Accreditation standards, evidence guide and rules

Providers are required to demonstrate that the quality and quantity of supervision meets relevant criteria from the Standards. These include that supervision is sufficient for students/graduates to practise safely (Criteria 1.8 and 1.10) and that the duration of placement is sufficient for students to demonstrate the graduate competencies (Criterion 1.9). The figures provided in the Evidence Guide are presented as guidelines and are not prescribed as minimum numbers of hours. Providers are free to establish their own guidelines for sufficient supervision and placement hours, supported by an appropriate rationale and relevant evidence.

Yes, please refer to the APAC evidence guide under criteria 1.7 and 1.8. Please also refer to Appendix 1 in the Accreditation Standards for further details of the Psychology Board of Australia’s supervision requirements.

Grading is entirely at the discretion of the education provider and in the case of every individual student, it is the provider’s responsibility to determine whether the students meet the relevant unit’s learning outcomes and graduate competencies.

The 10 year rule was specified as an entry requirement in the 2010 Standards for programs at fourth year and above. It has been removed from the entry requirements in the 2019 Accreditation Standards. Entry requirements for programs at Levels 1, 2, 3 or 4 are listed in the introductory comments for each level within the Accreditation Standards. The Accreditation Standards are a minimum threshold and education providers may set additional requirements above and beyond those set out in the Standards.

If, after reading the Complaints handling policy and the Accreditation Standards, you believe that an accredited program may not be complying with one or more Standards, please notify APAC by submitting the Concerns about accredited programs form outlining how each relevant Standard may not be met and detailing what evidence you are able to provide to support your concern. Please note, APAC is unable to investigate anonymous notifications, however will respect a request for confidentiality (within the limits of legal discoverability) if confidentiality is requested at the time of the notification. It’s also important to note that in most instances APAC is not the appropriate body to investigate a complaint or grievance and concerns relating to personal complaints and/or Registered Health Practitioners cannot be addressed by APAC. Students seeking to have a matter investigated and addressed to result in a change to their personal situation, including matters such as admissions and selection, recognition of prior learning/experience, placement allocation, assessment outcomes, or dismissal from training will not be considered by APAC. In such instances, APAC advises students to use the formal grievance procedures established by the education provider or contact the PsyBA for any concerns about a health practitioner.