Students

PSYN8915 – Clinical Skills in Neuropsychology

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Course Convenor
Travis Wearne
AHH 3.516
Lecturer
Heather Francis
Lecturer
Francis Merritt
Lecturer
Jing Fang
Lecturer
Carly Johnco
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MClinNeuro
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on principles of clinical interaction, including interviewing and history-taking, diagnostic formulation, report writing and providing feedback. You will be asked to consider the impact of culture and language on test administration and interpretation, as well as the therapeutic relationship. You will be asked to engage in learning and activities aimed to increase cultural awareness, humility and responsiveness. The role of neuropsychology in multidisciplinary and medicolegal contexts is also explored. 

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

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

  • ULO1: Demonstrate skills in clinical interaction, including interviewing, case formulation, report writing and providing feedback (Capability 2: Clinical Practitioner).
  • ULO2: Examine the impact of one's own culture on interactions with others, show respect for the diverse experiences and values of other cultures, and appraise the cultural limitations of norms-based tests and assessments (Capability 3: Engaged Global Citizen).
  • ULO3: Demonstrate respect for the skills and contribution of other professionals, and recognise the limits of one's own professional competence (Capability 3: Engaged Global Citizen).

General Assessment Information

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128).

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. 

 For example:

Number of days (hours) late

Total Possible Marks

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

1 day (1-24 hours)

100

5

75

70

2 days (24-48 hours)

100

10

75

65

3 days (48-72 hours)

100

15

75

60

7 days (144-168 hours)

100

35

75

40

>7 days (>168 hours)

100

-

75

0

 

Late submission of time sensitive tasks, such as timetabled tests/exams, scheduled performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs, will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.  

Special Consideration

If you are unable to complete an assessment task on or by the specified date due circumstances that are unexpected, unavoidable, significantly disruptive and beyond your control, you may apply for special consideration in accordance with the special consideration policy. Applications for special consideration must be supported by appropriate evidence and submitted via ask.mq.edu.au.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Clinical interview 30% No 24/08/2025
Multidisciplinary Report 30% No Week 9
Communicating a clinical impression 40% No 26/10/2025

Clinical interview

Assessment Type 1: Viva/oral examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 24/08/2025
Weighting: 30%

 

You will be asked to conduct a clinical interview aimed at answering a referral question.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate skills in clinical interaction, including interviewing, case formulation, report writing and providing feedback (Capability 2: Clinical Practitioner).

Multidisciplinary Report

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 30%

 

Working in small groups with other graduate health professional students, you will complete a multidisciplinary patient report based on a complex case. There will also be an individual component whereby you will be asked to formulate the cognitive profile and develop discipline specific management strategies for the case. 

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Examine the impact of one's own culture on interactions with others, show respect for the diverse experiences and values of other cultures, and appraise the cultural limitations of norms-based tests and assessments (Capability 3: Engaged Global Citizen).
  • Demonstrate respect for the skills and contribution of other professionals, and recognise the limits of one's own professional competence (Capability 3: Engaged Global Citizen).

Communicating a clinical impression

Assessment Type 1: Simulation/role play
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 26/10/2025
Weighting: 40%

 

You will submit an opinion section of a neuropsychological report, and simulate provision of verbal feedback on the results of neuropsychological assessment to a patient and their family. 

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate skills in clinical interaction, including interviewing, case formulation, report writing and providing feedback (Capability 2: Clinical Practitioner).
  • Examine the impact of one's own culture on interactions with others, show respect for the diverse experiences and values of other cultures, and appraise the cultural limitations of norms-based tests and assessments (Capability 3: Engaged Global Citizen).
  • Demonstrate respect for the skills and contribution of other professionals, and recognise the limits of one's own professional competence (Capability 3: Engaged Global Citizen).

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

The subject will be presented by means of a three-hour workshop, consisting of lecture and practical components on a weekly basis (except where affected by public holidays and university breaks). Workshops will predominantly be delivered face to face, although some online components may be included to supplement face to face material and to scaffold the practical components of learning.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

  • Greater Time for Practice and Exposure to Real-Life Application
    • Workshops have been extended from 2-hours to 3-hours. This was decided to enable greater use of vignettes, video examples, and time to translate the theory into practice/role-plays. 
  • Inclusion of High-Risk Clinical Presentations
    • Suicide risk and the evaluation of students' suicide risk evaluations were incorporated into PSYN8853. Greater focus on general distress, anxiety and trauma will be convered in the ‘Mental Health First Aid' workshop in Week 1. A new workshop – Family Violence – has been scheduled and will be delivered in Week 8.
  • Assessment Timing
    • Assessment tasks have been more evenly spaced throughout the semester. This should minimise assessment fatigue and facilitate more timely feedback to students.
  • Greater Interdisciplinary Content
    • This unit will be collaborating with other postgraduate units in the Faculty of Human Science and participating in an interprofessional practice workshop. This will form the basis of an assessment task whereby students will be collaboratively working with other postgraduate students in creating a multidisciplinary report.

Professionalism

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses.

As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including clinical, practical, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success, and that by not engaging you may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.


Unit information based on version 2025.02 of the Handbook