Inherent requirements for postgraduate psychology programs

Our postgraduate psychology programs have inherent requirements you must meet to be able to graduate.

Inherent requirements are core activities, tasks or skills that are essential to a program or course. They apply to the following programs:

Master of Psychology
Master of Clinical Psychology
Master of Business Psychology
Master of Organisational Psychology
Doctor of Psychology

What you need to do

If you plan to apply for one of these programs, carefully read through the inherent requirements.

If you think you may experience any problems meeting them, contact a Student Adviser to discuss your needs and whether any reasonable adjustments can be made.

Learn more about inherent requirements at UQ

Inherent requirements should be read in conjunction with other information, such as program requirements, as well as:

Ethical behaviour

Context	Psychology is a profession governed by a code of ethics where psychologists are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts.
What you need to demonstrate	The student will demonstrate knowledge of, and engage in, ethical behaviour in practice.
Why this is required	Complying with standards, codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and the people they engage with. Ethical behaviour protects the rights and dignity of all and supports physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must ensure that standards, codes, guidelines and policies are maintained and do not result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Comply with the code of ethics required to maintain registration. Manage confidential information appropriately in classroom and professional settings. Understand and practise professional boundaries including duty of care whilst on placement.

Behavioural stability

Context	Behavioural stability is necessary to effectively and sensitively function and adapt in psychology roles.
What you need to demonstrate	The student will demonstrate behavioural stability in diverse, unpredictable and challenging academic and professional environments.
Why this is required	Behavioural stability is necessary to work in diverse, unpredictable and challenging environments, whether individually or on a team. Psychology students will be exposed to difficult situations and are required to have the behavioural stability to manage themselves and their activities in these environments.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and professional settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Be receptive to constructive feedback and respond appropriately when feedback is provided Effectively manage your emotions and behaviour in classroom and professional settings.

Legal

Context	Psychology practice is regulated by Australian law and professional standards to enable the safe delivery of care.
What you need to demonstrate	The student will demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with Australian law, professional standards and scope of practice.
Why this is required	Showing an understanding of and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements reduces the risk of harm to self and others, and are a necessary prerequisite to professional placements. Compliance with Australian laws and regulations ensures students are responsible and accountable for their practice.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Comply with the requirements for student registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Comply with relevant child protection and safety legislation Provide evidence where required of your personal history and activities (e.g. police check and/or Blue Card) before any professional placements.

Communication

Verbal

Context	Effective verbal communication in English is an essential requirement to provide safe care.
What you need to demonstrate	Sensitivity to individual and cultural differences. The ability to understand – and accurately and appropriately respond to – verbal communication in a timely manner. The ability to give and receive clear instructions in classroom or professional situations. Timely clear feedback and reporting.
Why this is required	Communicating with others verbally in a respectful and empathetic way develops trusting relationships.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must address issues concerning the effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy of verbal communication to achieve safe and appropriate care. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Participate in tutorial, simulation and professional discussions. Respond appropriately to care requests in professional environments. Conduct a conversation with a client in a variety of settings.

Non-verbal

Context	Appropriate non-verbal communication is fundamental to psychology and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental.
What you need to demonstrate	The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues. Consistent and appropriate awareness of your own behaviours. Sensitivity to individual and cultural differences.
Why this is required	The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues helps to build rapport and develop trustful and respectful relationships in academic and professional contexts. Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions and eye contact – and being aware of spatial boundaries, body movements and gestures – helps to build rapport and develop trustful and respectful relationships in academic and professional contexts. Being sensitive to individual and cultural differences shows respect for others and develops trustful and empathetic relationships. The ability to observe, understand and respond appropriately to non-verbal cues is essential to safely and effectively assessing and treating patients and their symptoms.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must enable a student to effectively recognise, initiate or respond to non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Respond appropriately in classroom situations. Respond appropriately to cues in the professional environment.

Written

Context	Effective written communication in English is essential to psychological practice and has professional and legal ramifications.
What you need to demonstrate	The student will demonstrate the capacity to produce coherent written material, including documents and records, appropriate to the circumstances.
Why this is required	Written assessment tasks reflect the required academic standards necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice. Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and patient notes, is vital to provide consistent and safe patient care.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must enable a student to meet necessary standards of clarity and accuracy to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and professional settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Construct an essay that meets minimum academic standards. Construct a psychology report in a timely manner that meets minimum professional standards.

Cognition

Knowledge acquisition and cognitive ability

Context	Cognitive ability and the capacity to learn and recall complex information are essential in providing competent psychological care.
What you need to demonstrate	The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information. The ability to process information relevant to practice. The ability to integrate, reflect on and implement knowledge in classroom and professional settings.
Why this is required	Safe and effective delivery of psychological care relies on comprehensive knowledge that is sourced, understood and applied appropriately.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must ensure knowledge can be clearly demonstrated and cognitive skills are not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Demonstrate your ability to interpret, understand, retain and use appropriate knowledge in academic settings and for assessment items. Appropriately apply knowledge of policy and procedures in professional settings.

Literacy (Language)

Context	Competent English literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective care.
What you need to demonstrate	The ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate and effective messages in English. The ability to read and comprehend a range of information in English. The capacity to understand and apply academic conventions to write coherent English in a scholarly and professional manner.
Why this is required	The ability to acquire information and write and speak clearly and accurately in English is fundamental to the safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of psychological care. The ability to read, interpret and understand multiple sources of information is fundamental to the safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of psychological care.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must ensure a student can demonstrate an appropriate capacity to acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurately in English. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Listen well to information provided in English. Speak clearly and accurately in English. Successfully paraphrase, summarise and reference in English, in accordance with appropriate academic conventions. Create accurate, concise and clear documentation in English.

Numeracy

Context	Competent numeracy skills are essential to deliver safe and effective care.
What you need to demonstrate	The student will demonstrate the ability to correctly and accurately interpret and apply numerical information, whether data, measurements, or other numbers.
Why this is required	Competent numeracy skills are essential to facilitating the safe and effective delivery of psychology care.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must ensure a student can demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply numerical concepts and processes in a timely, accurate and effective manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Accurately scoring and interpreting psychological test data while on placement. Accurately using and interpreting data via SPSS.

Reflective skills

Context	Professional psychology practice requires self-awareness and a capacity for reflection and reflexivity in order to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours.
What you need to demonstrate	The ability to accurately reflect on professional performance. Awareness of own responses to hearing or viewing distressing client communications.
Why this is required	Working with clients while on field placement and understanding and responding to them requires the ability to notice, understand and effectively manage one's own reactions to situations that may arise. Professional psychology training requires well developed understanding of oneself in order to appropriately engage with clinical supervision of and feedback on work with clients.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Adjustments must enable the student to demonstrate an acceptable level of capacity in this area. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Advisor.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Identifying when a professional issue is outside one's scope or expertise. Reflecting in clinical supervision on how one's own responses may impede or enhance work with particular clients on field placement.

Relational skills

Context	Professional psychology practice requires the ability to use highly developed interpersonal skills plus establish and maintain strong relationships with people.
What you need to demonstrate	The ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients, academic staff, supervisors and peers.  The ability to engage in effective and empathic psychology practice and group work. The ability to engage and relate appropriately in individual and group applied psychology and experiential learning groups.
Why this is required	Highly developed relational skills are a cornerstone of effective therapeutic relationships that permit effective engagement, assessment, intervention and closure.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Adjustments must enable the student to demonstrate effective relational skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Advisor.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Rapidly building rapport with a client in order to engage them in the therapeutic session while on field placement. Effectively using relational and interpersonal skills to manage the therapeutic relationship with clients on field placement. Relating effectively, openly and sensitively to academic staff, supervisors and peers.

Sensory ability

Visual

Context	Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective psychology care.
What you need to demonstrate	The student will demonstrate sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills.
Why this is required	Sufficient visual acuity is needed to complete the required range of skills, tasks and assessment tasks in this program, and to provide consistent, accurate and safe care. Visual observations, examinations and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective psychological practice.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in professional practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent and not compromise treatment or safety. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Observe and detect subtle changes in individual behaviour (e.g. facial expressions).

Sustainable performance

Context	Psychology study and practice requires both physical and mental endurance at a consistent and sustained level.
What you need to demonstrate	Consistent and sustained physical energy to complete specific tasks in a timely manner and over time. The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately. The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time.
Why this is required	Sufficient physical and mental endurance are essential to performing multiple tasks in an assigned period and to provide safe and effective care.
Scope for reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with a Student Adviser.
Example ways to meet the requirement	Participate in tutorials, lectures and skills. Provide consistent, appropriate and quality involvement across the practicum period associated with courses that require professional placement.

Need more information?

If you're not sure what an inherent requirement means, contact the School of Psychology.

Adapted from Inherent Requirements © Western Sydney University, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 International licence.