ATS3817 Psychology of language
Faculty of Arts
ATS3817 Psychology of language is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 5 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ATS3817
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS3817
No unit lists ATS3817 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Pre-requisite: 12 credit points of level 2 Arts units
Prohibition: ATS2817
Overview
Speaking something as complex as a human language is an amazing intellectual ability, and in this unit you will study those unconscious processes that underlie this ability. You will examine the distinctive features of language (both spoken and signed) as a system of communication and as a gateway to understanding the complexities of human cognition. You will delve into the intricacies of language structure, acquisition, development and change. You will investigate language comprehension and production (and what happens when these processes go wrong), and see how human cognition measures up to artificial intelligence. You will also look at the ways in which the social and cultural environment can influence how language is used, and the extent to which language and thought may shape one another.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Online quizQuiz / Test25%
- In-class testQuiz / Test10%
- In-Class Participation ActivityExercise20%
- Reflective writingWritten15%
- Research projectProject30%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
critically analyse and interpret major concepts, theories and research evidence related to the core areas of the psychology of language;
- 2
demonstrate an understanding of key research articles in psycholinguistic research and identify questions and issues raised;
- 3
analyse and interpret language data in relation to theoretical questions/issues;
- 4
devise your own research topic to apply psycholinguistic insights to practical problems in areas such as speech pathology, forensics and computational linguistics;
- 5
communicate logical and coherent arguments in writing.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials24 hours
- Lectures12 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
You will be presented with weekly worksheets that will be used to explore topics with their peers; you will also be encouraged to generate topics themselves. Tasks for group discussion will focus on problem solving and critical thinking]
Worksheets and assessment tasks will present scenarios, questions and real-world problems that will require you to think critically and creatively — you will be encouraged to pose questions, evaluate evidence, form explanations and arguments, and articulate their findings
Learning resources
Required resources
There are required texts for this unit. Required texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore (https://www.monash.edu/retail/books-and-merchandise-store/Textbooks) and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library (https://www.monash.edu/library).
Where it fits
ATS3817 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Alice Gaby
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Alice Gaby
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS3817?
ATS3817 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS3817 offered?
In 2026, ATS3817 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is ATS3817?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS3817 have an exam?
No. ATS3817 has 5 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS3817?
ATS3817 is part of Linguistics and English Language.