On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Describe the underlying principles of biological psychology
2. Explain the relationships between physiological systems and behaviour.

This module will focus on a number of areas which may include the following:

• Conceptual and historical issues in biological psychology
• Biopsychology as a neuroscience
• Research methods of biopsychology
• Biological bases of human and non-human behaviour
• The nervous system, neurons and neuronal conduction
• Neurotransmitters and behaviour
• Typical and atypical neuropsychology
• Comparative psychology
• Hormones and behaviour

1. Describe and explain theory and research into human cognition.
2. Communicate an academic argument in a clear and concise manner.
3. Outline the key debates surrounding specific research areas in cognitive psychology.

This module will discuss what makes cognitive psychology a science and will explore theories, methodologies, research, and debates relating to core topics of human cognition. Topics discussed may include:

• Cognitive psychology as a science
• Perception
• Attention
• Memory
• Learning
• Thinking
• Language
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Applications of Cognitive Psychology

1. Describe concepts, theories and methods in developmental psychology.
2. Discuss key issues in developmental psychology
3. Outline fundamental theories in developmental psychology in a format that may be understood by a non-academic audience.

This module will examine how social and cognitive development has been researched in psychology and explore the theories proposed by key figures working in this area. The following are examples of indicative content:

Studying development – the historical origins of developmental psychology, key issues and debates within developmental psychology (e.g. the nature nurture debate), research methods used within developmental psychology (e.g. longitudinal and cross sectional design), explanations of a-typical development and the contributions that developmental psychology can make to the real world.

Developmental theory – the background of key figures within developmental psychology (e.g. Piaget, Vygotsky, Bowlby, Erikson, Chomsky) and how this shaped their research; prominent cognitive theories of development (e.g. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky’s theory of development); prominent theories of social development (e.g. Bowlby’s theory of attachment); theories of lifespan development of the self (e.g. Erikson’s theory of development).

1. Outline and explain a range of social psychology theories
2. Discuss the methodologies and methods used in social psychology. 

This module will focus on a number of areas of Social Psychology. The following are examples of indicative content:

• Introduction to Social Psychology Research Methods in Social Psychology
• Social influence (e.g., obedience, conformity, compliance and persuasion),
• Changes in individual behaviour in group situations (eg. Deindividuation)
• Identity in a social context (e.g. Social Identity Theory)
• Social Psychology & Cognition (e.g., impression formation, attribution and stereotypes)
• Attitudes and attitude change
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• Pro-social Behaviour Aggression
• Cultural Context of Social Psychology

1. Outline the development of psychology as a discipline.
2. Employ a variety of communication methods that are appropriate to the discipline of psychology
3. Evaluate their competence in a variety of skills that have been explored in the course materials in order to develop a personal development plan. 

The module content May include:

• Origins of psychology and the historical development of the discipline
• Different perspectives within psychology and their links to theoretical positions and methodological approaches
• Distinctions between academic and professional areas of psychology
• General and discipline specific study skills
• Locating, reading and reviewing psychological literature
• Planning and managing academic work
• Individual and group approaches to learning
• Discipline specific academic writing styles, and presentation skills including oral and poster presentations

1. Identify the purpose and principles of psychological research.
2. Design simple psychological studies that are ethically sound.
3. Analyse, report and interpret qualitative data.
4. Analyse, report and interpret quantitative data using statistical software (e.g. SPSS)

This module will provide information on the basic foundations of psychological research methods which will be further developed within subsequent modules. The module content focuses on a number of areas of research design and types of analyses in order to help students achieve the module learning outcomes, these may include

• Types of research design (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods)
• Ethical Considerations required for psychology research
• Qualitative methods: Epistemology, methods (e.g. Type of Interviews, Focus Groups, Grounded Theory, Case Studies, Discursive, Thematic Analyses), approaches (e.g. realist, social constructionist),
• Quantitative methods: Design (e.g. experiments, observational studies, surveys), predictive hypotheses, types of variables, types of samples, Levels of data measurement; Descriptive statistics (e.g. Central tendency, skew and kurtosis, assessing assumptions of normality, calculating z-scores, Type I, II errors,), probability, testing significance, effect size, alternative techniques (e.g. Bayesian inference)
• Basic inferential analyses of parametric and non-parametric data relationships and differences (e.g. correlations, Chi square, t-tests, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks)
• Conducting, reporting and interpreting both qualitative and quantitative research results using a standardised format

1. Critically discuss contemporary literature relating to the biological and psychological analysis of a wide range of functional disorders.
2. Explain the interaction between biological, psychological and social influences in the development of psychological disorders.
3. Apply theory to practice in the area of abnormal psychology.

This module introduces students to the area of abnormal psychology and examines a range of mental illnesses. The following are examples of indicative content:

• The development of the DSM
• Mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Personality disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Eating disorders

1. Describe and evaluate, key issues, concepts and theories in developmental psychology.
2. Explain and evaluate, selected psychological phenomena and associated underlying biological processes.

The following are examples of indicative content:

Developmental Psychology Component

This component of the module will cover concepts, theories, issues and methods in relation to social and cognitive development. Development is examined from prenatal through to middle childhood. The kinds of topics you may cover will include: Prenatal Development, Perceptual Development, Theory of Mind, Language Development, and atypical Development (e.g. Autism).

Biological Psychology Component

This component of the module will cover core concepts in biological psychology, as well as biological explanations of key behaviours. The kinds of topics you may cover will include: Conceptual & Historical Issues in Biopsychology, Research Methods in Biological Psychology, Biological Basis of Human and Non-Human and Behaviour, Genes, Evolution & Behaviour, Psychopharmacology, Stress & Emotion, Learning & Memory, Sleep and New developments in Neuroscience.

1. Design, conduct and report a study of human cognition that extends previous theory and research within the field of cognitive psychology.
2. Explain key social psychological concepts, models and theoretical orientations in contemporary social psychology research.
3. Compare the objectives, strengths, weaknesses and contributions of different approaches to the study of a social psychology topic.

The module content may include:

• Topics from cognitive psychology (e.g. attention, memory, thinking, decision-making, language)
• Consideration of cognitive psychological research with evidence from different approaches (e.g. laboratory experiments and cognitive neuropsychology).
• A study of social cognition (e.g. attribution, attitudes).
• Information about approaches to the study of social psychology (e.g. traditional experimental, the rise of social constructionism, the role of language, and the influence of culture).
• Social influence in groups (e.g. majority and minority influence, conformity, obedience, social impact theory).
• Inter-group processes (e.g. prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping; group interaction theories; reducing approaches to reducing prejudice).

To graduate with a BPS accredited degree title, you will need to complete this core module as part of the accreditation requirements.

One week residential

This module will include one week attendance at a residential school (usually based on the University of Derby campus), during which you will have the opportunity to use specialist equipment, and discuss research and analysis issues.

The module aims to develop your skills in researching psychological topics by providing practical, laboratory based experience in conducting psychological investigations and by introducing a range of qualitatively based techniques for generating data.

If you do not want or need to graduate with a BPS accredited degree, you will be awarded the title of BSc (Hons) Psychological Studies.

Module Content:

The kinds of topics you may cover include:

• Strategic Literature Searching
• Rationale writing
• Writing a research proposal
• Laboratory Experience
• Qualitative methodologies
• Presenting and interpreting results
• Online Research Methods
• Psychometrics 

Module Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Select, justify, and employ appropriate practical tools and techniques to carry out psychological investigations.
2. Use and interpret appropriate qualitative or quantitative analyses and to report findings from a psychological study. 

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Describe and critique the current concepts, insights and application of psychological theory and research online.
2. Apply an awareness of the issues, debates and ethical considerations associated with conducting psychological research online to propose a novel research study.

1. Design, conduct and report psychological research using quantitative methods.
2. Examine and assess the complexity of measuring individual differences.
3. Choose, analyse and interpret a variety of quantitative tests in the study of individual differences by using specialist software (SPSS).      

This module will examine how individual differences (Part 1) have been researched in psychology, and focus upon the quantitative research methods (Part 2) appropriate to examining this. The following are examples of indicative content:

Areas of individual differences: The content of this part introduces students to the areas of Individual Differences. Students will have an introduction to the psychodynamic and humanist approaches to personality and they will learn about trait approaches to personality. Moreover, they will learn about learning and cognitive approaches to personality, such as Learning Theory and Cognitive Approaches to Personality, including theories of Skinner's behaviourist learning theory, Bandura's social learning theory and Kelly's personal construct theory, and more. Students, will develop a knowledge on the main theories of intelligence and intelligence testing, including the concept of 'g' compared to the idea of multiple intelligences; and they will be able to describe the development of intelligence testing and show awareness of the role of intelligence theory in the development of intelligence testing. Furthermore, they will learn about individual differences in health and illness (and how to design studies on this), and measuring health (and issues with this). The area of individual differences in cognition is also covered in this module. Students will understand some of the history of individual differences in cognition research and be familiar with the psychometric approach to studying individual differences in cognition. Moreover, they will be familiar with individual differences in working memory (e.g. working memory span) and in perception (e.g. face perception). The last unit of this module focuses on the psychology of religious belief, including an overview of the terms used, some of the main research findings, and some of the main theories

Quantitative methods: The content of this part builds up on the quantitative foundations provided on Level 4 research module (Research Methods and Analysis; RMA). The first unit of this module, it is a revision of statistical methods (e.g., inferential statistics, parametric/non-parametric tests, etc) that students learnt at Level 4 research module (RMA). The remaining units, focus on advanced statistical techniques, including One-Way Independent ANOVA, Factorial Independent Measures ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis Test, One-way Repeated Measures ANOVA, Factorial Repeated Measures ANOVA, Friedman’s ANOVA, Factorial Mixed ANOVA, Linear Regression, and Multiple Regression.

Basic scale development and other development: Methods of systematic review and how this relates to scale development, measures of reliability and validity, wording and item creation, data reduction, reliability analyses (e.g., Cronbach’s Alpha). Also, students should identify and address ethical considerations in an area of individual differences.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Design, analyse and report a qualitative research project and illustrate its relevance to an area of individual differences.
2. Outline a future career plan and evaluate the skills developed during their psychological studies in relation to this plan.

This module will examine how individual differences have been traditionally researched in psychology and explore the challenges and different insights a range of qualitative research methods offer in this area. The following are examples of indicative content:

Ethics in Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research Theory including Ontology and Epistemology

Generating and Collecting Qualitative Psychology Data

Qualitative Analytic Techniques

Writing Qualitative Research

Individual differences

1. Apply performance psychology theories to real life examples, to include identification of issues and the implementation of interventions
2. Critically reflect on the process of data collection and the skills utilised in the development of their case study.

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of ergonomics methods and design for human use.
2. Position task performance in a psychological context and critically evaluate the main psychological factors and their possible inter-relations.
3. Identify instances where tasks are incompatible with human psychological characteristics and propose solutions based on an ergonomics approach.

• User Safety, Comfort, Satisfaction and Performance
• Ergonomics Methods
• Organisational Issues
• Inclusive Design and User Experience
• Human Factors and Complex Systems
• Healthcare – Accidents, Errors, Medical Device Usability
• Transport – Autonomous Vehicles, Vehicle design, Passenger Comfort, Road traffic accidents
• Safety and Security – crowd behaviour, airport design
• Defence - Humans in extreme environments

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Critically appraise the classification symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of ASD and ADHD.

2. Critically evaluate ASD and ADHD research and theory within modern socio-cultural contexts.

The module examines research and theory on ASD and ADHD and their application in the diagnosis, and treatment of ASD and ADHD. Indicative learning content may include:

1. Historical background of the study of ASD and ADHD
2. The classification, diagnosis and epidemiology of ASD and ADHD, referring to current criteria and diagnostic practice in the UK and abroad
3. Symptoms and comorbidity of ASD and ADHD
4. Aetiology of ASD and ADHD, which may include genetic/biological influences, cognitive theories.
5. Behavioural, cognitive, and pharmacological treatments for ASD and ADHD
6. Developmental outcomes
7. Controversies about ASD and ADHD, as they pertain to each topic. 

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1)    Critically evaluate the translation of psychological theory and empirical evaluation into clinical practice and treatment development.

2)    Critically evaluate the utility of psychologically-based interventions or therapies to address clinically relevant issues.

The module will be based around understanding the generic skill base required of psychologists working in clinical contexts; exploration of illustrative areas of practise from clinical and health psychology; application of psychologically-based, assessments, interventions and therapies.

Content will focus on:

1. Applied psychology in the clinical context
2. Health psychology in practise
3. Clinical psychology in practise Psychologically-based assessments, interventions and therapies – e.g. CBT and Third-Wave CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Art Therapy, Compassion-Focused Psychotherapy.

This module explores the conceptual and historical development of psychology and examines the relevance of established psychological theory to current topics and debates. Examples of indicative content may include:

Conceptual and historical development of psychology - e.g. positivism, behaviourism, biological approaches, cognitive approaches, humanism, psychoanalytic approaches

The politics of psychology – psychology as a social science, ethics, ethnocentrism, ethnicity, scientific racism and sexism, the use and misuse of psychology, psychology as an objective science

Application of Psychology in current topics and debates - e.g. offender behaviour and forensic psychology, feminist psychology, LGBT issues, behaviour change, family psychology

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate historical theories and concepts in psychology in terms of methodological, ethical, political and social critiques.
2. Examine the relevance of established psychological research and theory and how this informs current topics and debates

1)    Review and appraise psychologically oriented explanations of criminal behaviour and control

2)    Apply psychological theories and research to to evaluate police investigation and judicial processes

3)    summarise and critically evaluate key research in the field

This module offers an insight into some of the practical applications of psychology, as well as the psychological explanations for offending behaviour and control.

Weekly unit titles:

• Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behaviour
• Mental Health and Crime
• Dealing with Offenders
• Violence and Aggression (the Case of Terrorism)
• Judicial Processes
• Offender Profiling
• Eyewitness Testimony and Cognitive Interviewing

To meet learning objectives the module will examine current research in language and literacy development, how this body of research has shaped theoretical understanding and how it is applied in educational settings.

Content may include:

• Theoretical approaches to learning to speak, read, and write
• Examples of language and literacy development in challenging contexts which could include:
  • Language development in children with cognitive or perceptual deficits.
  • Developmental dyslexia.
  • Social deficits in language development e.g. Autism
  • Bilingualism and second language learning
• The assessment of language and literacy development in research and education
• Educational approaches to language and literacy development

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Be able to effectively communicate and integrate knowledge of multiple theoretical approaches to language and literacy development.
2. Critically evaluate the notion of “normal” patterns of language and literacy development.
3. Explain how research on language learning difficulty informs psychological theory on language and literacy development.
4. Critically apply psychological approaches in language and literacy development to educational practice.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• Describe and critically evaluate the neurophysiological and psychological mechanisms involved in neuropsychological theories. 
• Critically illustrate a conceptual issue by drawing on a variety of contexts.
• Present a coherent and critical assessment of one topic area covered in the module.

In the module we will cover a number of relevant neuropsychology topics. These will include:

• What is neuropsychology?
• Agnosia
• Amensia
• Blindsight
• Ageing
• Alzheimer’s disease 

This module may cover:

• Origins of Positive Psychology
• Applied Positive Psychology
• Hope, Resilience and Self-efficacy
• Gratitude and Optimism
• Positive Psychology, Health and well-being
• Positive Psychology Theories and Interventions
• Positive psychology and Performance

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Apply positive psychology theories to propose an intervention to improve an area of health or performance.
2. Critically evaluate positive psychology theory and approaches and explain their application in contemporary research.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Assess how current psychology knowledge, methods and practices can be applied to education.
2. Explain how psychological analysis applies to educational topics and issues and present to a non-academic audience.

This module introduces students to the applications of psychology in Education. The following are examples of indicative content:

• Research methods used in educational settings
• Social relationships and the influences of peers and friendship groups
• Collaborative learning techniques and their usefulness
• Causes and consequences of bullying
• Social Anxiety
• Individual differences (e.g. Dyslexia), their impact on learning and strategies of support
• School transition

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Specify a research issue or topic that is sufficiently bounded and defined to permit a comprehensive or near-comprehensive literature review, and consider any potential ethical issues.
2. Use electronic and other data bases to conduct systematic searches of the published psychology research literature.
3. Critically evaluate and interpret research methods and findings as reported in published papers.
4. Synthesize contemporary research findings in order to evaluate current perspectives in the specified research topic or issue.
5. Identify and articulate the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout their undergraduate training in order to provide an appropriate account of their suitability for graduate employment and/or postgraduate study.

For each student the content of the module is largely defined by the scope and nature of their research question and its investigation. The module team helps the student to explore and discuss candidate topics prior to a final decision as to the Independent Study to be undertaken.

Students can choose to do their Independent Study Project in a wide range of areas of Psychology, limited only by the staff expertise available for supervision.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the contribution of theories from a range of psychological perspectives to the understanding of addiction.
2. Critically evaluate the implications of relevant psychological theories for the prevention or treatment of addiction.

Indicative content:

• Addictive behaviours; substance-related disorders, prescribed medication, problem gambling and technological addictions.
• Theories drawing on psychobiological, psychological and sociocultural perspectives applied to addictive behaviours.
• Individual Differences: Genetic factors; risk, choice and impulsivity.
• Prevention and treatment of addictive behaviours.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Effectively use psychological theory and research to design an ethically and methodologically sound research study to address a pertinent question in psychology

• Conduct a psychological research study that uses appropriate methodologies and data analyses to investigate and infer coherent conclusions

• Produce a report of a psychological study consistent with the standards expected of research in the chosen area of psychology that demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate relevant literature and research findings

• Identify the knowledge and skills developed throughout the undergraduate training in order to articulate these in a way that is relevant to future employers and/or post-graduate trainers.

The content of the module is largely defined by the scope and nature of your research question and its investigation. The module team will help you to explore and discuss candidate topics prior to a final decision as to the Independent Study project to be undertaken.

You can choose to do your research project in a wide range of areas of psychology, limited only by the staff expertise available for supervision.

How will I be assessed?

It's 100% coursework.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Summarise the core health psychology concepts, models and theories that underpin contemporary health psychology research.
2. Critically evaluate the application of health psychology theory to the maintenance of health.
3. Critically evaluate the role of health psychology research in understanding the experience of illness.  

• Health psychology in context
• Core health Psychology theory
• Models of health behaviour
• Health promotion
• Psychological aspects of healthcare
• The health-illness link
• Chronic illness

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Explain the principle ways by which psychologists have studied the phenomena of pain.
2. Critically evaluate the theoretical and methodological developments in research and practice applied to one particular area of the psychology of pain in an online presentation to an audience.
3. Communicate relevant information relating to an area of pain in a written format suitable for use as a patient/practitioner information resource.

The module content may include learning material covering the following areas:

• Experience of pain 
• Neurobiology of pain
• Theories of pain
• Psychosocial influences on pain
• Investigating and measuring pain
• Interventions 
• Issues in pain research

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Describe the underlying principles of biological psychology
2. Explain the relationships between physiological systems and behaviour.

This module will focus on a number of areas which may include the following:

• Conceptual and historical issues in biological psychology
• Biopsychology as a neuroscience
• Research methods of biopsychology
• Biological bases of human and non-human behaviour
• The nervous system, neurons and neuronal conduction
• Neurotransmitters and behaviour
• Typical and atypical neuropsychology
• Comparative psychology
• Hormones and behaviour

1. Describe and explain theory and research into human cognition.
2. Communicate an academic argument in a clear and concise manner.
3. Outline the key debates surrounding specific research areas in cognitive psychology.

This module will discuss what makes cognitive psychology a science and will explore theories, methodologies, research, and debates relating to core topics of human cognition. Topics discussed may include:

• Cognitive psychology as a science
• Perception
• Attention
• Memory
• Learning
• Thinking
• Language
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Applications of Cognitive Psychology

1. Describe concepts, theories and methods in developmental psychology.
2. Discuss key issues in developmental psychology
3. Outline fundamental theories in developmental psychology in a format that may be understood by a non-academic audience.

This module will examine how social and cognitive development has been researched in psychology and explore the theories proposed by key figures working in this area. The following are examples of indicative content:

Studying development – the historical origins of developmental psychology, key issues and debates within developmental psychology (e.g. the nature nurture debate), research methods used within developmental psychology (e.g. longitudinal and cross sectional design), explanations of a-typical development and the contributions that developmental psychology can make to the real world.

Developmental theory – the background of key figures within developmental psychology (e.g. Piaget, Vygotsky, Bowlby, Erikson, Chomsky) and how this shaped their research; prominent cognitive theories of development (e.g. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky’s theory of development); prominent theories of social development (e.g. Bowlby’s theory of attachment); theories of lifespan development of the self (e.g. Erikson’s theory of development).

1. Outline and explain a range of social psychology theories
2. Discuss the methodologies and methods used in social psychology. 

This module will focus on a number of areas of Social Psychology. The following are examples of indicative content:

• Introduction to Social Psychology Research Methods in Social Psychology
• Social influence (e.g., obedience, conformity, compliance and persuasion),
• Changes in individual behaviour in group situations (eg. Deindividuation)
• Identity in a social context (e.g. Social Identity Theory)
• Social Psychology & Cognition (e.g., impression formation, attribution and stereotypes)
• Attitudes and attitude change
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• Pro-social Behaviour Aggression
• Cultural Context of Social Psychology

1. Outline the development of psychology as a discipline.
2. Employ a variety of communication methods that are appropriate to the discipline of psychology
3. Evaluate their competence in a variety of skills that have been explored in the course materials in order to develop a personal development plan. 

The module content May include:

• Origins of psychology and the historical development of the discipline
• Different perspectives within psychology and their links to theoretical positions and methodological approaches
• Distinctions between academic and professional areas of psychology
• General and discipline specific study skills
• Locating, reading and reviewing psychological literature
• Planning and managing academic work
• Individual and group approaches to learning
• Discipline specific academic writing styles, and presentation skills including oral and poster presentations

1. Identify the purpose and principles of psychological research.
2. Design simple psychological studies that are ethically sound.
3. Analyse, report and interpret qualitative data.
4. Analyse, report and interpret quantitative data using statistical software (e.g. SPSS)

This module will provide information on the basic foundations of psychological research methods which will be further developed within subsequent modules. The module content focuses on a number of areas of research design and types of analyses in order to help students achieve the module learning outcomes, these may include

• Types of research design (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods)
• Ethical Considerations required for psychology research
• Qualitative methods: Epistemology, methods (e.g. Type of Interviews, Focus Groups, Grounded Theory, Case Studies, Discursive, Thematic Analyses), approaches (e.g. realist, social constructionist),
• Quantitative methods: Design (e.g. experiments, observational studies, surveys), predictive hypotheses, types of variables, types of samples, Levels of data measurement; Descriptive statistics (e.g. Central tendency, skew and kurtosis, assessing assumptions of normality, calculating z-scores, Type I, II errors,), probability, testing significance, effect size, alternative techniques (e.g. Bayesian inference)
• Basic inferential analyses of parametric and non-parametric data relationships and differences (e.g. correlations, Chi square, t-tests, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks)
• Conducting, reporting and interpreting both qualitative and quantitative research results using a standardised format

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Describe the underlying principles of biological psychology
2. Explain the relationships between physiological systems and behaviour.

This module will focus on a number of areas which may include the following:

• Conceptual and historical issues in biological psychology
• Biopsychology as a neuroscience
• Research methods of biopsychology
• Biological bases of human and non-human behaviour
• The nervous system, neurons and neuronal conduction
• Neurotransmitters and behaviour
• Typical and atypical neuropsychology
• Comparative psychology
• Hormones and behaviour

1. Describe and explain theory and research into human cognition.
2. Communicate an academic argument in a clear and concise manner.
3. Outline the key debates surrounding specific research areas in cognitive psychology.

This module will discuss what makes cognitive psychology a science and will explore theories, methodologies, research, and debates relating to core topics of human cognition. Topics discussed may include:

• Cognitive psychology as a science
• Perception
• Attention
• Memory
• Learning
• Thinking
• Language
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Applications of Cognitive Psychology

1. Describe concepts, theories and methods in developmental psychology.
2. Discuss key issues in developmental psychology
3. Outline fundamental theories in developmental psychology in a format that may be understood by a non-academic audience.

This module will examine how social and cognitive development has been researched in psychology and explore the theories proposed by key figures working in this area. The following are examples of indicative content:

Studying development – the historical origins of developmental psychology, key issues and debates within developmental psychology (e.g. the nature nurture debate), research methods used within developmental psychology (e.g. longitudinal and cross sectional design), explanations of a-typical development and the contributions that developmental psychology can make to the real world.

Developmental theory – the background of key figures within developmental psychology (e.g. Piaget, Vygotsky, Bowlby, Erikson, Chomsky) and how this shaped their research; prominent cognitive theories of development (e.g. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky’s theory of development); prominent theories of social development (e.g. Bowlby’s theory of attachment); theories of lifespan development of the self (e.g. Erikson’s theory of development).

1. Outline and explain a range of social psychology theories
2. Discuss the methodologies and methods used in social psychology. 

This module will focus on a number of areas of Social Psychology. The following are examples of indicative content:

• Introduction to Social Psychology Research Methods in Social Psychology
• Social influence (e.g., obedience, conformity, compliance and persuasion),
• Changes in individual behaviour in group situations (eg. Deindividuation)
• Identity in a social context (e.g. Social Identity Theory)
• Social Psychology & Cognition (e.g., impression formation, attribution and stereotypes)
• Attitudes and attitude change
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• Pro-social Behaviour Aggression
• Cultural Context of Social Psychology

1. Outline the development of psychology as a discipline.
2. Employ a variety of communication methods that are appropriate to the discipline of psychology
3. Evaluate their competence in a variety of skills that have been explored in the course materials in order to develop a personal development plan. 

The module content May include:

• Origins of psychology and the historical development of the discipline
• Different perspectives within psychology and their links to theoretical positions and methodological approaches
• Distinctions between academic and professional areas of psychology
• General and discipline specific study skills
• Locating, reading and reviewing psychological literature
• Planning and managing academic work
• Individual and group approaches to learning
• Discipline specific academic writing styles, and presentation skills including oral and poster presentations

1. Identify the purpose and principles of psychological research.
2. Design simple psychological studies that are ethically sound.
3. Analyse, report and interpret qualitative data.
4. Analyse, report and interpret quantitative data using statistical software (e.g. SPSS)

This module will provide information on the basic foundations of psychological research methods which will be further developed within subsequent modules. The module content focuses on a number of areas of research design and types of analyses in order to help students achieve the module learning outcomes, these may include

• Types of research design (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods)
• Ethical Considerations required for psychology research
• Qualitative methods: Epistemology, methods (e.g. Type of Interviews, Focus Groups, Grounded Theory, Case Studies, Discursive, Thematic Analyses), approaches (e.g. realist, social constructionist),
• Quantitative methods: Design (e.g. experiments, observational studies, surveys), predictive hypotheses, types of variables, types of samples, Levels of data measurement; Descriptive statistics (e.g. Central tendency, skew and kurtosis, assessing assumptions of normality, calculating z-scores, Type I, II errors,), probability, testing significance, effect size, alternative techniques (e.g. Bayesian inference)
• Basic inferential analyses of parametric and non-parametric data relationships and differences (e.g. correlations, Chi square, t-tests, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks)
• Conducting, reporting and interpreting both qualitative and quantitative research results using a standardised format

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Describe the underlying principles of biological psychology
2. Explain the relationships between physiological systems and behaviour.

This module will focus on a number of areas which may include the following:

• Conceptual and historical issues in biological psychology
• Biopsychology as a neuroscience
• Research methods of biopsychology
• Biological bases of human and non-human behaviour
• The nervous system, neurons and neuronal conduction
• Neurotransmitters and behaviour
• Typical and atypical neuropsychology
• Comparative psychology
• Hormones and behaviour

1. Describe and explain theory and research into human cognition.
2. Communicate an academic argument in a clear and concise manner.
3. Outline the key debates surrounding specific research areas in cognitive psychology.

This module will discuss what makes cognitive psychology a science and will explore theories, methodologies, research, and debates relating to core topics of human cognition. Topics discussed may include:

• Cognitive psychology as a science
• Perception
• Attention
• Memory
• Learning
• Thinking
• Language
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Applications of Cognitive Psychology

1. Describe concepts, theories and methods in developmental psychology.
2. Discuss key issues in developmental psychology
3. Outline fundamental theories in developmental psychology in a format that may be understood by a non-academic audience.

This module will examine how social and cognitive development has been researched in psychology and explore the theories proposed by key figures working in this area. The following are examples of indicative content:

Studying development – the historical origins of developmental psychology, key issues and debates within developmental psychology (e.g. the nature nurture debate), research methods used within developmental psychology (e.g. longitudinal and cross sectional design), explanations of a-typical development and the contributions that developmental psychology can make to the real world.

Developmental theory – the background of key figures within developmental psychology (e.g. Piaget, Vygotsky, Bowlby, Erikson, Chomsky) and how this shaped their research; prominent cognitive theories of development (e.g. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky’s theory of development); prominent theories of social development (e.g. Bowlby’s theory of attachment); theories of lifespan development of the self (e.g. Erikson’s theory of development).

1. Outline and explain a range of social psychology theories
2. Discuss the methodologies and methods used in social psychology. 

This module will focus on a number of areas of Social Psychology. The following are examples of indicative content:

• Introduction to Social Psychology Research Methods in Social Psychology
• Social influence (e.g., obedience, conformity, compliance and persuasion),
• Changes in individual behaviour in group situations (eg. Deindividuation)
• Identity in a social context (e.g. Social Identity Theory)
• Social Psychology & Cognition (e.g., impression formation, attribution and stereotypes)
• Attitudes and attitude change
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• Pro-social Behaviour Aggression
• Cultural Context of Social Psychology

1. Outline the development of psychology as a discipline.
2. Employ a variety of communication methods that are appropriate to the discipline of psychology
3. Evaluate their competence in a variety of skills that have been explored in the course materials in order to develop a personal development plan. 

The module content May include:

• Origins of psychology and the historical development of the discipline
• Different perspectives within psychology and their links to theoretical positions and methodological approaches
• Distinctions between academic and professional areas of psychology
• General and discipline specific study skills
• Locating, reading and reviewing psychological literature
• Planning and managing academic work
• Individual and group approaches to learning
• Discipline specific academic writing styles, and presentation skills including oral and poster presentations

1. Identify the purpose and principles of psychological research.
2. Design simple psychological studies that are ethically sound.
3. Analyse, report and interpret qualitative data.
4. Analyse, report and interpret quantitative data using statistical software (e.g. SPSS)

This module will provide information on the basic foundations of psychological research methods which will be further developed within subsequent modules. The module content focuses on a number of areas of research design and types of analyses in order to help students achieve the module learning outcomes, these may include

• Types of research design (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods)
• Ethical Considerations required for psychology research
• Qualitative methods: Epistemology, methods (e.g. Type of Interviews, Focus Groups, Grounded Theory, Case Studies, Discursive, Thematic Analyses), approaches (e.g. realist, social constructionist),
• Quantitative methods: Design (e.g. experiments, observational studies, surveys), predictive hypotheses, types of variables, types of samples, Levels of data measurement; Descriptive statistics (e.g. Central tendency, skew and kurtosis, assessing assumptions of normality, calculating z-scores, Type I, II errors,), probability, testing significance, effect size, alternative techniques (e.g. Bayesian inference)
• Basic inferential analyses of parametric and non-parametric data relationships and differences (e.g. correlations, Chi square, t-tests, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks)
• Conducting, reporting and interpreting both qualitative and quantitative research results using a standardised format