Unit Outline

This unit will introduce you to advanced clinical psychology assessment and intervention approaches. The focus will be on the advanced understanding of the diagnostic features of clinical disorders and diverse presentations across the lifespan and how this informs intervention approaches.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Apply and interpret current DSM and ICD systems to assess and diagnose comorbid mental health disorders.
2	Evaluate the priority and severity of psychological symptoms for transdiagnostic clinical intervention.
3	Implement clinical psychology interventions to create evidence-based, flexible treatment plans that are responsive to changes in client presentation.
4	Evaluate the efficacy of selected interventions to reduce symptom severity in clinical disorders.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	PSY711 OR PSY709

Alterations as a result of student feedback

In response to the feedback from previous student cohort, changes have been made which may include adjustments to assessments and alignment of some of the timelines. As always, the teaching team will greatly appreciate your feedback both informally during the delivery of the unit in 2026, and formally through the University of Tasmania’s Unit Survey following your completion of the unit.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	OSCE	See the MyLO site for the due date	0 %	LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Written Case Formulation	Week 6	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Written Treatment Plan	Week 10	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	Workshop Worksheets	Refer to Assessment Description	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: OSCE

Task Description:

This task will require you to demonstrate competency in advanced clinical psychology interventions that are taught in the unit.

You will be required to demonstrate knowledge of and skills in implementing the selected clinical interventions.

You must successfully pass all aspects of the OSCE for PSY715 in order to achieve an overall passing grade on this examination and this unit. If you do not achieve a passing grade on the PSY715 OSCE, you will be required to undertake further assessment at a date determined by the School of Psychological Sciences. If after a second attempt you are unable to obtain a passing grade you will be required to repeat this unit in the following academic year.

Task Length:

15 minutes

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply knowledge of diagnostic hierarchies to prioritise client symptoms.	LO2
2	Evaluate client symptom severity.	LO2
3	Describe the chosen intervention.	LO3
4	Provide a rationale for the chosen intervention.	LO3
5	Implement clinical psychology intervention strategy skills.	LO3
6	Integrate client feedback to evaluate intervention efficacy.	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Written Case Formulation

Task Description:

In this assignment, you will be provided with a clinical case and are required to compose an evidence-based psychological assessment plan, including case formulation and differential diagnoses.
In the assignment you will need to provide:
• A case formulation
• An overview of the disorder
• An overview of relevant assessment tools
• A theoretical model that can be used to explain the development and maintenance of the disorder
• Assessment strategies that will be used.

If you do not achieve a passing grade on this task you will be provided written feedback and required to resubmit a revised case report that addresses the feedback provided on your original submission. If you are unable to achieve a passing grade following the resubmission you will be awarded an NN for this task and this unit.

Task Length:

1500 w + appendix

Due Date:

Week 6

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Synthesise client symptoms to inform a personalised case formulation .	LO2
2	Develop a working hypothesis of diagnoses.	LO1
3	Integrate client data with evidence-based theories to explain the development and maintenance of the client’s disorder.	LO2
4	Create an assessment plan.	LO3

Assessment Task 3: Written Treatment Plan

Task Description:

In this assignment, you will write a treatment plan corresponding to the case formulation you prepared in Assessment Task 1: Written Case Formulation.
In the assignment you will need to provide:
• An overview of the treatment techniques (and supporting literature).
• A treatment rationale using the case formulation
• An evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the proposed intervention.
• Fictional examples of how you would apply the skills in treatment to a client presenting with that disorder (to be included in appendix).

If you do not achieve a passing grade on this task you will be provided written feedback and required to resubmit a revised treatment plan that addresses the feedback provided on your original submission. If you are unable to achieve a passing grade following the resubmission you will be awarded an NN for this task and this unit.

Task Length:

1500 words + appendix

Due Date:

Week 10

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Integrate knowledge of diagnostic frameworks and client presentation to inform differential diagnosis.	LO1
2	Evaluate client presentation to inform case formulation and treatment rationale.	LO2
3	Develop and describe a personalised treatment plan for the presenting client.	LO3
4	Develop an evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the proposed intervention.	LO4

Assessment Task 4: Workshop Worksheets

Task Description:

You are required to complete worksheets demonstrating assessment and intervention skills in at least 6 of the workshops. You will be given clinical case information to complete the worksheet, as if you were completing it for the client from the case information. Worksheets will be related to the workshop content. You will have to meet competency on all 6 of these worksheets to meet competency on the overall assessment task.

Due date: Variable

Task Length:

10 minutes per worksheet

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Evaluate clinical case information to inform differential diagnoses and identify a preliminary diagnosis.	LO1, LO2
2	Implement interventions to a variety of clinical psychological disorders based on psychological assessment information.	LO3
3	Adapt treatment techniques to address intersectional and developmental considerations.	LO3, LO4
4	Evaluate clinical psychological intervention techniques.	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes.

Your grade will be determined in the following way:
All assessments within the Postgraduate Professional Training Programs at the University of Tasmania adhere to an ungraded pass profile. Similarly, your academic transcript will use this same grading system.

This means all assessable work will be graded as either UP (ungraded pass) or NN (fail grade), a grade of NN on an assessment task indicates you need to continue towards achieving that competency. You are required to achieve a UP on all assessment pieces in order to successfully pass this unit of study. Please note that to achieve a UP grade on an assessment piece you must pass all criteria for the assessment.

At the end of semester, you may receive a grade of AO (assessment ongoing). An AO grade is used when some assessment tasks for the unit have not been completed at the end of semester or when resubmissions are needed before a mark can be finalised.

Marks are reviewed by the Unit Coordinator and School of Psychological Sciences Assessment Committee and may be adjusted to ensure fairness, consistency, and appropriateness before the final marks and grades are assigned in accordance with University policy and the specified unit assessment. Grades and marks are also reviewed by the Health Assessors’ Committee.
Note: In order to obtain a full passing grade in this unit, students must submit and achieve a UP grade on all assessable work.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.