UnitLevel 4Postgraduate

PSY4111 Psychology foundations: The individual

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

PSY4111 Psychology foundations: The individual is a level 4, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. It isn't offered in 2027. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 5 units, leading on to 9 units in all.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2027
Other periods
Monash Online
Assessment
No exam
3 tasks

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Requisites

Enrolment rules

Corequisite: Must be enrolled in either of the GDP course codes (M5013 or 4525).

Overview

In this unit you will explore the historical origins and evolution of psychology as a scientific endeavour and applied profession. Key areas of interest within psychology will be introduced, including: the neurobiological basis of behaviour, how we sense and perceive the world around us, learning, memory and the development and expression of personality.
There will be a strong emphasis on acquiring skills of critical thinking and reasoning to locate, evaluate, and disseminate information central to the science and practice of psychology.
The two introductory units, PSY4111 Psychology 1A and PSY4122 Psychology 1B, together develop a foundation for understanding the breadth of principles and skills that are fundamental to psychology.

Offerings in 2027

Teaching periodCampusMode
Teaching period 1Monash OnlineMo
Teaching period 3Monash OnlineMo
Teaching period 5Monash OnlineMo

Assessment

  • Media review (1,400 words + evaluation checklist)Written
    35%
  • Science communication article & reflection (1,600 wordsWritten
    35%
  • Mind map (15 mins)Artefact
    30%

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. 1

    Describe the impact of key events and theoretical perspectives in the evolution of psychology as a science and a profession.

  2. 2

    Apply foundational concepts and theories from biological psychology, sensation and perception, learning, memory and personality to understand human psychology.

  3. 3

    Critically analyse knowledge claims in the public media that relate to psychology.

  4. 4

    Locate and synthesise information from multiple sources to construct a cohesive and compelling argument

  5. 5

    Communicate effectively in a variety of formats using a range of digital technologies.

  6. 6

    Reflect on experiences and learning during this unit to identify opportunities for personal and professional development.

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

Unit Coordinators
Katherine Dixon
Chief Examiners
Natalie Doring

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for PSY4111?

PSY4111 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

What can I take after PSY4111?

PSY4111 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 5 units, including PSY4051, PSY4131, PSY4140, PSY4151 and PSY4180. Those lead on to 9 units in all.

When is PSY4111 offered?

PSY4111 has no offerings listed in the 2027 handbook.

Does PSY4111 have an exam?

No. PSY4111 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
4
Study level
Postgraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational unit
Psychology
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Not available