Inherent Requirements Bachelor of Psychological Science

Bachelor of Psychological Science

JCU Inherent Requirements for Bachelor of Psychological Science (112810), Bachelor of Business - Bachelor of Psychological Science (114310) and Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) [End-on] (10309A)

James Cook University is committed to enhancing student access, participation and success in higher education and embracing the diversity of the communities we serve. The inherent requirements listed for each course are designed to assist prospective students and all current students to make informed decisions for study.

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession.

Reasonable adjustments

JCU assists students who are experiencing a disability to participate in these courses, and achieve the inherent requirements of the course, on the same basis as someone who is not experiencing a disability. To do this, JCU works with our students and placement providers to develop agreed reasonable adjustments in accordance with the Student Disability Policy.

A reasonable adjustment is an arrangement, support, or modification, agreed in an Access Plan to enable participation in learning and achievement of course requirements. Contact JCU’s Accessibility Services to discuss possible adjustments. Please note that the process of negotiating and implementing reasonable adjustments may take several weeks.

In assessing whether an adjustment is reasonable, the University is entitled, in accordance with the Disability Education Standards, to maintain the inherent requirements of a course. If inherent requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, the University provides guidance regarding other study options.

How to interpret the inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are presented below as domains and sub-domains and contain the following information:

  • The definition of the inherent requirement
  • A rationale as to why it is an inherent requirement
  • Examples of the knowledge, skills, and capabilities that are required to satisfy the inherent requirements of these courses.

The inherent requirements for these courses should be read in conjunction with the Course and Subject Handbook.

The inherent requirements of the Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Business - Bachelor of Psychological Science and Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) [End-on] are:

Inherent Requirement

Compliance with Australian Law and professional regulations.

Rationale

Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary in order to identify, manage and reduce the risk of harm to self and others; compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law ensures students are both responsible and accountable for their conduct.

Examples

  • Comply with relevant child protection and safety, health and safety, and anti-discrimination legislation. For examples of applicable Australian Federal legislations visit www.comlaw.gov.au/

Inherent Requirement

Ethical and professional behaviour in academic and community/professional environments

Rationale

Compliance with standards, codes, guidelines and policies that facilitate safe, competent interactions and relationships with the people students engage with to safeguard the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all.

Examples

  • Comply with academic and non-academic conduct codes and policies and professional standards
  • Reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues relevant to academic and non-academic settings
  • Identify and enact relevant applications of these codes and standards, including those relating to plagiarism, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and equitable and respectful behaviour in academic and non-academic settings and in their usage of online learning and social media platforms

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Inherent Requirement

Knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention spanning and drawing together all coursework subjects. Cognitive skills for focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation, and practical functioning sufficient to meet academic standards.

Rationale

Understanding and retention of coursework information and the effective processing of this information is required to complete academic tasks.

Examples

  • Acquire, comprehend, conceptualise and apply appropriate information and knowledge in response to academic tasks.

Metacognition

Inherent Requirement

Awareness of own thinking, and skills to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies for improved learning.

Rationale

Understanding and ongoing learning about oneself is required for effective life-long learning.

Examples

  • Monitor and reflect on personal responses and cultural paradigms around academic discussions
  • Manage and proactively learn from academic set-backs through self-evaluation

Inherent Requirement

English literacy skills that allow the creation and interpretation of clear meaning through a range of symbols and English language text.

Rationale

Competent literacy skills are essential for the appropriate and effective delivery of academic information.

Examples

  • Comprehend, summarise and reference a range of literature in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments
  • Interpret diagrams and graphs accurately
  • Produce accurate, concise and clear documentation which meets academic requirements

Inherent Requirement

Accurate processing and reasoning with numbers and numerical concepts

Rationale

Competent reasoning and reliable accuracy with numerical concepts are essential for the completion of academic tasks.

Examples

  • Accurately score test data
  • Perform accurate statistical analysis

Verbal communication

Inherent Requirement

Verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear, and comprehensible two-way discussions, tailored to the local English-speaking audiences.

Rationale

Effective verbal communication, in English, with university students and staff is required for effective learning.

Examples

  • Understand and respond to verbal communication accurately and appropriately in a time-constrained environment
  • Convey spoken messages accurately and effectively in academic situations
  • Present information formally to, and engage in developing discussions with, a wider audience, including tutorial participation and professional presentations.

Non-verbal communication

Inherent Requirement

Non-verbal communication skills that enable respectful communication with others.

Rationale

The ability to recognise, interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, to communicate with congruent and respectful non-verbal behaviour, and to be sensitive to individual and/or cultural variations in non-verbal communication is essential for effective communication.

Examples

  • Perceive nonverbal communication from others including facial cues or changes in appearance
  • Deliver information incorporating non-verbal behaviour that matches the nature of the information.

Written communication

Inherent Requirement

Ability to produce English text to a standard that provides clear and professional-level communication, with language usage and style tailored to the targeted recipients.

Rationale

Effective communication in English text is required to demonstrate applied skills in academic writing conventions and in sustained and organised academic argument

Examples

  • Communicate complex academic perspectives in writing
  • Summarise and appropriately reference a range of literature in written assignments

Visual

Inherent Requirement

Ability to interact with visual inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Elements in the learning environment are delivered by visual means, and the ability to learn from or respond to these inputs is required to learn effectively.

Examples

  • Process visual information from wall-posted information, handwritten, print and electronic sources
  • Monitor the broader environment including observing multiple people and events simultaneously

Auditory

Inherent Requirement

Ability to interact with auditory inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Elements in the learning and teaching environments are delivered by auditory means, and the ability to learn from or respond to these inputs is required for effective learning.

Examples

  • Acquire information aurally in learning environment
  • Detect and discriminate alarms and emergency calls over PA systems
  • Follow developing discussions with staff and peers

Inherent Requirement

Sustained physical, cognitive and psychosocial performance sufficient to engage in learning opportunities.

Rationale

A range of complex, multi-component or extended academic tasks carried out over a period of time and in a time-constrained environment is required to achieve learning outcomes.

Examples

  • Sustain study practices and class participation to sufficiently engage with the learning workload for a study period, and for the degree, within a constrained timeframe
  • Maintain sufficient concentration to focus on a task to completion

Inherent Requirement

Behaviour that adapts to changing situations sufficiently to maintain academic standards.

Rationale

Behavioural adaptation is required to manage personal emotional responses as an individual and within teams in changing and unpredictable environments, including emergency situations and times of human distress. Students will also be required to adapt their behaviour appropriately during times of additional stressors in their own lives, whether this adaptation involves ways of continuing to engage with their role or withdrawing for self-care for a period.

Examples

  • Adjust ways of working within teams of varied backgrounds and opinions to facilitate effective academic decisions
  • Manage own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with changing responses of individuals and groups in an academic setting
  • Be receptive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback
  • Maintain respectful communication practices in times of increased stressors or workloads
  • Adjust to changing circumstances in a way that allows self-care while maintaining a focus on academic achievement