PSY1011 Foundations in psychology
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY1011 Foundations in psychology is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2027 in Summer A and Semester 1 at Clayton and Malaysia. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 7 units.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2027
- Summer A, Semester 1
- Clayton, Malaysia
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
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Requisites
Before PSY1011
No prerequisites or corequisites.
After PSY1011
7 units list PSY1011 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
- PSY2041Psychological testing and assessmentNo reviews yet
- PSY2042Personality and social psychologyNo reviews yet
- PSY3032Psychological disordersNo reviews yet
- PSY3190Addiction studiesNo reviews yet
- PSY3214Mental health and wellbeing in diverse communitiesNo reviews yet
- PSY3251Suicide prevention and supportNo reviews yet
- SWM3127Foundations for family violence practiceNo reviews yet
Overview
This unit provides you with an introduction to the broad foundations of psychology as a scientific discipline.
It begins with an exploration of psychology's historical origins. The unit introduces theories related to cognitive and biological psychology, and you will be familiarised with key aspects of cross-cultural psychology.
Concepts related to mental health (psychological disorders, stress, motivation, emotion, etc.) will also be introduced.
Finally, you will learn academic writing and presentation skills to formulate evidence-based reasoning from multiple scholarly sources.
Offerings in 2027
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Summer semester A | Clayton | Online |
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
| First semester | Malaysia | On campus |
Assessment
- Argumentative teamwork presentation (10 minutes) Group presentation in week 6 or 7Presentation35%
- Argumentative essay (1,800 words)Written35%
- Test series (3 tests)Quiz / Test30%
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
Describe the key stages in the historical development of psychology and approaches to modern psychology, like cross-cultural psychology.
- 2
Explain key psychological concepts and theories across major areas such as biological, cognitive, social, organisational and Indigenous psychology.
- 3
Outline a range of psychological disorders and discuss how they impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people in everyday settings.
- 4
Develop critical thinking skills in basic research methods and psychological concepts and apply them to real world situations.
- 5
Effectively communicate psychological ideas with diverse audiences, across various modes.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars24 hours
- Tutorials21 hours
Two hours of seminars per week.
Two hours of tutorials 10 times per semester.
Induction tutorial: One hour in Week 1 of semester.
Eight hours background reading/preparation for seminars, tutorials and assessment tasks per week.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Where it fits
PSY1011 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2027 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Katherine Dixon
- Dr Yap Wai Meng
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Swati Mujumdar
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for PSY1011?
PSY1011 has no prerequisites.
What can I take after PSY1011?
PSY1011 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 7 units, including PSY2041, PSY2042, PSY3032, PSY3190, PSY3214 and PSY3251.
When is PSY1011 offered?
In 2027, PSY1011 runs in Summer A and Semester 1 at Clayton and Malaysia, with an online option.
Does PSY1011 have an exam?
No. PSY1011 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include PSY1011?
PSY1011 is part of Behavioural commerce.