Abnormal Psychology - BPS307

Distance Education Course -Study and learn about Abnormal Behaviour Online

What is "Normal" behaviour; and Why are some people "not normal"   Want to learn more? This course is ideal for:

• counsellors or support workers (develop ability to distinguish different types of psychological disorder, and determine when to refer clients for treatment). 
• anyone who wants to understand more about common psychological disorders, their causes and treatment.

Meet one of the Tutors
Tracey Jones - Academic Officer & Tutor (U.K.)
B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies). 18 years experience within the psychology and social work. Book reviewer for the British Journal of Social Work. Tracey has also written a text book on Psychology and has had several short stories published.

Adolescent Psychology BPS211

Study, Learn and Understand the Adolescent Mind

Adolescence is "the period of a person’s life between puberty and maturity (adulthood)" generally the teenage years.

Adolescence is often a period of crisis for the young person and his or her family; and a proper understanding of the psychological state of change can be very important for anyone dealing with an adolescent person.

This is great course for anyone dealing with teens:

• parents
• youth workers
• teachers
• counsellors.

Advanced Certificate in Psychology VPS001

This is a very solid foundation course; and a stepping stone toward higher qualifications. This course includes two more elective modules than our Certificate in Psychology plus 100 hours of industry contact. This is also a good course for those working in any human service or people management industry.
This Advanced Certificate is accredited through the International Accreditation and Recognition Council.

Despite their interest in the subject, students of psychology often find it difficult to answer this basic question in a clear, concise and specific manner - What is Psychology? Some might say that psychology is the study of "human behaviour"; some might say it is a study of the "mind or brain"; others might say that it is a study of personality and what motivates people to do what they do. All are partly correct, but each of these answers is focused only on a particular aspect of psychology. It is now generally agreed that psychology is a science.

Aged Care and Counselling BPS212

Learn Online, to work with the Elderly

This course is useful for anyone involved with elderly people, formally or informally; from carers and counsellors to health workers.

ACS student comments: "[Work marked] promptly and with comments that show detailed reading of my work. I have been impressed by the quick turn-around time and the feedback I’ve received.  Having the course structured into 9 lessons has been helpful for me in approaching the course and fitting it into a busy schedule. The marking is always very prompt and is providing lots of feedback which assists in knowing where I may have fallen short in my answers or done very well." Deana Efraemson, Australia - Aged Care and Counselling course.

Ageing is the process of growing old. It is a gradual biological impairment of usual functioning. Mobility can gradually decrease, the need for medical interventions may increase and old habits may need to be modified.

There is more to aging than just the physical changes though. Many other things happen as a person ages, which can (and does) impact on their state of mind. These changes generally require adjustments in both outlook and lifestyle. They may include a reduction in disposable income; change in residence, loss of peers (friends, colleagues) and loved ones.

Anger Management BPS111

Anger Management - Home Study Online

Like many other emotions, it is very difficult to give a precise definition of anger. In general terms, what we can say is that anger is a strong reaction to an array of different situations such as being attacked, being restrained, losing one’s job, and so forth. You can probably think of many other instances which make you angry.

A definition of anger also usually includes physiological reactions to the anger-provoking stimuli. For instance, clenched fists, facial expressions, deep sighs, and so on are all possible physiological reactions.

Most people experience anger at some stage of their life, and this is normal. Other people may experience anger to a greater extent, or more frequently to a point where it becomes debilitating.

This course teaches the student to understand anger and explore techniques that can be useful in the management of anger.

• Study Anger Management at home
• Learn about what causes anger to develop
• Learn ways or reducing or controlling anger
• Expand your skills as a parent, teacher, manager, counsellor, coach or in any other capacity where anger can become an issue

Associate Diploma in Psychology VPS010

Psychology graduates may find work in anything that involves helping or managing people:

• Counselling or Welfare services
• Running a business
• Marketing
• Teaching, Fitness Leadership, Leisure management, etc.

Learn why we behave as we do in different situations, and how you can use psychology to become a more effective counsellor, social worker, manager, business person, teacher, parent or communicator. This course provides valuable professional development for those who work with people, and a solid introduction to the field of psychology for those interested in this area of study.

Accredited through the International Accreditation and Recognition Council. 

Biopsychology I - BPS108

Learn about Biopsychology

• Discover how a person's physiology can affect their state of mind
• Develop another perspective for counselling, managing or interacting with people 

Comment from one of our Biopsychology Students: "I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found ACS to be wonderful in all aspects"   D. Kenyon, ACS Biopsychology student

Gender is determined by sex chromosomes.        XX produces a female, XY a male. Males are produced by the action of a gene on the Y chromosome that contains the code for the production of a protein called H-Y antigen – this causes the development of the gonads to testes. If there is no testicular hormone, the Mullerian system (embryonic precursors to female reproductive organs) will develop female sex organs and the Wolffian system (embryonic precursors to male reproductive organs) will fail to develop. That is, in the embryo, there are “potential” reproductive organs waiting to develop, but without the correct hormone, they will not develop into the correct organs.

There is a condition called Turner’s Syndrome. People with Turner’s Syndrome have only one sex chromosome – the X chromosome – so instead of XX or XY, they are XO. The ovum that gives rise to an individual with Turner’s Syndrome has been fertilised by a sperm that has lost its Y chromosome. As the Y chromosome is not present, the H-Y antigen is not produced, so the testes do not develop. As only one X chromosome is present, the ovaries do not develop. However, even though they have no gonads at all, people with Turner’s Syndrome develop into females with normal female internal sex organs.

Biopsychology II BPS204

Learn MORE about how Human Pysiology and Anatomy affects your State of Mind

ACS student comment: "I am beginning to understand how the brain works, and it is opening up a whole new dimension! Its fantastic."  Yvonne Munshi, South Africa, Bio Psychology course.

This course builds on Biopsychology I, with further exploration of research into brain processes such as memory, and the effects of brain damage and other factors on those processes. Those working or studying in the areas of counselling, psychology or health will benefit from the deeper understanding of the relationship between our physiological condition and our mental condition and behaviour that this course provides.

Careers Counselling -BPS202

Study to Be a Career Counsellor, at Home

Careers Counselling involves more than just finding work for people. Among other things, Careers Counselling may involve helping people:

• identify the best job for their skills and interests
• find any job to meet their personal and financial needs
• find a better or more appropriate job for their situation
• achieve job satisfaction through appropriate choices
• plan and cope with career changes
• better adapt to the workplace
• improve their potential for advancement in the workplace
• identify new career possibilities when circumstances change.

Certificate in Children's Health VPS106

Study aspects of children's health from physical, emotional and psychological.

Are you seeking knowledge to apply to children in your life - maybe you're a parent, childminder or babysitter striving to care for the health and wellbeing of children you look after. Perhaps you could be training to work in care related industries in the future and you wish to specialise and work in pediatric nursing? Maybe you will work with children or young people in a child-care setting?

Are you a teacher, seeking additional knowledge for the children under your supervision or do you want to diversify your skills and move into health and fitness within education? There are many worthwhile reasons for studying this course... children are population of the future and it is vital that we care for them and nurture them the very best we can.

Call the school today and speak with one of our dedicated tutors about advancing your knowledge and skills!

Certificate in Counselling (VPS005)

• A qualification accredited by International Accreditation & Recognition Council
• Credit toward recognised a diploma recognised by the Australian Counselling Association.
• Opportunity to join (as a student member) the Australian Counselling Association or the Complementary Medicine Association (UK).

Online Study Course - Enroll in this qualification today, and study at home, by e-learning

Certificate in Life Coaching VPS006

A good life coach focuses on drawing information out of the client. To do this you need to approach the client in a non threatening, relaxed manner and use concise open ended questions. Professionalism will gain trust - know your stuff! But don't use terminology that will not be familiar to the client. Treat the client like he/she is the only client you have. Nurture their responses, encourage elaboration, never sneer, laugh or make snide comments, even if you are joking…it can be misinterpreted.

Once you have the information you need, set about analysing it together. Ask specific (open and closed) questions to discover what the client values ie: family life, being fit, earning a decent salary etc. The next job is to translate those values into specific goals.

This Certificate course is ideal for those with a basic understanding of psychology or with knowledge or experience in such practical areas as business, fitness, financial management, and who want to help others define and achieve practical goals.

IARC Accredited

Certificate in Mental Health Support VPS026

It is estimated 1 in 3 adults will experience mental health illness at some point in their lives. There are many reasons behind the variety of mental health illnesses which exist and in order to care for sufferers effectively, supporting people and agencies need to understand these and how.

Family, friends and health professionals automatically become in a position of responsibility to help deal with issues surrounding the mental health of loved ones (or clients). The supporting people need to consider if the condition has been properly diagnosed, how to access professional support network, understand what to expect in the behaviour of the affected person and recognised danger signs when things get worse.

This course is designed for anyone with dealing with psychological health in a support role!

Certificate in Occupational Psychology VPS022

Certificate in Psychological Science VPS027

If you have already commenced study in psychology, you will know just how competitive the field is. We highly recommend you bolster your resume by studying a specialism in-depth such as Psychological science.

Extra study shows commitment to the subject! Perhaps you are just starting out in psychological studies for the first time and want to start with the foundation in this subject - learn the science side of things!

The focus of this course is on the study of psychology as a science. It examines how the brain works at a biological level and looks at theories of psychology.

Psychology is a fascinating discipline that is intrinsically related to most industries as well as situations and interactions - wherever people are involved, so is psychology. Having an understanding of psychology can help in existing employment, can demonstrate a depth of understanding to future employers, can help with day to day interactions, can lead to further academic studies, and more - the opportunities and applications are endless.

Certificate in Psychology - VPS002

This course is aimed at those who wish to gain a good insight into psychology. It is useful as a first step to further study, as an employment aid, as a social tool for those wishing to understand more about the behaviour of themselves and others, or simply to broaden one’s horizons.

Comment from one of our Psychology Certificate Students
I feel that over the duration of the course I gained a lot of knowledge and practical strategies that will be beneficial to me, and those I deal with personally and professionally. The course exceeded my expectations significantly. (Rachel)

IARC Accredited

Online Study Course - Enroll in this qualification today, and study at home, by e-learning

Certificate in Youth Work VPS121

BECOME A YOUTH WORKER!

Youth work is an important job in our society. Youth work is generally work that is done with young people that aims to positively impact on them. It can include a range of different activities, programmes, services or support, and can be conducted in a variety of different settings. Depending on the youth work roles, there will be a variety of aims and objectives.

Here are some examples of youth work (there are many more):

• Conduct activities to re-engage disengaged youths into educational activities,
• Developing students with low self-esteem by conducting outdoor adventure activities,
• Conduct team building activities to develop social and relationship-building skills,
• Working within residential care facilities to support homeless youths get their lives back on track
• Working within an educational setting to develop literacy skills,
• Teaching disadvantaged youths practical skills to develop their life-skills and work opportunities.

This course will teach you the fundamental skills that you will use as a Youth Worker.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE?

Child Psychology - BPS104

How Well Do You Understand Children?

Child psychology is concerned with the development of a person over the course of their childhood. This involves the development of a child's mental processes (ie. cognitive development); emotional and social behaviour. It is important to state that development does not end at adulthood. Adults continue to experience changes in their mental, emotional and social behaviours. Some characteristics are however more easily developed and changed during childhood.

For convenience, a distinction is made between the cognitive, emotional and social aspects of behaviour. However, this distinction is purely theoretical. It is made simply to help us learn and understand. In reality, the different aspects of behaviour interact with each other. When problems develop in any area of development, they usually become rapidly evident in other areas as well. The study of child psychology is partly concerned with identifying such interrelationships.

Learn how children develop psychologically as they grow, and what factors (such as learning, parenting styles, einforcement, and genetic makeup) influence their behaviour and thinking.  Students of counselling or pscyhology will be better prepared to understand childhood influences on later adult behaviour.
This course will be of value to anyone who works OR lives with children (e.g. parents, play leaders, teachers, etc).

Comments from past students in this subject:
It has been a truly invaluable learning experience for me. I want you to know that I have learnt so much from all of your constructive input and guidance throughout each lesson of the course. (Jenelle Heidi )
(The course) has helped me understand my students better and helped me to see how I can structure their course in order to make learning fun and fruitful. Thank you, I have enjoyed these units greatly. (Debbie)

Conflict Management - BPS201

Study and Learn to Help People Resolve Conflict

Conflict is a normal part of life. Conflicts abound in our everyday life. Most conflict arises out of disagreements between how we should behave/act or even think and feel. Conflict is a natural part of life, and without it, we would not challenge each other to do or be better but would merely passively accept what is dished out to us, like robots! More often than not, it’s not the conflict that is the problem, but how we choose to deal with it that brings us negative results and depleted relationships. Most of us have been conditioned to view conflict as an unpleasant thing. However, conflict is the manifestation of how people think and behave according to their different personal and social histories. It also occurs as a response to frustration, and some would say as an expression of aggressive and competitive instincts. Inner conflicts reflect our difficulties in coming to terms with life’s challenges or in accepting ourselves as we truly are (this does not mean that we must put up with how we are!).

The most valuable aspect of conflict is the energy that it generates. Conflict management is not an attempt to suppress this energy, but to use it constructively. Conflict caused by differing viewpoints may lead to harsh and painful situations, or it can be transformed into creative and productive dialogue. Conflict will become easier to manage if we see it as inevitable but not necessarily destructive, and as a problem to be solved rather than a battle to be won.

Counselling Skills II - BPS110

Learn a variety of micro-skills and how to combine them  in the counselling process. 

This course is ideal for those who have already gained the basic counselling skills covered in Counselling Skills I, and want to further develop their ability to counsel others.

If we focus on the present rather than the past (which we have no control over) or the future (which we have little control over), we can make better choices. This does not mean that the client should not consider the past or the future, but rather that they do so in light of the present which should be given a far greater weighting. This is one of the principles of Gestalt therapy. The counsellor should encourage the client when talking about past unpleasant experiences to vocalize how it makes them feel in the present. By experiencing their feelings the client should hopefully be able to find ways to deal with them, and perhaps reduce them or rid themselves of them.

This course is beneficial for anyone in "helping services"...

• community service workers
• counsellors
• emergency services
• health professionals
• life, health, and wellness coaches
• .... and more

Counselling Skills l - BPS109

Lay a Foundation to work in Counselling

ACS student comment: "This course has been extremely valuable to me as throughout those 5 months my friends all seemed to go through some crisis or other. I have learned so much that I could put into practice and from the responses I have had, it's been very positive. Tutor feedback was fantastic. All individual answers were given a comment which helped me understand if I missed something." Brenda Harvey, Australia - Counseling Skills I course.

Many people go through times when they find their lives overwhelming or distressing. This may be due to bereavement, illness, family crisis, relationship breakdown and so on. They may find it hard to cope or not have the resources to deal with the problem.

Counselling can help them to retain their self-sufficiency, build better relationships and help them to make and act on their choices. Before moving on to specific skills, it is important to just repeat what counselling is.

Counselling means different things to different people. It is not a get well quick option, offering quick answers, but is asking the person to engage in a process and an exploration. There are many definitions of counselling. A simple version is that counselling is a working relationship where the client is helped to manage what is happening in their life and to explore their life. It is a form of psychological or talking therapy that offers people the ability to change how they live and feel. The aim of counselling is to provide the client with a more satisfying experience of life. Everyone has different needs, so counselling can be concerned with many different aspects of a person’s life.

Counselling Techniques - BPS206

Modern psychoanalytic psychotherapy differs from traditional psychoanalysis in several ways:

• There is less of a focus on dream and fantasy material, and more of a focus on practical elements of the client’s life
• They tend not to use the traditional therapist’s couch
• There are a lesser number of sessions
• The therapist is more active in terms of self-disclosure and the use of minimal responses
• There is less of an accent on restructuring personality and more of a focus on finite objectives.

Criminal Psychology BPS309

INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CRIME, THIS IS THE COURSE FOR YOU!

Suitable for anyone who works within criminal justice, such as police, social workers, court workers, solicitors, lawyers, probation workers or anyone with an interest in the psychology of crime.

Extract from the course notes -

How do people become psychopaths?

Research has suggested that psychopaths with lower intelligence or a poor education are more likely to end up in prison than psychopaths with higher intelligence. Researchers involved with psychopaths will often note that they lack emotional insight, but when they have a history of criminal behaviour ,they do not seem to learn from that experience, just think up ways to avoid getting caught. So it appears that psychopaths with lower intelligence are less likely to be able to think of ways to avoid getting caught.

In childhood, some theorise that the child is not able to learn right from wrong. The parents become angry and frustrated and try to shield the child from the consequences of their behaviour, trying to educate the child about right and wrong. The child is always in trouble and does not appear to be able to learn. Some parents may feel that the child will eventually understand, but if they don’t the parents may resort to punishment. This is the worst thing that the parent can do, what the child really requires is training in choices, consequences and supervision.

There has also been suggestions that there is a genetic link to the psychopathic personality. Psychopaths appear to lack the ability to feel what others do, the physical sensation of guilt. They may feel anger, sadness or fear, but not guilt for what they have done. Some theorists believe that sexually promiscuous psychopaths who are able to live off other people are survivors and may represent one of the genes for survival in humans.

Other research has shown that adult psychopaths do not benefit from counseling and therapy and may in fact commit further crimes more quickly and again because of it.

Brain scan research has shown that the brains of psychopaths functions and processes information differently. One piece of research showed dead bodies from car accidents to psychopaths and found that they remained calm, whereas other people were clearly upset. They do not appear to use their brain in the same way that others do, suggesting they are physically different to “normal” people.

Crisis Counselling BPS304

Study, Learn, Prepare to better understand the demands of Counselling people in a Crisis Situation

In the wake of critical incidents, communities and individuals may be ill-equipped to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophic situation. So survivors may struggle to regain control of their lives, when friends or family may be injured, dying or dead or missing. Others may be traumatised by events and need support and personal care for months and years to come. The true extent of a traumatic situation may never be fully known. Psychological reactions are common and fairly predictable and CISD can be a useful tool following a traumatic event.

Critical Incident Stress debriefing (CISD) is highly significant to the fields of traumatic stress and emergency responses throughout the world. It has been used by emergency response personnel, disaster counsellors, American Red Cross workers, mental health workers, and so on.

CISD was originally developed to mitigate stress responses among people who were the first to respond to emergency situations. CISD can help disaster victims.

Developmental Psychology - BPS210

Online Learning -Study and Learn about Child Behaviour

Want to learn more about this and the theory of how we develop, then take this course!!!

Develop an understanding of how human psychology changes throughout a person's life. This course provides insights and a foundation for greater empathy; and is equally appropriate for a professional (eg. Counsellor, Manager, Supervisor etc) or for anyone simply wishing to better understand their friends, family and self.

Play is not an idle past time for children; in fact, it is essential to a full and balanced development of the person. Moreover, child therapists claim that play can be a very healthful way for children to deal with stress, which explains the use of dolls and toys during remedial therapy. Play can represent a kind of language that the child uses, in place of verbal language that has not fully developed. Anyone who frequently deals with children should encourage a variety of play, and should be receptive to what the child is learning through play; or even what message the child is trying to convey though play

Diploma in Counselling and Psychology - VPS007

If you want to become a counsellor, this course is for you!!
An excellent training program for anyone seeking a solid qualification in counselling.
As such, it contains a practical element that not only complements the theory, but also prepares the student for real-life counselling situations. Elective subjects help to broaden the student’s knowledge of other relevant areas of interest.

It is anticipated that graduates of this course will seek probationary employment in counselling or a related field.

ACS is endorsed by the Complimentary Medicine Association, for expertise in the area of Counselling. 
Enroll in this qualification today, and study at home, by e-learning

Educational Psychology -BPS105

Understand how people of any age learn.

What is educational psychology? From a literal standpoint, one could argue that the study of learners, learning and teaching, is all subsumed under the heading ‘educational psychology’. For those who wish to adopt the principles of educational psychology in an educational setting, this definition can be expanded to include the knowledge, wisdom and everyday theory that every teacher requires in order to resolve the dilemmas that occur teaching on a daily basis.

Family Counselling BPS213

Learn to manage family problems.

Develop a better understanding of family Dynamics, and a capacity to analyze and facilitate solutions to problems that emerge in modern families.

What is a family? It is usually a group people who live together forming a social group. It usually consists of the parent(s) and their children, living together. The members of the group are usually related by marriage, blood or adoption. However, in modern society, there are many different variations of family, to represent the different ways that families and society have changed. The family is still the basic unit within society.

Within the life cycle of a family, many different crises can occur. The type of crises that occurs can depend on the family, where they are living, the time in which they are living, how religious they are, their class, education and so on and so on. In other words, there are many different factors that affect how a family cope with different situations and whether crises occur.

A crisis is a period of transition in the life of the individual, family or group, presenting individuals with a turning point in their lives, which may be seen as a challenge or a threat, a "make or break" new possibility or risk, a gain or a loss, or both simultaneously. Most crises are part of the normal range of life experiences that most people can expect, and most people will recover from crisis without professional intervention. However, there are crises outside the bounds of a person's everyday experience or coping resources which may require expert help to achieve recovery.

This is where a counsellor can be an essential part of the families growth and coping strategy.

Grief Counselling BPS209

What is grief, why is it healthy and normal, and how can you help someone suffering grief? 

ACS student comment: "Being able to apply myself to distance education for the topic that interests me has been invaluable. Living in a remote area has a number of disadvantages. The lack of access to continuing education is one of great importance. Successfully completing the Grief Counselling course has enabled me to think ahead and possibly attempt future studies on this much needed issue." Mary Ann Cohen, Australia, Grief Counselling course.

Grief is a term used to describe all the thoughts, behaviour and feelings that occur after someone goes through a bereavement. A bereavement is any event that includes a loss. We may experience loss through the death of someone close to us, or a relationship breakdown, divorce, theft, a disability, illness, miscarriage and so on.

There is no “right” way to respond to a death, people will cope with a death in their own way. The way they respond will be affected by their relationship with the person who has died, their own upbringing, their previous reactions to losses, their other relationships etc.

Holidays, anniversaries, Christmas and so on can be difficult times for the bereaved, as they can remind us of the person they have lost. Grief can be worse at these times of year. There is no single way to grieve. Everyone is different and each person grieves in his or her own way. However, some stages of grief are commonly experienced by people when they are bereaved.

Everyone suffers grief at some stage; and for some helping others deal with grief can be a significant part of their job.

This course provides a sound basis for understanding and working with grief, as a counsellor or in any other capacity where such an understanding is required.

Industrial Psychology - BPS103

Study Occupational Psychology at home

• Why do some people work better than others?
• Why do the interelationships and dynamics within a work place keep changing?
• How can staff be better managed to achieve a happier and more productive workplace?

This course helps develop knowledge and skills for anyone involved in workplace situations. Learn about the thought processes that lead to people at work being motivated, learning skills, being productive; or not performing well at all. Develop a foundation for understanding people at work, whether employees or employers, and through this foundation a basis for better performance as a manager, supervisor, or even just as an employee.

Introduction to Psychology - BPS101

Psychology is an increasingly popular subject for students to study. There are so many different options from which to continue after completing a psychology course.

There are many different areas of psychology, such as educational psychology, occupational psychology, criminological and legal psychology, psychology teaching and research. Each of these fields have different opportunities within them.

This course will also benefit prople in a wide variety of careers that aren't strictly in the area of Psychology, such as:

• Teachers/Child Care workers
• Fitness and Health professionals
• Parents
• Police/Emergency Services
• Retail
• Business/Management/marketing
• Human Resources
• ..... The list goes on

Life Coaching - BPS305

ACS student comment: "I am enjoying it, as with a great deal of adult learning I am confirming things that I know, learning new ones and disputing things that I THOUGHT I knew!!!! Well worth the doing. Mind you I have the course with me all the time as by opting for the CD version I have it loaded onto my HTC phone and can read and write at any 'spare point'. IDEAL for me!" Jane Hurst, UK, Life Coaching course.

People may contact a life coach for very different reasons: to help them make better financial or career decisions; to get them motivated; to help them overcome feelings of frustration, helplessness, or lack of confidence; to help them manage personal relationships; to help them develop practical life skills. However, the reasons for contacting a life coach may not be the primary issues that are causing the client distress or dissatisfaction, and much of the life coach’s work will be to lead the client on a journey of self-discovery.

Like all inner journeys, life coaching must begin with the client’s present situation and the many internal and external influences upon it. Life coaching begins with working with the client to understand where the person is at, psychologically, physically, financially and interpersonally. Only after obtaining a more accurate, clear picture of the client’s Present can both client and life coach identify elements in the client’s Past that may be hindering growth in any particular area, and plan strategies for the client’s Future that will encourage and nurture progress.

Marketing Psychology - BPS107

Market segmentation focuses on the consumer end of the market. It breaks away from the old-fashioned view that consumers were one large undifferentiated market. Instead it focuses on target groups. Segmentation is the backbone of the marketing concept.

Once a niche in the market has been identified, a product can be positioned in the market place.

Today marketers are able to target their market segment and send personalised communications. This is known as a segment of one and is a return to producer-consumer relations that existed prior to mass production.

Learn about this and more with our Marketing Psychology course.

Multicultural Awareness BPS303

Learn about Different Cultures

• Understand how refugees, immigrants, and people from other cultures think about their adopted homes

Cultural diversity refers to the differences between human communities based on differences in their ideologies, values, beliefs, norms, customs, meanings and ways of life – in other words, differences based on cultural differences.

These differences are expressed and exemplified in social practices, attitudes and values, family interactions and expectations, values concerning education, ways of defining and treating health (physical and mental), business and management behaviours and practices, political practices, and our interpersonal relations. This course will develop your sensitivity to culture, diversity and multicultural societies, and improve your capacity to interact with people on multicultural issues

Neuropsychology -BPS306

Learn Neuropsychology Online

Ever wondered

• how does the brain work?
• How do you see, smell and hear
• How do you think and speak?

All of these mysteries are uncovered in this introductory course.

Neuropsychology is an interdisciplinary subject, a mixture of psychology and neuroscience. It aims to understand how the function and structure of the brain relates to human and animal behaviour and psychological processes. Neuropsychology uses scientific methods and in common with cognitive psychology and cognitive science, it shares the information processing view of the mind.

This online course covers: 

Foundations of Neuropsychology, Neurophysiology, Neuroanatomy, Laterality and Callosal Syndromes , Cognition, Personality and Emotion, Perception Disorders, Motor Disorders, Language, Dementia and Neurodevelopment.

Professional Practice in Counselling - BPS207

Part of a counsellor’s training as already mentioned is becoming aware of their own needs so that they realize to what extent these needs can interfere with the counselling process. The counsellor should constantly be checking themselves by querying whose needs are being met…their own or those of the client.

It is not unethical that the counsellor’s personal needs are met within their professional practice, but the meeting of these needs should be kept in perspective. Needs should not be met at the expense of clients. Clients must never be exploited.

It is the duty of the professional counsellor to confront their own prejudices and vulnerabilities and so increase their self-awareness of their own problems by working through them.

By taking this route the counsellor will be less likely to project them onto their clients. If during the counsellor’s practising, old issues that were never fully resolved are brought back to the fore then it is the duty of the counsellor to seek therapy in order that they can resolve them.

Psychological Assessment BPS308

Psychological tests assess and evaluate information that is given to the examiner by the client. This information is in the form of answers to interview questions or as answers on paper—or on a computer—to specific questions. Ultimately, a test’s accuracy depends on how carefully and seriously the client answers the questions they are asked.

A psychological assessment is when a skilled psychologist uses the techniques and tools of psychology to learn general or specific facts about another person, either to inform others how they function or to predict their behaviour and functioning in the future.

Assessment is usually for the point of diagnosis or classification. That is, placing a person into a loosely or strictly defined category of people. This allows us to understand what they are like in general and assess the presence of other relevant characteristics based on people similar to them.

This course will help you to -

• learn to determine why and when to use psychological assessment
• develop an understanding of the different types of assessment available (eg. Behavioural Assessment, Wechsler Inteligence and Memory Scales, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, etc).

Psychology & Counselling - BPS102

According to the World Health Organisation, 25% of people will develop a mental or behavioural disorder during their life-span. While most individuals develop methods of coping with stress, some develop unhealthy defence mechanisms and behavioural patterns which interfere with their daily life. Others suffer mental breakdowns in response to too much stress. The most common physical disorders are depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, mental retardation, substance abuse disorders, and disorders of childhood and adolescents. Abnormal psychology is concerned with the study of maladaptive or abnormal behaviour and the classification and prognosis of such maladjusted behaviour.   

Psychopharmacology BPS302

The history of drugs is shrouded in the beginnings of the human race. Alcohol was made, drunk, and used to excess as far back as memory and records go. Tobacco (Nicotiana), hemp (Cannabis sativa), opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), and other plants containing drugs have been chewed and smoked almost as long as alcohol, and coffee has been served in the Middle East throughout that area's history.

“Drugs” is a word used by the medical profession to refer to medicines that can cure or arrest disease or alleviate symptoms, ease pain or provide other benefits. Powerful drugs may have side effects, but commonly used drugs with less potential to harm can be sold over the counter. More powerful drugs often require a medical practitioner’s prescription. Another definition of drugs is those substances upon which a person may become dependent. These range from mild stimulants eg. Caffeine, to powerful drugs that alter mood and behaviour. The term “drug” is therefore any substance which is psychoactive – that is, mind altering.

Develop your skills in understanding the effects of legal, illegal and prescribed drugs on the mind, body and behaviour. Topics covered include stimulants, narcotics, hallucinogens, marijuana, steroids, alcohol, tobacco, caffine, solvents, sedatives, prescription drugs, etc.

Relationship Communication Counselling - BPS208

Many of us wear a number of different hats – we are partner (husband/wife), daughter, son, mother, father, uncle, aunty, sister, brother, friend, colleague etc. We are also members of a number of different groups – work, sports team, local community group, political group, fire and rescue volunteer, advisory committee, advocacy panel etc.

It is a well known fact that depending on which hat or group we are involved in at the time, we will communicate differently. The reasons for this are obvious, for example when considering that as a mother or father, you may be coaching the local little league. You don’t speak using the same words, tone of voice, or facial expressions in this context, as you would when attending a business meeting where you are the president, and must lead the attendees through an agenda bound, stable, and time limited meeting. Our roles determine the level of communication (relating style) we will use.

Social Psychology BPS205

Study Social Psychology

• Learn how society affects your state of mind, and how your state of mind affects society
• Develop skills that can be applied to work with people in counselling, education, welfare and other professions
• Improve your career prospects

Man is a social animal, and as such, it is very important to understand the psychology of how we interact with each other, or act as a group rather than as an individual. By understanding the "natural" social needs of a person, you can develop an increased sensitivity to other people, and better identify and assist people with attending to deficiencies in their social interactions

Sports Psychology - BPS106

LEARN ABOUT - Competitive anxiety is a state of anxiety, stress and arousal that can occur when athletes are taking part in sports. This can negatively affect their performance. Drive Theory – Clark Hull (1943) argued that is an athlete is appropriately skilled, then it will help them to perform well if their drive to win is aroused, they are “psyched up”.  Zajonc (1965) also suggested Drive Theory as an explanation of audience effect. The audience effect is when the presence of a passive audience facilitates a better performance in a task, or inhibits a performance in a task. For example, a professional car driver – his/her dominance response is to drive well. So in the presence of an audience, his/her dominant response is facilitated by the audience so they will perform better in front of an audience. A learner driver has a dominant response of driving poorly, the presence of an audience will facilitate this, so they will drive worse than usual. Drive theory argues that other people are unpredictable, so a person performing a task doesn’t know what others are going to do in response. So it is a clear advantage to the species for the presence of another to lead us into a state of arousal. Increased arousal is therefore a response to social presence. This arousal creates a “drive” in us causing us to enact behaviours that are our dominant responses in a particular situation. Our dominant response is therefore the most likely response given the skills we use.

Learn this and more...

Stress Management VPS100

A stressor is any thing that causes a person stress. Each of us have different stressors, what one person considers stressful another may consider challenging, or unimportant. Our goals, our lifestyle, our beliefs, perceptions, personality, family and friend supports and attitudes together determine what we individually find stressful. If a person believes that they must make a lot of money to be successful, then their bank account may be a stressor, however someone who places less value on money is less likely to be bothered by their account balance as readily. The big C's of urban stress are: Controls, Complexity, Competition and Computers. For many of us the hours we work, how we perform tasks, how we organize our day even how we dress is controlled by an employer. The tasks we must perform at work, interacting with new technologies, different world regions, over increasingly diverse job requirements, along with the balancing of work and family life are all issues of great complexity that cause most people some degree of stress. The competitive nature of business, competition for a job, promotion, partner, for your car space, when purchasing a home, between family members and friends is another major source of stress for many people.

Weight Loss Consultant Course BRE307

Obesity is a world-wide epidemic. There is currently a real need for weight loss consultants to support people on their weight loss journey.

Work in this BOOMING industry.

As well as teaching you skills to work as a weight loss consultant, this course also gives an insight into the practical business aspects to consider.

Throughout this course we shall examine how to set up effective weight loss services and provide you with the knowledge and skills to support these services.

When deciding on a weight reduction venture it is important to consider where your interests lie and also how much autonomy you wish to have. Depending on your specific interests you may wish to advise people individually at home or in a clinic environment, or may prefer to offer group meetings where you have complete control over session plans and delivery or alternatively you may wish to join a weight reducing business as an employee or franchise holder.