ACCREDITATION STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY

CONSULTATION DRAFT ACCREDITATION STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY Eligible for Approval under the National Registration & Accreditation Scheme for the Health Professions September 2012 Australian Psychology Accreditation Council Limited ABN 26 117 279 857 GPO Box 2860, Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia Tel: +61 3 8662 6625 apac@psychologycouncil.org.au www.psychologycouncil.org.au

ABOUT APAC The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) is an independent quality and standards organisation, appointed by Governments as the accrediting authority for the psychology profession in Australia, under Section 253 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 1 (the National Law). APAC s mission is to protect the public by conducting accreditation activities which ensure that graduates of accredited programs are well equipped to employ their psychological knowledge and skills in the community, including, where relevant, being sufficiently qualified and competent to safely practice as a psychologist. APAC s main functions include: Developing standards for the education and training of psychologists for approval by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA); Assessing education providers and the programs of study they offer to determine whether they meet the Approved Accreditation Standards; In cooperation with the PsyBA, assessing accrediting and examining authorities in other countries to determine if graduates of the authorities examinations or accredited programs of study have the knowledge, skills and professional attributes necessary to practise the profession in Australia; Supporting higher education providers in developing and maintaining high quality programs of education and training in psychology, and Advising and consulting to the PsyBA, governments and other bodies on matters of education and training relevant to the psychology profession and discipline. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CONSULTATION DRAFT At the request of the PsyBA, APAC is currently undertaking a major review of accreditation standards for the psychology profession in Australia (the Review). As part of the Review, APAC has re drafted the current Accreditation Standards for Psychology Courses (the main standards for undergraduate and postgraduate programs of study in psychology in Australia), which have been in place since June 2010. The proposed new Draft Accreditation Standards for Programs of Study in Psychology (the Draft Standards) are contained in this document. APAC now seeks feedback from stakeholders on these Draft Standards as part of a wide ranging consultation process as required under Section 46(2) of the National Law. Submissions regarding this Consultation Draft will be accepted until the 8th December 2012. APAC encourages all stakeholders to participate in this important review of standards for the education and training of psychologists in Australia. A second set of draft standards, concerned with the specialised components of professional postgraduate programs intended to qualify graduates for entry to an Area of Practice Endorsement 1 As enacted in each State and Territory of Australia. i

Registrar program, will be released for public consultation late in 2012. Those standards are referred to in this document as the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement. APAC will make announcements (including on its website and via Twitter) when a consultation version of those standards is available for comment. Stakeholders should note carefully that the Draft Standards in this document are intended to be accompanied by an Evidence Guide, which will provide examples of the types of evidence required to satisfy APAC that a particular Standard has been met. It is also important to note that APAC uses a threshold standards accreditation system, where APAC specifies minimum or floor standards which must be achieved and maintained. This means that education providers are always free to set additional or higher level requirements over and above what the APAC standards require. APAC will consider in detail all submissions made as part of this public consultation and greatly values the input of all stakeholders to the process of developing the Standards. Individuals as well as organisations can make submissions which will assist APAC in finalising the Draft Standards before they are presented to the PsyBA for approval. Stakeholders are reminded that APAC s main responsibility under the National Law as the accrediting body for the profession is to protect the public, and the final content of the Standards must reflect the fact that this is APAC s mandate. More information about the development and review of accreditation standards under the National Law is available in a reference document entitled Accreditation under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act, which can be downloaded from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website at: http://www.ahpra.gov.au/legislation and Publications/AHPRA Publications.aspx. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING A SUBMISSION Submissions should clearly indicate whether they are made on behalf of an individual or on behalf of an organisation. Submissions must reach APAC no later than 5pm on 08/12/2012 in either one of the following two formats: 1. Electronic format An uncompressed document file in pdf or Word format sent by email to apac@psychologycouncil.org.au with the words Standards Consultation in the email subject line. NB: APAC will not accept any responsibility for a failure of the email transmission process or an inability to read a document where a submission is sent by electronic means. Additionally, if sending a submission by email, the sender is advised to request an acknowledgement of receipt either automatically using his/her email software, or by including a request in the body of the email. OR 2. Paper copy Mail a hard copy of the submission, printed clearly on A4 paper, to the following address: Attention: APAC Standards Consultation The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council GPO Box 2860 Melbourne VIC 3001. ii

Please note APAC reserves the right not to publish submissions. Submissions which: do not comply with the requirements listed in this document; contain offensive or defamatory comments, or which are outside the scope of reference, will not be considered, and will not be posted on the APAC website. APAC is unable to provide a copy of this Consultation Draft in Word format, and cannot provide printed (paper) copies. The only format in which the Draft Standards (this document) will be available is this electronic pdf file, transmitted by email. All submissions will be posted on the APAC website where they can be viewed by other stakeholders unless accompanied by a request to keep the submission confidential, detailing the reasons why confidentiality is necessary. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTEXT FOR THIS REVIEW The development of the Standards proposed in this Consultation Draft have been informed by a host of factors. The following summary briefly describes the main influences on the re design of the Standards and is included to provide stakeholders with an understanding of the context within which the Review is taking place. Objectives and guiding principles of the National Law This is the first review of Accreditation Standards to occur since the introduction of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) and the National Law underpinning it. All bodies exercising functions under the National Law, including APAC, must operate with regard to the objectives and guiding principles of the Law (see the Agency Management Committee s Procedure for the Development of Accreditation Standards, set down under Section 25 of the National Law). Chief among these are protecting the public, facilitating high quality education and training, and enabling innovation. PsyBA Registration Standards Accreditation standards for the psychology profession under the NRAS must support the registration standards, guidelines and codes put in place by the PsyBA for the psychology profession. In accordance with Section 47 of the National Law, APAC is required to submit proposed new standards to the PsyBA for approval at the conclusion of its consultation and re drafting processes. APAC anticipates this will occur early in 2013. Critical issues identified by key stakeholders Between June and August 2012, APAC conducted a series of targeted discussions with a range of invited key stakeholders with the goal of identifying critical issues relevant to the review and redrafting of the Standards. These discussions included facilitated fora held in capital cities around Australia which were well attended, and meetings with a range of bodies including education providers, government bodies, employers, professional bodies and TEQSA. These consultations have informed the drafting of the proposed Standards. iii

AQF Requirements In July 2011 the Commonwealth Government introduced a revised Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). All existing qualifications offered by education providers in Australia must comply with the AQF by 01 Jan 2015, and any new qualification must comply immediately. Major changes to the qualification levels and type descriptors in the AQF represent a very strong set of constraints which must be accommodated in these proposed APAC Standards. International Standards for Education and Training in Psychology Part 3 of the Procedures for the development of Accreditation Standards released in June 2011 by the Agency Management Committee of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), contains requirements to be met by accreditation authorities developing accreditation standards under the NRAS. These requirements include taking account of relevant international standards and statements relating to education and training in the profession, as well as of accreditation standards applied in countries with comparable education and practice standards for the profession. APAC has substantially aligned the key elements of the proposed Standards to the European Certificate in Psychology (EuroPsy), a set of standards and benchmarks for the education and training of psychologists encompassing more than 30 countries and including the European Register of EuroPsy Psychologists. This is the largest comparable standard for the training of psychologists in the world and has been gaining significant international momentum for several years. Published Literature and Increased Focus on Competencies There is a growing emphasis among regulators and teachers of psychology around the world on learning outcomes and in particular on methods for the assessment and assurance of competence in the education and training of psychology practitioners (for example see Nelson, 2007; Roberts et al, 2005; American Psychological Association, 2006). This emphasis is reflected in the growth of published evidence concerning psychology practitioner competence and competency driven models of psychology education (Kaslow and colleagues, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009; Leigh et al, 2007; Rodolfa et al, 2005). APAC believes that the much stronger focus on competencies and assurance of learning outcomes in the proposed Standards is supported by this literature and serves the public s interest in assuring that registered psychologists are well equipped to safely practice in Australia. TEQSA With the introduction of the Tertiary Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and its national accreditation systems in 2011, APAC has carefully considered the new regulatory environment now operating in higher education, including the role of TEQSA, in drafting these Standards. COAG principles of Best Practice Regulation Part 4 of the Agency Management Committee s Procedures for the development of Accreditation Standards directs APAC to take into account the Council of Australian Governments Principles for Best Practice Regulation, including consideration of potential unnecessary restrictions and the balancing of cost impacts with likely benefits to the public of the new standards. APAC has fully considered these matters in its design of the proposed Standards. The COAG Principles for Best Practice Regulation are available to stakeholders at: http://www.finance.gov.au/obpr/proposal/coag guidance.html. iv

SUMMARY OF KEY FEATURES Since the Draft Standards are very different to previous versions, a summary of key features/changes is provided in this section of the document. This list is not a comprehensive list of changes, but is intended as an orientation to the main features that will support further analysis. A diagram showing the qualification types at each AQF level is also provided in Appendix E. Domain 1: Education Provider Standards A much stronger emphasis on assessing learning outcomes and competencies is adopted, with freeing up of some specification of inputs. A stronger focus on demonstration of quality improvement and quality assurance processes, as well as a requirement for greater engagement and communication with employers and others in the community who have a stake in the educational outcomes of graduates. Freeing up of nomenclature restrictions. Strongly retains evidence driven, scientist practitioner approach. The amount of education and training, competencies to be demonstrated and phases in the pathways allow for alignment with the EuroPsy regulations. Domain 2: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF Level 7 The three year undergraduate program is retained, and the goal of broad scientific education in the psychology discipline as preparation for further learning is retained in the first phase of the education pathway. A greater proportion of psychology content is required and programs at this level now include foundational counselling and interviewing skills components, as well as coverage of the core principles of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce. Revised Graduate Attributes of the Undergraduate Psychology Program are retained as learning outcomes. Domain 3: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF Level 8 Programs can be structured as a Bachelor Honours program (ie with optional addition of a 4 th year) or as a stand alone 4 th year Graduate Diploma. A rigorous training in research is retained, including the requirement for a research project. Coverage of other pre professional education is retained. Domain 4: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF Level 9 Masters Coursework The APAC 4 th year can be combined with one year of professional training in general practice which is proposed to qualify graduates for entry to a one year PsyBA internship program. Entry following an APAC level 7 qualification is possible. Students with an APAC accredited 4 th year (such as Bachelor Hons or Grad Dip) can enter the degree at 5 th yr with advanced standing for the APAC 4 th yr. A 4 th year exit point to Grad Dip is included. No second thesis. v

Foundation Competencies for Psychology Interns defined as outcomes strong requirements for evidence of attainment of competencies. Domain 5: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF Level 9 Masters Extended Three year program in full time mode Master of Psychology (Coursework) combining the APAC fourth year course with fifth and sixth years of professional training, and which qualifies graduates for entry to a two year PsyBA Area of Endorsement Registrar program. Entry following an APAC level 7 qualification is possible. Students with an APAC accredited 4 th year (such as Bachelor Hons or Grad Dip) can enter the degree at 5 th yr with advanced standing for the APAC 4 th yr. A 4 th year exit point to Grad Dip is included. Second research project replaced with a capstone project. Core Competencies of the Entry Level Psychology Practitioner defined as one set of outcomes strong requirements for evidence of attainment of competencies. Graduates also achieve competencies in a specialised area of practice which is proposed to qualify graduates for entry into a two year PsyBA Area of Endorsement Registrar program. Domain 6: Standards for Programs of study at AQF Level 10 Doctoral degrees with professional coursework Four or five year program in full time mode Doctor of Psychology (or PhD with coursework) level 10 requiring 4th yr H2A for entry. Four years of professional training which is proposed to qualify graduates for entry to a one year PsyBA Area of Endorsement Registrar program. Two year full time research project as required by AQF. Strong requirements for evidence of attainment of competencies. Domain 7: Standards for Conversion Programs of Study (AQF 7) A core undergraduate sequence in psychology for graduates who already have a Bachelor degree (or higher) in another discipline. Must lead to a level 7 Bachelor qualification under the AQF Domain 8: Standards for Master Of Advanced Practice ( specialised area ) Programs of Study (AQF 9) One year program in full time mode Masters at Level 9 Professional training program for registered psychologists seeking to obtain a qualification suitable for entry to a PsyBA Area of Endorsement Registrar program. Accredited Level 9 qualification required for entry. vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS Definitions... 1 Domain 1: Education Provider Standards... 5 Domain 2: Programs of Study at AQF Level 7... 9 Domain 3: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF 8... 10 Domain 4: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF 9 Masters Coursework... 12 Domain 5: Standards for Programs of Study at AQF 9 Masters Extended... 16 Domain 6: Standards for Programs of study at AQF 10 Doctoral degrees with professional coursework... 21 Domain 7: Standards for Conversion Programs of Study (AQF 7)... 26 Domain 8: Standards for Master Of Advanced Practice ( specialised area ) Programs of Study (AQF 9)... 26 Appendix A Graduate Attributes for the Australian undergraduate Psychology program... 30 Appendix B Foundation Competencies for Psychology Interns... 33 Appendix C Core Competencies of the Entry Level Psychology Practitioner... 40 Appendix D References... 48 Appendix E Diagram showing qualification types... 50 vii

DEFINITIONS Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) means a school, department or other separately identifiable academic unit of an Education Provider offering Programs of Study in psychology. Academic Staff means: (a) staff employed by the Education Provider; (b) who have teaching responsibilities pertaining to the Programs of Study for which accreditation is sought or has been obtained; and (c) including continuing, contract and casual teaching staff. Accreditation Standard(s) means these Standards, as Approved by the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and published on the PsyBA s website as an Approved Accreditation Standard under Section 47 of the National Law. Accreditation Period means the period of time for which an Education Provider or Program of Study is accredited as meeting all the Standards. The Accreditation Period is usually five (5) years commencing on 1 January of the year following the accreditation process and ending on 31 December four years later. Accreditation Revoked means the removal of accreditation from a Program of Study and/or the removal of accreditation of an Education Provider consistent with Section 50 of the National Law. Accredited with Conditions means that APAC has determined that a Program of Study, and the Education Provider that provides the Program of Study, substantially meet the relevant Standards and the imposition of conditions on Accreditation will ensure the Program of Study meets the Standards within a reasonable time consistent with Section 48 of the National Law. Accredited without Conditions means that an Education Provider and/or its Programs of Study have been assessed as meeting all Standards, consistent with Section 48 of the National Law. AHPRA means the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. APA format means the rules for the publication of manuscripts and other documents described in the current Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). APAC means the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council Limited. APAC Credit Points means a credit point metric in which a full time student load is considered to be 48 credit points per year, and a full time student load for one complete semester is 24 credit points. Therefore, 48 APAC Credit Points is equivalent to 60 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) points, or 1500 1800 hours of study. Education Providers can use this metric to calculate the required quantum of points in their own credit point system. APAC website means the web pages the web pages accessed through http://www.psychologycouncil.org.au/ or such other website as published by APAC from time to time. AQF means the current edition of the Australian Qualifications Framework. AQF level means level of Qualification Type as set out in the current edition of the Australian Qualifications Framework. Applicant means the organisation making an application for assessment for accreditation of an Education Provider and the Programs of Study offered by that Education Provider. Application Fee means all of the monies required to be paid to APAC in consideration of any APAC accreditation assessment as published by APAC from time to time. Application Form means the appropriate application form published by APAC from time to time. 1

Assessment Team means the person or people appointed by APAC to assess the Education Provider and its Programs of Study, listed in the Application Form or otherwise nominated by APAC as requiring assessment. AWC means the APAC Accreditation Working Committee, a committee of certified accreditation assessors who review assessments of applications for accreditation and provide expert advice to the APAC Board. Board means the Board of Directors of APAC. Client means a person, group of persons, organization or community to whom psychological services are provided. Client contact means direct contact with a client, clients or other associated parties while performing specific tasks of psychological assessment, diagnosis, intervention, prevention, treatment, consultation, coaching, the provision of advice and strategies, undertaken as part of the supervised practicum requirements of the Program of Study. Client related activities means activities which do not involve interaction with the client or clients but are considered necessary to provide a high standard of psychological service to clients and to support the achievement of the practice competencies addressed by the Program of Study. These activities may include: scoring and interpretation of completed assessment protocols and analysis of other assessment data/observations (including diagnostic information); writing and reviewing Client related reports, case notes and letters; consulting and corresponding with other professionals about a Client; participating in supervision sessions concerning the provision of services to a Client, designing and reviewing intervention protocols and management plans, and peer consultation concerning the provision of services to a Client. Constitution means the Constitution of APAC. Core topics means content areas which are part of the compulsory components of a Program of Study. Education Provider means: (a) a university; or; or (b) a tertiary education institution; or (c) another institution or organisation that provides vocational training; or (d) a specialist medical college or other health profession college; consistent with Section 5 of the National Law. Electives means units or subjects or other separately identifiable components of a Program of Study which are optional but may include a specific component that, while not itself required, may be one of a group of components from which some number must be chosen and completed as part of the Program of Study. EuroPsy means the European Certificate in Psychology, a set of standards and benchmarks for the education and training of psychologists encompassing more than 30 countries and including the European Register of EuroPsy Psychologists. Extended Period has the meaning set out in clause 2.14 of the APAC Accreditation Rules 2012. Head means the Head of the AOU which is responsible for the Programs of Study. Internal Review Committee means the committee appointed by APAC pursuant to Section 8 of the APAC Rules. National Health Practitioner Ombudsman means the office established to receive complaints and help people who believe they may have been treated unfairly in administrative processes by the agencies operating under the National Law. National Law means the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (2009) as enacted in each state and territory of Australia. 2

National Registration Board means the Psychology Board of Australia, a national health practitioner board established pursuant to Section 31 of the National Law, and including its regional boards. One of the functions of the National Board is the registration of psychologists. NRAS means the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for the Health Professions. Offshore means not physically located in Australian territory. OSCE means observed structured clinical examination. Overseas Country means a country other than Australia. Overseas Education Provider means a tertiary academic institution recognised by one or more of The World of Learning published by Europa Publications Ltd, the Country Education Profiles published by Australian Education International, Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE), or Local Regional Accreditation bodies, offering a Program of Study leading to a diploma or degree equivalent to those defined in Levels 5 10 of the Qualification Types in the current edition of the Australian Qualifications Framework. Practica means learning activities which focus on the achievement of skills in the practice of psychology, including supervised placement, role playing and other simulated learning tasks, skills practice, observation of the practice experienced practitioners, case analysis and similar practical exercises. Principal Supervisor means the identified main supervisor who is responsible for the work of a student and for the majority of supervision of his/her professional pratica, undertaken in the particular activity, unit, placement, course or Program of Study in question, and who has been approved by the Psychology Board of Australia to supervise psychologists. Note this is a separate role from the role of Research Supervisor. Program means a Program of Study as defined in this document. Program of Study means a program of study in psychology provided by an Education Provider consistent with Section 5 of the National Law and includes all of the requirements formally approved by the Education Provider, the successful completion of which results in the award of a qualification Accredited by TEQSA (or where TEQSA has granted the Provider self accrediting authority, accredited by the Provider), and for which an application for accreditation to APAC has been made, or accreditation has been granted. Provisional Psychologist means a person registered with the Psychology Board of Australia as a provisional psychologist under Section 62 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009. PsyBA means the Psychology Board of Australia. Psychologist means a person who holds general registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia under Section 52 of the National Law, or where referring to an Program of Study conducted offshore, to a psychologist who holds a current licence to practice psychology and/or the necessary qualifications and recognition of those authorities with the responsibility for regulation of the practice of psychology in the country where the Offshore Program is being delivered. Psychology intern means a person registered with the Psychology Board of Australia as a provisional psychologist under Section 62 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009 and who is undertaking a program of supervised practice approved by that Board. Research Supervisor means the main supervisor of any research project conducted by a student enrolled in the Program of Study. RPL means recognised prior learning. Rules means the rules set down for the Accreditation of Education Providers and their Programs of Study as prescribed by APAC and amended from time to time. Sequence means a recognised set of units of study in psychology and the rules governing their completion including the order in which they must be undertaken. 3

Site Visit means the attendance by an APAC assessor or assessors to a campus of the Education Provider or to another relevant location, undertaken as part of the process of assessment, to determine the extent to which the Programs of Study and/or the Education Provider comply with the APAC Standards. Standard(s) means these Standards, as approved by the Psychology Board of Australia and published on the Board s website pursuant to Sections 47 and 48 of the National Law. Supervision means an interactive process, in real time, between a student enrolled in the Program of Study and a supervisor, which is by its nature is a special type of mentoring relationship and which includes clear recognition of the supervisor s responsibility for the quality of the student s practice. TEQSA means the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency established pursuant to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Cth). Unit means a separate and identifiable component of a Program of Study, usually with its own assessment elements and usually with an identified member of the Academic Staff responsible for its coordination, as defined in Schedule 1 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003. Year, in the context of Programs of Study, for example a four year Program of Study means full time study which involves two semesters or three terms/trimesters of full time student work. Thus a four year Program of Study will involve eight semesters of full time study. In addition, when reference is made to a specific year level, for example third year, this should be read as the third full time year of study in the Program of Study. 4

DOMAIN 1 EDUCATION PROVIDER STANDARDS 1.1 Education Provider 1.1.1 The Education Provider maintains current registration as a higher education provider with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). 1.1.2 All Programs of Study for which Accreditation is sought are currently accredited by TEQSA, or where a registered higher Education Provider is authorised by or under the TEQSA Act to selfaccredit a Program of Study, the Program of Study is self accredited by the Education Provider. 1.1.3 All Programs of Study for which Accreditation is sought fully meet the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) in addition to meeting the APAC Standards set out in this document for the relevant AQF Qualification Learning Type Level (7 10) which is awarded. Where the APAC Standards exceed the requirements specified in the AQF, the APAC Standards always take precedence. 1.1.4 The Education Provider maintains an Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) with an identifiable core of psychologists and a recognised Head and this AOU is responsible for the planning, design, delivery, quality and monitoring of the Programs of Study. 1.1.5 The Education Provider has: the necessary and appropriate level of staffing and other resources and facilities, and (ii) sufficient academic, financial and administrative control, to ensure the provision of high quality education and training in psychology in each and every Program of Study for which it is seeks or has obtained APAC Accreditation. 1.1.6 The Education Provider employs a senior, experienced and recognised educator who: has postgraduate qualifications in psychology and has publications in peer reviewed scientific journals; (ii) has attained appointment as an academic at level C or equivalent or higher rank, and (iii) is responsible for the Programs of Study for which accreditation is sought or has been obtained. 1.1.7 The Education Provider maintains at least one Full Time Level E appointment in the discipline of psychology for which the relevant position description: satisfies the APAC benchmarking criteria for a Level E academic position, and (ii) assigns a senior role to the incumbent in directing and advising how the Programs of Study in psychology are designed, delivered and monitored. 1.1.8 Members of staff of the Education Provider comply with all applicable codes of ethical conduct, including the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA and any staff code of conduct which the Education Provider has in place. 1.1.9 All Programs of Study use grading systems which are criterion based, and grading systems in which any student s grade is dependent on the calculation of a median, aggregation or averaging of the marks of multiple students are not used in any of the Programs of Study. 1.1.10 No student can graduate from a Program of Study if the student has: received a grade of less than 50% in a required psychology or other compulsory unit, without first repeating the unit and achieving a minimum grade of 50%, or 5

(ii) failed to successfully complete all of the units which are compulsory parts of the Program of Study. 1.1.11 The Education Provider has in place a process of regular quality review and improvement which includes: a regular and systematic program of monitoring learning outcomes in the Programs of Study; (ii) consideration of the suitability of the qualifications, performance and ongoing education of the staff who teach into each of the Programs of Study; (iii) a documented process of benchmarking of learning outcomes, teaching quality and learning outcomes against comparable Accredited Programs of Study offered by at least two other similar Accredited Education Providers, at least once per accreditation cycle; (iv) a quality review body, to which a number of stakeholder representatives external to the Education Provider are appointed and which demonstrates documented evidence of: activities aimed at auditing and improving the quality of the teaching, learning, supervision and training in the Programs of Study offered; the regular collection of feedback, at least twice per Accreditation cycle, on the perceived standards of training being achieved, from representatives of a range of field supervisors and employers of graduates; review of the competencies of graduates on employment, and actions taken by the Education Provider as a result of the quality review body s work to improve learning outcomes in the Programs of Study, and (v) a program liaison committee at which staff representatives from the AOU responsible for the Program(s) of Study meet with student representatives (from each year level of the Program of Study) to discuss effective operation of the Program(s) of Study and the constant improvement of teaching quality. 1.1.12 The Education Provider ensures that students enrolled in the Programs of Study have access to clearly documented grievance processes. 1.1.13 The Education Provider at all times keeps the public, prospective and current students accurately informed as to the current APAC Accreditation status of its Programs of Study and of its other courses and units. 1.2 Multiple Campuses 1.2.1 Regardless from which campus they are offered, all Programs of Study for which Accreditation is sought or has been obtained: meet the Standards; (ii) have sufficient staffing and other resources to ensure the delivery of high quality education, and (iii) provide all students undertaking them with equivalent opportunities for access to the relevant resources, advice, support, materials and facilities. 1.2.2 Where another organisation (a third party) is engaged to deliver part or all of the Education Provider s Programs of Study, or delivers a Program of Study in partnership with the Education Provider, the Education Provider making the accreditation application takes responsibility for ensuring that: all parts of the Programs of Study delivered by the third party meet and maintain the Standards; 6

(ii) all parts of the Programs of Study delivered by the third party are delivered as agreed between the Education Provider and APAC, and (iii) the third party does not make false claims as to the accreditation status or other aspects of the Programs of Study. 1.3 Qualification Nomenclature 1.3.1 The title of the qualification awarded following successful completion of any Program of Study: complies with the requirements for qualification titles set down in the current version of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy; (ii) accurately represents the nature of the majority of its compulsory content; (iii) is appropriate to the level and nature of the learning outcomes and/or competencies, including any area of specialisation, achieved by students on graduating from it, and (iv) does not contain terms which could bring graduates or the discipline of psychology into disrepute, or could misinform the public as to the capabilities of its graduates. 1.3.2 Where the title of the qualification awarded following successful completion of any Program of Study is identical to the title of any non Accredited qualification currently offered by the Education Provider, the Provider has in place a means by which regulators and the public can clearly distinguish the accredited from the non accredited Program. 1.4 Academic Staffing 1.4.1 The EFT staff complement teaching into each Program of Study in psychology is sufficient to achieve: a high quality educational experience, and (ii) consistently high quality learning outcomes which are documented. 1.4.2 The student:academic staff ratio calculated across all Programs of Study using the specified APAC calculation method is never greater than 22:1. 1.4.3 The staff members teaching into the Programs of Study possess adequate qualifications, expertise and experience to: competently teach the content in the Programs; (ii) competently mentor and supervise students enrolled in the Programs, and (iii) deliver high quality learning outcomes appropriate to the purposes of those Programs. 1.5 Test Library 1.5.1 The Education Provider maintains a test library which: holds sufficient up to date copies of those psychological tests, inventories and related testing and assessment materials required to meet the teaching needs and learning outcomes of the Programs of Study offered; (ii) includes an effective means of ensuring rapid and secure delivery of tests, including related testing materials and documents, between any relevant campuses; (iii) has procedures in place to restrict access to psychological test materials to qualified psychologists and students enrolled in assessment and testing units, or on placement, and (iv) ensures that the use by students of any psychological tests, inventories and related testing and assessment materials is closely supervised by a suitably qualified staff member. 7

1.6 Credit, advanced standing and RPL 1.6.1 The Education Provider requires that where credit, advanced standing or RPL is sought for any Program of Study (or part thereof) based on studies undertaken at another Australian Education Provider, credit for psychology units is granted only where the previous studies on the basis of which credit is sought: were undertaken at an Education Provider which was an APAC accredited provider at the time of completion; (ii) were part of an APAC accredited Program of Study at the time of completion; (iii) were completed within the past 10 years; (iv) have been carefully assessed as comparable to those for which credit is to be given; and requires records to be maintained containing sufficiently detailed to justify credit decisions should APAC conduct an audit of the Education Provider s transfer/credit practices. 1.6.2 The Education Provider ensures that where an application for credit is made based on studies undertaken at a non Australian educational institution: the studies have been assessed by an assessing authority recognised by APAC as comparable to those for which credit is sought, and (ii) records containing sufficient detail are maintained to justify credit decisions should APAC conduct an audit of the provider s transfer/credit practices. 1.7 Evidence based approach 1.7.1 All Programs of Study offered: teach psychology as a science based discipline drawing on an evidence based approach; (ii) are based on the Scientist Practitioner model; (iii) employ approaches to teaching and learning which are informed by the most recent relevant published evidence, and (iv) support all elements of the Program with up to date publications from high quality peerreviewed scientific journals of international standing. 8

DOMAIN 2 STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT AQF LEVEL 7 2.1 Purpose and learning outcomes 2.1.1 The stated purpose of the Program of Study is to provide a broad education in the scientific discipline of psychology. 2.1.2 The stated learning outcomes of the Program of Study: are derived from each of the Graduate Attributes listed in Appendix A; (ii) include the achievement of a high level of psychological literacy; (iii) include acquiring of foundational knowledge and skills in interviewing; (iv) include acquiring foundational knowledge and skills in basic counselling, and (v) include acquiring knowledge of the guiding principles of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (2002, Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing). 2.2 Minimum credit point quanta 2.2.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 7 qualification and requires completion of a total of no less than 144 APAC Credit Points 2 (180 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 2.2.2 The Program of Study requires completion of no less than 84 APAC Credit Points (105 ECTS) in psychology. 2.3 Required elements 2.3.1 The Program of Study requires foundational learning in each of the content areas listed and/or underpinning the Graduate Attributes in Appendix A. 2.3.2 The Program of Study requires completion of a sequence of core topics contained in a series of compulsory psychology units which are designed in such a way that units build on and extend previous learning. 2.3.3 Each of the guiding principles of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce is integrated into the core curriculum and its assessments. 2.4 Assessment 2.4.1 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of a range of formative and of summative assessments which, at a minimum, focus on: the achievement of the Graduate Attributes set out in Appendix A; (ii) the achievement of foundational knowledge and skills in basic counselling; (iii) the achievement of foundational knowledge and skills in interviewing, and (iv) knowledge of each of the guiding principles of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing). 2 See APAC Credit Points in Definitions Section. 9

DOMAIN 3 STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT AQF LEVEL 8 3.1 Entry requirements 3.1.1 Entry to the Program of Study requires successful completion of an APAC accredited AQF level 7 Program of Study (see Domain 2), or a qualification obtained in an Overseas Country which has been assessed as substantially comparable by an assessing authority recognised by APAC. 3.2 Purpose and learning outcomes 3.2.1 The stated purposes of the Program of Study are to: build on the knowledge and skills achieved in the APAC Accredited Level 7 Program; (ii) undertake advanced training in the conduct and evaluation of scientific research, and (iii) undertake advanced level study in psychology preparatory to further learning and professional training. 3.2.2 The stated learning outcomes of the Program of Study include: acquiring advanced knowledge and skills in research methods in psychology; (ii) acquiring critical and creative thinking skills in psychology; (iii) acquiring advanced knowledge of values and ethics in psychology and the ability to apply ethical principles to psychological practice; (iv) acquiring advanced knowledge in the foundations of psychological testing, including the theoretical and empirical bases underpinning the construction, implementation, and interpretation of some of the more widely used cognitive and personality assessments, and foundational skills in the ethical use of psychological tests. 3.3 Minimum credit point quanta 3.3.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 8 qualification and requires completion of a total of not less than 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 3.3.2 The Program of Study requires completion of no less than 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) in psychology, no less than half of which must be allocated to the study of research methods including designing, executing and reporting on a scientific psychology research project. 3.3.3 Where the Program of Study is imbedded into a Bachelor degree, the qualification: requires completion of no less than 192 APAC Credit Points (240 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode, and (ii) meets all of the Standards set down in Domain 3 in addition to all of the Standards in Domain 2 of this document, and (iii) leads to the award of a Bachelor Honours Degree. 3.4 Required elements 3.4.1 The Program of Study includes coverage at the advanced level of each of the content areas listed in A2.1 of Appendix A. 3.4.2 The Program of Study incorporates assessed work at the advanced level based on each of the guiding principles of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing). 3.4.3 The Program of Study includes advanced training in research methods. 10

3.4.4 The Program of Study includes advanced training in ethics and ethical psychological practice including the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA and the current version of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. 3.4.5 The Program of Study includes advanced training in the foundations of psychological testing and pre professional training in ethics in psychological practice. 3.4.6 The Program of Study includes a research project which: carries a final assessment weight reflecting at least 16 APAC Credit Points (20 ECTS); (ii) requires each student, under supervision, to address his or her own research question, conduct his or her own relevant intensive scientific literature review, conduct his or her own data analyses (but may involve shared data collection), reporting and interpretation of results and writing of a research report; (iii) requires that students participate in all of the steps involved in research including the formulation of research questions, the design of the study including selection of appropriate methodology, the collection and analysis of data (but may involve shared data collection), the interpretation of the findings and the writing up of the report; (iv) addresses a research question that is relevant to the discipline of psychology, and (v) requires submission of a written research report, either in APA format or formatted as a manuscript suitable for submission to a relevant peer reviewed journal. 3.5 Assessment 3.5.1 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of formative and of summative assessments which focus on achievement of the Graduate Attributes concerning research methods in psychology as set out in A2.1 and A2.2 of Appendix A. 3.5.2 The Program of Study requires the examination of a research report, thesis (adhering to APA format) or scientific journal article, including a substantial review of the relevant published scientific literature: that must be assessed by at least two examiners; (ii) for which procedures must be in place to resolve any differences across examiners, and (iii) that must not be examined by any Research Supervisor of the student or any collaborator who participated in the research project being reported. 3.5.3 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of formative and summative assessments which focus on achievement, at the advanced level, of: the Graduate Attributes concerning critical and creative thinking skills in psychology as set out in each of A3.1 to A3.4 of Appendix A, and (ii) the Graduate Attributes concerning values and ethics in psychology as set out in each of A4.1 to A4.5 of Appendix A. 3.5.4 The Program of Study has rules which require every student to achieve no less than 50% on each and every unit undertaken as part of the Program of Study before the student is permitted to graduate. 11

DOMAIN 4 STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT AQF LEVEL 9 MASTERS COURSEWORK DEGREES 4.1 Entry requirements 4.1.1 Entry to the Program of Study requires completion of a minimum of an APAC accredited AQF level 7 Program of Study or a qualification obtained in an Overseas Country which has been assessed as substantially comparable by an assessing authority recognised by APAC. 4.2 Purpose and learning outcomes 4.2.1 The stated purposes of the Program of Study are to: build on the knowledge and skills achieved in the APAC Accredited Level 7 Program; (ii) undertake advanced training in the conduct of scientific research and the ability to critically assess and apply it to inform professional practice; (iii) undertake advanced level study in psychology preparatory to further learning, and (iv) prepare graduates to undertake a PsyBA approved internship program. 4.2.2 The stated learning outcomes of the Program of Study include: acquiring advanced knowledge and skills in research methods in psychology; (ii) acquiring critical and creative thinking skills in psychology; (iii) acquiring advanced knowledge of values and ethics in psychology and knowledge of the application of ethics to psychological practice; (iv) acquiring advanced knowledge in the foundations of psychological testing, including the theoretical and empirical bases underpinning the construction, implementation, and interpretation of some of the more widely used cognitive and personality assessments, and skills in the ethical use of psychological tests, and (v) achieving competence in each of the Foundation Competencies for Psychology Interns listed in Appendix B. 4.3 Minimum credit point quanta 4.3.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 9 Masters (Coursework) qualification and requires completion of a total of no less than 96 APAC Credit Points (120 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 4.3.2 No less than 16 APAC Credit Points (20 ECTS) of the Program of Study must be allocated to research methods including designing, executing and reporting on a scientific psychology research project. 4.4 Credit and advanced standing 4.4.1 Credit /advanced standing of up to 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) may be awarded where a candidate has successfully completed an APAC Accredited AQF level 8 Program of Study. 4.4.2 Advanced Standing or credit can only be granted for placement where the supervised practice which occurred in that placement: occurred within an APAC Accredited Program completed within the last two years, and (ii) was of a comparable nature to the placement for which credit is sought. 4.4.3 The total amount of Advanced Standing or credit for placement granted to any student of the Program is never more than 33% of the total practical placement required by the Program. 12

4.5 Required elements 4.5.1 The Program of Study includes coverage of the content areas listed in A2.1 of Appendix A. 4.5.2 The Program of Study includes coverage of all content required to support achievement of each of the competencies set out in Appendix B. 4.5.3 The Program of Study incorporates all of the guiding principles and the standards of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing). 4.5.4 The Program of Study includes advanced training in ethics and ethical psychological practice, including the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA and the current version of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. 4.5.5 The Program of Study includes advanced knowledge in the foundations of psychological testing and skills training in the ethical use of psychological tests. 4.5.6 The Program of Study includes advanced training in research methods. 4.5.7 The Program of Study includes a research project that: carries a final assessment weight reflecting at least 33% of the credit point weighting commensurate with one year of full time enrolment (16 APAC Credit Points); (ii) requires that students participate in all of the steps involved in research including the formulation of research questions, the design of the study including selection of appropriate methodology, the collection and analysis of data (but may involve shared data collection), the interpretation of the findings and the writing up of the report; (iii) addresses a research question that is relevant to the discipline of psychology, and (iv) requires submission of a written research report, either in APA format or formatted as a manuscript suitable for submission to a relevant peer reviewed journal. 4.5.8 The Program of Study requires that each candidate is advised, on admission, that should he/she be deemed unsuitable for registration by the PsyBA, he/she will not be permitted to progress to any components of the course which involve the provision of psychological services to Clients 3. 4.5.9 The Program of Study requires each student to pass an assessment of suitability for professional education and training before permitting him/her to undertake any practica which involve the student in the provision of psychological services to the public. 4.5.10 The Program of Study requires each student to: obtain provisional or general registration with the PsyBA before being permitted to progress to any components of the Program which involve the student in the provision of psychological services to the public, and (ii) maintain registration with the PsyBA for the remainder of his/her enrolment in the Program. 4.5.11 The Program of Study includes a range of coursework and pratica based on recent literature concerning the education and training of psychologists published in well regarded international journals. 4.5.12 The practica in the Program of Study are of a nature which demonstrably support the achievement of each of the competencies in Appendix B (such as supervised placement, role playing and skills 3 Clients may refer to individuals, groups of people, organisations or communities to whom psychological services are provided, as appropriate to the nature of the psychological practice in which the student is engaged (see Definitions Section). 13

practice, other simulated learning tasks, observation of supervisors working with Clients and case analysis). 4.5.13 The Program of Study shows evidence of careful integration of coursework and practica to maximise acquisition and development of competence. 4.5.14 The Program of Study requires each student to successfully complete a total of no less than 300 hours of practica, including no less than 50 hours of logged supervised Client Contact and Clientrelated Activities, which are integrated into the Program s skills training components. 4.5.15 The Program of Study requires each student to keep a single log book of practica: comprising three sections: (1) a Record of Practice, (2) a Record of Professional Development and (3) a Record of Supervision, the structure of which conforms to the PsyBA Weekly Record of Professional Practice for Provisional Psychologists PPLB 10 proforma; (ii) in which the Record of Practice includes daily details of the nature and hours of all practice at placement and during other practica undertaken (internal and external to the Education Provider s facilities), signed by the student at least weekly, and sighted and signed by the Principal Supervisor on at least a weekly basis (or fortnightly when part time), and which clearly specifies the nature of all Client related work undertaken. (iii) in which the Record of Professional Development includes a record of any professional development activities undertaken which are additional to the requirements of the Program of Study showing the date, duration, format and a description of the activity as well as the name and profile of the presenter; (iv) in which the Record of Supervision includes an entry showing the date, nature and duration of every supervision session, clearly differentiating group from individual supervision, and in which the signed notation of the supervisor states that the entry is an accurate representation of the practica undertaken and which clearly shows in a readable form the supervisor s name accompanying each signature; (v) a copy of which is retained by the education provider for 10 years after the date of graduation of the student and which is provided on request for inspection by APAC or the PsyBA, and (vi) that is required to be checked at completion of the Program of Study, confirmed by the signature of the/a Principal Supervisor on the log book itself. 4.5.16 The Program of Study requires that all reports and case notes written by the student which arise from practica undertaken with real Clients bear the signature of the Principal Supervisor for that component of the practica. 4.5.17 The Program of Study requires that wherever a student undertakes practicum that involves real Clients, he/she must have an identified Principal Supervisor for the relevant practicum component, who: must maintain general registration with the PsyBA; (ii) must maintain the required supervisor recognition status with the PsyBA; (iii) must supply to the coordinator of the Program an up to date curriculum vitae including details of her/his qualifications, registration status and relevant experience and these documents are made available to APAC or the PsyBA on request; (iv) must ensure that the minimum rate of supervision provided is never less than 1 hour of supervision for every 17.5 hours of psychological practice (where the supervision hour is not counted as one of the 17.5 hours), and 14

(v) must observe the student practising with Clients. 4.5.18 The Program of Study requires that no more than 33% of the supervision provided for Clientrelated practica is group supervision. 4.5.19 The Program of Study has an exit point to an AQF Level 8 Graduate Diploma which is available after the completion of no less than 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) and which includes completion of all of the elements listed in Standard 3.4. 4.6 Assessment 4.6.1 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of formative and of summative assessments which focus on achievement of the Graduate Attributes concerning research methods in psychology as set out in A2.1 and A2.2 of Appendix A. 4.6.2 The Program of Study requires the examination of a research report, thesis (adhering to APA format) or scientific journal article, including a substantial review of the relevant published scientific literature: that must be assessed by at least two examiners; (ii) for which procedures must be in place to resolve any differences across examiners, and (iii) that must not be examined by any Research Supervisor of the student or any collaborator who participated in the research project being reported. 4.6.3 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of formative and summative assessments which focus on achievement, at the advanced level, of: the Graduate Attributes concerning critical and creative thinking skills in psychology as set out in each of A3.1 to A3.4 of Appendix A, and (ii) the Graduate Attributes concerning values and ethics in psychology as set out in each of A4.1 to A4.5 of Appendix A. 4.6.4 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of a range of formative and of summative assessments which determine the level of competence for each of the Foundation Competencies for Psychology Interns listed in Appendix B and for each of which a mark is recorded. 4.6.5 The program of Study has rules which require every student to achieve no less than 50% on each and every unit undertaken as part of the Program of Study before the student is permitted to graduate. 15

DOMAIN 5 STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT AQF LEVEL 9 MASTERS EXTENDED DEGREES 5.1 Entry requirements 5.1.1 Entry to the Program of Study requires, at a minimum, the completion of: an APAC accredited AQF level 7 Program of Study or (ii) an APAC Accredited AQF Level 8 (or higher level) Program of Study, or (iii) a qualification obtained in an Overseas Country which has been assessed as substantially comparable to either or (ii). 5.1.2 Entry to the Program of Study requires each candidate to pass an assessment interview and/or other assessment processes designed to determine the candidate s suitability for the professional education and training required by the Program. 5.2 Purpose and learning outcomes 5.2.1 The stated purposes of the Program of Study are to: build on the knowledge and skills acquired in previous studies; (ii) undertake advanced training in the conduct of scientific research, including the acquisition of substantial knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to the discipline and the ability to critically assess and apply it to inform professional practice; (iii) undertake advanced level education and training in the professional practice of psychology including an area of specialised practice which prepares graduates for entry to a PsyBA Area of Practice Endorsement Registrar Program, and (iv) undertake advanced training in the interpretation of published empirical data and its application to the professional practice of psychology. 5.2.2 The stated learning outcomes of the Program of Study require: acquiring advanced knowledge and skills in research methods in psychology; (ii) acquiring critical and creative thinking skills in psychology; (iii) acquiring advanced knowledge of values and ethics in psychology and knowledge of the application of ethics to psychological practice; (iv) acquiring advanced knowledge in the foundations of psychological testing, including the theoretical and empirical bases underpinning the construction, implementation, and interpretation of some of the more widely used cognitive and personality assessments, and skills in the ethical use of psychological tests; (v) achieving competence in each of the Core Competencies of the Entry Level Psychology Practitioner listed in Appendix C, and (vi) achieving competence in each of the competencies for the relevant area of practice endorsement listed in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement (a separate document to these Standards). 5.3 Minimum credit point quanta 5.3.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 9 Masters (Extended) qualification and requires completion of a total of no less than 144 APAC Credit Points (180 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 16

5.3.2 All 144 APAC Credit Points (180 ECTS) of the Program of Study must be dedicated to education and training in psychology. 5.3.3 No less than 16 APAC Credit Points (20 ECTS) of the Program of Study must be allocated to research methods including designing, executing and reporting on a scientific psychology research project. 5.4 Credit and advanced standing 5.4.1 Credit /advanced standing of no more than 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) may be awarded where a candidate has successfully completed an APAC Accredited AQF level 8 Program of Study, or on the basis of successfully completed psychology units: which are assessed as closely comparable to those for which credit is being granted and (ii) which were completed in an APAC Accredited AQF Level 8 or higher level Program of Study within the last 10 years. 5.4.2 Advanced Standing or credit can only be granted for placement where the supervised practice which occurred in that placement: occurred within an APAC Accredited Program completed within the last two years, and (ii) was of a comparable nature (including any specialised practice) to the placement for which credit is sought. 5.4.3 The total amount of Advanced Standing or credit for placement granted to any student of the Program is never more than 33% of the total practical placement required by the Program. 5.5 Required elements 5.5.1 The Program of Study includes coverage of the content areas listed in A2.1 of Appendix A. 5.5.2 The Program of Study incorporates all of the guiding principles and standards of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing). 5.5.3 The Program of Study includes advanced training in the evaluation of research and its application to practice. 5.5.4 The Program of Study includes advanced training in ethics and ethical psychological practice, including the application to practice of the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA and the current version of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. 5.5.5 The Program of Study includes advanced knowledge in the foundations of psychological testing and skills training in the ethical use of psychological tests. 5.5.6 The Program of Study includes a research project which: carries a final assessment weight reflecting at least 16 APAC Credit Points; (ii) requires that students participate in all of the steps involved in research including the formulation of research questions, the design of the study including selection of appropriate methodology, the collection and analysis of data (but may involve shared data collection), the interpretation of the findings and the writing up of the report; (iii) addresses a research question that is relevant to the discipline of psychology, and (iv) requires submission of a written research report, either in APA format or formatted as a manuscript suitable for submission to a relevant peer reviewed journal. 5.5.7 The Program of Study requires that each candidate is advised, on admission, that should he/she be deemed unsuitable for registration by the PsyBA, he/she will not be permitted to progress to any components of the course which involve the provision of psychological services to Clients. 17

5.5.8 Program of Study requires each student to pass an assessment of suitability for professional education and training before permitting him/her to undertake any practica which involve the student in the provision of psychological services to the public. 5.5.9 The Program of Study requires each student to: obtain provisional or general registration with the PsyBA before being permitted to progress to any components of the Program which involve the student in the provision of psychological services to the public, and (ii) maintain registration with the PsyBA for the remainder of his/her enrolment in the Program. 5.5.10 The Program of Study includes coverage of all content required to support achievement of each of the competencies in Appendix C. 5.5.11 The Program of Study includes a range of coursework and pratica based on recent literature concerning the education and training of psychologists published in well regarded international journals. 5.5.12 The Program of Study shows evidence of careful integration of coursework and practical placement experiences to maximise acquisition and development of competence. 5.5.13 The Program of Study requires supervised practical placement experiences: which require each student to obtain provisional (or general) registration with the PsyBA before any placement can commence; (ii) which include at least two placements external to the Education Provider s facilities; (iii) during which each student has an identified Principal Supervisor who provides close supervision of the student, and is responsible for the student s practice and behaviour while on placement; (iv) during each of which the student has an identified Principal Supervisor who is required to: maintain general registration with the PsyBA; maintain qualifications and experience appropriate to the supervision of the student s practice at the relevant placement setting, and maintain the required supervisor recognition status with the PsyBA; (v) in which every placement experience provided as part of the Program of Study includes a mandatory placement learning contract between the Education Provider and the organisation in which the placement occurs, containing learning outcomes and other details of the nature of the practice to be undertaken including the amount and nature of supervision to be provided; (vi) each of which requires a review of the student s performance and of the supervisor s compliance with the contract at the midpoint and at the end; (vii) on conclusion of which a report setting out the student s performance marks on a series of competency assessments derived from the list of competencies in Appendix C and the competencies in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement is always produced and held on file by the Education Provider, and (viii) for which entries are made into the student s log book and such entries are always signed by the Principal Supervisor as true and correct entries. 5.5.14 The Program of Study requires each student to successfully complete a total of no less than 1200 hours of logged supervised Client Contact and Client related Activities which are integrated into the Program s practica and skills training components. 18

5.5.15 The Program of Study requires each student to keep a single log book of practica: comprising of three sections: (1) a Record of Practice, (2) a Record of Professional Development and (3) a Record of Supervision the structure of which conforms to the PsyBA Weekly Record of Professional Practice for Provisional Psychologists PPLB 10 proforma; (ii) in which the Record of Practice includes daily details of the nature and hours of all practice at placement and during other practica undertaken (internal and external to the Education Provider s facilities), signed by the student at least weekly, and sighted and signed by the Principal Supervisor on at least a weekly basis (or fortnightly when part time), and which clearly specifies the nature of all Client related work undertaken. (iii) in which the Record of Professional Development includes a record of any professional development activities undertaken which are additional to the requirements of the Program of Study showing the date, duration, format and a description of the activity as well as the name and profile of the presenter; (iv) in which the Record of Supervision includes an entry showing the date, nature and duration of every supervision session, clearly differentiating group from individual supervision, and in which the signed notation of the supervisor states that the entry is an accurate representation of the practica undertaken and which clearly shows in a readable form the supervisor s name accompanying each signature; (v) a copy of which is retained by the Education Provider for 10 years after the date of graduation of the student and which is provided on request for inspection by APAC or the PsyBA, and (vi) that is required to be checked at completion of the Program of Study, confirmed by the signature of the/a Principal Supervisor on the log book itself. 5.5.16 The Program of Study requires that all reports and case notes written by the student which arise from practica undertaken with real Clients must bear the signature of the Principal Supervisor. 5.5.17 The Program of Study requires that each supervisor undertaking the supervision of students who are involved in any practica involving real Clients: must maintain general registration with the PsyBA; (ii) must maintain qualifications and experience appropriate to the supervision of the student s practice, and (iii) must maintain the required supervisor recognition status with the PsyBA; (iv) must supply to the coordinator of the Program an up to date curriculum vitae including details of her/his qualifications, registration status and relevant experience and these documents are made available to APAC or the PsyBA on request; (v) must ensure that the minimum rate of supervision provided is never less than 1 hour of supervision for every 17.5 hours of psychological practice (where the supervision hour is not counted as one of the 17.5 hours), and (vi) must directly observe the student practising with Clients. 5.5.18 The Program of Study requires that no more than 33% of the supervision provided for Clientrelated practica is group supervision. 5.5.19 The Program of Study has an exit point to an AQF Level 8 Graduate Diploma available after the completion of no less than 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) which must include completion of the research report or thesis and all associated research methods training. 19

5.5.20 The Program of Study meets all of the specialised area of practice Standards relevant to one of the areas of endorsement set down in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement (a separate document). 5.6 Assessment 5.6.1 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of formative and of summative assessments which focus on achievement of the Graduate Attributes concerning research methods in psychology as set out in A2.1 and A2.2 of Appendix A 5.6.2 The Program of Study requires the examination of a research report, thesis (adhering to APA format) or scientific journal article, including a substantial review of the relevant published scientific literature: that must be assessed by at least two examiners; (ii) for which procedures must be in place to resolve any differences across examiners; (iii) that must not be examined by any Research Supervisor of the student or any collaborator who participated in the research project being reported, and (iv) that carries a final assessment weight reflecting at least 16 APAC Credit Points. 5.6.3 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of formative and summative assessments which focus on achievement, at the advanced level, of: the Graduate Attributes concerning critical and creative thinking skills in psychology as set out in each of A3.1 to A3.4 of Appendix A; (ii) the Graduate Attributes concerning values and ethics in psychology as set out in each of A4.1 to A4.5 of Appendix A, and 5.6.4 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of a range of formative and of summative assessments, including each of: written examinations; (ii) viva voce examinations, and (iii) observed structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), designed to assess achievement, to a satisfactory level of mastery, of each of the competencies set out in Appendix C and in one of the endorsed areas in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement, and each of which requires the formal recording of a mark reflecting the assessed level of competence and professionalism achieved. 5.6.5 Competence assessment outcomes for each student are stored for a minimum of 10 years in case of audit. 5.6.6 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of each and every competency, unit, component and requirement, including all assessment tasks, before any student is permitted to graduate from the Program of Study. 5.6.7 The program of Study has rules which require every student to achieve no less than 50% on each and every unit undertaken as part of the Program of Study before the student is permitted to graduate. 20

DOMAIN 6 STANDARDS FOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT AQF LEVEL 10 DOCTORAL DEGREES WITH PROFESSIONAL COURSEWORK 6.1 Entry requirements 6.1.1 Entry to the Program of Study requires completion within the last 10 years of: an APAC Accredited AQF Level 8 (or higher) Program of Study in which the candidate achieved at least an upper second class honours (H2A) or equivalent overall mark, or (ii) a qualification obtained in an Overseas Country which has been assessed as substantially comparable to by an assessing authority recognised by APAC. 6.1.2 Entry to the Program of Study requires each candidate to pass an assessment interview and/or other assessment processes designed to determine the candidate s suitability for the professional education and training required by the Program. 6.2 Purpose and learning outcomes 6.2.1 The stated purposes of the Program of Study are to: build on the knowledge and skills acquired in previous studies; (ii) undertake a program of independent study that produces significant and original research outcomes culminating in a thesis; (iii) undertake advanced training at the Doctoral level, including the acquisition of substantial knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to the field of work or learning; (iv) undertake advanced level education and training in the professional practice of psychology, including an area of specialised practice which prepares graduates for entry to a PsyBA Area of Practice Endorsement Registrar Program, and (v) undertake advanced training in the interpretation of published empirical data and its application to the professional practice of psychology. 6.2.2 The stated learning outcomes of the Program of Study include: a requirement to achieve advanced knowledge, ability to apply ethical principles and to practice psychology ethically in professional contexts; (ii) a requirement to achieve advanced knowledge and skills in advanced research practice; (iii) a requirement to achieve advanced knowledge in psychological testing, including the theoretical and empirical bases underpinning the construction, implementation, and interpretation of some of the more widely used cognitive and personality assessments, and skills in the ethical use of psychological tests; (iv) a requirement to reach competence in each of the competencies listed in the Appendix C, and (v) a requirement to reach mastery in each of the competencies listed in one of the endorsed areas in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement. 21

6.3 Minimum credit point quanta 4 6.3.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 10 Doctoral qualification and requires completion of a total of no less than 192 APAC Credit Points (240 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 6.3.2 No less than 192 APAC Credit Points (240 ECTS) of the Program of Study must be dedicated to advanced education and training in psychology. 6.3.3 No less than 96 APAC Credit Points (120 ECTS) of the Program of Study must be allocated to research and research methods including designing, executing and reporting on a scientific psychology research project at the frontier of work or learning and which produces significant and original research outcomes. 6.4 Credit and advanced standing 6.4.1 The Education Provider permits the granting of credit /advanced standing equivalent to no more than 96 APAC Credit Points (120 ECTS) on the basis of successfully completed psychology units which: are assessed as closely comparable to those for which credit is being sought; (ii) were completed in an APAC Accredited AQF Level 9 Program of Study within the last 10 years, and (iii) were not components of a research project or research based thesis. 6.4.2 Advanced Standing or credit can only be granted for placement where the supervised practice which occurred in that placement: occurred within an APAC Accredited Program completed within the last two years, and (ii) was of a comparable nature (including any specialised practice) to the placement for which credit is sought. 6.4.3 The total amount of Advanced Standing or credit for placement granted to any student of the Program is never more than 33% of the total practical placement required by the Program. 6.5 Required elements 6.5.1 The Program of Study incorporates all of the guiding principles and the standards of the current version of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing). 6.5.2 The Program of Study includes advanced (Doctoral level) training in research methods. 6.5.3 The Program of Study includes substantial advanced training in ethics and ethical psychological practice, including the application to practice of the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA and the current version of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. 6.5.4 The Program of Study includes advanced knowledge in psychological assessment and testing and advanced skills training in the ethical use of psychological tests. 6.5.5 The Program of Study includes a Doctoral level research project which: aims to result in an original contribution to the discipline of psychology; 4 NB The APAC minimum credit point requirements set out in 6.3 may not be sufficient for a Program to achieve eligibility for Research Training Scheme funding. 22

(ii) requires at least one Research Supervisor who is a member of staff of the Education Provider; (iii) requires each student, under supervision, to address his or her own research question, conduct his or her own extensive empirical literature review, design the study including selecting appropriate methodology, collect and analyse the data to test the research question(s), interpret the data, and write up the report, and (iv) requires submission of a written research report, either in APA format or formatted as a manuscript or manuscripts suitable for submission to relevant international peer reviewed journals. 6.5.6 The Program of Study requires that each candidate is advised, on admission, that should he/she be deemed unsuitable for registration by the PsyBA, he/she will not be permitted to progress to any components of the course which involve the provision of psychological services to Clients. 6.5.7 The Program of Study requires each student to pass an assessment of suitability for professional education and training before permitting him/her to enrol in the Program. 6.5.8 The Program of Study requires each student to: obtain provisional or general registration with the PsyBA before being permitted to progress to any components of the Program which involve the student in the provision of psychological services to the public, and (ii) maintain registration with the PsyBA for the remainder of his/her enrolment in the Program. 6.5.9 The Program of Study includes coverage of all content required to support achievement of each of the competencies in Appendix C. 6.5.10 The Program of Study includes a range of coursework and pratica based on recent literature concerning the education and training of psychologists published in well regarded international journals. 6.5.11 The Program of Study shows evidence of careful integration of coursework and practical placement experiences to maximise acquisition and development of competence. 6.5.12 Program of Study requires each student to successfully complete a total of no less than 1500 hours of logged supervised Client Contact and Client related Activities which are integrated into the Program s practica and skills training components. 6.5.13 The Program of Study requires supervised practical placement experiences: which require each student to obtain provisional (or general) registration with the PsyBA before any placement can commence; (ii) which include at least two placements external to the Education Provider s facilities; (iii) which include logged hours of supervised practice with real Clients; (iv) for which the maximum amount of credit that can be given is no more than 33% of the total practical placement required by the Program of Study; (v) during which each student has an identified Principal Supervisor who provides close supervision of the student, and is responsible for the student s practice and behaviour while on placement; (vi) during each of which the student has an identified Principal Supervisor who is required to: maintain general registration with the PsyBA; maintain qualifications and experience appropriate to the supervision of the student s practice at the relevant placement setting, and maintain the required supervisor recognition status with the PsyBA; 23

(vii) in which every placement experience provided as part of the Program of Study includes a mandatory placement learning contract between the Education Provider and the organisation in which the placement occurs, containing learning outcomes and other details of the nature of the practice to be undertaken including the amount and nature of supervision to be provided; (viii) each of which requires a review of the student s performance and of the supervisor s compliance with the contract at the midpoint and at the end; (ix) on conclusion of which a report setting out the student s performance marks on a series of competency assessments derived from the list of competencies in Appendix C and the competencies in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement is always produced and held on file by the Education Provider; (x) for which entries are made into the student s log book and such entries are always signed by the Principal Supervisor as true and correct entries, and 6.5.14 The Program of Study requires each student to keep a single log book of practica: comprising of three sections: (1) a Record of Practice, (2) a Record of Professional Development and (3) a Record of Supervision the structure of which conforms to the PsyBA Weekly Record of Professional Practice for Provisional Psychologists PPLB 10 proforma; (ii) in which the Record of Practice includes daily details of the nature and hours of all practice at placement and during other practica undertaken (internal and external to the Education Provider s facilities), signed by the student at least weekly, and sighted and signed by the Principal Supervisor on at least a weekly basis (or fortnightly when part time), and which clearly specifies the nature of all Client related work undertaken. (iii) in which the Record of Professional Development includes a record of any professional development activities undertaken which are additional to the requirements of the Program of Study showing the date, duration, format and a description of the activity as well as the name and profile of the presenter; (iv) in which the Record of Supervision includes an entry showing the date, nature and duration of every supervision session, clearly differentiating group from individual supervision, and in which the signed notation of the supervisor states that the entry is an accurate representation of the practica undertaken and which clearly shows in a readable form the supervisor s name accompanying each signature; (v) a copy of which is retained by the Education Provider for 10 years after the date of graduation of the student and which is provided on request for inspection by APAC or the PsyBA, and (vi) that is required to be checked at completion of the Program of Study, confirmed by the signature of the/a Principal Supervisor on the log book itself. 6.5.15 The Program of Study requires that all reports and case notes written by the student which arise from practica undertaken with real Clients must bear the signature of the Principal Supervisor. 6.5.16 The Program of Study requires that each supervisor undertaking the supervision of students who are involved in any practica involving real Clients: must maintain general registration with the PsyBA; (ii) must maintain qualifications and experience appropriate to the supervision of the student s practice, and (iii) must maintain the required supervisor recognition status with the PsyBA; 24

(iv) must supply to the coordinator of the Program an up to date curriculum vitae including details of her/his qualifications, registration status and relevant experience and these documents are made available to APAC or the PsyBA on request; (v) must ensure that the minimum rate of supervision provided is never less than 1 hour of supervision for every 17.5 hours of psychological practice (where the supervision hour is not counted as one of the 17.5 hours), and (vi) must directly observe the student practising with Clients. 6.5.17 The Program of Study requires that no more than 33% of the supervision provided for Clientrelated practica is group supervision. 6.5.18 The Program of Study meets all of the specialised area of practice Standards relevant to one of the areas of endorsement set down in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement (a separate document). 6.6 Assessment 6.6.1 The Program of Study requires the examination of a Doctoral level research report or thesis adhering to APA format (or manuscripts suitable for submission to relevant international peer reviewed journals) including an extensive review of the relevant scientific empirical literature. 6.6.2 The Program of Study requires that the research report or thesis must be assessed by at least two examiners external to the Education Provider and who hold Doctoral qualifications. 6.6.3 The Program of Study does not permit the research report or thesis to be examined by any Research Supervisor of the student or any collaborator who participated in the research project being reported. 6.6.4 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of a range of formative and of summative assessments, including each of: written examinations; (ii) viva voce examinations, and (iii) observed structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), designed to assess achievement, to a satisfactory level of mastery, each of the competencies set out in Appendix C and in one of the endorsed areas in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement. 6.6.5 The Program of Study requires that the assessment of each competence includes the formal recording of a mark reflecting the assessed level of mastery and professionalism achieved, and that these marks are stored for at least 10 years in case of audit. 6.6.6 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of each and every competency, unit, component and requirement, including all assessment tasks, before any student is permitted to graduate from the Program of Study. 6.6.7 The Program of Study requires every student to achieve no less than 50% on each every assessment of competence undertaken as part of the Program of Study. 25

DOMAIN 7 STANDARDS FOR CONVERSION PROGRAMS OF STUDY 7.1 Entry requirements 7.1.1 Entry to the Program of Study requires prior conferral of a TEQSA accredited Australian degree at AQF Level 7, 8, 9 or 10, in any discipline or a qualification obtained in an Overseas Country which has been assessed as substantially comparable by an assessing authority recognised by APAC. 7.2 Purpose and learning outcomes 7.2.1 The stated purpose of the Program of Study is to provide graduates who possess a bachelor level degree (or higher) in a discipline other than psychology with a broad education in the scientific discipline of psychology. 7.3 Minimum credit point quanta 7.3.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 7 Bachelor Degree qualification and requires completion of no less than 84 APAC Credit Points (105 ECTS) in psychology, even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 7.4 Required elements 7.4.1 The Program of Study fully meets Standards 2.3 and 2.4 in this document. DOMAIN 8 STANDARDS FOR MASTER OF ADVANCED PRACTICE ( SPECIALISED AREA ) PROGRAMS OF STUDY 8.1 Entry requirements 8.1.1 Entry to the Program of Study requires, at a minimum, current general registration with the PsyBA, as well as: completion of an APAC Accredited AQF Level 9 Program of Study, or (ii) a qualification obtained in an Overseas Country which has been assessed as substantially comparable to by an assessing authority recognised by APAC or (iii) a certificate, issued within the last 18 months, of successful completion of the APAC Advanced Practice Qualification Entry Examination. 8.2 Purpose and learning outcomes 8.2.1 The stated purpose of the Program of Study is to undertake advanced level education and training in an area of specialised practice which prepares graduates for entry to a PsyBA Area of Practice Endorsement Registrar Program. 8.2.2 The stated learning outcomes of the Program of Study include a requirement to reach mastery in each of the competencies listed in one of the endorsed areas in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement (a separate document to these Standards). 26

8.3 Minimum credit point quanta 8.3.1 The Program of Study leads to an AQF Level 9 Masters (Coursework) qualification and requires completion of a total of no less than 48 APAC Credit Points (60 ECTS) even when undertaken in any accelerated mode. 8.4 Nomenclature requirements 8.4.1 The Program of Study has a title of the form Master of Advanced Practice (xyz), where the part of the title in parentheses corresponds with one of the PsyBA Area of Practice Endorsements. 8.5 Credit and advanced standing 8.5.1 Credit /Advanced Standing of no more than 24 APAC Credit Points (30 ECTS) may be awarded on the basis of previous study and/or experience: that is assessed as closely comparable to the learning and experience contained in the units for which credit is sought; (ii) that was completed within the last 5 years, and (iii) provided the total amount of Advanced Standing or credit for placement granted to any student of the Program is never more than 33% of the total practical placement required by the Program. 8.6 Required elements 8.6.1 The Program of Study includes a range of coursework and pratica based on recent literature concerning the education and training of psychologists published in well regarded international journals. 8.6.2 The Program of Study shows evidence of careful integration of coursework and practical placement experiences to maximise acquisition and development of competencies. 8.6.3 The Program of Study requires supervised practica: of which no less than 700 hours is logged supervised Client Contact and Client related Activities, undertaken in the specialised area of practice; (ii) in which all supervised practice with Clients occurs under the supervision of a psychologist who currently holds the appropriate Area of Practice Endorsement with the PsyBA as well as any required supervisor approval status with the PsyBA; (iii) in which every supervised practice experience provided as part of the Program of Study includes a mandatory learning contract between the Education Provider and the organisation in which the supervised practice occurs, containing learning outcomes and other details of the nature of the practice to be undertaken including the amount and nature of supervision to be provided; (iv) each of which requires a review of the student s performance and of the supervisor s compliance with the contract at the midpoint and at the end; (v) on conclusion of which a report setting out the student s performance marks on a series of competency assessments derived from the relevant list of competencies in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement is always produced and held on file by the Education Provider; (vi) for which entries are made into a log book of practica experiences maintained by the student and for which each entry is signed by the supervisor as true and correct. 8.6.4 The Program of Study requires each student to keep a single log book of practica: 27

comprising of three sections: (1) a Record of Practice, (2) a Record of Professional Development and (3) a Record of Supervision; (ii) in which the Record of Practice includes details of the nature and hours of all supervised practice (internal and external to the Education Provider s facilities), signed by the student at least weekly, and sighted and signed by the Principal Supervisor on a regular basis and which clearly specifies the nature of all Client related work undertaken. (iii) in which the Record of Professional Development includes a record of any professional development activities undertaken which are part of the requirements of the Program of Study and showing the date, duration, format and a description of the activity as well as the name and profile of the presenter; (iv) in which the Record of Supervision includes an entry showing the date, nature and duration of each supervision session, clearly differentiating group from individual supervision, and in which the signed notation of the supervisor states that the entry is an accurate representation of the practica undertaken and which clearly shows in a readable form the supervisor s name accompanying each signature; (v) a copy of which is retained by the Education Provider for 10 years after the date of graduation of the student and which is provided on request for inspection by APAC or the PsyBA, and (vi) that is required to be checked at completion of the Program of Study, confirmed by the signature of the/a Principal Supervisor on the log book itself. 8.6.5 The Program of Study requires that each supervisor undertaking the supervision of students who are involved in any practica involving real Clients: must maintain general registration with the PsyBA; (ii) must maintain qualifications and experience appropriate to the supervision of the student s practice, and (iii) must maintain the required supervisor recognition status with the PsyBA; (iv) must supply to the coordinator of the Program an up to date curriculum vitae including details of her/his qualifications, registration and Area of Practice Endorsement status and relevant experience and these documents are made available to APAC or the PsyBA on request; (v) must directly observe the student practising with Clients. 8.7 Assessment 8.7.1 The Program of Study requires the successful examination of a substantial capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship at the advanced level, relevant to one of the areas of practice endorsement which: must be examined by at least two examiners external to the Education Provider, neither of whom can be a Research Supervisor of the student or a collaborator who participated in the capstone experience and/or the piece of scholarship being reported on, and (ii) may include a viva voce or other examination. 8.7.2 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of a range of formative and of summative assessments, including each of: written examinations; (ii) viva voce examinations, and 28

(iii) observed structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), designed to assess mastery of each of the competencies for the relevant area of practice endorsement listed in the APAC Standards for Programs of Study Supporting the Development of an Area of Practice Endorsement (a separate document to these Standards). 8.7.3 The Program of Study requires that the assessment of each competence includes the formal recording of a mark reflecting the assessed level of mastery and professionalism achieved, and that these marks are stored in case of audit. 8.7.4 The Program of Study requires the successful completion of each and every competency, unit, component and requirement, including all assessment tasks, before any student is permitted to graduate from the Program of Study. 29

APPENDIX A GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES FOR THE AUSTRALIAN UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM The graduate attributes listed here are derived from the Graduate Attributes of the Four Year Australian Undergraduate Psychology Program (2008) 5. Graduate Attribute 1: Discipline knowledge and its application Demonstrates a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts, and an appreciation of the value of applying this knowledge as the basis for life long learning. A1.1 Demonstrates an understanding of the history and philosophy of science and psychology A1.2 Demonstrates understanding of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, research methods, empirical findings, and historical trends in the core topics of psychology, including: a) cognition, information processing and language b) individual differences in capacity and behaviour and personality, including related systems of testing and assessment c) intercultural diversity d) indigenous issues in psychology e) learning f) lifespan developmental psychology g) motivation and emotion h) neuroscience and biological bases of behaviour i) perception j) psychological disorders k) psychological well being l) social psychology A1.3 Demonstrates the capacity to apply disciplinary knowledge to explaining, predicting, and controlling human behaviour. 5 The Graduate Attributes of the Four Year Australian Undergraduate Psychology Program were produced as part of the Carrick Associate Fellowship project, "Sustainable and evidence based learning and teaching approaches to the undergraduate psychology curriculum", and "Designing a diverse and future oriented vision for undergraduate psychology in Australia", a Discipline based Initiative funded by the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, and supported by the Australian Psychological Society, and the University of New South Wales (School of Psychology; Learning and Teaching@UNSW). 30

Graduate Attribute 2: Research methods in psychology Understands the principles of scientific method and is able to apply and evaluate basic research methods in psychology. A2.1 Demonstrates the capacity to design and conduct studies to address psychological questions across a variety of domains: a) framing research questions b) undertaking literature searches c) critically analysing theoretical and empirical studies d) formulating testable hypotheses e) operationalising variables f) choosing an appropriate methodology for the questions framed g) designing appropriate data collection instruments including questionnaires/surveys as needed h) making valid and reliable measurements i) appropriately analysing data and interpreting results j) deriving theoretical and practical implications k) acknowledging limitations l) suggesting future research m) communicating this research in professional formats A2.2 Describes the key principles underpinning the design, implementation and evaluation of programs of behaviour change. Graduate Attribute 3: Critical and creative thinking skills in psychology Demonstrates the capacity to utilise logic, evidence, and psychological science to evaluate claims about, and solve problems regarding, human behaviour. A3.1 Recognises the major formal and informal fallacies of human reasoning. A3.2 Uses logic and evidence to critically evaluate and to develop arguments. A3.3 Critically evaluates theoretical and methodological approaches in psychology. A3.4 Demonstrates a rigorous and objective attitude in thinking and learning about human behaviour. Graduate Attribute 4: Values and ethics in psychology Demonstrates appropriate professional values. A4.1 Demonstrates awareness of diversity in individuals A4.2 Recognises how prejudicial attitudes and behaviours that exist in oneself and in others may lead to discrimination and inequity A4.3 Recognises ethical and moral influences that impact on individuals in a globalized society. 31

A4.4 Demonstrates knowledge, understanding and application of the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA and the values identified in applicable institutional codes regarding student behaviour (e.g., intellectual integrity). A4.5 Demonstrates knowledge of the current Australian National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce. Graduate Attribute 5: Communication and interpersonal skills in psychology Demonstrates pre professional level communication skills. A5.1 Writes effectively in a variety of formats and for a variety of purposes (i.e., standard research reports and research proposals; observes ethics of written communication. A5.2 Listens and speaks effectively including demonstrating effective oral presentation and basic interviewing skills, and the ability to use flexible techniques to communicate sensitively with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A5.3 Demonstrates interpersonal skills for communicating between individuals; collaborates in groups to complete projects. Graduate Attribute 6: Learning and the application of psychology Understands and applies psychological principles to personal, social, organisational, technological and global issues. A6.1 Understands the links between basic psychological theories and their application (e.g., capacity to explain psychological phenomena using the concepts, language, findings and major theories of the discipline). A6.2 Selects psychological principles that can be applied meaningfully in personal and professional contexts (with reference to ethics, privacy, human rights) and evaluates how well this is done (i.e., outcome evaluation). A6.3 Demonstrates a responsibility and capacity for lifelong independent learning to sustain personal and professional development in the changing world of the science and practice of psychology. 32

APPENDIX B FOUNDATION COMPETENCIES FOR PSYCHOLOGY INTERNS Purpose: The achievement of these competencies is intended to be at a foundational level, suitable to prepare graduates for entry to a PsyBA psychology internship program. Competence B1: Knowledge of the discipline Element B1.1 Demonstrates broad knowledge of the theories, principles and research underpinning all aspects of the discipline. Evidence benchmarks Demonstrates understanding of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, research methods, empirical findings, and historical trends in the core topics of psychology, including: neuroscience and biological bases of behaviour cognition, information processing and language individual differences in capacity, behaviour and personality (including systems of testing and assessment) intercultural diversity indigenous issues in psychology learning lifespan developmental psychology motivation and emotion perception psychological disorders psychological well being social psychology. Competence B2: Legal, ethical and professional frameworks and codes Element B2.1 Meets the Psychology Board of Australia s (PsyBA s) Provisional Registration Standard. B2.2 Meets the National Law requirements for conduct, health and performance. B2.3 Seeks guidance to ensure professional procedures and practices comply with relevant legislation. B2.4 Supervised practice complies with the requirements and procedures set down by other regulating bodies (including those which request and/or fund psychological services). Evidence benchmarks Meets and maintains the PsyBA Provisional Registration requirements and guidelines relevant to his/her current developmental point in the pathway to General Registration. Is aware of and complies with conduct, health and performance requirements of the NRAS, including mandatory reporting of notifiable conduct requirements. Demonstrates appropriate awareness of legislation governing: Mandatory reporting; Access to records; Legal processes; OH&S legislation; Employment law, and other legislation where applicable, and actively seeks out direction and guidance from the Principal Supervisor to ensure his/her practice meets the relevant legislative requirements. Actively seeks out direction and guidance from the Principal Supervisor to ensure his/her work complies, where relevant, with the regulations and requirements set down by: 33

B2.5 Supervised practice complies with the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA. B2.6 Practices in accordance with professional management standards and guidelines. B2.7 Practices in accordance with the policies, procedures and organisational culture of the workplace. B2.8 Demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning. Transport accident authorities; Workers compensation authorities; Family court; Coronial enquiries; Medicare; Department of Veterans Affairs, and Private health insurance funds. Identifies clients rights. Institutes procedures to protect clients privacy and confidentiality. Routinely explains to the client the limits to confidentiality. Provides accurate and complete information in all professional relationships including when delivering negative feedback. Describes ethical dilemmas, identifies ethical principles relevant to addressing them, and actively seeks out direction and guidance from the Principal Supervisor to ensure they are appropriately managed. Identifies and acknowledges his/her own professional limitations and seeks out advice from the Principal Supervisor, including instructions on when to refer to another professional. Demonstrates awareness of the requirements of regulating bodies and is guided by the resources of professional associations to learn and establish practice procedures which align to them. Seeks out guidance regarding how to implement policies in daily practice. Adjusts professional behaviour to work effectively with the frameworks and policies of employers and relevant professional and occupational groups. Is aware of requirements in the workplace which apply to provisionally registered psychologists. Participates in education programs and training to enhance and/or support the workplace culture. Seeks recommendations for recent published empirical evidence relevant to current areas of practice from the Principal Supervisor and other professionals and discusses them during supervision. Attends relevant high quality evidence based professional development activities and discusses them during supervision. Competence B3: Psychological assessment and measurement Element B3.1 Under supervision, assesses the needs of client/s appropriate to the goals of the intervention or service to be provided. Evidence benchmarks With guidance, gathers appropriate information and synthesises it to identify the appropriate type of assessment needed or other course of action to be taken. B3.2 Assesses and seeks guidance to manage risk of harm. Under supervision: identifies, and assesses the nature of, risk; promptly brings risk to the attention of the Principal Supervisor; under close supervision, implements effective and 34

B3.3 Under supervision, conducts psychological assessment. B3.4 Identifies appropriate standard psychological measures to assess individuals, groups, communities and organisations. B3.5 Identifies and characterises dysfunction and diagnoses. appropriate risk management measures, and under close supervision, engages and/or transfers care to appropriate services to maximise safety. With guidance, conveys key information about the assessment to the client (and where relevant others) including: Purpose; Implications; Length of time; Obligations and Process. Observes, interviews and, where appropriate, formally assesses the client (and relevant others) to obtain information about: History (e.g., personal, context); Presentation; Behaviour (in various settings where appropriate); Affect; Mental status, and Risk. With Guidance, interprets and integrates collected client material: Maintains an accurate record of collected information; Evaluates information from records and documents; Uses the client responses to formulate further enquiry; Generates hypotheses, and Develops a formulation and tests it in supervision. Develops a report that: Responds appropriately to the referral or request; Uses the integrated information obtained from the assessment; Draws conclusions that are based on findings and facts; Makes recommendations that are both practical and achievable; Explains difficult findings sensitively and with professional respect, and obtains feedback and sign off on draft reports from the Principal Supervisor before finalising for the intended audience. Routinely seeks out empirical data regarding the validity and reliability of available instruments, including recommendations for relevant literature during supervision. Uses psychometric and other assessment principles to understand presenting issues to appropriately inform measurement decisions, and tests these understandings with supervisors. Administers, scores and interprets psychological measures in accordance with test protocols. Identifies and takes account of factors that affect or invalidate administration and scoring (e.g. mood, attention, disability). Incorporates reference to measurement of error. Identifies, works within and communicates the limitations of assessment instruments under the guidance of the Principal Supervisor. Under supervision, synthesises assessment information to identify dysfunctional processes and potential diagnoses, including 35

differential diagnoses. Competence B4: Evidence based interventions Element B4.1 In consultation with the client and under the guidance of the supervisor, designs and plans evidence based interventions/management plans appropriate for the client and the context. B4.2 Chooses and implements empirically supported intervention options that are likely to be effective and tailors them to the client. B4.3 Provides feedback, reporting and referral options. Evidence benchmarks Identifies evidence based interventions appropriate for specific clients in specific settings with guidance from the Principal Supervisor. Explains the purpose, process and implications of the intervention/management plan. Selects measures which are suitable for pre and post evaluation of the intervention/management plan. With advice, adjusts service provision to address factors which impact on the intervention/management plan, including, where relevant: Age; Disability; Gender; Social situation; Employment status; Financial situation; Cultural; Health status, and Infrastructure (including housing). Reviews the decisions and outcomes during supervision. Chooses the best available appropriate intervention based on published empirical evidence. Under the guidance of the Principal Supervisor, tailors interventions to the client with careful attention to key efficacy principles and elements and delivers them competently. Takes accurate notes of consultations and reviews them during supervision. Sets appropriate out of session practice activities where relevant. Monitors the client s progress (including pre and post measures). Checks pre and post measures of the client s progress and discusses this with the client. Under the guidance of the Principal Supervisor, provides informal or formal reporting to the referring/requesting professional and information to other professionals (when indicated). Discusses with the client and relevant others, access to resources that are available and works in partnership with them to tailor a support/management plan with the support of the supervisor. Seeks guidance as to access to additional services and where appropriate, facilitates access to them. 36

Competence B5: Research and evaluation Performance criteria B5.1 Designs and conducts research and evaluation in accordance with accepted ethical guidelines. B5.2 Follows research ethics protocols in the organisations and locations where research is conducted. B5.3 Conducts research in accordance with national and international standards for design, methodology and reporting. B5.4 Engages regularly with recent research published in high quality internationally recognised journals. B5.5 Routinely evaluates practice and programs and modifies practices accordingly. Evidence benchmarks Complies with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA, with guidance from the identified research supervisor. With the authority of the supervisor, seeks out and obtains appropriate ethics permissions from the relevant research ethics committees. Locates and uses appropriate guidance with respect to research design and analysis as required. Selects the appropriate procedures in data collection and analysis to respond to the research question(s). Collects, manages and analyses data in an ethical and appropriate manner under the guidance of supervisors. With guidance, reports research findings appropriately in oral discussion, theses, publications, conferences and other reports. Reads and applies current research relevant to own area of practice under guidance. Applies criteria for critical appraisal of research e.g. sample size, design, effect size and other methods. Identifies and takes account of strengths and limitations of specific research studies. Based on evidence, can explain the rationale for his or her own conclusions about the research. Implements techniques which show strong published scientific evidence of efficacy and monitors outcomes in own practice. Designs evaluation plans and selects appropriate tools (e.g. client satisfaction survey, management processes assessment instruments). Reviews data, identifies practice and program areas requiring improvement, and modifies to improve performance. Reviews data and further modifies practice and program if required. Competence B6: Communication, collaboration and interpersonal relationships Element B6.1 Communicates and collaborates effectively with the client and relevant others. Evidence benchmarks Obtains signed informed consent to provide services to the client and to communicate with others when appropriate. Complies with organisational policies and procedures for obtaining informed consent, including any requirements for provisionally registered trainees. Under guidance, works in partnership with the client and relevant others in appropriate aspects of the professional service Uses core communication skills e.g.: Establishes a partnership with the client; 37

B6.2 Communicates effectively with professionals to provide and obtain opinions. B6.3 Collaborates with other professionals for the benefit of clients. B6.4 Values the capabilities and expertise of professional colleagues in other disciplines. Builds rapport; Engages in active listening, and Uses empathetic language. Uses language appropriate to the client s age and level of understanding. Communicates effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds. Uses the client s responses to formulate further enquiry. Provides appropriate feedback to the client and relevant others after review of performance in supervision. With close guidance by and approval of the Principal Supervisor, prepares oral and written reports tailored to the needs of the recipients. Uses language and information appropriate for the referring agent or other professional recipients including appropriate content, style, detail and complexity (such as using case examples and models to explain complex ideas). Obtains sign off from the Principal Supervisor on oral or written reports before communicating them. Prepares, outlines and presents clearly the issues for consultation when obtaining opinions from other professionals. Under supervision, analyses and records relevant opinions and integrates it into the client s assessment, intervention/management plans and reports where appropriate. Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of interprofessional collaboration for client outcomes. Collaborates appropriately with professional colleagues. Competence B7: Working in a cross cultural context Element B7.1 Identifies the unique features of cultures, experiences and lifestyles, especially when different from his/her own, and adopts a set of congruent behaviours consistent with cultural competence. Evidence benchmarks With guidance, modifies services to ensure that they are appropriate for the physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and social wellbeing of the client. These cultural characteristics may include: The nature of indigenous relationships and kinship and The importance of narrative as a communication tool. Adapts communication, service process, content, assessment and interventions in recognition of: the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; issues of lifestyle diversity including gender equity, sexual orientation and mixed families, and issues concerning migration, ethnic identity and crossgenerational cultural factors. Places particular stress on informed consent and collaborative decision making (appropriate to the culture and setting of the client), especially as a contribution to the issue of self determination. Under supervision, works in partnership with the indigenous community or other relevant groups with whom the client/s identify. 38

Competence B8: Practice across the lifespan Element B8.1 Works effectively with the developmental issues for individuals, groups, communities and organisations. Evidence benchmarks Under guidance, identifies and responds to the specific features of the various age groups (e.g., cognitive, emotional, developmental and behavioural) and seeks advice as to how they impact on the provision of psychological services: With advice, selects and administers age appropriate assessment tools and makes administration adjustments where necessary, and With advice, plans and tailors interventions according to the age and needs of the individual e.g. activities to engage and elicit information from children, from aged adults. Can explain to a colleague why an intervention has been selected for a person of a specific age. Identifies the issues that emerge at transition points of the lifespan, discusses during supervision and seeks guidance to introduce appropriate strategies into the intervention plan. Under supervision, works within the legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the different age groups. Competence B9: Supervision and mentoring Element B9.1 Understands the value of reflection, guidance, and mentoring available from more senior colleagues through the supervision process. Evidence benchmarks Regularly participates in the supervision process. Takes up opportunities for reflection, discussion, mentoring and feedback on all elements of his/her own professional practice during supervision. Identifies and understands the applicable supervision requirements set down by the PsyBA, APAC, Education Provider and the organisation in which he/she is practicing. Seeks out guidance from his/her supervisor(s), especially where risk is high or when challenged by complex or difficult circumstances. Explores the limitations of his/her current level of training and experience, and plans for future learning through supervision. 39

APPENDIX C CORE COMPETENCIES OF THE ENTRY LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PRACTITIONER Purpose: These competencies are intended to adequately prepare graduates for making an application to the PsyBA for general registration as a psychologist. Competence C1: Knowledge of the discipline Element C1.1 Demonstrates broad knowledge of the theories, principles and research underpinning all aspects of the discipline. Evidence benchmarks Demonstrates understanding of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, research methods, empirical findings, and historical trends in the core topics of psychology, including: Neuroscience and biological bases of behaviour; cognition, information processing and language; individual differences in capacity, behaviour and personality (including systems of testing and assessment); intercultural diversity; indigenous issues in psychology; learning; lifespan developmental psychology; motivation and emotion; perception; psychological disorders; psychological well being, and social psychology. Competence C2: Legal, ethical and professional frameworks and codes Element C2.1 Is aware of the Psychology Board of Australia s (PsyBA s) registration standard. Evidence benchmarks Shows awareness of the PsyBA General Registration Standard. C2.2 Meets the National Law requirements for conduct, health and performance. C2.3 Professional procedures and practices comply with relevant legislation. C2.4 Professional procedures and practices comply with the requirements and procedures Complies with conduct, health and performance requirements of the NRAS, including mandatory reporting of notifiable conduct requirements. Complies with legislation governing: Mandatory reporting; Access to records; Legal processes; OH&S legislation; Employment law, and other legislation where applicable, and actively seeks out direction and guidance from more senior colleagues or other reliable sources to ensure his/her practice meets the relevant legislative requirements. Where relevant, complies with the regulations and requirements set down by: 40

set down by other regulating bodies (including those which request and/or fund psychological services). C2.5 Complies with the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA. C2.6 Practices in accordance with professional management standards and guidelines. C2.7 Practices in accordance with the policies, procedures and organisational culture of the workplace. C2.8 Demonstrates a lifelong commitment to learning. Transport accident authorities; Workers compensation authorities; Family court; Coronial enquiries; Medicare; Department of Veterans Affairs, and Private health insurance funds. Identifies clients rights. Institutes procedures to protect clients privacy and confidentiality. Routinely explains to the client the limits to confidentiality. Provides accurate and complete information in all professional relationships including when delivering negative feedback. Describes ethical dilemmas and identifies ethical principles that address them. Identifies and acknowledges own professional limitations and refers to another professional when appropriate. Adheres to the requirements of regulating bodies and is guided by the resources of professional associations to establish and enhance practice procedures. Contributes to the development and review of a professional procedures manual. Adjusts professional behaviour to work effectively with the frameworks and policies of employers and relevant professional and occupational groups. Develops and delivers education programs and training to enhance and/or support the workplace culture. Reads recent published empirical evidence relevant to current areas of practice. Attends relevant high quality evidence based professional development (and other professional education) activities. Competence 3: Psychological assessment and measurement Element C3.1 Assesses the needs of client/s appropriate to the goals of the intervention or service to be provided. C3.2 Assesses and effectively manages risk of harm. Evidence benchmarks Gathers appropriate information and synthesises it to identify the appropriate type of assessment needed or other course of action to be taken. Identifies, and assesses the nature of, risk. Consults with more senior colleagues where risk is assessed as moderate or high. Implements effective and appropriate risk management measures. Engages and/or transfers care to appropriate services to maximise safety. C3.3 Conducts psychological assessment. Conveys key information about the assessment to the client (and where relevant others) including: Purpose; Implications; Length of time; Obligations, and 41

C3.4 Identifies appropriate standard psychological measures to assess individuals, groups, communities and organisations. C3.5 Identifies and characterises dysfunction and diagnoses. Process. Observes, interviews and, where appropriate, formally assesses the client (and relevant others) to obtain information about: History (e.g., personal, context); Presentation; Behaviour (in various settings where appropriate); Affect; Mental status, and Risk. Interprets and integrates collected client material: Maintains an accurate record of collected information; Evaluates information from records and documents; Uses the client responses to formulate further enquiry; Generates hypotheses, and Develops a formulation. Develops a report that: Responds appropriately to the referral or request; Uses the integrated information obtained from the assessment; Draws conclusions that are based on findings and facts; Makes recommendations that are both practical and achievable, and Explains difficult findings sensitively and with professional respect. Considers empirical data regarding the validity and reliability of available instruments. Uses psychometric and other assessment principles to understand presenting issues to appropriately inform measurement decisions, and where unsure, test these understandings with more senior colleagues. Administers, scores and interprets psychological measures in accordance with test protocols. Identifies and takes account of factors that affect or invalidate administration and scoring (e.g. mood, attention, disability). Incorporates reference to measurement of error. Identifies, works within and communicates the limitations of assessment instruments. Synthesises assessment information to identify dysfunctional processes and potential diagnoses, including differential diagnoses. Competence C4: Evidence based interventions Element C4.1 In consultation with the client, designs and plans evidence based. interventions/management plans appropriate for the client and the context. Evidence benchmarks Identifies evidence based interventions appropriate for specific clients in specific settings. Explains the purpose, process and implications of the intervention/management plan. Selects measures which are suitable for pre and post evaluation of the intervention/management plan. Adjusts service provision to address factors which impact on the 42

C4.2 Chooses and implements empirically supported intervention options that are likely to be effective and tailors them to the client. C4.3 Provides feedback, reporting and referral options. intervention/management plan, including, where relevant: Age; Disability; Gender; Social situation; Employment status; Financial situation; Cultural; Health status, and Infrastructure (including housing). Chooses the best available appropriate intervention based on published empirical evidence. Tailors interventions to the client with careful attention to key efficacy principles and elements and delivers them skilfully and effectively. Takes accurate notes of consultations. Sets appropriate out of session practice activities where relevant. Monitors the client s progress (including pre and post measures). Checks pre and post measures of the client s progress and discusses this with them. Provides informal or formal reporting to the referring/requesting professional and information to other professionals (when indicated). Discusses with the client and relevant others, access to resources that are available and works in partnership with them to tailor a support/management plan. Facilitates access to additional services where appropriate. Competence C5: Research and evaluation Performance criteria C5.1 Designs and conducts research and evaluation in accordance with accepted ethical guidelines. C5.2 Follows research ethics protocols in the organisations and locations where research is conducted. C5.3 Conducts research in accordance with national and international standards for design, methodology and reporting. C5.4 Engages regularly with recent research published in high quality internationally recognised journals. Evidence benchmarks Complies with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the code of ethics currently adopted by the PsyBA. Seeks out and obtains appropriate ethics permissions from the relevant research ethics committees. Locates and uses appropriate guidance with respect to research design and analysis as required. Selects the appropriate procedures in data collection and analysis to respond to the research question(s). Collects, manages and analyses data in an ethical and appropriate manner. Reports research findings appropriately in oral discussion, theses, publications, conferences and other reports. Reads and applies current research relevant to own area of practice. Applies criteria for critical appraisal of research e.g. sample size, 43

C5.5 Routinely evaluates practice and programs and modifies practices accordingly. design, effect size and other methods. Identifies and takes account of strengths and limitations of specific research studies. Based on evidence can explain the rationale for one s own conclusions about the research. Implements techniques which show strong published scientific evidence of efficacy and monitors outcomes in own practice. Designs evaluation plans and selects appropriate tools (e.g. client satisfaction survey, management processes assessment instruments). Reviews data, identifies practice and program areas requiring improvement, and modifies to improve performance. Reviews data and further modifies practice and program if required. Competence C6: Communication, collaboration and interpersonal relationships Element C6.1 Communicates and collaborates effectively with the client and relevant others. C6.2 Communicates effectively with professionals to provide and obtain opinions. Evidence benchmarks Obtains signed informed consent to provide services to the client and to communicate with others when appropriate. Complies with organisational policies and procedures for obtaining informed consent. Works in partnership with the client and relevant others in appropriate aspects of the professional service. Uses core communication skills e.g.: Establishes a partnership with the client; Builds rapport; Engages in active listening, and Uses empathetic language. Uses language appropriate to the client s age and level of understanding. Communicates effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds. Uses the client s responses to formulate further enquiry. Provides appropriate feedback to the client and relevant others. Prepares oral and written reports tailored to the needs of the recipients and periodically obtains feedback from more senior colleagues on draft reports. Uses language and information appropriate for the referring agent or other professional recipients including appropriate content, style, detail and complexity (such as using case examples and models to explain complex ideas). C6.3 Collaborates with other professionals for the benefit of clients. C6.4 Values the capabilities and expertise of professional colleagues in other disciplines. Prepares outlines and presents clearly the issues for consultation when obtaining opinions from other professionals. Analyses and records relevant opinions and integrates them into the client s assessment, intervention/management plans and reports where appropriate. Appreciates the importance of inter professional collaboration for client outcomes. 44

Collaborates with professional colleagues. Competence C7: Working in a cross cultural context Element C7.1 Identifies the unique features of cultures, experiences and lifestyles, especially when different from his/her own, and adopts a set of congruent behaviours consistent with cultural competence. Evidence benchmarks Modifies services to ensure that they are appropriate for the physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and social wellbeing of the client. These cultural characteristics may include: the nature of indigenous relationships and kinship, and the importance of narrative as a communication tool. Adapts communication, service process, content, assessment and interventions in recognition of: the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; issues of lifestyle diversity including gender equity, sexual orientation and mixed families; issues concerning migration, ethnic identity and crossgenerational cultural factors. Places particular stress on informed consent and collaborative decision making (appropriate to the culture and setting of the client), especially as a contribution to the issue of self determination. Under supervision, works in partnership with the indigenous community and/or other relevant groups with whom the client/s identify. Competence C8: Practice across the lifespan Element C8.1 Works effectively with the developmental issues for individuals, groups, communities and organisations. Evidence benchmarks Identifies and responds to the specific features of the various age groups (e.g., cognitive, emotional, developmental and behavioural) and how they impact on the provision of psychological services: Selects and administers age appropriate assessment tools and makes administration adjustments where necessary, and Plans and tailors interventions according to the age and needs of the individual e.g. activities to engage and elicit information from children, from aged adults. Explains to colleagues why an intervention has been selected for a person of a specific age. Identifies the issues that emerge at transition points of the lifespan and introduces appropriate strategies into the intervention plan. Works within the legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the different age groups. 45

Competence C9: Supervision and mentoring Element B9.1 Understands the value of reflection, guidance, and mentoring available from more senior colleagues through the supervision process. Evidence benchmarks Regularly participates in the supervision process. Takes up opportunities for reflection, discussion, mentoring and feedback on all elements of his/her own professional practice during supervision. Identifies and understands the applicable supervision requirements set down by the PsyBA, APAC, Education Provider and the organisation in which he/she is practicing. Seeks out guidance from his/her supervisor(s), especially where risk is high or when challenged by complex or difficult circumstances. Explores the limitations of his/her current level of training and experience, and plans for future learning through supervision. B9.2 Values guidance, learning and reflection available from more senior colleagues through the professional supervision process. Regularly participates in the supervision process. Takes up opportunities for reflection, discussion, learning and feedback on all elements of his/her own professional practice during supervision. Identifies and understands the applicable supervision requirements set down by the PsyBA, APAC, Education Provider and the organisation in which he/she is practicing. Seeks out guidance from his/her supervisor(s), especially where risk is high or when challenged by complex or difficult circumstances. Explores the limitations of his/her current level of training and experience, and plans for future learning, including training to become a supervisor. Competence C10: Business and organisational skills Element C10.1 Demonstrates basic understanding of principles of practice management and account management. C10.2 Demonstrates basic understanding of the principles for designing and implementing services or products based on the application of psychological knowledge and skills. Evidence benchmarks Demonstrates awareness of key considerations relevant to effectively establishing and managing a practice or other organisational unit from which psychological services will be offered. Demonstrates awareness of core skills required to: establishing and maintaining strong relationships with clients and potential clients; manage operational, personnel and financial aspects, and establish and maintain quality assurance processes. Has knowledge of the key processes involved in designing a service or product which is appropriate to the needs of the organisation and/or purpose of the project. Identifies and consults stakeholders effectively to establish service or product specifications. Knows the critical steps in testing the feasibility and utility of the 46

service or product, including establishing reliability, validity, costs and client satisfaction. Evaluates outcomes with reference to the goals of the project. Knows the critical steps in supporting the promotion and proper use of the service or product. 47

APPENDIX D REFERENCES American Psychological Association (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (sixth edition). Washington, DC: Author. American Psychological Association (2006). Task force on the assessment of competence in professional psychology. Washington DC: Author. Australian Government (2012). Australian Education International Country Education Profiles. Retrieved June 2012 from https://aei.gov.au/services And Resources/Services/Country Education Profiles/aboutcep/Pages/default.aspx Australian Government (2002). National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce. Retrieved June 2011 from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/mental pubs n workstds Australian Government (2007). Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Canberra: Author. Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (2010). Rules for Accreditation and Accreditation Standards for Psychology Courses (June 2010 Version 10). Melbourne: Author. Australian Qualifications Framework Council (2011). Australian Qualifications Framework (first edition July 2011). South Australia: Author. Europa Publications (2010). The Europa World of Learning (60th edition). London: Routledge. European Federation of Professional Psychologists Associations (2011). EuroPsy: European Certificate in Psychology, EFPA Regulations on EuroPsy and Appendices. Brussels: Author. Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 (Cth). Retrieved May 2012 from http://www.ahpra.gov.au/legislation and Publications/AHPRA Publications.aspx Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth). Retrieved September 2010 from http://www.comlaw.gov.au/series/c2004a01234 Kaslow, N.J. (2004). Competencies in professional psychology. American Psychologist, 59, 774 781. Kaslow, N.J., Grus, C.L., Campbell, L.F., Fouad, N.A., Hatcher, R.L. and Rodolfa, E.R. (2009). Competency assessment toolkit for professional Psychology. Training and Ethics in Professional Psychology, 3(4) (Suppl.), S27 S45. Kaslow, N.J., Rubin, N.J., Bebeau, M.J., Leigh, I.W., Lichtenberg, J.W., Nelson, P.D., Portnoy, S.M. and Smith, I.L. (2007). Guiding principles and recommendations for the assessment of competence. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(5), 441 451. Kaslow, N.J., Rubin, N.J., Leigh, I.W., Portnoy, S., Lichtenberg, J., Smith, I.L. (2006). American Psychological Association Task Force on the Assessment of Competence in Professional Psychology. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association. Leigh, I.W., Smith, I.L., Bebeau, M.J., Lichtenberg, J.W., Nelson, P.D., Portnoy, S., Rubin, N.J., and Kaslow, N.J. (2007). Competency assessment models. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(5), 463 473. Lichtenberg, J.W., Portnoy, S.M., Bebeau, M.J., Leigh, I.W., Nelson, P.D., Rubin, N.J., Smith, I.L. and Kaslow, N.J. (2007). Challenges to the assessment of competence and competencies. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 8(5), 474 478. 48

Nelson, P.D. (2007). Striving for competence in the assessment of competence: Psychology s professional education and credentialing journey of public accountability. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 1(1), 3 12. Roberts, M.C., Borden, K.A., Christiansen, M.D. and Lopez, S.J. (2005). Fostering a culture shift: Assessment of competence in the education and careers of professional psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36, 355 361. Rodolfa, E., Bent, R., Eisman, E., Nelson, P., Rehm, L., and Ritchie, P. (2005). A cube model for competency development; Implications for psychology educators and regulators. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(4), 347 354. Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Cth). Retrieved July 2012 from http://www.comlaw.gov.au/details/c2011c00582 49

APPENDIX E DIAGRAM SHOWING QUALIFICATION TYPES 9 8 7 Lev 9 Masters (Adv. Practice) 1 yr Lev 10 Doctoral 4-5 yrs H2A entry req. 6 5 4 3 1 yr PsyBAapproved internship Lev 9 Masters (Coursework) 2 yrs 2 yr PsyBAapproved internship Lev 8 Grad Dip 1 yrs Lev 7 Bachelor 3 yrs Lev 8 Bachelor Hons 4 yrs Lev 9 Masters (Extended) 3 yrs = APAC Accredited = PsyBA internship 50