PSYC2015: Brain and Behavioural Psychology
Skip to main content
Unit of study_

PSYC2015: Brain and Behavioural Psychology

2025 unit information

This unit explores four foundational areas in psychology: learning and behaviour, clinical psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience. The lecture series emphasizes the underlying processes that shape behaviour, emotions, and motivation, examining both typical development and the emergence of psychopathologies. In tutorials, students will engage in a behaviour change group project, where they analyze the sources of their own behavior, design and implement a change plan, and assess its impact on behaviour and mental health. This project is particularly relevant for students interested in applied and clinical psychology. Additional tutorial modules focus on developmental psychology and neuroscience, providing a comprehensive understanding of these key areas.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Science

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Psychology Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
PSYC1002
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
PSYC2010 or PSYC2910 or PSYC2011 or PSYC2911 or PSYC2915
Assumed knowledge:
? 
None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand and describe the core concepts that underpin clinical and biobehavioural psychology, and their applications to therapies, organisations, and an individual's behaviour
  • LO2. analyse the environmental determinants of behaviour, and create and implement a behaviour modification therapy
  • LO3. understand and describe the core research design principles and statistical approaches used throughout psychology, to apply them in a critical manner, and to understand the main ethical principles guiding research in this discipline
  • LO4. apply the APA style of scientific writing to the generation of a research report
  • LO5. evaluate and debate the interactions between the individual, their environment, developmental, and neurobiological processes in complex contemporary issues around mental illness or socio-legal controversies
  • LO6. understand and describe how psychology is applied in clinical settings, and the roles of clinical psychologists within the broader health system and within our communities.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown / Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown / Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camperdown / Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown / Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown / Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown / Darlington, Sydney

Find your current year census dates

Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.