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FLINDERS UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
School of Psychology
HONOURS INFORMATION
2017
Web Address: http://www.socsci.flinders.edu.au/psyc/
This is not an official University publication and while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in contains, the University Calendar should be consulted for definitive information on courses, statutes, regulations, policies and procedures.
This handbook is intended to provide general information about Honours for anyone who is contemplating doing Honours or who will definitely be doing Honours in 2017. If you have any queries after reading this information booklet, do not hesitate to contact us.
Honours Coordinator: Dr Tim Windsor
Phone: 8201 7588
Email:
General Enquiries: Psychology Office
Phone: 8201 2416
Email:
ABOUT HONOURS AT FLINDERS
Honours is an important year in a person’s psychology training. It might be the final year of tertiary education or a route into research or professional postgraduate degrees. Honours at Flinders is meant to do more than impart additional knowledge to students. We’re keen to leave them with a coherent overview of Psychology, and the confidence and skills to pursue career or further study options.
Our broad aims for Honours are:
· To provide students with a broad base in contemporary theory and research.
· To bring diverse psychology subject areas together by pointing to shared themes, issues, problems and techniques.
· To enhance students’ understanding of methodological and data treatment issues.
· To better acquaint students with, and demystify, the actual process of research.
· To provide direct experience in conducting research.
· To show how Psychology can contribute to understanding and solving real-world problems.
· To promote critical or evaluative thinking (e.g., about theory, methods, bases for ‘knowledge’ and the use of psychological principles or techniques in applied settings).
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
There are two possible routes into Honours in psychology:
(1) as the final year of the four-year Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) following completion of all requirements for the first three years[1], or
(2) via application following an accredited 3-year degree with a psychology major or an accredited graduate entry degree in psychology (e.g., at Flinders, the Bachelor of Psychological Studies- Graduate Entry)
The following eligibility requirements apply for Honours:
· Applicants must have completed a psychology major within the last 10 years (APS requirement).
· The School of Psychology requires Honours candidates to have passed at least 18 units of Second Year Psychology topics and 18 units of Third Year Psychology topics (equivalent to 50% of a full time academic load at each of those two year levels). All candidates must have passed PSYC3007 Research Methods 3 (or its 3rd level equivalent at another university).
· All potential Honours candidates should note that the Honours year may only be commenced after all requirements have been met for a 3-year degree or for the first three years of a 4-year degree. This is a course requirement (and an APS rule) and applies to three-year Bachelor degrees and to the four-year Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) degree.
· Intending applicants should note that an academic record with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of less than 5.25 for 2nd and 3rd year Psychology topics will unfortunately not attract an offer of a place in Honours. A GPA of 5.25 is equivalent to 75% CRs and 25% DNs. In practice, a somewhat higher GPA is needed (usually around 5.4 – 5.5). The specific minimum GPA varies from year to year depending on the applicants and the number of available places. Information about calculating GPA is given later.
Full versus part-time
Honours may be completed full- or part-time. Full-time study occupies one year. Part-time Honours is completed over two consecutive years, usually with coursework in the first year and the thesis in the second year. Any student who converts from full- to part-time during the year will be expected to continue with the thesis (and defer coursework instead), because all full-time students are counted towards the supervision load for the year. The thesis must be completed within a single academic year.
Honours begins at the start of February, a few weeks before the official start of the academic year. At that time, a meeting is held to provide general information about Honours and to launch the process of finding a thesis supervisor. Thus, it is not possible to commence Honours in second semester.
· All potential Honours candidates should note that the Honours year commences in February, and semester 1 topics must be taken before semester 2 topics. A mid-year commencement of Honours is not possible.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
These procedures apply to those who have completed an APS accredited degree with a Psychology major, e.g., Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology), Bachelor of Psychological Studies (graduate entry) or Graduate Diploma in Psychology.
Application forms for admission into the Honours course in Psychology are made available during September. The application form can be downloaded from the School of Psychology web site http://www.flinders.edu.au/sabs/psychology/studying-psychology/courses/honours.cfm, or can be obtained from the School of Psychology Office, Room 330 Social Sciences North Building (ph. 8201 2416). The completed application form, accompanied by an official academic transcript for any applicant who is not a Flinders graduate, should be returned by post to the address on the application form by the due date (see application form: usually late November).
IMPORTANT: Applicants must use the application form for Honours in Psychology, not the generic honours application form for Flinders University (this is for other Honours courses).
How are decisions made about to whom to offer a place in Honours?
· Applicants are ranked for offers on the basis of academic merit, based on performance in Second and Third Year Psychology topics.
· The Honours Selection Committee considers Grade Point Average (GPA) and the pattern of results across all of the topics taken.
· In the event of a tie in Grade Point Average (GPA), if necessary, applicants will be distinguished on the basis of their 3rd level topics, and on consistency.
· The committee then offers places to as many applicants as it can. The number of places in the program is limited by a quota based on the number of staff available for thesis supervision. This quota varies from year to year.
Which course should I apply for?
In Australia, by tradition the name of an Honours award that is undertaken by a student is determined by the name of their basic 3-year degree. That’s why most universities have two or more accredited psychology honours degrees (see APS or APAC web site). They are named differently because each Bachelor degree (e.g., BPsychSc, BBSc, BA) has different requirements at 1st to 3rd year level, and people must meet those requirements to gain an award with that name. Flinders has differently named Honours degrees in psychology, however the content of the course is the same regardless. And all psychology Honours awards at Flinders are fully accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
Applicants who wish to apply for Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science must already hold a Bachelor of Behavioural Science or have a second major that is equivalent to one of the cognate (second major) areas in Flinders University’s Bachelor of Behavioural Science. Applicants with a Bachelor of Psychological Science would normally apply for BPsychSc(Hons), and students with a BA in Psychology would apply for a BA(Hons). However, Flinders does not have, for administrative reasons, a BSc(Hons) in psychology, and therefore students with a BSc in Psychology should apply for a BPsychSc(Hons). Likewise, students with a Bachelor of Psychological Studies or a Graduate Diploma (or equivalent graduate-entry degree from another university) should apply for a BPsychSc(Hons). Note: there is no point in applying for more than one honours course, e.g., BPsychSc(Hons) and BA(Hons). Each applicant is considered irrespective of the name of honours degree they apply for.
When are offers sent to successful applicants?
The first round of offers is posted out before Christmas. If you apply, ensure that you will be available to collect mail (snail mail) or that someone else will check your mail. For the first round of offers, a response must be received by Psychology by the beginning of January or the place will be offered to another applicant. A second round of offers is made in early January if available places remain.
IMPORTANT: offers of a place in Honours in Psychology are valid only for the year for which application is made. Deferral is not possible, but students who decide to postpone doing Honours after receiving an offer are very welcome to re-apply.
PROGRAMME OF STUDY
The Honours program in Psychology comprises 36 units:
PSYC 7002A & B Psychology Honours Thesis 18 units
PSYC 7056A & B Research and Practice in Psychology 9 units
PSYC 7006 Contemporary Issues in Psychology 4.5 units
PSYC 7007 Applications of Psychology 4.5 units
Please note that PSYC7002A and PSYC7002B must be taken in the same year (as each other), as must PSYC7056A & PSYC7056B. Students must enrol in both parts.
DESCRIPTION OF TOPICS
THESIS
PSYC7002 Psychology Honours Thesis (Parts A & B)
Duration: One year
Students design and carry out an independent research project under the supervision of a member of academic staff. They report their findings in a thesis of no more than 12,000 words in length. The thesis must be completed within a single academic year.
Discussions with potential supervisors begin early in February, following the initial Honours meeting, so that supervisor allocations can be completed mid-February. Subsequently, students work with the guidance of their supervisors to develop a research proposal. This is taken to a proposal committee meeting for consideration (by about May).
The completed thesis is submitted electronically towards the end of the second semester at a date to be announced (early-mid October).
The Honours Thesis Handbook will be distributed during the initial Honours meeting at the beginning of February. This outlines important aspects of planning and conducting a successful thesis project and writing up the results. It also outlines arrangements for obtaining financial support for expenses incurred in doing the thesis.
How is supervision arranged?
Following the initial Honours meeting at the start of February, students are required to consult with potential supervisors and discuss possible broad thesis topics. They can consult with up to 6 potential supervisors in individual consultations. (Some supervisors offer first group meetings for interested students to learn more about the supervisor’s research interests.) The discussions might begin with an idea from the student or from the staff member. Students are given a list of staff members’ research interests and some possible thesis ideas at the first meeting.
Students then submit a list of at least 4 possible supervisors to the Honours Coordinator. Supervising staff similarly submit a list of possible students. The Coordinator allocates each student a supervisor by seeking to maximise the match between student and supervisor preferences.
With the approval of the Honours Coordinator, a person who is not a staff member in the School of Psychology may act as an external supervisor for the thesis. An internal co-supervisor will be appointed in such cases. In the past, joint supervision with an external supervisor has included staff at the Australian Institute of Sport, CSIRO, the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, the School of Education at Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre.
Please note that:
· The School of Psychology cannot guarantee that a particular student’s idea for a research project will be approved as an Honours thesis topic, nor that a member of staff will agree to supervise a particular topic on which a student is keen. It’s good to be aware of this simply because some students have ideas that are not appropriate for a thesis, e.g., an idea might be too ambitious, require specialist (e.g., clinical) skills, or be too simple. Other projects might not be practical because they require ethical clearance from external agencies, which can take a long time.
· Students will not necessarily receive their first choice of supervisor (although the majority of students usually do). This is because each supervisor has a quota, i.e., a maximum number of Honours students whom they can take (usually three; some staff take fewer).
· Hoping to gain participants (children) from schools is generally not a good idea, because of the challenge of gaining ethics approval and the logistics of recruiting children and taking measures from them. For any research that is done in schools (whether public, Catholic or Independent) the student will have to receive a Police Clearance. A police clearance requires an application to the South Australian Police for a national police check that will list any offence history of the applicant. The outcome of the police check is evaluated by a person authorised as a representative of the three schooling sectors. This can cause additional delays (& failure to be cleared will prevent a student from being allowed to enter schools).
COURSEWORK TOPICS
PSYC7056 Research and Practice in Psychology (Parts A & B)
Duration: One year
Class contact: 3 hour lecture/seminar per week
The topic deals with several domains of knowledge and skill that are essential for psychology researchers and practitioners. These are: the application of scientific principles to the advancement of knowledge; ethics; qualitative research methods; advanced research design and data analysis; the link between research and psychological practice; and communication skills.
PSYC7006 Contemporary Issues in Psychology
Duration: One Semester (Semester 1)
Class contact: 3 hour seminar per week
This topic addresses contemporary theory and research from a range of areas in psychology, such as clinical/health, developmental, social, cognitive or forensic psychology. Its aims are to provide advanced tuition in the knowledge base of psychology and to point to shared issues, problems and techniques that characterise the acquisition of psychological knowledge and problem solving. It is designed to enhance skills in evaluative thinking about research design and bases for claims. In addition, it will illustrate steps involved in conducting research from the initial identification of a research question through methodological decisions to the interpretations of outcomes. These aims will be achieved by having a number of staff members present advanced seminars in their own areas of expertise and research experience.