Course

Psychological Assessment

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
Psychology
Course code
PSYC 4360
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course provides students with an introduction to the fundamental principles guiding the psychological assessment process, across the range of current applications. The historical-cultural context and relevant ethical principles are considered. Psychological assessment is presented as an integrative and multi-method process which includes structured tests. Key issues of reliability, validity and utility are addressed. Applications in education and training, forensic, workplace, health care, clinical and counselling, and rehabilitation contexts are considered, with an overview of current assessment practices.
Course content
  1. Historical overview and implications of cultural context for psychological assessment
  2. Ethical principles
  3. Assessment as an integrative process
  4. Reliability, validity, utility considerations
  5. Test development
  6. Distributions, normative samples, standardization and the meaning of individual scores
  7. Statistics of particular importance to psychological testing
  8. Psychological assessment applications in:
    • Education and training
    • Neuropsychology
    • Clinical and Counselling: psychodiagnostics and psychological treatment
    • Forensics
    • The workplace
    • Healthcare
Learning activities

The primary methods of instruction may include: 

  • Lecture
  • Group activities
  • Case study presentations
  • Audiovisual media
  • Guest lectures

 

Means of assessment

The course evaluation will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Evaluations will be based on the course objectives. The specific evaluation criteria will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

  • Integrative assessment report - 20%
  • Exams - 5 at 14% each - 70%
  • Written reflection assignments - 5%
  • Participation - 5%
  • Total - 100%
Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, the successful student will be able to:

1. Describe and explain:

  • Historical and cultural contexts of and consequent implications for the assessment process.
  • Ethics, culture and best practices in psychological assessment.
  • Statistical concepts of particular importance to psychological assessment, including reliability, validity and utility.
  • Distributions, standardization, norm development and application to individual scores.
  • The process of test development and item analysis.

2. Interpret, calculate, or apply statistics of particular importance to psychological testing.

3. Articulate and apply relevant ethical principles.

4. Describe current practices in psychological assessment across a range of service-provision contexts: education and training, forensics, workplace, healthcare, clinical/counselling, neuropsychological.

Textbook materials

Textbook(s) such as the following, the list to be updated periodically:

  • Gregory, R.J.  Psychological testing: History, principles and applications (Current ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.  

  • Hogan, T.P.   Psychological testing: A practical introduction (Current ed.).  New York, NY: Wiley

 

Requisites

Prerequisites

PSYC 1100 AND PSYC 1200 both with a C- or better AND PSYC 2300 with a C or better

AND

Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Program or the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Honours Program or Bachelor of Arts  in Applied Criminology or Bachelor of Arts in Applied Criminology-Honours or Psychology (Minor) Program or with permission of the instructor.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution Transfer details for PSYC 4360
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU PSYC 1XX (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU PSYC 4XXX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV PSYC 306 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC PSYC 3XX (1.5)

Course Offerings

Fall 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
35
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
18
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S1715
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
Section notes

Registration in this course is restricted to students in the BA Applied Psychology Programs or the BA Applied Criminology programs (including BA Honours Programs). Students who are not enrolled in the BA Program can request permission from the instructor.