Course Title: Field Education (Psychology)
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Field Education (Psychology)
Credit Points: 24.00
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
HUSO2093 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
365H Global, Urban and Social Studies |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008, Sem 2 2009, Sem 2 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2017, Sem 2 2018 |
Course Coordinator: Belinda Johnson
Course Coordinator Phone: 99258280
Course Coordinator Email: belinda.johnson@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Building 8, Level 10
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
None
Course Description
The Field Education course provides an opportunity for you to prepare for, and reflect on, your transition from university into your future professional career. There are two major components to the course:
• Work Placement in an organisation, where you will undertake the kinds of professional tasks you could expect in your work after graduation; and
• Supporting workshops, learning activities and assessment alongside this placement.
The course is designed to provide you with experience in the application and development of, and critical reflection on the ideas, skills and graduate capabilities you have gained through your program. It will also help you to critically evaluate professional practices and organisational demands, in light of your own professional skills, ideas and values.
You will have the opportunity to select from a range of community, public sector and corporate organisations, to be negotiated between you, the University and organisations with available placements. You are encouraged to find your own organisation for placement, in consultation with the Social Science Work Integrated Learning Office; or you can rely on the University’s networks and historical partnerships. The placement program is designed for you to develop new professional skills, and to reflect on the process of developing a professional identity as you seek out, enter, and experience hands-on what is involved in your professional field.
In addition to the Work Placement, you will engage with peers and course staff in workshops, meetings, and assessment activities. This academic component of the field education course is designed to help you articulate the relevance of your academic studies to your future professional career, to provide a support structure for challenges during the placement, and to develop further your own professional values, ethics and practice. Part of this will involve observing and assessing the workings of power, how this shapes what gets done and by whom, and the outcomes for clients, communities and stakeholders. You will be encouraged to reflect upon your own place within your profession and the ways in which its power structures can or cannot change.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Successful completion of this course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes:
- Apply professional, theoretical and practical knowledge of the social sciences and psychology to your professional practice and further study.
- Work professionally, ethically and effectively with others from diverse cultural, linguistic and organisational contexts.
- Communicate effectively using appropriate formats, media and styles to a range of audiences including other professionals, the public and government agencies.
- Reflect on the experience of personal and professional practice in international and cross-cultural settings and act in professionalized settings responsibly, ethically and with integrity.
• Investigate and describe a specific field of professional practice within the broader psychological context;
• Analyse and evaluate an aspect of organisational life and work in psychological professional practice;
• Reflect on how you applied judgment and decision making in your work on placement, and articulate what good ethical practice is in the context of your profession;
• Synthesise your knowledge and experience of professional practice with the skills and knowledge gained through the study of your discipline
Overview of Learning Activities
The course involves several stages including: preparation, application processes, placement in a workplace, review and final presentation. Depending on the stage you are at in your course, progress can depend upon receipt of a signed acceptance or release form.
The exact timing of these stages will vary from placement to placement. As this course is designed to contribute to your transition out of your graduate degree, you are expected to take responsibility for your own learning and development, however a range of web resources and staff and peer support at workshops will be made available to assist you in your learning and between the different stages.
Overview of Learning Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. The primary source of information and resources will be made available via myRMIT. Please check this at least weekly for updates. All forms and assessment guidelines will be posted here.
Email is another primary method of communication. Please check your RMIT email at least every two days.
Overview of Assessment
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment may include: a personal development plan for the placement, reflective pieces during placement, and a final conference presentation about your placement.
Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions which are available for review online: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academic#assessment