PSY4220 Ethics, legal and professional issues in psychology
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY4220 Ethics, legal and professional issues in psychology is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2023 in Semester 1 at Clayton and Malaysia. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2023
- Semester 1
- Clayton, Malaysia
- Assessment
- Exam 40%
- and 2 other tasks
This is the 2023 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
No reviews yetNo reviews yet. Be the first to review PSY4220.
Requisites
Before PSY4220
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After PSY4220
No unit lists PSY4220 as a prerequisite in the 2023 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisite: Completed Bachelors Degree and a major sequence in psychology approved by the Australian Psychological Society or qualification assessed as equivalent by the Australian Psychological Society, with a distinction average for third year psychology units.
Prohibitions: PSY4200, PSY4504
Overview
This unit will focus on ethical, legal and professional issues related to psychological practice. Conceptual (e.g. ethical theories and definitions) and practical issues (e.g. common ethical dilemmas and case study appraisals) will be examined and addressed. Some of the professional areas to be covered include legislation governing psychologists, professional organisations, codes of professional conduct, and ethical issues arising from conflicts of interest, breaches of confidentiality, dual relationships, children as clients, working with older clients, using psychological assessments, the provision of psychological services to diverse populations, managing the suicidal client, reporting of child sexual abuse, and service delivery over a variety of digital platforms, including social media, internet and other digital applications.
Offerings in 2023
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
| First semester | Malaysia | On campus |
Assessment
- Group presentation (Video of 20 mins)Competency hurdle20%
- Case study (2,000 words)40%
- Examination (Open book - 2.5 hours)Threshold hurdle40%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Appraise the role of ethics in maintaining the professional integrity and cohesiveness of the practice of psychology and the mental health professions in general.
- 2
Explore the role of legislation relating to the practice of psychology and how to comply with such legislation in complex case scenarios.
- 3
Apply evidence-based ethical decision making models to complex case scenarios, and analyse cases which are reported to AHPRA and the PBA.
- 4
Explain the psychologist's professional responsibilities and boundaries in relation to managing a range of clients and research participants, in particular vulnerable groups across a wide range of developmental stages.
- 5
Develop appropriate professional and ethical behaviours in a number of potentially complex professional psychological practice and research situations including work with Indigenous, culturally diverse and LGBTQIA+ populations.
- 6
Apply ethical decision making strategies to assist in the development of professional self-reflective skills to maintain high standards of ethical conduct as a practising clinician and/or researcher.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures24 hours
- Workshops6 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Two hours of lectures per week.
Two hours of voluntary workshops three times per semester.
Preparation: Ten hours per week of self-directed study.
For full details of the teaching approach to this unit, please refer to Moodle.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Where it fits
PSY4220 is part of 1 area of study in the 2023 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Primrose White
- Dr Lee Ji Kwan
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Kylie King
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for PSY4220?
PSY4220 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is PSY4220 offered?
In 2023, PSY4220 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton and Malaysia.
Does PSY4220 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 40% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include PSY4220?
PSY4220 is part of Psychology.