Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology)

Verbal expression and comprehension (understanding)

What do I need to be able to do?

Understand and respond to verbal and written communication. This will assist you when participating in responding to emails, working in small groups, tutorial discussions, and practicing your professional communication skills. Being able to communicate verbally and in written form in a polite, courteous, and professional manner in a time responsive way is an important aspect of study and professional work.

Effective communication is crucial for university-level study, placements, and research projects, where clear written and verbal exchanges with colleagues, research participants, and supervisors are essential. Additionally, you need to establish and maintain rapport with clients, academic staff, supervisors, and peers to effectively engage in empathic and collaborative group work.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

Additional time allowances for comprehension and expression may be available to you for on-campus learning activities.

Professional experience placement activities will require time responsive communication. This should be discussed with your Placement Coordinator prior to commencing your placement.

Social communication

Social Communication refers to the capacity to understand and use appropriate non-verbal communication such as: eye contact, gestures, facial expression, speaking volume, tone of voice, proximity and verbal turn-taking.

What do I need to be able to do?

Recognise, interpret, use and respond to non-verbal communication appropriately during on-campus and professional experience placement settings to build relationships, assess clients support needs and proceed with intervention.

During professional experience placement, tasks which require the use of social communication skills include:

• Identifying and using gestures and verbal cues effectively in interactions
• Demonstrating understanding and empathy by responding to colleagues, participants, teaching staff and supervisors through open body language and facial expressions
• Collaborating effectively in group settings during studies, placements, or research projects.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.  

Consideration will be given to the use of non-verbal communication appropriate to your disability or condition for example, if you have a vision or hearing impairment, you may rely more on using either auditory or visual means of social communication.

Reading

What do I need to be able to do?

Read and understand a range of written material in differing forms from a variety of sources such as: on screen material, academic reference material and /or handwritten notes.

During professional experience placement, essential information is communicated in written form.

Tasks which require the use of reading include: 

• Reading and understanding essential information such as research papers and textbooks
• Reading and understanding written work prepared other students you are collaborating with
• Reading and understanding instructions regarding occupational health and safety in documents, workplace procedure manuals, and codes of conduct documents.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

You may use specialised software to support your literacy for on-campus learning activities. The appropriateness and practicality of using such software during professional experience placements may vary between placements and should be discussed with the placement coordinator prior to commencing your placement.

Writing (Written Language)

N.B. This refers not to the physical act of writing but rather to the written content.

What do I need to be able to do?

Produce coherent written communication appropriate to on-campus learning activities and professional experience placement settings. 

During professional experience placement, tasks which require clear, concise, accurate and time-efficient writing include:  

• Writing required in individual or group-based assessment tasks
• Writing research notes and journals
• Record keeping and research report writing.

The accuracy of written communication is in accordance with professional and legal standards and is fundamental to your professional experience placement in a clinical setting.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

You may use specialised software to support your literacy for on-campus learning activities. The appropriateness and practicality of using such software during your professional experience placement may vary between placements and should be discussed with the placement coordinator prior to commencement.

Number Skills (Numeracy)

Numeracy is the ability to understand and work with numbers. Basic numeracy skills consist of comprehending fundamental mathematics like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

What do I need to be able to do?

Interpret and correctly apply numerical data, measurements and formulae in a time-efficient way when completing on-campus learning and professional experience placement tasks 

In professional experience placement and on campus learning settings, tasks which require the use of number skills include:

• Understanding of numerical data and concepts related to psychological outcomes
• Analysing results from psychological data collection, accurately scoring test data, performing accurate statistical analyses.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

You may use specialised software to support your literacy for on-campus learning activities. The appropriateness and practicality of using such software during professional experience placements may vary between placements and should be discussed with the placement coordinator prior to commencing your placement.

What do I need to be able to do?

Correctly use and apply knowledge of theory and research during on-campus learning activities and during professional experience placement.

During professional experience placement, tasks which require these cognitive skills include:

• Collaboratively working as part of a group, managing multiple sources of information, and maintaining focus during on-campus and online group work
• Engaging effectively with research participants, colleagues, and supervisors, ensuring accurate recall and application of relevant research methodologies and findings
• Applying relevant policies and procedures (e.g., while on-campus/online, completing assessment tasks, during placement, etc.).

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

You may use assistive technology and strategies such as rest breaks to support your memory, planning and organisation for on-campus learning activities. The appropriateness and practicality of using such software during professional experience placements may vary between placements and should be discussed with the placement coordinator prior to commencing your placement.

Visual acuity refers to the extent to which a person can see or interpret visual information. This may also include colour vision.

What do I need to be able to do?

Sufficient visual acuity to safely undertake on- campus learning and industry placement tasks. These may include:

• Administering, scoring, and interpreting psychometric assessments including assessments of cognition, personality, and adaptive functioning
• Observing behaviour of others that contribute to assessment tasks, or to behavioural and social assessments
• Observing and detecting changes in non-verbal behaviour to inform assessment and formulation of psychological functioning
• Creating and interpreting representations of data including graphs and tables
• Observing alarms, warnings and to ensure the safety of yourself and others.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

Adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

The use of assistive technology to enhance vision will be considered. Glasses and other visual aids can be used during interpreting simulations and on-campus learning activities.

If you have been deemed legally blind or have a medical condition that may impact your vision, it is recommended that you discuss your condition with Equitable Learning Services.

What do I need to be able to do?

Sufficient hearing to undertake on-campus learning and industry placement tasks. These may include:

• Accurately receive and record information delivered verbally
• Accurately receive and record verbal responses of clients during administration of psychometric assessments
• Listen attentively to others when on-campus/online, or when on placement or on a research project
• Participate in and understand health and safety briefings
• Observe alarms, warnings, and to ensure the safety of yourself and others.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

Adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

The use of augmentation such as lip reading and / or assistive technology e.g. ‘power’ amplified stethoscope to enhance hearing will be considered.

i.e., The ability to undertake precise coordinated movements of the hands

What do I need to be able to do?

Coordination of movements of the hands such as: pushing, pressing, turning, pinching, grasping, shaking and manipulating for:

• Being able to grasp, press, push, turn, squeeze and manipulate various objects
• The use of computer equipment and computer packages.

What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?

Adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Service (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.

Adjustments will be considered in relation to your individual circumstances and physical capacities. Any adjustments considered should not compromise your safety and the safety of others.

This refers to the ability to undertake a task/s over a pre-determined period of time. This could include physical performance such as standing for a period of time, or cognitive (mental) performance such as concentrating for a particular length of time.

What do I need to be able to do?

You will need to:

• Consistent and sustained levels of energy and concentration to complete a range of specific tasks in a timely manner and/or over time
• Travel to and participate when at a placement location or when part of a research project within reasonable timeframes (with regard to health and safety considerations), including those over uneven ground.

What reasonable adjustments could be considered?

A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you. If you have a physical or cognitive (mental) endurance related impairment, you may require additional supports, such as rest breaks during tasks of longer duration (e.g. > 2hrs). For participation in a placement or a research project practicality of these arrangements may vary and should be discussed with the placement or research project coordinator prior to commencement.