Availabilities:

2021 unit offering information will be available in November 2020

Unit description

Develops knowledge and skills in methods of observation, measurement and psychometric assessment, including the use of formal psychological tests.

Unit content

Introduction and unit overview

  • Psychological testing and assessment
  • Historical, cultural and legal/ethical considerations
  • Research in Psychological Assessment
  • Intelligence and its measurement
  • Tests of intelligence
  • A brief stats refresher; reliability and validity
  • Tests and testing
  • Personality assessment overview and methods
  • Clinical and counselling assessments
  • Assessments in the disability sector (functional analysis, adaptive functioning measures, case management, etc...)
  • Preschool and educational assessment; Paediatric testing and assessment
  • Neuropsychology

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:GA1GA2GA3GA4GA5GA6GA7
1demonstrate knowledge of types and uses of psychological testsKnowledge of a discipline
2demonstrate an understanding of societal and ethical issues surrounding psychological testing including factors that may unfairly bias assessment and some potential solutionsKnowledge of a disciplineCultural competence
3understand methods for test construction and scoringKnowledge of a discipline
4understand and apply the statistics used to judge the appropriateness (e.g. culturally, developmentally) and psychometric properties of tests (e.g. explain, analyse and report reliability and validity coefficients)Intellectual rigourKnowledge of a disciplineCultural competence
5describe a number of common psychological tests of ability, personality and clinical diagnosisKnowledge of a discipline
6understand major issues regarding selection, administration, and scoring of tests, and interpreting and reporting assessment resultsIntellectual rigourKnowledge of a disciplineCultural competence
7write a clear, concise description of test and interview resultsKnowledge of a discipline

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate knowledge of types and uses of psychological tests
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
  2. demonstrate an understanding of societal and ethical issues surrounding psychological testing including factors that may unfairly bias assessment and some potential solutions
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
    • GA7: Cultural competence
  3. understand methods for test construction and scoring
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
  4. understand and apply the statistics used to judge the appropriateness (e.g. culturally, developmentally) and psychometric properties of tests (e.g. explain, analyse and report reliability and validity coefficients)
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
    • GA7: Cultural competence
  5. describe a number of common psychological tests of ability, personality and clinical diagnosis
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
  6. understand major issues regarding selection, administration, and scoring of tests, and interpreting and reporting assessment results
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
    • GA7: Cultural competence
  7. write a clear, concise description of test and interview results
    • GA4: Knowledge of a discipline

Prescribed texts

  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.
Prescribed texts may change in future study periods.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching method
Lecture online 2hrs (12wks )
Tutorial on-site 1hr (10wks )
Assessment
Online Testing Exercise & Reflective Essay30%
Essay40%
Exam: closed book30%

Teaching method
Lecture online 2hrs (12wks)
Tutorial on-site 1hr (10wks)
Assessment
Online Testing Exercise & Reflective Essay30%
Essay40%
Exam: closed book30%

Teaching method
Lecture online 2hrs (12wks)
Tutorial online 1hr (10wks)
Assessment
Online Testing Exercise & Reflective Essay30%
Essay40%
Exam: closed book30%
Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every session. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the study session.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2021 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 1

Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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