Unit Overview
- Description
This unit examines theoretical cognitive and neuroanatomical approaches to understanding and differential diagnosis of common neuropsychological conditions. Students explore cognitive, behavioural, emotional, functional, and social presentations, and evaluate how these inform clinical understanding and diagnosis. Key themes include findings from neurological examination and neuroimaging, as well as the application of international classification systems and assessment approaches. Students are given the opportunity to consider brief intervention strategies, including psychopharmacological approaches, and to engage with case-based learning through lectures and group work centred on clinical examples.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
Availability Location Mode First year of offer Not available in 2026 UWA (Perth) On-campus - Outcomes
Students are able to (1) identify, describe and apply empirically-supported neuroanatomical, cognitive neuroscience and other relevant approaches to understanding the aetiology, presentation, course, and other clinical issues relevant to a variety of neuropsychological disorders, including formal diagnostic criteria
; (2) identify, describe and apply the cognitive neuroscience, psychometric and other research relevant to validly interpreting neuropsychological assessments using multiple methodologies in diverse clinical groups, including individuals with complex and neuropsychiatric presentations; (3) describe common neuropsychological approaches to treating neuropsychological presentations in an ethical and culturally responsive way. ; (4) explain how psychological theories – including, but not limited to, those involving and different mechanisms of brain injury, illness, or disease – are used to evaluate differences in cognitive, emotional, and personality functioning, with consideration of how clinical presentations and assessment/intervention approaches may vary based on individual differences, including cultural context and psychosocial history; and (5) describe common psychopharmacological treatments for neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric presentations.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) essay; (2) final exam; and (3) client and family handout: coping with dementia. Further information is available in the unit outline.
To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the final exam component.
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Michael Weinborn
- Unit rules
- Prerequisites
- Enrolment in70560 Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology)and Successful completion ofPSYC5579 Foundations in Clinical Neuropsychology II
- Contact hours
- 36 hours (3-hour weekly workshops x 12)
- Note
- There is no textbook for this course.
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.