PSY3051 Perception and cognitive psychology
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY3051 Perception and cognitive psychology is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton and Malaysia. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton, Malaysia
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 2 other tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before PSY3051
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After PSY3051
No unit lists PSY3051 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisites: PSY2061
Overview
The first half of this unit encompasses the acquisition, organisation, and retrieval of knowledge and aims to cover cognitive psychology more generally. It includes emphasis on contemporary research techniques, cognitive architecture, attentional processes, models of learning and memory, mental imagery, language and higher-order thinking. The second half covers sensory processes involved in vision, audition and speech perception. Coding mechanisms common to different modalities are emphasised to help you understand general mechanisms of sensory coding and perceptual processing.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Online |
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
| First semester | Malaysia | On campus |
Assessment
- Research Poster (500 words)Artefact20%
- Group Presentation – AI in Cognitive Psychology Pitch (15 min total)Presentation30%
- Examination (MCQs, SAQs, EAQs) (2 hours and 10 mins)Examination50%
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
Apply the practical and theoretical skills underlying major methods for conducting cognitive and perceptual psychological research;
- 2
Describe how theoretical principles of cognitive psychology can be applied to explain empirical findings within perception and cognition;
- 3
Evaluate historical and current theory on basic perceptual and cognitive processes;
- 4
Appraise the contribution of cognitive research paradigms and methods to understanding of broader issues in contemporary society;
- 5
Communicate current ideas about perception and cognition to different audiences.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials21 hours
- Lectures24 hours
Two lectures of one hour each per week.
Two hours of tutorials ten times per semester.
One hour unit induction tutorial in week 1.
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
PSY3051 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Prerna Varma
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Shamsul Haque
- Nathan Ogilvie
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for PSY3051?
PSY3051 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is PSY3051 offered?
In 2026, PSY3051 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton and Malaysia, with an online option.
Does PSY3051 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include PSY3051?
PSY3051 is part of Psychology.