychotherapy, and to offer students supervised training and experience in interviewing and assessment. The unit provides an introduction to the key aspects of professional practice and includes consideration of the ethical guidelines and legal responsibilities that relate to clinical practice. The unit also introduces students to assessment, basic counselling skills, interviewing techniques, note taking and report writing.

Credit

6 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
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 and/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 inform clinical practice, including consideration of diversity with respect to culture (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres/Strait Islanders), 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: (1) placement evaluation reports, online quizzes & online logbook; (2) active participation and attendance (clinic meetings, supervision, seminars/workshops, assessment/therapy sessions, intervention modules); and (3) completion of client intake/termination reports; client files/session notes; ability to comply with administrative requirements as per professional guidelines. 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 evaluation reports, online quizzes & online logbook, active participation and attendance (clinic meetings, supervision, seminars/workshops, assessment/therapy sessions, intervention modules), and completion of client intake/termination reports; client files/session notes; ability to comply with administrative requirements as per professional guidelines components.

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

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Lisa Saulsman

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in

01870/54570 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Psychology

and Successful completion of

three Unit(s) PSYC5672 Foundations in Clinical Skills I
and Unit(s) PSYC5673 Foundations in Clinical Skills II
and Unit(s) PSYC5675 Assessment and Intervention—Emotional Disorders

Contact hours

Minimum 200 hrs (including observation, supervision, supervised clinical work and case presentations). A record of signed hours and activities must be kept using the electronic logbook system and submitted at the end of semester.

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.