Master Of Psychology (Health) - no intake for 2010

with Specialisations in Clinical Health Psychology and Health Promotion

Information for Prospective Students

Course Co-ordinator:Associate Professor Felicity Allen
Phone: (03) 9903 2740
Email: felicity.allen@med.monash.edu.au

• Information About Health Psychology
• The Master Of Psychology (Health) Degree
  • Course aim
  • Course objectives
  • Course duration and structure
  • Coursework
  • Placements
  • Thesis
  • Course timetable
  • Admission requirements
  • Mid year entry and single unit enrolment
  • Credit provision
  • Professional accreditation
  • Course Fees
  • Fee Help
  • Special requirements
• Off-Campus Learning

Information About Health Psychology

What is Health Psychology and where do Health Psychologists Work?

A formal definition of health psychology is the application of the educational, scientific and professional contributions of psychology to the promotion and maintenance of health; the prevention and treatment of illness; the identification of the causes and correlates of health, illness, and related dysfunction; the improvement of the health care system, and health policy formation. In summary, health psychology is concerned with the psychological factors that impact on health and illness.

Health psychologists work across a continuum with health promotion i.e., (keeping well people well) at one end and clinical health psychology (i.e., helping sick people to recover or adjust to illness) at the other.

Some of the areas that health psychologists are concerned with are:

• Stress and stress management
• Pain and pain management
• Adjustment to chronic illness
• Adherence to medical treatment
• Coping with hospitalisation and painful medical procedures
• Coping with dying, death and bereavement
• Recovery from accidents and illness
• Substance abuse i.e., legal and illegal drugs, alcohol, food
• Health promotion
• Behavioural epidemiology
• Health economics
• Socio-cultural influences on health
• Health policy formation

While the focus in this specialist area of psychology is on physical health rather than mental health, health psychologists do not ignore the relationship between physical and psychological well being. For example, depression is commonly associated with physical illness and a health psychologist would assist in the treatment of both.

Health psychologists are employed in a broad range of areas. For example, in clinical health psychology they might work in clinical health organisations such as hospitals, medical clinics, occupational rehabilitation agencies, pain management clinics, community health centres, and private practice. In these organisations they might be involved in activities such as counselling patients and their families in coronary or renal care units; assisting children to cope with hospitalisation and painful medical procedures; running support groups for people with a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease or arthritis; helping people to cope with cancer treatments; helping patients and their families to adjust to a diagnosis of a chronic or life-threatening health problem; assisting people to return to work after a work-related injury, and helping people to cope with chronic pain.

At the other end of the continuum that defines health psychology, health psychologists might find employment in cancer councils, health education agencies, hospitals, community health centres and private practice. In these settings they might be designing, implementing and evaluating health promotion campaigns to be run in schools, workplaces, hospitals, and the general community. These campaigns may be designed to reduce the incidence of health problems such as heart disease, cancer, accidents, suicide, and diabetes. Health psychologists might also be employed as a researcher at a cancer council, sexual health centre or heart research centre to determine the relationship between behaviour and the incidence of various cancers, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, or other debilitating illnesses.

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The Master Of Psychology (Health) Degree

Course aim

The aim of the Master of Psychology (Health) degree is to provide training across the continuum that defines health psychology (i.e., clinical health psychology and health promotion.)

Both the Australian Psychological Society and the College of Health Psychologists advocate training in health psychology based on the "scientist-practitioner" model. To be acceptable to these bodies, postgraduate courses must adopt an evidence-based approach to training. Therefore this course includes training in epidemiological and statistical methods so that students can evaluate current and future work in the field. These skills will also enable students to remain up-to-date in their area and to design their own research projects where required.

Throughout the course there will be reference to the differences between the health status of people living in rural and regional centres and those living in urban areas. How the practice of psychology differs in these locations will also be discussed. The course content is therefore relevant to practitioners of psychology living in all areas of Australia.

Course objectives

The core and specialist competencies in the training of health psychologists that are deemed essential by the College of Health Psychologists underpin the objectives of this course.

These objectives require that, on completion of the course, students will have:

1. developed skills in consultation with individuals, organisations, and community groups about psychosocial development and adaptation
2. developed an understanding of the biopsychosocial bases of health and illness
3. developed skills in the design and implementation of psychosocial programs to promote and maintain health, prevent and treat illness, and rehabilitate persons with disabilities
4. gained advanced knowledge of sociocultural factors associated with health and illness, organisational structures and the function of health care systems
5. gained advanced knowledge of the different models of health care, of issues associated with chronic health problems, of important elements in the patient-practitioner relationship, and of factors in the process of adjustment to loss
6. developed skills in the psychological treatments relevant to health and illness (e.g., pain management, addiction)
7. formulated, carried out and reported independent research
8. applied research principles, methods and findings to professional practice
9. developed skills in evaluation, selection, administration and interpretation of a range of psychometric tests
10. understood and applied the APS Code of Professional Conduct to research and practice

Course duration and structure

The Master of Psychology (Health) degree is a four year part-time degree delivered in the off-campus learning (formerly known as distance education) study mode.

As with other professional master degree programs, a year of part time study is comprised of 26 weeks divided into two semesters. The first semester commences in March and the second in July.

There is one compulsory five day on-campus school per semester throughout most of the course.

The program has three components:

Coursework is undertaken in the first two years of the course and is comprised of eight units.

Supervised placements will begin in year 2 and continue in years 3 and 4. While these placements will normally be completed within the 13 week semester program this may not be possible and allowances are made for this.

Work towards the thesis starts at the beginning of the third year and is submitted at the end of the fourth year. The thesis component is comprised of four units including a literature review and a research report.

Coursework

Students must complete eight coursework units comprising 50% of the course.

They must complete the first level units in health promotion and clinical health psychology, and one advanced level unit.

MHP5011 - Introduction to Health Psychology
In this unit students are introduced to the major health problems that are evident in Australia today including coronary heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes and pain from a variety of causes. The different models of health and illness and the theoretical underpinnings of health psychology are also described. The application of these models in rural, regional and urban areas of Australia is also explored. Students are also expected to gain a basic understanding of the physical systems of the body in this unit.

MHP5032 - Health Promotion
In this unit the theoretical underpinnings of health promotion and behavioural epidemiology are described. What constitutes success in health promotion campaigns is discussed and defined, and the core aspects of successful health promotion projects determined. The problems and unresolved issues of promoting health are also considered.

MHP5051 - Clinical Health Psychology
Topics covered in this unit include the role of the health psychologist within acute and chronic health care settings; consideration of patient-practitioner communication; issues of patient compliance and adherence; problems of addiction; rehabilitation; adjustment to illness; grief and dying; grief and loss, and/or subsequent wellness on the carer and the patient, and the role of support networks in health and illness. They also receive skills training in psychological treatment for the management of conditions such as pain, stress, weight control and addictive behaviours.

MHP5052 - Counselling and Professional Practice 1
In the first of two units in this area students will be exposed to the main theories that underpin counselling practice and will receive training in the basic skills required for successful counselling. The key legal and ethical issues associated with the practice of psychology are also covered. These include the mutual responsibilities of psychologists and their clients contained in the APS Code of Ethical and Professional Standards, and the requirements for membership of the APS College of Health Psychologists.

MHP5062 - Advanced Health Promotion
In this advanced unit students gain experience in the development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs. Students will be expected to develop and implement a small community-based health promotion program during this unit. They will develop this project while attending a health promotion agency during the on-campus school.

MHP5071 - Advanced Clinical Health Psychology
In this second unit students receive advanced level training in a selected area covered in the first clinical health psychology unit. They will do this by spending time in a medical setting completing a project on this topic during the on-campus school.

MHP5072 - Psychological Assessment
In this unit students learn the principles of psychological measurement and their application. They also develop competency in evaluating the psychometric instruments used in health care settings and for research purposes, test selection, integrating assessment results, and providing oral and written communication of assessment results to interested parties. They become proficient in the major assessment techniques of cognitive capacities, personality functioning, and health behaviours, beliefs and attitudes.

MHP5081 - Multivariate Statistics
In this unit students learn how to undertake a variety of multivariate techniques and to understand the appropriate application of these techniques. These statistics include ANOVA, MANOVA, discriminant function analysis, multiple regression, and confirmatory factor analysis.

MHP5082 - Counselling and Professional Practice 2
The emphasis in the second unit will be on the development of techniques in cognitive behavioural therapy. In this unit students will also be exposed to professional issues such as common practical problems encountered when working with clients, and government and non-government agencies; the mutual responsibilities of the members of a team in which a psychologist may work, and basic education in law as it applies to professional practice.

How the practice of psychology differs in rural, regional and urban areas of Australia will also be discussed in these units.

Placements

Students must complete three placements of 42 working days each which total 1000 placement hours. The placements are to be undertaken in clinical and health promotion settings under the supervision of a registered psychologist who is preferably also a member of the APS College of Health Psychologists. At least one of the three placements should be in a health promotion organisation and another in a clinical health psychology setting. One placement can be undertaken in the student's employing organisation if the agency is deemed suitable.

The primary aim of the three placements is to equip students with a range of professional skills and to develop an awareness of professional issues in health organisations. During these placements students learn about the interface between clinical psychology, health psychology and other health professions in hospitals and other health organisations. They also learn how to identify the health needs of communities and to develop and implement a range of health education/promotion programs. At the commencement of each placement a contract is developed between the student, the placement supervisor and the University supervisor. This will identify the tasks to be undertaken by the student.

The placements will generally be completed within the semester teaching period wherever possible and the timing will be as follows:

Placement 1 (42 days/335 hours) year 2, semester 2
Placement 2 (42 days/335 hours) year 3, semester 2
Placement 3 (42 days/335 hours) year 4, semester 1

The placement can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. The number of hours attended per week can be negotiated between the agency and student. Students are expected to take a leading role in negotiating their own placements with the placement supervisor playing a supporting role.

Thesis

The aim of this component of the course is to provide training in the design and conduct of independent research, which is a core competency of health psychologists. Students learn how to design and evaluate research in health psychology; to consider the ethical issues associated with research using human participants, and to successfully collect, analyse and interpret data. The thesis should be of similar standard to an honours thesis, and provide a significant contribution to knowledge and/or practice in the field of health psychology.

The thesis component of the course is comprised of 4 separate units that include a literature review (4-5000 words) and a research article (5-7000 words). The resultant thesis should be of similar standard to an honours thesis, and provide a significant contribution to knowledge and/or practice in the field of health psychology.

Course Timetable

Admission Requirements

Applicants for this award must have competed four years of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council accredited course in psychology. Students should possess an upper second class (2A) Honours degree in psychology or equivalent (B or Distinction) from this program. They should therefore be eligible for Associate Membership of the APS. Suitability to the role of a professional working in the public arena will be assessed by referees' reports and interview (if deemed necessary).

Mid year entry and single unit enrolment

Mid year and single unit enrolment are not available.

Credit provision

There will be scope for students who have completed coursework of equivalent standing to those in the program to be granted an exemption for the relevant component(s). The maximum amount of possible credit is 50% of coursework units. Applicants must apply for credit at the same time as applying for entry into the program by completing the appropriate form.

Credit will not be given for previous research.

Professional accreditation

The Master of Psychology [Health] program has received full accreditation by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council.

Students enrolled in this degree and who have registered as a Probationary Psychologist at the beginning of the course are able to apply to the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria for registration as a professional psychologist after completing the course requirements. Similar legislation exists in other states of Australia, but the relevant state registration board should be contacted to confirm this before enrolment.

Course Fees

Information on course fees.

Please note that for future years of your course, Monash University reserves the right to adjust annual tuition fees. However the University undertakes that any adjustment will not exceed 6% per annum and will be applied on the 1st of January each year for that year.

Fee Help

From 2006, students enrolled in this course are eligible to fund part or all of their tuition fees through FEE-HELP. FEE-HELP is a new Federal Government loan scheme that provides an interest-free, income-contingent loan facility for eligible students enrolled in fee-paying, postgraduate non-research courses. Students will be sent a FEE-HELP information and application kit with their letter of offer and enrolment details.

For more information, contact the Student Services Centre on each campus or visit the Federal Government's 'going to uni' website.

Special requirements

To enrol in this course students will require access to a computer with a CD Rom drive, email and Internet access. The computer must be capable of running the SPSS for Windows statistical package i.e., with a RAM memory of at least 32 megabytes, but preferably higher.

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Off-Campus Learning

Studying Psychology by Off-campus Learning

What is off-campus learning?

An off-campus program in psychology at Monash University has the same objectives and assessment as an equivalent on-campus course. The difference is that students work through study materials and assignments in their own time and in a place of their choosing. This material is supplemented with support from teaching and administrative staff, other students, and attendance at a psychology postgraduate on-campus school.

The mode of study does not appear on the student's academic record or testamur.

Why would students choose to study in an off-campus learning program?

Studying psychology by off-campus learning is rapidly taking the place of the more traditional on-campus mode, as more and more people are juggling work and family responsibilities while coping with the demands of study. Furthermore, most postgraduate courses are now fee-paying and therefore the majority of students have to continue working while they study to afford the fees.

Students who live at a distance from a university find that studying in the off-campus mode is much easier, as they only have to attend on-campus for two five day periods per year. They find that this method of study is much more convenient and less expensive than travelling many hours per week to attend weekly on-campus classes.

How much time should be spent on study per week?

It is expected that students enrolled in a postgraduate off-campus learning course in psychology will spend about 12 hours study per week on each unit of study (1 semester of 13 weeks) and five days attending an on-campus school. In general students will be enrolled in two units per semester, so this means a total commitment of about 312 hours of study per semester for a normal load. Students may, of course, elect to study one unit per semester so this load would be halved. Included in this study time is 40 hours attendance on-campus.

What is a psychology on-campus school?

Psychology postgraduate on-campus schools are designed to foster formal and informal student-staff contact, facilitate class discussion and debate, and provide opportunities for skills based training. They are generally five days or 40 hours in duration and are in workshop format. In most units the workshops are led by health psychologists working in the field, with academic staff providing the theoretical input.

Classes are generally held from 9am-6pm and social events are also featured so that students and staff can get to know each other.

These schools are held in middle of each semester (usually April and September) at Monash's Caulfield campus. The Caulfield campus is approx. 15 kms south east of the centre of Melbourne and is accessible by public transport. The full range of University facilities are available to students during these schools.

Where are the examinations held?

Psychology exams are undertaken at a place of the student's choosing, as Monash University has examination centres all around the world. If there isn't an examination centre near the student, a local invigilator will be organised.

What does Monash University provide to off-campus psychology students?

Off-campus students in psychology receive study materials several weeks before the beginning of each semester. This material includes summaries of the topics in the unit, the unit objectives, relevant web links, discussion questions, a description of the unit assessment, a textbook order form, and selected readings in a prepared reader. In the masters program the study material is provided in the form of a CD-Rom.

As students don't attend regular on-campus classes academic staff provide a reading and study plan so that students can pace their learning throughout the semester. It is absolutely essential to follow this reading plan week by week. Students who leave their reading until the on-campus school find the lectures difficult to follow and get poorer marks than those who follow a regular study plan.

Students are contacted by the Course Coordinator at regular intervals throughout the year to monitor progress and to ensure that they are coping with the demands of studying at a distance from the University. Academic staff are also available throughout the semester to assist with any difficulties or queries. They can be contacted by email, telephone, computer based tutorials, or fax. Some units provide on-line discussion groups.

Please note that ABSOLUTELY NO Email contact will be undertaken with students using email accounts other than their Monash University email accounts .

On enrolment CeLTS will provide students with the contact details of other students enrolled in the course so that informal study groups can be developed if desired. In most cases, students form their own study groups after they meet each other at the first on-campus postgraduate school and this helps to ease the isolation some students feel when studying on their own.

Supplementing the study materials and support from academic staff is a range of services provided by Monash University's Centre for Learning and Teaching Support (CeLTS). CeLTS employs over 100 people to produce and distribute study material for all Monash off-campus courses, and provides assistance to students through their Student Services Unit. If students encounter problems with academic or administrative staff, with enrolment, fees or any other matter, they can contact an Off-campus Liaison Officer who will help them to resolve their difficulties.

The Monash Library has a Flexible Library Service designed specifically for off-campus and off-shore students. Students can obtain books, journal articles and other reference material free of charge by contacting this service. This service is available most days from 9am-9pm but students can lodge an electronic request for materials at any time.

Further information about off-campus learning and the most current version of the Off-campus Handbook.

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