UWA PLUS
Autism: Contemporary diagnostic frameworks
This micro-credential will provide students with knowledge of key diagnostic concepts and their application to autism assessment; contemporary diagnostic frameworks and criteria; and changes in autism assessment approaches over time.
At the end of this micro-credential, students will be able to associate key indicators of autism with each respective criterion and apply the diagnostic criteria for autism to case examples.
Upon successful completion, you'll receive:
- One PD Point - stackable for unspecified academic credit in award courses
- A Certificate of Achievement
- A UWA Plus Professional Development Transcript, listing all successfully completed micro-credentials
- Delivery mode
- Online - Self-paced learning
- Course dates
- Duration
- Self-paced flexible learning, but learners need to complete the course and attempt the test and quiz by the end of the teaching period in which they have enrolled
- Effort
- 25 hours
- Academic Lead
- Associate Professor Iliana Magiati
- Cost
- $330 inc. GST
- Critical information summary
- PSYCM510 Autism: Contemporary Diagnostic Frameworks [PDF 246KB]
What you'll learn
Outline the diagnostic criteria for autism as described in current diagnostic manuals
Identify key behavioural features of autism that are relevant to each of the DSM-5-TR autism domains and diagnostic criteria
Identify the defining features of each of the severity/ support levels that are applied to a DSM-5-TR autism diagnosis
Apply knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for autism, including the specifiers and support levels, to brief case examples
Explain key changes in autism diagnostic approaches over time and compare historical and contemporary conceptualisations of autism
Why study this course?
This micro-credential will provide future students who are interested in autism assessment and diagnosis with a University (micro) credential to recognise their learning. The course provides a unique opportunity for a range of professionals and other stakeholders to enhance their knowledge and application of the diagnostic criteria for autism.
Recommended prior knowledge
It is recommended that students have English competence (ideally Year 12 English level), and some direct experience working with children, adolescents and/or adults in a professional setting (e.g., school, mental health service, youth service).Who should study this course?
This micro-credential will be of interest to anyone interested in autism diagnosis, including professionals and other stakeholders who come into contact with people who may be autistic, and for whom formal assessment might be warranted.
This includes allied health professionals, such as practicing psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and social workers, medical professionals (e.g., GPs, paediatricians, psychiatrists) who regularly conduct autism assessments in the course of their practice, and other professionals who support children, adolescents and adults across different settings (e.g., mental health nurse practitioners, child health nurses, counsellors, other mental health practitioners, youth workers, educators, and others).
What's next after this course?
You may be interested in enrolling and completing one or more of our other autism diagnosis micro-credentials, also available through UWA Plus.
Learners who meet the admission requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Autism Diagnosis (GCAD) offered via The University of Western Australia may consider applying to the GCAD, which will equip students with the advanced knowledge and applied skills required to contribute to multidisciplinary diagnostic assessments for autism. Following the application and selection process, learners who are accepted and enrol in the GCAD will receive credit towards the first two units of the GCAD after successfully completing all seven of the autism diagnosis micro-credentials (PSYCM510, PSYCM511, PSYCM512, PSYCM513, PSYCM514, PSYCM515, and PSYCM516, which comprise GCAD units PSYC5520 and PSYC5521).
Please note that not all learners who enrol and complete the autism diagnosis micro-credentials are eligible to apply for the Graduate Certificate in Autism Diagnosis (GCAD). This is because the GCAD is developed to provide graduates trained in psychology, speech pathology, occupational therapy, paediatrics, or psychiatry with the specialist knowledge and applied skills required to participate in team-based diagnosis for autism. Therefore, acceptance into the GCAD is only available to learners who meet the course eligibility criteria following an application and selection process.
Industry endorsement
This micro-credential is part of a suite of seven credit bearing micro-credentials (CBMCs) developed by Autism CRC, with The University of Western Australia.
