Psychological Assessment
Overview
The aim of the unit is to provide students with a theoretical and practical foundation for the understanding of psychological tests and assessment techniques. Topics include an overview of technical and methodological principles of psychological assessment, and the application of tests currently used by psychologists. The unit also covers assessment techniques and instruments relevant to clinical settings.
Requisites
Rules
Pre-requisite
300 Credit Points and Admission into BH-PSY Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Standard Entry
OR
Admission into BH-PSYSC Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours)
OR
Admission into BH-PSY1 Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Graduate Entry
Equivalent
HAY454 - Psychological Assessment; HAY639 - Psychological Assessment
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Analyse, administer and interpret psychological tests and assessment techniques
- Evaluate the validity, reliability and appropriateness of psychological tests for different applications
- Competently write case study reports
- Explain the theoretical foundations underlying psychological tests and their development
- Explain the use of psychological assessments in intervention planning, referral, and outcome assessment
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Lecture | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Class | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Activities Various | 2.50 | 12 weeks | 30 |
| Unspecified Activities Various | 8.00 | 12 weeks | 96 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Individual | 40% | 2,4,5 |
| Report 1 | Individual | 30% | 2,3 |
| Report 2 | Individual | 30% | 1,3,5 |
Content
- Principles of psychological assessment
- Intelligence and cognitive ability testing
- Personality assessment
- Assessments for occupational settings
- Considerations for culturally appropriate assessment
- Assessment interviewing
- Report writing
- Evidence-based interventions, treatment planning, monitoring and outcome assessment
- Working other health care professionals
- Graduate Attribute 2 (Communication 2 - Communicating using different media)
- Graduate Attribute 6 (Digital Literacies 2 - Technical litera
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.