Admission and Unit Information - Graduate Diploma of Psychological Studies

Psychology is a field of scientific inquiry that uses a set of scientific techniques and methods to explain and understand the causes of behaviour. As a profession, psychology applies its knowledge to practical problems in human behaviour. This unit covers a range of topics in psychology at an introductory level including: the history of psychology, intelligence, social psychology, developmental psychology, indigenous and cultural psychology, personality, and abnormal psychology.

This unit is driven by the scientific method with a focus on experimental design and related data analysis. Although some of the methods and techniques are dealt with in passing in earlier units, a more complete approach is adopted here. Research design and methodology issues, statistical concepts and techniques, computer analysis of data, and communicating research findings are all features of this unit.

This unit provides an introduction to the biological and neuroscientific bases of human behaviour. Topics covered include the chemistry of life, the molecular basis of life, the cell and some of the major organ systems of the human body with particular reference to the nervous, endocrine and sensory systems. The course has a significant laboratory component which reinforces lecture and text material. Students will be introduced to the biological and neuroscientific concepts necessary for a thorough understanding of areas of psychology such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, developmental psychology, human learning, and physiological psychology.

This unit examines the fundamental principles underlying human perception and expands upon the sensation and perception content introduced in the foundational psychology units. After reviewing the biological basis of sensing and perceiving, we will explore the way this relatively raw information is processed and organised into the complex perceptions of the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and somatosensory systems, which constitute the fundamental basis of our experience of the world. The unit will also examine the history of perceptual theories and the use of psychophysical methods and experimental approaches to the study of perceptual processes

Human Learning is concerned with the experimental analysis of human and animal behaviour and focuses upon associative learning, including classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning approaches. Definitions, assumptions, and basic phenomena associated with the study of learning are described and evaluated in terms of their ability to account for various aspects of human behaviour and experience. The practical work highlights important concepts introduced in the lecture program and focuses upon practical techniques of use in everyday situations.

The study of motivation and emotion attempts to understand why a person engages in certain actions and why he/she has certain feelings and thoughts. In addition to being an interesting topic in its own right, concepts of motivation and emotion are central to many broader aspects of psychology. Therefore, in addition to examining core motivation and emotion research and theory, the unit also explores the topic's relationship with other areas of psychology, and its relevance to central debates discussed throughout the discipline. Emphasis is placed on a critical understanding of the relevant research and its implications for theory and practice.

Social psychology is the study of human behaviour and mental processes in their social context. Social psychology examines social behaviour and social thinking using scientific psychological research methods. This unit considers both classic and recent theories, research and applications in core areas of social psychology such as: attitudes, stereotyping and prejudice, social cognition, group processes, cross-cultural and indigenous psychology, and social influence. Emphasis is placed upon the role of contemporary research and theory in increasing our understanding of social phenomena and the relevance of this to everyday life.

Cognitive psychology studies the mental processes that underpin attention, perception, learning and memory. Conceptual and research questions include: How do we recognize speech, faces, or music? What are the structures and mechanisms of human memory? What processes underpin acquisition of language, and are the processes similar when we learn a second language? What processes are involved in reading? What factors affect attention and performance? Is creativity anything more than problem solving? Contemporary theories will be discussed and evaluated. Investigative research methods include experiments, computer modelling, clinical case studies, and brain imaging.

Personality is the study of the mental and behavioral factors on which individual human beings vary. In other words, the study of personality is the attempt to understand why a given individual is the way he/she is. This unit involves an examination of the major personality theories, applications to individual differences, and contemporary research. Emphasis is placed on a critical understanding of personality research and its implications for the practice of psychology.

Abnormal Psychology is the study of behaviours that cause distress or dysfunction or are judged as deviant within the individual's culture. This unit examines definitions of abnormality, ways of assessing and diagnosing abnormality, theories of the causation of psychological abnormality and treatments for recognized psychological disorders. Diagnostic criteria from the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders are applied to illustrative cases with emphasis on contemporary Australian research and theory. The development of integrated models of abnormality, including biological, psychological and social factors, is a significant theme of the unit.

This unit advances upon the research methods and statistics taught in the prerequisite unit, Experimental Design and Analysis. It introduces students to nonexperimental, correlational research design, and develops skills in survey research, including questionnaire design and administration, and survey sampling. Knowledge and skills in the construction and evaluation of psychological tests are also taught. Accompanying correlational statistical techniques are taught, together with advanced analysis of variance, and instruction in the use of SPSS. The unit also develops skills in conducting and reporting psychological research.

Note: The unit offerings for the 1H and 2H Teaching Periods at Bankstown and Penrith campuses listed above are available only for students enrolled in courses 1670 - Bachelor of Education (Birth - 5 years) and 1615 - Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies (Child and Family). Please note that enrolments will be monitored and students who are not enrolled in courses 1670 or 1615 will be required to withdraw from 1H/2H and enrol in one of the alternative Teaching Periods listed above. Structured around an overview of lifespan development including diversity, this unit explores the holistic nature of growth and development through developmental theory and research. This unit highlights the interactive nature of three main areas of development: biological, cognitive, and psychosocial changes that affect the individual from conception to end of life. The unit encourages observation as a means for understanding development and promoting individuals well being. An understanding of indigenous development will be integrated into the unit alongside an appreciation of richness in diversity within various cultural contexts.