HPY726 - Psychological Practice Across the Lifespan
| Year: | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Cohort rule: | This unit is only available to students enrolled in H744 |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | HPS714, HPS914 |
| Study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include weekly educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 x 2 hour online seminar in weeks 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 |
| In-person attendance requirements: | Students are to attend 2 x 1 day practical experience (1 day at Melbourne Burwood campus, 1 day at Geelong Waurn Ponds campus). |
Content
This unit prepares students for psychological practice across the lifespan from a biopsychosocial perspective, with a particular emphasis on the assessment and diagnosis of psychopathology. It explores the key challenges, transitions, and physical, emotional, and social changes that occur at each developmental stage from infancy to old age. Students examine how these factors interact to shape clinical presentations and inform assessment and case formulation across a range of common mental health disorders. The DSM-5-TR classification system is critically evaluated, and students develop competence in the accurate diagnosis of psychological disorders. Throughout the unit, there is a strong emphasis on psychologists’ capacity to consider and respond to diverse influences on client presentations—including neurodiversity, age and developmental stage, gender, and cultural and social contexts—particularly in assessment, diagnosis, and case formulation.
Unit fee information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.
Hurdle requirements
- This unit is an ungraded pass/ungraded fail only. All assessments must be passed in order for the unit to be passed. The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.