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Coordinator Paul Strutt Opens in new window

Description This subject is the first of two external placements, undertaken as a year-long internship to provide students with the opportunity to practise (under qualified supervision) professional psychological assessment and intervention to a range of clients across age ranges, severity levels and psychological disorders. The internship will build upon and extend knowledge, skills, relationship and professional attitude competencies acquired during the first supervised placement subject of the M Professional Psychology, while working with real clients seeking psychological services in a community or institutional setting. Each external placement subject of the internship comprises 770 hours, towards the minimum of 1540 supervised hours required towards full registration as a generalist psychologist in Australia. Students must meet the Inherent Requirements of the Master of Professional Psychology.

School Psychology

Discipline Psychology

Student Contribution Band

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Postgraduate Coursework Level 7 subject

Restrictions

This subject is only available to domestic students enrolled in the Master of Professional Psychology, having met the requirements to graduate. In addition, students must be continually registered as a provisional psychologist throughout their enrolment in this intern subject. Students must apply via Admissions and attend an interview conducted by the School to complete these internship subjects.  

Assumed Knowledge

Completion of a 5th year APAC-accredited or equivalent sequence in Professional Psychology.

Learning Outcomes

1. Perform interviewing, psychological assessment, evidence-based-reasoning and case-formulation skills to treat prevalent psychological problems, including in culturally diverse populations to the standard of a provisional-level professional. (APAC GA: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5 & 3.6),
2. Implement psychometric and clinical assessment techniques to a prevalent health, disability, or mental health problem (APAC GA: 3.4, 3.5 & 3.6). 
3. Employ competencies in core therapeutic techniques across the life-span, including with culturally diverse populations (APAC GA: 3.3 & 3.7),
4. Implement intervention skills in at least one empirically supported treatment approach for more prevalent health or mental health problems, including with culturally diverse populations. (APAC GA: 1.1 – 1.10; 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.9 & 3.16).
5. Develop ethical, legal, and professional conduct, and interprofessional communication and collaboration.
(APAC GA: 3.5, 3.6, 3.8 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, & 3.16).
6. Evaluate scientist-practitioner and reflective-practitioner principles in own practice. (APAC GA: 3.1, 3.11,3.12, 3.14 & 3.15).

Subject Content

1. Completion of placements within partner organisations on a rotational basis, which may include First Nations and/or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and Child and Adolescents; 
2. Participation in psychological (supervised) practice to a minimum of 700 hours, including direct client contact and client-related activities
3. Participate in clinical supervision, to a minimum of 40 hours, including individual and small group supervision. 
4. Participate in professional development activities to a minimum of 30 hours, including workshop attendance and readings. 

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites

All Students

To be eligible to enrol in a subject and attend a health-related placement in your program, students must meet Western Sydney University program requirements AND Special Legislative Requirements to be assessed in their first year of study against the following:
1. National Criminal History Check: Students must have a current (expiring 3 years from date of issue) check valid for their entire program. A valid National Criminal history check must be an Australia wide check, include the student's full name matching their Student ID card and date of birth and not have any offences listed. If a student has a criminal history identified on their check, they must provide a Clinical Placement Authority Card (CPAC) or conditional letter from the NSW HealthShare Employment Screening and Review Unit

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/careers/student_clearance/Documents/appendix-10-student-application.pdf
International students must additionally have a translated International Police Check or statutory declaration.

2. A NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance letter issued under the category of volunteer valid for their entire program. 

3. Child Protection Course: a child protection module (including the child protection module from the WSU Master of Professional Psychology subject: Core Skills and Ethical Practice).

4. A completed vaccination/immunisation card with all serology results containing expiry dates and currency must be maintained by the student to ensure compliance for their entire program.

5. NSW Undertaking/Declaration form
Completed any additional health forms required (such as NSW Health Code of Conduct, Health Student Undertaking/Declaration and Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool), flu vaccination.

6. Relevant Local Health District specific documentation as requested.

Contact the School of Psychology for further details. Resources are also available on the Placement Hub website

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/learning_futures/home/placements_hub/placements_hub/student_compliance