Internal Placement

Overview

This unit develops the foundational psychological practice skills students need to work effectively with clients, using culturally safe and anti-oppressive approaches, while supporting their progression toward the professional standards and competencies required to practise with growing autonomy. Building on the theoretical and simulated learning from the coursework units, the placement provides a supervised, structured environment in which students develop these skills, approaching applied problems through hypothesis-based assessment in line with a scientist-practitioner-advocate model. Students also engage in a range of professional development activities, including online supervision sessions with postgraduate educational and developmental psychology students.

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Integrate evidence-based psychological theory and practice in relevant professional environments and demonstrate increasing professional competency to practise with autonomy
2. Engage in ethical and professional psychological practice, consistent with current relevant legal frameworks, mental health practice standards and the occupational setting
3. Provide culturally safe, anti-oppressive, and high-quality psychological services that are responsive to the diverse needs of clients and that consider broader socio-ecological systems

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Assessment

Content

• No fewer than 300 hours of psychological practice
• Regular supervision (individual and group)
• Regular professional development workshops 
• Placement administration
• Engaging in self-reflection and critical reflexivity on social positionality, values, beliefs, biases, and professional competencies
• Developing trauma-informed, culturally safe, and anti-oppressive clinical practice skills
• Graduate Attribute 1 – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
• Graduate Attribute 2 – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
• Graduate Attribute 5 – Digital Literacies: Information literacy