These inherent requirements apply to the following courses:

  • Bachelor of Psychological Science
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science/Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science/Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science/Bachelor of Commerce
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science/Bachelor of Laws
  • Bachelor of Psychological Science/Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

Australian Catholic University and the School of Behavioural and Health Sciences strongly supports the right of all people to pursue a Bachelor of Psychological Science (and associated double degrees).

Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the abilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of the course or unit, while preserving the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment and accreditation processes. The inherent requirements are the abilities, knowledge and skills needed to complete the course that must be met by all students.

Students with a disability or chronic health condition may be able to have reasonable adjustments made to enable them to meet these requirements.

The School is committed to making reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional practice and other activities to enable students to participate in their course. Reasonable adjustments must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement.

The Bachelor of Psychological Science (and associated double degrees) regularly undergo accreditation by Australian Psychological Accreditation Council (www.psychologycouncil.org.au/) in accordance with the Accreditation Standards for Psychology (www.psychologycouncil.org.au/sites/default/files/public/Standards_20180912_Published_Final_v1.2.pdf).

To support prospective and current students’ decision making, a series of inherent requirements statements have been developed. These statements specify the essential skills, knowledge and abilities required for the Bachelor of Psychological Science (and associated double degrees). Students should use this information to make informed decisions about their chosen course of study. The statements are clustered under seven domains consisting of ethical behaviour, behaviour stability, communication, cognition, relational skills, information and communication technologies, and sustainable performance.

The inherent requirements outlined below provide a guide to inform decision making for students and staff.

If you are intending to enroll in the Bachelor of Psychological Science (or associated double degrees) course in the School of Behavioural and Health Science you should look at these inherent requirements statements and think about whether you may experience challenges in meeting these requirements.

If you think you may experience challenges for any reason including a disability or chronic health condition, you should discuss your concerns with relevant staff, such as the Course Coordinator or Campus Disability Advisor. These staff can work collaboratively with you to determine reasonable adjustments to assist you in meeting the course inherent requirements. In the case where it is determined that inherent requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, University staff can provide guidance regarding other study options.

These inherent requirements should be read in conjunction with other course information.

The inherent requirements are made up of the following five components:

Level 1 - introduction to the inherent requirement

Level 2 - description of how you demonstrate that you meet the inherent requirement

Level 3 - explanation of why this is an inherent requirement of the course

Level 4 - the nature of any adjustments that may be made to allow you to meet the requirement

Level 5 - examples of tasks you must be able to do to show you have met the requirement (in-class and clinical/professional placement). The exemplars provided are not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Inherent requirement domains

There are 6 domains of inherent requirements in the Bachelor of Psychological Science (and associated double degrees). Domains provide a means by which to cluster the course specific inherent requirements statements. You are required to consider which domains apply to your course. Domains may include a set of sub-domains and these are also listed.

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

A capacity for self-reflection in order to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours in interactions with others is required in this course.

2

Student demonstrates:

  • The ability to accurately reflect on their performance.
  • The ability to accept feedback on their performance and respond constructively.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

This course requires students to demonstrate appropriate interpersonal communication skills. To develop these skills, one must be able to reflect to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours when interacting with others. 

4

Adjustments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an ability to reflect. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • When engaging with fellow students and/or with people from the wider community, identify how one’s own performance may be negatively affected by personal experience and/or reactions.

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively in this course.

2

Student demonstrates:

behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic environment.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

Resilience and good emotional regulation is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Students may be exposed to emotionally challenging and intellectually demanding situations and examples of human suffering. They will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events objectively.

4

Adjustments must ensure stable and effective behaviour in academic settings is not compromised. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

Being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback.

Managing own emotions and behaviour effectively when engaging with sensitive topics, challenging individuals, and time pressure.

This course requires effective verbal and written communication skills.

Verbal

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement of the course

2

Student demonstrates:

  • Comprehension of spoken English delivered at conversational speed
  • Ability to communicate clearly, audibly and intelligibly in English.
  • Ability to communicate respectfully with people of different gender, sexuality and age, and from diverse cultural, religious, socio-economic and educational backgrounds.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

The ability to understand and communicate verbally with others is needed for obtaining information and when working in teams.

4

Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in academic settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Participating in tutorials, class discussions, group activities, and oral presentations.

Written

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Effective written communication, in English, is fundamental to psychology studies.

2

Student demonstrates:

  • the capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
  • the ability to read and comprehend written information presented in a variety of formats.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of the relevant subject matter covered in this course.

4

Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure recording and transmission of information in an academic setting. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Constructing and essay or research report that meets academic standards of the field.

This course requires knowledge and cognitive skills, literacy, and numeracy.

Knowledge and cognitive skills

 

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated when undertaking studies in psychology.

2

Student demonstrates

The capability to locate and process relevant information.

The ability to maintain information over time.

Capacity to integrate and implement knowledge

The ability to critically evaluate information.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to accurately acquire and convey information is fundamental for understanding and applying knowledge.
  • The ability to read, comprehend, interpret and evaluate multiple sources of information is essential for understanding and applying psychological knowledge

4

Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • ability to conceptualize and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment tasks.

Literacy (Language)

 

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Competent literacy skills are essential in this course.

2

Student demonstrates

  • Ability to read, comprehend and integrate a range of different types of literature and information in English.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • The ability to acquire information and accurately convey messages is fundamental to understanding knowledge, evidence, theories and ideas used in Psychology.
  • The ability to read, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental to learning in Psychology.
  • The ability to convey accurate and appropriate messages is essential to create text-based Psychology assessment tasks.

4

Adjustments must ensure a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate and appropriate information. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Demonstrates the ability to paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions
  • Demonstrates the ability to find, analyse and integrate accurate and appropriate information for use in a variety of tasks, such as essays, projects, oral or poster presentations, tests or exams.

Numeracy

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for studies in psychology.

2

Student demonstrates

Ability to correctly interpret numerical information.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

Psychology is a scientific discipline where knowledge is derived from research findings. Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in psychology to interpret data from research.

4

Adjustments must demonstrate capacity to interpret numerical information and apply appropriate numeracy skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Conduct statistical analysis by applying formulae and via the use of a computer.
  • Interpret statistical analyses

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Psychology students must be able to demonstrate the ability to form working relations with others

2

Student demonstrates the ability to work as part of a group to complete tasks.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

  • Team work is an important life skill. The ability to work as part of team to produce assessment tasks is a requirement of completing this course.

4

Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of working as part of a team is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Working as part of a group to produce an oral or written assessment task.

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

A capacity for self-reflection in order to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours in interactions with others is required in this course.

2

Student demonstrates:

  • The ability to accurately reflect on their performance.
  • The ability to accept feedback on their performance and respond constructively.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

This course requires students to demonstrate appropriate interpersonal communication skills. To develop these skills, one must be able to reflect to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours when interacting with others. 

4

Adjustments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an ability to reflect. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • When engaging with fellow students and/or with people from the wider community, identify how one’s own performance may be negatively affected by personal experience and/or reactions.

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Psychology students must be able to use information technologies.

2

Student demonstrates the ability to learn to use new information technologies.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

Psychology is a scientific discipline where knowledge is derived from research findings. Competent use of statistical programs is essential to analyse and interpret data from research.

4

Adjustments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate use of information technologies. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Assessment task that involve conducting and interpreting statistical output using computer based statistical programs.

Level

Inherent requirement statement

1

Performance at a consistent and sustained level is needed to complete this course.

2

Student demonstrates:

  • Consistent and sustained level of physical and mental energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time
  • The ability to perform a range of activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus until they are completed within a reasonable time frame
  • The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time.

3

Justification of inherent requirement:

Sufficient physical and mental resilience is an essential requirement needed to perform tasks in an assigned period and to enable students to work effectively in the different learning settings.

4

Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5

Exemplars:

  • Participating in tutorials, lectures, and self-directed learning throughout the day
  • Participating effectively and safely in community engagement experiences within a specified time frame.

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