PSY4032 Psychopathology and clinical science
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY4032 Psychopathology and clinical science is a level 4, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. It isn't offered in 2026. It needs PSY4051 and PSY4131.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Other periods
- Monash Online
- Assessment
- No exam
- 2 tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before PSY4032
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After PSY4032
No unit lists PSY4032 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Overview
This unit develops your understanding of how human behaviour is classified as ‘pathological’ through examination of the historical influences and the theory of the aetiology, assessment, and treatment of psychological disorders.
Adopting a biopsychosocial-cultural perspective across the lifespan, this unit will provide broad and comprehensive knowledge of both scientific and professional aspects of psychopathology.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching period 3 | Monash Online | Mo |
| Teaching period 6 | Monash Online | Mo |
Assessment
- Workbook & critical review (Part A: 750-1,000 words (25%) Part B: 1,250 words (35%))Written60%
- Case formulation (Part A: 1,250 words (25%) Part B: 750 words (15%) Total 2,000 words)Written40%
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 key biological, psychological and socio-cultural perspectives on the cause, presentation, diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders across the lifespan.
- 2
Critically evaluate theoretical perspectives and current research findings to advance knowledge of the causes, diagnosis, management and outcomes of psychological disorders.
- 3
Apply best practice approaches to the assessment and treatment of psychological disorders, accounting for a range of contexts and diverse populations.
- 4
Effectively use a range of digital media and online collaboration tools, in both individual and group contexts, for evidence-based discussion of psychological case studies.
- 5
Apply knowledge of ethical and legislative frameworks to ethical concerns in mental health practice and research
- 6
Critically reflect on your beliefs and attitudes towards psychological disorders to identify personal development opportunities.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials6 hours
You should expect to spend a minimum of 20 hours per week on this unit to achieve the learning outcomes.
This time will cover:
a) video lecture materials;
b) synchronous & asynchronous discussion;
c) synchronous web-based 'class-time' for skills-based activities;
d) weekly readings;
e) weekly skills-based assessment tasks; and
f) content-based assessment, including revision and formative assessment.
Each week there will be a one hour ‘Live class’, facilitated by your instructor. This will be followed by a live office hour, where you can ask questions and chat with your classmates and instructor about anything to do with the unit or psychology in general. There is also a 1 hour live chat with the Senior Instructor that you can attend each week for additional discussion and guidance.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Heather Soo
- Unit Coordinators
- Manisha Balgovind