Psychology Stage 1 Modules - 2017 / 2018 PSYC101: Psychology An Introduction - (Semester 1) 20 credits This module is an introduction to Psychology as a science. It includes elements which expose students to the full scope and richness of psychology as a discipline, including pure and applied content, methodology, and practical work. Module Aims: Current staff research: Students will be given a sampling of the full breadth of current psychological developments through lectures by staff on their ongoing research. Research methods: Students will develop the basic knowledge and understanding of research design and analysis required for formulating research questions, devising testable hypotheses, collecting and analysing data, and using inferential statistics. Critical thinking: Students will develop critical and analytical skills relevant for the understanding and evaluation of psychological issues and constructs, including the summarising and critiquing of psychological research, critical reading skills, the selection of evidence, and logical argumentation. Applied Psychology: Students will be given an appreciation of how psychological theories and data can be applied to real life problems and situations. Practicals will give students hands-on experience with psychological research. Tutorials will allow students to work in small groups facilitated by their tutor, to consolidate and extend the knowledge and skills they are developing in other elements of the course. Summary of Module Content: The module introduces students to the science of Psychology through 5 elements: Current Staff Research, Research Methods, Critical Thinking, Applied Psychology, and Practicals and linked tutorials. Students will be given a sampling of the full breadth of current psychological developments through lectures by staff on their ongoing research. Students will develop the basic knowledge and understanding of research design and analysis required for formulating research questions, devising testable hypotheses, collecting and analysing data, and using inferential statistics. Students will develop critical and analytical skills relevant for the understanding and evaluation of psychological issues and constructs, including the summarising and critiquing of psychological research, critical reading skills, the selection of evidence, and logical argumentation. Students 1 of 9
will be given an appreciation of how psychological theories and data can be applied to real life problems and situations. Practicals will give students hands-on experience with psychological research and the tutorials will help students consolidate this knowledge and understanding under the guidance of their tutor. Assessment: Online tests - 40% Coursework - 60% 2 of 9
PSYC102: Learning, Clinical, Social and Developmental Psychology (Semester 1) 20 credits PSYC102 introduces students to theories and applications of conditioning, core disorders of clinical psychology and their treatment, as well as major theoretical perspectives and studies in social and developmental psychology. Module Aims: Learning: To introduce the basic phenomena of learning and how these shape people s lives and experience of their physical and social world. Clinical Psychology: To familiarise students with key definitions, concepts and models in clinical psychology; describe a range of core disorders and conditions and to consider theories relevant to their aetiology, treatment and management. Social Psychology: To introduce students to the major theoretical perspectives that have shaped modern social psychology, and to examine the milestone studies that underpin these theoretical perspectives. Developmental Psychology: To introduce students to broad themes within, and theoretical approaches to, developmental psychology; to familiarise students with methodologies peculiar to developmental work. Practicals: to enhance students understanding of concepts in social, developmental, learning and clinical psychology through practical work. Tutorials will allow students to work in small groups facilitated by their tutor, to consolidate and extend the knowledge and skills they are developing in other elements of the course. Participation in research: This will give students to experience the research process from the perspective of a participant. Summary of Module Content: The lecture content of the course will focus on: Theories and applications of conditioning; core disorders of clinical psychology and their treatment; major theoretical perspectives and studies in social and developmental psychology. Tutorials and practical sessions will support and enrich the learning that takes place in the lectures. These sessions will focus on formulation of testable hypotheses, conversion of these into experimental designs, selection of data collection methods and statistical analyses. Assessment: Examination - 40% Coursework - 60% 3 of 9
PSYC104: Current Topics in Social and Developmental Psychology (Semester 1) 20 credits This module develops students understanding of theories and methods of enquiry in social and developmental psychology, using topics selected to demonstrate how psychological theory can help professional and research psychologists understand human development as well as relationships with other people and the environment. Module Aims: This module draws upon theories and approaches in the broad areas of social and developmental psychology. It identifies particular domains in these areas and shows how they have developed theoretical approaches and how these theories have been applied to issues of contemporary social and political relevance. The topics in each of these domains have also been selected for their relevance to professional psychologists working in clinical, educational, occupational and other applied fields. The module draws on topics at the leading edge of research, as well as topics that are relevant to professional psychologists working in clinical, educational, occupational, and other applied fields. Summary of Module Content: This module draws upon theories and approaches in the broad areas of social and developmental psychology. More specifically, module content relates to areas of Political Psychology, Development in Adolescence, Social Issues in Clinical Psychology, and Issues in Child Development. Topics that are relevant to professional psychologists working in clinical, educational, occupational and other applied fields. Political Psychology topics relate to politics and personality, sources of political opinions, ideology, group decisions, leadership, race, genocide, nationalism, terrorism and conflict and diplomacy. Development in Adolescence contains theory, research and applications relating to major transitions in adolescence (physical, cognitive, and social), contexts of development in adolescence (parents, peers), psycho-social developments in adolescents (e.g., development of identity, autonomy, intimacy and achievement) and psycho-social problems in adolescence. Social Issues in Clinical Psychology introduces and deepens students understanding and knowledge of the social influences concerning the diagnosis of clinical disorders, age-specific disorders, paranoia, psychosis, depression and trauma, social influences on disorder, crime and justice, and therapeutic applications. Issues in Child Development refers to theory, research and application concerning children s social-cognitive development and disorders, language development and impairments (e.g., word learning, language production, developmental language impairments), and developmental and social influences on cognitive and scientific development. Assessment: Online tests - 100% 4 of 9
PSYC103: Cognitive and Biological Psychology (Semester 2) 20 credits This module is an introduction to Cognitive Psychology, Biopsychology and Neuropsychology. The Cognitive Psychology lectures introduce the basic methodologies, key findings and concepts of cognitive psychology. The Neuropsychology and Biopsychology lectures describe the basic structure of the brain, how it controls everyday experience, and how its breakdown can give rise to psychological disorders. Lectures will be supported by practicals/workshops and tutorials. Module Aims: Cognitive Psychology: To develop an understanding of the history, basic methodologies, and key concepts and empirical findings of cognitive psychology. Neuropsychology: To explain how the study of patients who have suffered brain damage can help build models of cognitive functioning to explain processing within those without brain injury. Psychobiology: To introduce students to the neuroscientific research methods, the basic structure organisation of the brain, its basic modes of communication, and their breakdown in psychological disorders. Practicals: to enhance students understanding of concepts in cognition and neuroscience through practical work. Tutorials will allow students to work in small groups facilitated by their tutor, to consolidate and extend the knowledge and skills they are developing in other elements of the course. Participation in research: This will give students to experience the research process from the perspective of a participant. Summary of Module Content Cognitive Psychology: This element will introduce the following topics: historical foundations, current theoretical issues, perceptual processes including object recognition and face recognition, attention, working memory, long-term memory, imagery, structure of semantic memory, schemas and scripts, memory strategies, reasoning and language. Neuropsychology: This element will cover the following topics: disorders of visual perception, language production and comprehension, memory, attention, motor control and executive functioning. Biopsychology: This element will cover the following topics: evolution; evolutionary psychology; brain structure and organisation: neurotransmitters and hormones; methods in cognitive neuroscience; general function of occipital, temporal, parietal and frontal lobes, the biological basis of emotions, the biological basis of Schizophrenia. Practicals and Tutorials: Students will also engage in practicals and tutorials, which will guide them through all stages of experiment design, running, analysis and write-up and help consolidate their understanding of cognitive and biological aspects of psychology. 5 of 9
Assessment: Examination - 40% Coursework - 60% Participation Points Pass/Fail 6 of 9
PSYC105: Psychology of Everyday Experience (Semester 2) 20 credits This module will introduce you to psychological research into various aspects of everyday experience. You will gain an appreciation of how everyday phenomena are related to psychological knowledge and be able to demonstrate the linkage between everyday experience and academic psychology. You will also find out about the philosophical background to psychology and its history as a science. Finally, the module will highlight the role of human factors in accidents and disasters, the way children think, and how the decisions that we make every day are informed by psychology. Module Outcomes: Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the psychological explanations for a range of selected everyday phenomena. Demonstrate an appreciation of the development of psychology as a science and its philosophical roots. Demonstrate the ability to explain everyday experiences using your knowledge of psychological phenomena. Summary of Module Content Human Factors human factors in accidents and disasters; Conceptual and Historical Issues the origins of psychology; Psychology of your day how psychology is related to our daily experience. Assessment: Online tests - 100% 7 of 9
Plymouth Plus Module PSYC109PP: Psychology for Success (Semester 2) 20 credits This module develops skills relevant to (personal and academic) success at University and later employability. These skills are associated with personal development and communicating effectively with others. Lecture material covers relevant psychological theory, which is then followed up by practical and reflective group-work and peer-review activities. Module Aims: The main aim of the module is to develop important skills relevant to (personal and academic) success at University and later employability. The module includes taught sessions covering the psychology of personal development and interpersonal communication. These formal taught sessions are followed up with workshops in which students are required to engage in reflective learning (including peer review) and practice relevant Psychology-related study skills. The final assessment includes an academic essay on Psychology for Success, and a practical mock job application involving assessment of written outputs and presentation performance. The broadest aim is to develop the students ability to engage in reflection and self-evaluation of their own skills. Summary of Module Content: The module draws upon the psychology underpinning successful personal development and interpersonal communication. This psychology is applied to developing an understanding of oneself (e.g. selfconcept, traits, goals, skills and behaviours) and an understanding of how to communicate with and work effectively with others (e.g. teamwork, group dynamics, networking). These topics are explored in relation to the processes involved in studying effectively at University and choosing and applying for a job. This gives the module a useful practical application. A related concern that runs throughout the module is verbal and written skill development. These skills (such as writing and presenting effectively) are practiced regularly in workshops and are assessed both formatively (through peer-review) and summatively (through coursework). Assessment: Coursework - 50% Presentation - 50% 8 of 9
PSYC110: Personal and Professional Development (All Year) zero credits MODULE AIMS: This module aims to develop students psychology-specific study skills and more general personal and career development. Indicative areas of employability development, exam technique, essay writing and experimental design are focussed on during tutorials, using a range of peer review and presentation-style group work exercises, along with individual reflective work. Furthermore, a series of general and stage-specific careers talks are timetabled for students to attend to develop their career interests. At the end of the module the learner will be expected to be able to: 1. Demonstrate attendance at careers talks and tutorials; 2. Be familiar with a range of career options in Psychology; 3. Be aware of own capabilities in key areas of personal and professional development and engage in development activity through guided selfdirection; 4. Use interpersonal and communication skills as part of a tutorial group to clarify tasks and identify and rectify issues in a range of contexts (such as tutorial group assignments). Assessment: Attendance requirement (80% minimum) - Pass/Fail 9 of 9