Overview

The aims are to develop and extend; skills in literature searching, plus review and integration of psychological literature; advanced understanding of research methodology as applied to a moderately sized independent research project; skills in psychological measurement and statistical or qualitative analysis applied to an independent research project; practical research skills such as interviewing, recruitment of research participants, liaising with community organisations and completing ethics applications; skills in presenting research proposals and findings both orally and in writing and to produce a 40,000 to 60,000 empirical research thesis that is an original and significant contribution to knowledge in the Clinical and Forensic Psychology field.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024
Summer
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
06-January-2025
16-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-January-2025
Census date
17-January-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
31-January-2025
Results released date
04-March-2025
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Term 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
13-April-2025
Last self-enrolment date
03-March-2025
Census date
14-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
28-March-2025
Results released date
13-May-2025
Winter
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
23-June-2025
03-August-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-June-2025
Census date
04-July-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
18-July-2025
Results released date
19-August-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Term 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
14-September-2025
Last self-enrolment date
04-August-2025
Census date
15-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
29-August-2025
Results released date
14-October-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Acquire sophisticated communication skills to present research findings and integrate cogently present findings to peers and the community
  • Critically evaluate existing knowledge and with creativity and expertise communicate knowledge and practice implications
  • Expertly execute a research thesis

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Other
1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Individual Study
24.00 12 weeks 288
TOTAL300

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Research ProjectIndividual 100% 1,2,3 
Final ThesisIndividual 0% 1,2,3 

Content

The content of the research units varies according to the particular research project and the supervisor-supervisee working relationship. Within the supervision sessions it is expected that the supervisor will suggest reading materials, discuss reading and conceptual ideas, work with the student to plan the research project, give assistance with development or selection of appropriate measures and methodologies, give guidance with respect to ethics applications, data analysis and writing the thesis. It is expected that the student will read extensively, engage in high level conceptual analysis of written material and present that analysis in written form, plan an independent original empirical research project, present the project plan for feedback to a group of staff and students, negotiate all ethical approvals and permissions necessary for the study to proceed, recruit study participants, collate and analyse data, and develop the project into a written thesis of 40,000 to 60,000 words. In this unit, students should have completed data analysis, have already completed a full draft of their thesis and be working with their supervisor on revising and improving their thesis.

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.