This 20 point course provides the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills about issues related to the professional practice in Psychology and more specifically, in applied behaviour analysis. Its emphasis will be on what constitutes ethical and professional conduct. It provides 45 hours of the academic course work required by the BACB (Behavior Analyst Certification Board) for Board Certified Behaviour Analysts (BCBA).

Specifically it covers all of the ethics and professional conduct content of the 5th edition task list (E 1 - E10, 45 hours). The new ethics items introduced in 2022 (Sections 1 - 6) are also included.

In addition it provides some content specific to the New Zealand context, including issues concerning cultural competence and understanding the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in the professional practice of psychology in NZ, and various Acts of Parliament related to the practice of Psychology, such as the Health Practitioners Competency act (HPCA) and relevant sections of child welfare and other legislation.

The material for this course for on-campus students and those attending in real time will be covered on three ways: The students will be pointed to appropriate readings that will inform their practice, these issues will be discussed in regular meetings, and there will be tutorials and workshops specifically designated for covering specific topics.

Students in the NET course who cannot attend in real time may take the course as a self-paced course via Moodle.

Students who have completed the course will have developed an depth understanding of ethical principles and other professional issues in the practice of behavioural psychology, including cultural competency requirements and familiarity with relevant ethical codes and guidelines.