Diploma of Psychology

• Bachelor of Psychological Science

Students require a minimum weighted average mark (WAM) to progress into second year as listed on the Transferring to La Trobe University page.

LTM1AIM does not count towards your study load and is a wholly online module. Student must select this module in their first trimester. Completion (prior to week 4 in your first trimester) is a requirement to pass your diploma; this module is expected to take about 1-2 hours to complete.

Online, zero credit point module, all students must complete this unit in their first trimester. This module introduces students to the principals of academic integrity in the context of La Trobe University’s values and policy. Students learn what their responsibilities are in relation to maintaining ethical standards in all aspects of academic work and the potential ramifications for academic misconduct according to the Academic Integrity Policy. Activities and quizzes are provided which are designed to develop and understanding of the concepts of cheating, plagiarism, and collusion. Topics include an explaining of how the text-matching tool ‘Turnitin” is used at La Trobe, and where to get help and where to go to develop referencing skills.

Assessment: Final Quiz (must achieve 8/10 to pass), Statement of Student responsibility (must achieve 10/10 to pass)

Students are strongly encouraged to undertake PPSY1SFP and PPSY1BAM together; 1-2 elective modules may also be undertaken, unless otherwise indicated. 

In this subject you will be introduced to the philosophical, historical, and methodological foundations of the discipline of psychology. You will critically examine how theories are developed and used in psychological science and examine how they are operationalised in experimental contexts. As part of a team, you will propose your own research question in an applied area of psychology and present this enquiry to your class, and as an individual you will analyse, present, and discuss the results in a written report

Assessment: Group discussion and display poster oral presentation (15%), 1500-word Laboratory essay (35%), 4x Online Quizzes (2x mid-trimester, 2x end of trimester; 50% total)

In this subject you will discover how your brain works in creating your behaviour, how your brain and behaviour change across the lifespan, how, why and in what way you are different from other 6 people. You will learn about how you sense the world and how you process and understand the information that arises from your senses. Assessment: Group Oral Presentation (15%), 1500-word Critical Essay (35%), Exam (50%).

Students are strongly encouraged to undertake PPSY1PAC and PPSY1APP together; 1-2 elective modules may also be undertaken, unless otherwise indicated.

In this subject you will be introduced to key areas of psychology with a socio-cultural perspective. People share knowledge with others in society. The shared knowledge (i.e., culture) gives meanings to people’s lives as well as influencing their everyday behaviour, the sense of who they are, their personal relationships and psychological wellbeing. We will discuss psychology of individuals in diverse contexts to understand how personal experiences, including emotions, motivation, intimacy with others and health behaviours are shaped by cultural understanding and social expectations in those contexts.

Assessment: Reflective Video Oral Presentation (15%), 1200-word Critical Essay (35%), 3x Online Topic Quizzes (50% total)

In this subject you will learn about how the discipline and practice of psychology can be applied in different ways (e.g., to promote mental health, physical health, social participation, and inclusion), and in different areas including individual and public health, sports, forensic, and community-based psychology. You will consider how psychological theories and evidence can be applied to a range of psychology and health-related fields and be introduced to key practical skills relevant to these fields. You will create a personal development plan, which will involve self-reflection and evaluation of existing skills, skills to be developed, and strategies to developing self-efficacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem, with a view to your future career goals.

Assessment: Group oral presentation (20%), Personal development plan and portfolio (40%), Online quizzes (40%)

In this subject students will develop the foundation knowledge for working with individuals in health and human services settings. Students will learn how particular characteristics and actions of an individual impact on health and welfare outcomes. Students will be:

(i) presented with frameworks, including a developmental perspective, for understanding how the characteristics and actions of individuals impact on health outcomes;

(ii) provided with foundation knowledge for understanding how individuals present in, and progress through, health settings; and

(iii) reviewing theoretical approaches to producing individual change in health and wellbeing settings.

Assessment: Group Presentation (20%), Individual Poster Presentation (20%), Reflective assignment (15%), Exam (45%).

Introduction to Professional Practice is a subject which will introduce you to the health care system; as a consumer participants, as a health and human services practitioner and as part of a health care team.

This subject also offers you the opportunity to reflect on your own experiences within the health care system, and to use this to analyse and develop your understanding of health and human services. Group work is an essential component of university studies, and you will explore the nature of group work and team-based assessment, as used across all subjects. Concurrent with HHLT1IPP is HHLT1LHS Learning in Health Sciences, which covers academic skills such as referencing, academic writing and presentations, critical analysis, and academic integrity.

Assessment: Class Tests (20%), Case Study (20%), Essay (30%), Exam (30%)

Requirement and availability for this subject is under review for 2024 and 2025

This subject introduces you to the concept of sustainability, and a systems approach to understanding the complex interactions between the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. The subject attracts students from a range of fields, bringing a multidisciplinary team perspective to the researching, analysis and problem-solving aspects of creating positive change for sustainability. In teams, you are required to critique, design and present an action plan aimed at resolving a sustainability issue that impacts current and future generations. 8 This subject provides you with the opportunity to enhance, demonstrate and document work-ready skills appropriate to your chosen career path.

Assessment: Online quizzes (20%), Individual Case study Analysis (40%), Exam (40%)

In this subject, you will develop a broad understanding of health and wellbeing, examining key theories that underpin concepts in contemporary health and wellbeing. You will investigate the complex range of interactions that influence the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities, and populations. As health is a dynamic concept, you will further examine the social, environmental, and biomedical determinants of health and wellbeing within an Australian and global context.

Assessment: Early assessment Piece (5%), 3 x Tests (30% = 10% each), Media Analysis (25%), Health and Wellbeing Plan Review (40%)

Teams are the core of any successful business venture. Advancements in technology which has made the world a much smaller place facilitating cross country collaborations on various projects, where teams from multiple countries work together remotely to achieve the desired goals by collectively solving complex problems which require innovative solutions.

In this subject, you will learn how to form teams, set effective goals, develop interpersonal skills, focus on advanced communication techniques, and attain the necessary skills needed for leading your teams towards organisational success, you will apply and evaluate the organisational behavioural theory to businesses plagued with issues like motivation, group decision-making, teamwork, and cultural diversity.

Acquiring these skills will make you a more effective employee/manager.

Assessment: Online quizzes (20%), Group Assignment (20%), Individual Assignments (20%), Exam (40%)

Learning to write well brings benefits within and beyond university. This interdisciplinary unit offers you the opportunity to strengthen your professional, creative and academic writing skills. We develop a conceptual framework for analysing the writing of others and editing your own work effectively, as well as improving your skills in the generation of ideas, elements of style and identification with the audience. These areas of writing will be explored through modules with theoretical and practical components:

• Academic writing, including essay writing, essay structure, avoiding plagiarism, editing and proof-reading.
• Non-fiction writing across a number of genres, particularly writing for popular media, reviews of the arts and writing for the web.
• Creative writing, which can include fiction, poetry and scriptwriting.

This subject addresses La Trobe’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Essential. Innovation and Entrepreneurship entails developing the ability to tackle problems creatively, generating new ideas, taking calculated risks and creating change to achieve ambitions – now and in the future.