PsychologyBSc (Hons)

Becoming a socially responsible professional

This module will allow you to develop the knowledge and skills required to become a successful psychology student and ease your progression through the course and into a meaningful and rewarding profession. The module will equip you with a toolkit of intellectual and practical skills, including skills in written and spoken communication, digital literacy, time management, decision-making, record keeping, and self-reflection. It will allow you to critically consider the nature of employment, including issues related to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and to develop creative, non-discriminatory, and socially responsible ways of working in psychology and beyond. You will also develop the skills required to identify limitations in your own knowledge and professional behaviour and how to address them as you progress through the course. The module thus provides a platform for future professional skill and career development in psychology and related professions.

Careers in Psychology

This career development focused module will: (1) allow you to develop your understanding of your options and opportunities for creating a professional career in psychology and related professions; (2) introduce you to a range of traditional and new and up-and-coming areas of professional psychology practice; (3) develop your awareness of the contexts, activities, responsibilities, and skills required to be successful in different psychology related professions; and (4) encourage you to start thinking about, planning and preparing for a successful career in your chosen areas of specialisation. The topics and issues explored in this module will help you develop an appreciation of your future career options and will provide you with a solid foundation for future study and career development.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Psychology

This module will introduce you to the psychology of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
It will help you to address questions such as: “What is EDI?”; “Why is EDI important in psychology?”; “How can psychology contribute to the creation of a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive society?” You will learn about the history of EDI initiatives in psychology; the psychological consequences of racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression; and the benefits of diversifying the field of psychology in terms of learning content, perspectives, research practices, and practical applications. You will learn that diverse and inclusive perspectives are needed to fully understand human behaviour in everyday life in a globalised society. The knowledge and skills developed in the module will provide you with a firm foundation for progression through the course and into employment, based on social justice and equality.

Mechanisms of the Mind

This module will allow you to develop your understanding of cognitive and neuroscientific approaches to understanding the nature of thinking, deductive and inductive reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. You will engage with classic and contemporary literature that investigates the apparently unique human ability to understand and interact with the physical and social world, recognise and overcome explicit and implicit biases inherent to our brain architecture, and use our understanding of cognitive and neuroscientific processes to strive for social justice. The knowledge developed in this module will facilitate your progression to level 5 and help to prepare you for further study in psychology and related disciplines.

Psychology Across Time and Cultures

The aim of this module is to develop your understanding of: (1) how psychology as a discipline has developed across time and cultures; (2) key studies that helped to shape contemporary psychology; (3) past and current controversies in psychology; and (4) the historical and cultural specificity of psychological knowledge. These outcomes will help to contextualise the topics introduced throughout the course and appreciate the limitations with many assumptions that underpin different aspects of the discipline. The module will thus provide a platform for you to progress to level 5 and 6 and to question and think critically about psychological knowledge.

Psychopathology

This module will develop your understanding of varied psychopathologies (e.g., anxiety, depression, eating and sleep disorders) and their aetiology, diagnosis, and treatment. You will learn about the diagnostic system used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) and some of the common criticisms associated with this and other diagnostic systems (e.g., subjectivity in diagnosis and stigma associated with diagnostic labels). You will also learn about some of the most widely used treatments for different psychopathologies (e.g., pharmacotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) including multidisciplinary treatments and some novel treatments that may be used along with the more standard ones (e.g., visualisation and art therapy). The knowledge and skills developed in this module are essential for those considering a career in clinical psychology or related professions and will provide you with a firm foundation for further learning as you progress through the course and beyond.

Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology

This module introduces you to the practice of conducting and reporting research in psychology and will allow you to develop your skills in gathering, analysing, and evaluating different types of data in line with the principles of open science. You will learn about the link between research questions and research design and how conduct, interpret, and report psychological research. You will be introduced to the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Code of Human Research Ethics and principles of open science, and what this means for the way in which we design and conduct research in psychology. You will learn how to write and format research reports in accordance with professional publication standards and disseminate research findings in different ways to different audiences. The module is designed to help you to develop the practical, intellectual, and interpersonal skills essential for success on your course and in varied professions, as well as your confidence and enthusiasm for psychological research. It will thus provide you with a toolkit of intellectual and practical skills to assist your progression to modules at levels 5 and 6 and beyond.

Cognitive and Biological Explanations of Behaviour

The aim of this module is to explore the cognitive and biological bases of behaviour. You will learn about neuroanatomy and how neurons communicate with each other; the biological bases of behaviour and cognitive functions (e.g., perception, attention, learning and memory, language processing, and thinking and reasoning); how brain development, drugs, disease and brain damage impact behaviour and cognitive functioning and how these aspects can be linked to mental disorders; and what research with animals can tell us about human cognition and behaviour. This module will thus enhance your knowledge and understanding of core topics in cognitive and biological psychology and equip you with transferable skills necessary for further study in psychology and for working in various professional contexts.

Development Across the Lifespan

The aim of this module is to explore how humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. It will introduce you to classic and contemporary theory and research on human development including theories and models of developmental stages and associated behaviour, including both cognitive and social development. You will also learn about the research methods used when working with people at different stages of the lifespan, cross-cultural research on human development, and the extent to which developmental stages are universal or culture specific. The module will equip you with core skills in developmental psychology which are highly valued in educational and employment contexts.

Individual Differences

This module will help you to develop your knowledge and understanding of key concepts in individual differences. It will introduce you to the classic theory and research on which this branch of psychology is based and develop your understanding of how and why people differ in systematic ways and the consequences of such individual differences. You will learn how the psychometric methods used by individual differences researchers are constructed and how they are used by psychologists and social scientists in a variety of contexts such as education, recruitment and selection, and health and wellbeing. The knowledge and skills developed in this module will be beneficial in other areas of your course as well as in future training and employment.

Psychological Interventions: From Problems to Solutions

The aim of this module is to develop your knowledge and understanding of different types of psychological interventions designed to address a range of personal and social issues. You will be introduced to a range of evidence-based psychological interventions anchored in contemporary theory and research. This includes interventions to promote subjective states of well-being (e.g., growth mindset, self-affirmation, reappraisal, resilience); to help people experiencing alcohol or drug dependence; and to reduce prejudice and promote positive intergroup relations. You will learn how psychological interventions are designed, the literature on which they are based, how they work, and how they can be applied in a wide range of contexts (e.g., healthcare, education, relationships), and how they can help in the achievement of social justice goals. The module has a strong applied focus and the knowledge and skills developed in the module are highly desired in many employment contexts.

Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology

The module introduces you to the epistemological, ontological, and methodological underpinnings of qualitative research in psychology. It will allow you to develop knowledge and practical skills related to different types of qualitative research and opportunities to put this knowledge and skills into practice. You will learn how to design and conduct qualitative studies in psychology, collect and analyse qualitative data, and report qualitative research studies in accordance with professional publication standards and the principles of open science. The knowledge and skills developed in this module are highly valued in different employment settings (e.g., communication, negotiation, high-level analysis, problem-solving, decision-making, project management).

Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology

This module is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills required to conduct quantitative research in psychology in line with the principles of open science. Using active learning methods, you will learn how to formulate a research question and a hypothesis and how to translate these into a research design. You will learn how to gather, conduct, interpret, and present data in accordance with professional publication standards and the principles of open science. You will develop your understanding of core concepts in statistical theory (e.g., null hypotheses significance testing; sampling distributions) and your ability to conduct a wide range of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses (e.g., correlation, linear regression, t-tests, analysis of variance). You will be able to put the skills you develop in this and other modules into practice by designing and conducting a quantitative study on a topic of your choice and presenting the results in a research report. The module will thus equip you with a range of skills that are essential for further study in psychology and highly valued in different employment contexts.

Social and Cultural Explanations of Behaviour

The aim of this module is to examine how people think about and seek to understand their social worlds through their interactions with others at the individual, social and cultural levels. You will develop a critical understanding of key theories and models of social psychology in their historical and cultural contexts. It will allow you to develop a critical understanding of how such theories and models can be ethically investigated using appropriate research methodologies; how social psychological knowledge (concepts, theories, and research findings) can be ethically applied to address a range of personal, social, and cultural issues; and the extent to such knowledge may differ across cultures.

The Psychology of Creativity and Innovation

This module will introduce you to key theories and models of creativity and innovation and the psychological research on which they are based. Through active and interactive learning methods, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of creative cognition and complex problem solving; neuroscience of creativity and innovation; individual differences and creative intelligence; and the developmental, social, and cultural processes involved in creativity and innovation. You will learn how concepts and processes from the core theories and models of creativity and innovation can be applied in different settings to solve a range of personal, social, cultural, and global issues; how to synthesise (bring together) different information sources to communicate to different audiences; and how to work collaboratively in teams to increase creativity and find innovative solutions to problems. The module has a strong applied focus and the knowledge and skills it allows you to develop are relevant to a wide range of employment contexts, as employers are increasingly looking for creative and innovative solutions to problems in different domains.

Psychology Project

This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to design, conduct, and present a psychology research project. It will develop your understanding of the scientific method and your ability to collect valid and reliable research data through an ethically sound process. It will provide opportunities for you to apply the knowledge and skills you have developed throughout the course to address a research question of your choice. It will develop your ability to conduct statistical and/or qualitative data analysis using appropriate software and platforms (where appropriate); write a complete research report in line with professional publication standards; and present your research in different ways to different audiences. In doing so, the module will equip you with a range of transferable skills necessary for postgraduate study and employment in different professions.

Clinical Neuroscience

This module allows students to develop and integrate their knowledge of biological psychology with reference to clinical disorders. The module will consider the neuropharmacological, neurophysiological and neuropsychological aspects of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as addiction, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.

Clinical Psychology

This module introduces students to Clinical Psychology as an applied area within the discipline to allow informed decisions about further education and training in clinical psychology. During this module, students will have an opportunity to critically appraise key perspectives and definitions of ‘abnormality’ and learn how to assess range of mental disorders while considering cultural context, ethical standards and treatment. The module also provides opportunity for students to have an understanding of mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders and neuropsychological disorders. In addition, students will learn about service users’ groups and will be given an opportunity to hear patients’ stories in order to understand how the experiences of service users can enhance mental health services and make clinical psychologists better researchers and practitioners.

Students will also gain hands on experience in psychometric assessment and test scoring using tools such as IAPT assessment tools, thus providing additional transferable skills for future employment or post-graduate study. They will be introduced to range of clinical skills such as reflective practice, CBT and sensitive listening and questioning skills. The aims of this module have been developed in accordance with NICE guidelines and the British Psychological Society code of conduct and ethics.

Coding for Psychology

This module will provide students with opportunities to venture into one of the very in-demand job markets – data science. As more and more data are being harvested, psychology plays an increasingly important role in data analysis. The module will introduce students to two programming languages used in psychology and data science as well as in wider professional communities: Python and R.

Python is a very powerful and accessible programming language. It is applied in psychology, data science, computing, artificial intelligent and is continuing to gain popularity in different industries (e.g. NASA, Google, New York Stock Exchange). Python also has a wide application in different branches of psychological research (e.g. experimental design and creation, data analysis, and data visualization).

The module will also introduce students to R. This aspect of the module will focus particularly on equipping students with the ability to conduct a range of widely used statistical analysis. The combined understanding of programming concepts in Python and statistical analysis using R will help students to gain experience and develop transferable skills that are in demand in psychology and in different areas of industry, thereby improving their employment potential and ability to undertake post-graduate training in different disciplines.

The module will be delivered via lectures, workshops and tutor-led practical sessions. Learning resources will be delivered using WebLearn.

Cognition and Emotion

The module aims for you to understand philosophical, behaviourist and cognitive theories of emotion in their historical and cultural contexts. In addition, you will introduced to normal and disordered theories of emotion and how these can be combined into a common framework, capable of explaining both normal and disordered emotions. Additionally, you will build on previous critical reading skills and discussion: some sessions will require prior reading of research papers and discussion of these in class time, thus encouraging active participation from you and thus instilling confidence in communicating your views to others. Confidence in communication will be supported via presentation mechanisms, thus supporting the graduate skills expected of you in the workplace upon graduation.

Counseling Psychology

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the discipline of counselling psychology, exploring its origins, scope, training, and contexts for practice. You will explore the philosophy, values and ethics of counselling psychology including contemporary debates and issues within the profession. You will learn about the three dominant therapeutic modalities in counselling psychology practice (cognitive-behavioural, person-centred/humanistic, and psychodynamic modalities) and the theoretical and empirical evidence underpinning these modalities. You will gain knowledge and practical skills in areas such as clinical assessment, formulation, treatment planning, interventions, self-reflection, and the therapeutic relationship. The knowledge and skills developed in this module will leave you well positioned to progress to further training required to practice, including the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Creative methods in qualitative research

Cyberpsychology

The aims of this module are to:
1. Introduce students to the topic of cyberpsychology
2. Understand research methods utilised online and in human-computer interaction
3. Investigate the impact computers have on human behaviour
4. Be able to understand how psychological theories can be applied to the area of human-computer interaction

This module enables students to become familiarised with cyberpsychology and associated topics. These topics include human computer interaction and the psychology of artificial intelligence. This will allow students to undertake future study in the area. The aims of the module align with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

Forensic Psychology

This module introduces you to classic and contemporary theory and research in Forensic Psychology on topics such as the causes of crime; the impact of crime; types of offences and offenders (e.g., mentally disordered offenders; violent offenders); the prosecution and outcomes of crimes; the psychology of the court room and criminal justice system; treatment of victims in the criminal justice system; and the rehabilitation of offenders. It will develop your ability to apply theoretical perspectives from different branches of psychology and criminology to the study of contemporary issues in the criminal justice system, including systemic injustices in the system. It will provide you with opportunities to develop critical knowledge and skills in areas such as risk assessment, treatment planning for offenders with complex psychological needs, and specialised areas such as cybercrime and stalking. These outcomes will leave you well positioned to progress to postgraduate training and employment in varied forensic and criminal justice settings.

Gender and sexuality

Health Psychology

This module introduces students to Health Psychology as an applied area within the discipline to allow informed and realistic decisions about further education and training in Health Psychology. The module allows students develop skills to critically appraise key perspectives and approaches to Health Psychology as well as to evaluate assessments, explanations and treatments that are applied to a range of physical issues. Students will have the opportunity to investigate the role played by physiological, psychological, social and cultural mechanisms in the causation and treatment of physical illnesses.

Students will gain experience in constructing a health promotion leaflet and an accompanying written explanation, thus providing additional transferable skills for future employment. The aims of this module have been developed in accordance with NICE guidelines and the British Psychological Society code of conduct and ethics.

Positive psychology

Psychosexual therapy

Specific Learning Differences

This module will introduce students to a range of Specific Learning Differences (also known as Specific Learning Difficulties, Developmental Disorders, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodiversity). Specific Learning Differences (SLDs) is an umbrella term that covers a range of conditions, including:
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Dyslexia
The module focuses on how these learning differences are diagnosed and how they impact cognition, behaviour and education. You will learn some key theories and research evidence that underly the diagnosis, treatments and interventions of Specific Learning Differences.
We will consider the lived experience of individuals with SLDs and their families and teachers, recognising that an individual’s strengths and difficulties will present differently and may change depending on the task or the environment.

Work Psychology

You will gain a critical understanding of a range of theories, models, applied research and application within work and organisational contexts. You will work with organisational case studies and problem-based contexts, and thereby develop skills in applying psychological knowledge to the understanding of client needs and learn to provide solutions to address work problems, taking into account aspects of ethics and safety. In covering the five content areas of occupational psychology, as defined by the BPS, you will have an enhanced opportunity to enter related postgraduate studies – e.g., business psychology or occupational psychology.

You will also be invited to reflect on the way that work can entrench or challenge societal power structures through examining domains of work which are traditionally neglected by organisational psychology which has a focus on corporate and office-based work domains. In this way, you will be encouraged to develop a critical stance towards dominant discourses of hierarchical power structures. You will therefore address more marginalized occupational groups and specifically address the role of diversity in the workplace.

To enhance employability skills, you will be presented with formative mini project-based learning opportunities followed by group presentations. Specifically, business related case studies are provided necessitating self-managed problem solving within groups. You are thus given the opportunities to take effective and appropriate action, work effectively with others and develop self-management skills. The end of unit assessment specifically mirrors the report that would be expected from an occupational psychologist.