Unit rationale, description and aim

Australian Catholic University endeavours to prepare graduates for meaningful careers while promoting critical engagement with societal issues and community collaboration. This unit is designed to support students in their career journey by building confidence in the job-seeking process—teaching them how to search for roles, craft applications, and perform successfully in interviews. Students will also gain practical experience through completion of a community engagement experience in applied settings such as social services, health, education, or research. Through critical reflection, students will cultivate greater empathy for others’ lived experiences, and develop a deepened sense of responsibility.

The aim of this unit is to equip graduates with the skills for finding their future careers and enabling them to critically engage with societal issues and work alongside communities in ways that respect human dignity and promote the common good.

2026 10

Campus offering

Find out more about study modes.

Unit offerings may be subject to minimum enrolment numbers.

Please select your preferred campus.

  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Campus Attendance
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Campus Attendance
  • Semester 2Campus Attendance

Prerequisites

Enrolment in the Bachelor of Psychological Science (including double degrees) or the Bachelor Psychology (Honours) and PSYC108 Psychological Practice: Theory and Techniques and PSYC212 Abnormal Psychology

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Apply skills required for obtaining roles suitable...

Learning Outcome 01

Apply skills required for obtaining roles suitable for graduates of an undergraduate psychology course.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC6, GC11, GC12

Reflect upon the impact of the community engagemen...

Learning Outcome 02

Reflect upon the impact of the community engagement experience on one’s own values, assumptions, behaviours and attitudes.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC6, GC11, GC12

Contribute collaboratively in a team environment a...

Learning Outcome 03

Contribute collaboratively in a team environment and show empathy and respect for diverse perspectives.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC4, GC6, GC12

Demonstrate professional behaviour and attitudes.

Learning Outcome 04

Demonstrate professional behaviour and attitudes.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC4, GC6

Display an awareness of ethical conduct and social...

Learning Outcome 05

Display an awareness of ethical conduct and social responsibility within employment settings appropriate for a psychology graduates.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC6

Content

This unit has two major focuses: job application preparation and community engagement.

Job application preparation:

  • curriculum vitae (CV) and a resume development
  • searching for relevant jobs for a psychology graduate
  • addressing employment key selection criteria and complete cover letters for job applications
  • best practices and strategies for job interviews
  • successful pathways for psychological sciences graduates.

Community engagement: 

  • principles of community engagement
  • constructive self-reflection methods
  • presentation of reflections in both written and oral formats

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to best enable students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. A range of assessments are used. Students will demonstrate their skills in preparing/completing job applications and seeking appropriate employment via a simulation of a job application process. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their professionalism and how they ethically and effectively work within a group while participating in the group interview simulation and when completing 25 hours of community engagement. The reflection portfolio provides students with an opportunity to self-reflect on their experiences and present these reflections in different formats, highlighting how their studies have informed and supported their community engagement.

In order to successfully complete this unit, students must demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome as such students must pass all hurdle task.

Assessment Task 1 (Ungraded Hurdle) - students must demonstrate that they have completed 25 hours of community engagement.

Assessment Tasks 2, 3, and 4 are ungraded hurdle tasks with a maximum of three attempts permitted. If the third and final submission does not meet the pass standard, students will fail the assessment task and cannot pass the unit. 

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Community Engagement Experienc...

Assessment Task 1: Community Engagement Experience

Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate professional behaviour and attitudes as well as awareness of ethical and social responsibility in applied settings when completing 25 hours of community engagement. 

Weighting

Ungraded Hurdle

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC4, GC6, GC12

Assessment Task 2: Job Application Simulation St...

Assessment Task 2: Job Application Simulation

Students will demonstrate their professional behaviour and implement skills required for findings and applying for employment opportunities suitable for psychology graduates.

Weighting

Ungraded Hurdle

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 3: Group Interviews Simulation E...

Assessment Task 3: Group Interviews Simulation

Enables students to demonstrate professional behaviour and attitudes and awareness of ethical conduct and social responsibility while participating in a mock group interview for a job suitable for graduates of psychology.  

Weighting

Ungraded Hurdle

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 4: Community Engagement Reflectio...

Assessment Task 4: Community Engagement Reflection Portfolio

Students will demonstrate their ability to reflect upon the impact of the community engagement experience on their values, assumptions, behaviours and attitudes. 

Weighting

Ungraded Hurdle

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO4, LO5
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC4, GC6, GC11, GC12

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The methods used to support this learning and teaching strategy will include practical experience in a community setting (e.g., direct service-based), active learning, case-based learning, individual and group activities, cooperative learning, web-based learning, and reflective/critical thinking activities. These approaches will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within class activities.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Appleby, D. C. (2018). Preparing psychology majors to enter the workforce: Then, now, with whom, and how. Teaching of Psychology, 45(1), 14-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628317744944

Australian Psychological Society. (2023, November 27). Careers in psychology. https://psychology.org.au/careers

Brookfield, S. (2009). The concept of critical reflection: Promises and contradictions. European Journal of Social Work, 12(3), 293-304.

Busby Grant, J., George, A., Suominen, H. Grant, W., Xu, C. & Mewburn, I. (2024). Understanding industry demand for Australia’s psychology graduates. https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/faculties/health/research/demand-for-australias-psychology-graduates

Moore, T., McDonald, M., McHugh-Dillon, H., & West, S. (2016). Community engagement: A key strategy for improving outcomes for Australian families (CFCA Paper No. 39). Melbourne: Child Family Community Australia information exchange, Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Rogers, B., & Robinson, E. (2004). The benefits of community engagement: A review of the evidence. London, UK: Home Office Communication Directorate on behalf of the Active Citizenship Centre.

Signore, C., Della Piana, B., Di Vincenzo, F. (2023). Digital job searching and recruitment platforms: A semi-systematic literature review. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 769. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42134-1_31

Steinman, S., Richardson, N., & McEnroe, T. (2002). Ethical decision-making manual for helping professionals (2nd ed.). New York: Brooks/Cole.

Taggart, G. L., & Wilson, A. P. (2005). Promoting reflective thinking in teachers: 50 action strategies. Corwin Press.

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2011). Principles of community engagement (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Clinical and Translational Science Awards Consortium, Community Engagement Key Function Committee Task Force on the Principles of Community Engagement, USDHHS. Retrieved from www.atsdr.cdc.gov/communityengagement/pdf/PCE_Report_508_FINAL.pdf

Locations
Credit points
Year

Have a question?

We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday

If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.

Live chat with us now

Chat to our team for real-time
answers to your questions.

Launch live chat

Visit our FAQs page

Find answers to some commonly
asked questions.

See our FAQs