Inherent Requirements for Flinders University Undergraduate Psychology Courses
Flinders University and the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work (CEPSW) strongly support the right of all people to pursue an undergraduate psychology course.
Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the abilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of the course or unit, while preserving the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment and accreditation processes. The inherent requirements are the abilities, knowledge and skills needed to complete the course that must be met by all students.
Students with a disability or chronic health condition may be able to have reasonable adjustments made to enable them to meet these requirements.
The College is committed to making reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, practicums and other activities to enable students to participate in their course. Reasonable adjustments must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement.
To support potential and current students' decision making, a series of inherent requirement statements have been developed. These statements specify the course requirements of undergraduate psychology courses for student admission and progression.
The inherent requirement statements are clustered under eight domains:
Each inherent requirement is made up of the following five levels:
Note: The examples provided are not intended as an exhaustive list.
The inherent requirements outlined below provide a guide to inform decision making for students and staff. They should be read in conjunction with the course rule for a given undergraduate psychology course, the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council Rules and Standards, and the Graduate Attributes of the Australia Undergraduate Psychology Program.
If you are intending to enrol in an undergraduate psychology course in the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work (CEPSW), you should review these inherent requirement statements and think about whether you may experience challenges meeting them for any reason, including a disability or chronic health condition. If so, you should discuss your concerns with the CEPSW staff, such as the College Disability Academic Advisor (CDAA), Course Coordinator, or Teaching Program Director. These staff can work collaboratively with you to determine reasonable adjustments to assist you to meet the inherent requirements. In the case where it is determined that inherent requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, the University staff can provide guidance regarding other study options.
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Students need a theoretical and practical awareness of the values of the scientific community and of the broader society, including responsible and ethical research practices, and to be able to behave in ways consistent with these values. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate ethical behaviour towards fellow students, staff, and members of the wider community, as well as behaving with academic integrity. |
3 |
Why is ethical behaviour an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the ethical behaviour requirement must ensure that any policies or procedures are not compromised, or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments can be discussed with the College Disability Academic Advisor or Course Coordinator. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which ethical behaviour applies to this course: |
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Behavioural stability is required for students to be able to function and adapt effectively in a program of study in psychology. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate the ability to work constructively, both individually and with others, and to be accountable for their own actions, including a capacity to interact with sensitive materials relating to dimensions of human psychology. |
3 |
Why is behavioural stability an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the behavioural stability requirement must support stable, effective and safe behaviour in academic settings. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which behavioural stability applies to this course: |
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements is required for students to be able to complete a program of study in psychology. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate knowledge and compliance with relevant laws and professional regulations. |
3 |
Why is legal an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the legal requirement must be consistent with legal and regulatory requirements. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which behavioural stability applies to this course: |
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Effective written and verbal communication in English are essential to complete the academic requirements of this course. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate: the capacity to develop coherent written and verbal communication in response to assessments; to communicate in ways that show sensitivity to individual and cultural differences; to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner; to be able to understand and provide clear instructions in a given context; and to provide timely, clear feedback and reporting. |
3 |
Why is communication an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the communication requirement must not compromise the individual’s demonstration of their capacity to communicate effectively, clearly, accurately, in a timely manner, and in an appropriate format. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which communication applies to this course: |
This course requires that students have sufficient knowledge and cognitive skills, literacy (language) skills, and numeracy skills.
Knowledge and cognitive skills
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Effective cognitive skills are required to successfully achieve the academic requirements of the course. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate the capacity to process, synthesise, recall, and apply information and knowledge in a variety of contexts. |
3 |
Why are knowledge and cognitive skills inherent requirements? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the knowledge and cognitive skills requirement must not compromise the student’s capacity to demonstrate their knowledge and cognitive skills. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which knowledge and cognitive skills apply to this course: |
Literacy (language)
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Competent literacy skills are essential to ensure the comprehension and communication of discipline knowledge. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate the ability to comprehend written information in English presented in a variety of styles, and the capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner. |
3 |
Why is literacy (language) an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the literacy (language) requirement must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an acceptable capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which literacy (language) applies to this course: |
Numeracy
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential to the comprehension and application of scientific method. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate the capacity to accurately interpret numerical measurements and analyses of data using statistical software. |
3 |
Why is numeracy an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the numeracy requirement must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate the capacity to competently and accurately manage and interpret numerical data. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which numeracy applies to this course: |
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
The discipline and profession of psychology requires respectful academic, personal, and professional relationships with a diverse range of individuals, groups, and communities. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain effective and empathic working relationships with academic staff and peers, the capacity to demonstrate high standards of personal integrity in relationships with others, and the ability to engage and relate appropriately in individual and group settings. |
3 |
Why are relational skills an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the relational skills requirement must permit students to demonstrate effective relational skills when working with others. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which relational skills applies to this course: |
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Students require self-awareness and a capacity for reflection and reflexivity to apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organisational issues. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate: the capacity to reflect on personal experiences and professional performance and learn from them; insightful awareness of one’s feelings, motives, and attitudes based on psychological principles; the capacity for independent learning in a changing scientific and professional context. |
3 |
Why are reflective skills inherent requirements? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the reflective skills requirement must not compromise the student’s ability to demonstrate an acceptable minimum capacity in this area. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which reflective skills apply to this course: |
Level |
Inherent requirement statements |
1 |
Successful completion of this course requires achievement of a minimum level of sustained mental and physical stamina. |
2 |
Students need to demonstrate the capacity to meet minimum attendance requirements, to complete all compulsory assessments, and to complete course topics on a consistent basis in a reasonable timeframe of enrolment. |
3 |
Why is sustainable performance an inherent requirement? |
4 |
Adjustments offered by Flinders University to assist students to meet the sustainable performance requirement must facilitate the completion of compulsory components of the course within acceptable timeframes. |
5 |
Examples of ways in which sustainable performance applies to this course: |
The contents on this page were adapted from http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ir
Inherent Requirements http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ir
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