PSYCHOL 6500OL - Foundations of Psychology

Online - Online Teaching 4 - 2025

Why do people think, feel and act the way they do? What is psychology and how does it help us to answer this question? This course provides an introduction to foundational concepts and topics within contemporary psychology. You will learn about research, theories, concepts, and applications of psychological science in diverse topics such as biological bases of behaviour, developmental psychology, motivation and emotion, personality and intelligence, mental health, and memory and cognition. This course provides a strong foundation for your future learning in psychology.

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Course Details

Course Code	PSYCHOL 6500OL
Course	Foundations of Psychology
Coordinating Unit	Psychology
Term	Online Teaching 4
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	Online
Units	3
Contact	1 to 2 hour online tutorial
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	N
Restrictions	Available to Graduate Diploma in Psychology (OL) students only
Assessment	Online Assessments and Written Assignments

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Megan Bartlett

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

The course has six modules. Students study one module per week. Each module teaches students about a different aspect of psychology. The modules are:

Module 1: The science of psychology and the biological bases of behaviour
Module 2: Developmental psychology
Module 3: Motivation and emotion
Module 4: Individual differences
Module 5: Mental health
Module 6: Memory and cognition

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Describe core concepts, theories and principles in select areas of psychology.
Identify key methodological approaches in psychological research.
Find and review psychological literature on a specific topic.
Evaluate knowledge claims regarding psychological theory.
Produce written reports that adhere to the conventions of writing for psychology.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	3, 4, 5
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	3, 4, 5
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	1, 2
Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.	N/A
Attribute 7: Digital capabilities Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.	3
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	1, 4

Learning Resources
Required Resources
Course Text

Required readings for all modules will be taken from:
- Passer, M.W. & Smith, R.E. (2019). Psychology: The science of mind and behaviour. 3^rd Ed. McGraw-Hill, Sydney.
Online copies of this textbook are available via the University of Adelaide library.
Recommended Resources

N/A

Online Learning

This is a fully online offering. MyUni will be used for all course materials, communication, links to curated resources, online tutorial support and assignments including submissions, feedback and grades.
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes

Engagement with course content is facilitated by online presentations, interactive online activities, curated readings and resources, and self directed research and study supported by weekly online tutorial sessions. There are six weekly modules with learning scaffolded across the modules to ensure that students develop deep discipline knowledge as well as the academic literacy, research skills and capacity to apply and communicate their understanding as specified for an AQF8 level offering.

Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
This course is a six week intensive, accelerated learning offering. Students should expect to approximately 25 hours per week engaging with the online content, in private study, attending online tutorials, and completing the coursework assignments.

Indicative hours per week:
- 1.5 hours - Tutorial
- 1 hour - Tutorial Preparation
- 9 hours - Assessment related tasks
- 10 hours - Engaging with online content (e.g, video presentations, podcasts, directed research activities, discussions, interactive tasks)
- 3.5 hours - Readings
Learning Activities Summary
The course has six modules. Students study one module per week. The modules, and their indicative content, are:

Module 1: The science of psychology and biological bases of behaviour
- What is psychology?
- Ethics
- Biological bases of behaviour
- Navigating the University's Library
Module 2: Developmental psychology
- Definitions and key concepts
- Cognitive development
- Psycho-social development
- Moral development
Module 3: Motivation and emotion
- Introduction to motivation and emotion
- Physiological approaches to motivation and emotion
- Cognitive/ psychological approaches to motivation and emotion
- Happiness
- Emotion regulation
Module 4: Individual differences (intelligence and personality)
- What is intelligence?
- Theories and measurement
- The extremes: intellectual disability, high IQ, and creativity
- Personality: psychodynamic theory, trait theory, and humanistic theories
Module 5: Mental health
- Definitions and key concepts
- Susceptibility and the ‘Disease of modernity’
- Biology or the environment? Understanding schizophrenia
- Psychological perspectives on (a) Cognition and depression and (b) Psychodynamic theory and attachment
- Behaviour and phobias
Module 6: Memory and cognition
- Introduction to cognitive psychology
- The three-stage model of memory
- Working memory
- The structure of long-term memory
- Forgetting and memory distortions
Specific Course Requirements

Nil

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Weighting	Due	Course Learning Outcomes being assessed
Assessment 1: Weekly MCQ	Summative	30%	Sunday Weeks 1-6 11.59pm	1, 2, 4
Assessment 2: Annotated Bibliography	Summative	30%	Sunday Week 3 11.59pm	3, 5
Assessment 3: Essay	Summative	40%	Sunday Week 6 11.59pm	1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Assessment Related Requirements

Submission via Turnitin. All assignments are due by 11:59pm on the Sunday at the end of the week in which they are due. A penalty of 5% per day applies for late submissions.

Extensions are granted on medical, compassionate or other special circumstances recognised under the University’s Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy. The completed extension application form and any documentation (such as a medical or counsellor's certification) should be emailed to the course coordinator and submitted before the due date. The course coordinator will consider the request in the light of the case made and University deadlines, and may grant an extension of up to three days.

Assessment Detail

Assessment 1: Weekly Multiple Choice Quizzes (30%, due weeks 1 - 6)
This is composed of six 10-question multiple choice quizzes. Students complete one quiz per week. The questions are based on the online module content and required readings. These quizzes allow students to assess their understanding of the course content each week.

Assessment 2: Annotated Bibliography (30%, 800 words, due week 3)
For this assessment, students will search online library databases for four research articles relevant to a provided essay topic. Students will then create an annotated bibliography, which includes a full reference for each research article and a 200-word summary of its content. This assessment will help students develop literature searching and reading skills. It will also familiarise students with APA 7 referencing conventions.

Assessment 3: Essay (40%, 1500 words, due week 6)
This assessment centres on the essay topic from Assessment 2 (Annotated Bibliography). Students will use the four research articles from Assessment 2 and identify further research articles that are also relevant to the provided essay topic. They will then use these research articles to write an essay on the essay topic. This assessment will help familiarise students with essay formatting conventions (introduction--body--conclusion) and APA 7 style conventions.

Submission

Fully online course with e-submission and marking. Submission via Turnitin

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Counselling for Fully Online Postgraduate Students

Fully online students can access counselling services here:

Phone: 1800 512 155 (24/7)

SMS service: 0439 449 876 (24/7)

Email: info@assureprograms.com.au

Go to the Study Smart Hub to learn more, or speak to your Student Success Advisor (SSA) on 1300 296 648 (Monday to Thursday, 8.30am–5pm ACST/ACDT, Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm ACST/ACDT)
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator