Psychology with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)

This module explores the origins, developments and refinements in the study of modern-day Psychology, dating back to early philosophy. The module will ensure students will see how modern-day Psychology has evolved, not just in terms of the “big-names” but also by viewing the scientific, cultural and social movements and influences that were happening alongside the development of this new discipline.

This module focuses on current and historical understanding of personality and individual differences. We review the main theories of personality and use contemporary empirical evidence to explore the complex relationship between personality and behaviour. In-depth examples of the complexity of individual differences will be provided, and some lectures will focus of personality disorders and problems assessing and classifying such disorders.

The academic component of this module provides you with an experiential learning process that will further develop your understanding of the complex theoretical and conceptual issues involved in the measurement and assessment of personality and individual differences. In particular, the seminar component will provide you with the opportunity to experience projective and objective personality tests and to further explore the problems associated with diagnosing personality disorders.

The module aims to identify contemporary issues in our society where psychological insights and perspectives can potentially deepen and broaden our understanding of the human condition and social affairs. It will aim to enable you to view the relationship between Psychology and other social sciences) in order to achieve a more holistic and eclectic understanding of Psychology and its relation to the contemporary age. The intention is to demonstrate the ways in which approaches in Psychology can contribute directly to our understanding of national and international contemporary events, and how Psychology can potentially deepen our understanding and insights of social processes.

Introduction to Psychopathology, will introduce you to psychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, addiction etc. and how these psychological disorders have an effect on daily thinking, functioning and behaviour. The assessment and diagnosis process of a psychological disorder will play a central role in this module and this will be done by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; 2013). The DSM-5 (2013) is used by clinicians worldwide to assess and diagnose individuals with a psychological disorder. In this module the DSM-5 (2013) will be used to describe the key symptoms of psychological disorders which will help to enhance your understanding of key symptoms and criteria used by clinicians to diagnose a psychological disorder.

This module introduces you to the process of conducting research, analysing data and evaluating the findings. The module will provide a conceptual understanding of reporting research, the core statistical principals and tests used. The module provides hands-on experience of conducting an experiment, using statistical software for carrying out analyses and writing up the experiment in practical workshops. This module will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills required to prepare you for future work, training or careers in an applied area of Psychology or research. This module will also identify how the skills and knowledge gained during this module are relevant to future modules that cover GBC competencies and training which are relevant to future work and studies in the area of Psychology.

This module explores the roots and informing principles of positive psychology, focussing on research and current developments internationally. Beginning with the seminal work of Martin Seligman, the module focusses equally on theory and practice, identifying the informing philosophy, the research base for the study area, and some practical strategies which aim to increase a sense of subjective well-being and positive mental health. The clinical value of the approach is explored via an integration of research, practical strategies and personal reflection.

The intention of this module is to bring aesthetic awareness in to the living space of students in order to demonstrate the fascinating and useful lens that psychology can provide in helping make sense and understanding of the immediate symbolic world that surrounds people in society. This module takes aspects of every day art, culture, design, architecture and creativity, and attempts to provide psychological commentaries which are novel, speculative, and above all, interesting. The focus is on seeing through images to the psychological fantasies and themes they portray, and the drives that animate the human condition.

The parapsychology module focuses on exploring how Psychology is placed in the wider domain of “science” and through debates about the meaning and function of parapsychological belief, parapsychological research, and the social/historical relevance of parapsychology. Throughout the module you will be presented with a number of parapsychological topics (e.g., Alien abduction; Telepathy; Clairvoyance; Demonic possession) which will be underpinned by two broad perspectives: (i) believer and (ii) sceptic. You will be introduced to the methodological, theoretical and psychological problems in examining paranormal belief and experience in order to provide opportunities for the development of semantic learning and critical thinking skills.

This module provides you with an overview of the purpose, design, and conduct of qualitative research in psychology. This module builds upon and complements research methods modules delivered in level 4 by providing students with grounding in the use of qualitative research methods and analysis techniques commonly used in psychology. All sessions are structured to facilitate both conceptual learning and the development of applied research skills. More specifically, this module aims to help you develop skills in research and inquiry and develop academic attributes such as being able to think critically about different methodologies and knowledge claims.

This module will continue to develop key transferable skills from level 4 such as group discussion and debate, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning. There will be research-led teaching which will explore key debates and methodologies used in neuropsychology and cognitive Psychology. The GBC area of biological Psychology and cognitive Psychology will be supplemented through this module.

This module builds on the Research Methods and Psychology literacy module (Level 4), by providing you with the skills to master the process of designing and executing research using quantitative research methods, and analysing and evaluating the findings with quantitative data analysis techniques. The module provides hands-on experience of using computer software to build experiments and statistical software for carrying out analyses in the practical workshops. The module will enhance your skills in critically evaluating the strengths and limitations of published research papers and equip you with an advanced understanding of ethics in psychological research.

This module aims to introduce you to the area of health psychology and demonstrate how psychological principles may be applied to understand and alleviate problems of illness, ill health and health-related behaviours which are significant real world problems (pursing excellence). Key models and theories that aim to predict risk behaviour and at promoting health and self-care will be discussed, compared and contrasted. Interventions to promote behaviour change will also be covered. Behaviour change techniques and adherence will be debated with practical examples given. After considering the role of psychology in the field of health the module will focus on factors such as stress and its effects on health and illness. Coping styles and strategies as well as social support will be discussed as moderators of the relation between stress and illness.

Work and Organisational Psychology will cover the importance of how the workplace can impact upon people’s health (in both negative and positive ways) and how the workplace can also be used to improve well-being. Work and Organisational Psychology aims to improving the quality of work life and to protecting and promoting the safety, health and well-being of workers’ (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; NIOSH).

This module aims to equip you with the relevant skills and knowledge, which are required for the role of the educational psychologist. The module will provide you with an understanding of the general principles and concepts underlying the British educational system and the relevance of psychology to that system. This module examines the role of the educational psychologist and explores the relationship between theory and practice within different educational contexts. The module will familiarise you with different methods of investigation (psychometric testing, observational techniques, interviewing and projective techniques) and intervention methods (behaviour modification, task analysis, conflict mediation and counselling). The module will also help you appreciate the integration and inter-relationships of different perspectives in psychology which contribute to this specialised applied area in psychology which transcend into applied and specialised areas of work within the Educational sector.

This optional Level 5 module is designed to introduce you to the field of forensic psychology. Forensic psychology is one of the key psychological domains recognised by the British Psychological Society and covers a broad range of topics highly relevant to the real world context. A key aim of the module is to teach you about a range of criminal justice settings within which psychology can be applied to assist the work of practitioners and the police.

With an increase in the frequency and severity of mass killing incidents being reported in recent years, as part of a steady evolution of this type of atrocity seen since the 1960s in the USA, there is a need for psychology curricula and psychologists to acknowledge and study this extreme form of human psychopathology and fatal behaviour. With the increased availability of high-power weaponry, the use of the internet to help mass killers plan and conduct attacks, and with great scrutiny on how authorities both attempt to prevent and deal with the aftermath of such mass killings, there is a growing body of research available to justify the academic study of this extreme form of human behaviour. In the same way that extreme acts such as suicide, terrorism, serial murder and self-harm are studied as academic disciplines, mass killing is at the same stage of public and scientific discourse. 

At this level of study you will be encouraged to think about areas of study or work that you would like to pursue upon completion of this course. You will be firstly introduced to the different areas of psychology that you can specialise in. This will involve looking at the roles that psychologists perform within each of the branch areas as well as what is entailed to become specialised and charted within each particular branch. Workshops will be carried out within the following which will be supported by psychologists both within and external to the university.

This module will explore how culture influences human thought, feelings, cognitive processes and behaviour in an applied context. The relations between culture and psychology are both complex and profound. We will be considering a number of difficult questions including: What is human nature? What happens when different cultures collide? How do various ways of thinking differ across cultures? How does culture influence how we view ourselves? How can we study culture in psychology? How do cultures change or persist over time? The goals of the module are to introduce you to the field of cultural psychology, stimulate critical thinking and analytic skills generally, and help you to think about your own values from a cultural perspective.

The practical approach to this module will see you applying psychological theories to the real world via your experiences from work-based placements. This will allow you the opportunity to learn from your own experiences, but also experiences of your colleagues. This module will continue to develop key transferable skills such as group-work, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning contributing to the graduate attributes. This module has a strong link with professional development and will allow you to reflect on work placement experiences and the application of psychological theory. There is a strong integration of psychological theory and real world experiences across different domains, thus strongly supporting your continuing personal and professional development.

This module builds on the clinical and health-based modules on the programme by providing you with an in-depth and critical understanding of stress, which is one of the main risk factors for both psychological (e.g. anxiety, depression) and physical health outcomes (e.g. heart disease, cancer). In this module, you will learn about the biological, psychological and environmental influences on stress, as well as the interaction between them. Key literature on stress-related illness across a wide-range of disciplines will be critically appraised.

Infancy will examine the social, emotional, cognitive and neural changes that occur during the first two years of life. Starting with pre-natal development and the formation of the brain the module will go on to investigate how infants start to explore the world, recognise faces, learn language and form attachments with those around them. The module will explore the complex relationship between genetics and the environment and how they shape our thinking, behaviour and personality.

The applied social psychology module focuses on exploring how social psychological theory and research can be applied to real life. Throughout the module you will be presented with a number of contemporary social issues and will explore relevant theoretical models and examples to illustrate the impact that social psychological constructs, theories and research has had on informing applied interventions. Theoretical perspectives might include cross cultural psychology, individual differences, and critical social psychology. Contemporary social issues might include encouraging cooperation with authorities, understanding responses to terrorism, reducing prejudice, and promoting employee production.

Understanding research issues is an essential skill for psychologists operating in an evidence-based paradigm. The ability to produce an in-depth dissertation and present a logical argument using such research is a crucial skill for a successful psychology graduate.

This module builds upon learning at level 4 and level 5 in previous Psychological Research Methods modules. This module will encourage you to plan, execute and write up a research project which adheres to principles of the Psychology Ethics Committee. You should seek out research sources to produce an in-depth dissertation that answers your own identified research question or knowledge gap, making a contribution to the existing literature within your chosen topic area. This will be facilitated through critical evaluation of the sources you have selected and used. You will also be facilitated in using statistical and other specialist software, testing equipment and materials, as well as the use of the Psychology laboratories.

This module aims to investigate human development throughout the lifespan focusing on changes to biological, cognitive, social and emotional elements of psychological functioning. The module will provide you with an understanding of the general principles and concepts, different theoretical perspectives, research methodologies, contemporary debates and areas of application of Lifespan Development. This module will enable you to develop skills in critical reading and analysis of theoretical and empirical issues related to Lifespan Development. In the context of contemporary societies and globalisation, the role of social and cultural context of development is explored.

This module is designed to deepen understanding of the fundamental and ongoing debates surrounding good research and statistical practice in psychology as well as provide an introduction to more advanced methods of statistical analyses and associated software packages. The module will continue to develop key transferable skills from Levels 4 and 5, such as IT skills, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning. During this module, you will build on key statistical skills learnt at Levels 4 and 5 (in particular, multiple regression) and learn how these can be used to address specific kinds of hypotheses. You will also be introduced to statistical software packages in addition to SPSS. Finally, you will develop your understanding of null-hypothesis significance testing and its alternatives, which will contribute to debates about best research practice in psychology.

This module will develop key transferable skills, continued from level 4 and 5 modules such as Neuropsychology, including group discussion and debate, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning. Research-led teaching will explore key debates, theories and methodologies used in neuropsychology and ageing, as well as challenges. The GBC areas of biological psychology, developmental psychology and cognitive psychology will be supplemented through this module.
This module contributes to knowledge and understanding in neuropsychology from a lifespan development perspective. It takes a holistic approach to understand the cognitive and neural theories and evidence across a range of areas, including language, attention and memory, and the effects ageing has on these processes.

This module uses attachment theory to develop knowledge and understanding of how early experiences impact on psychopathological (mental illness) outcomes. Attachment theory is a well established explanation of infant-carer bonding, and is extensively applied to studying adolescent and adult romantic relationships, interpersonal functioning and emotional regulation.

More recently however, attachment has been identified as having important intersects with the study of psychopathology, specifically in terms of individual differences. Within this module you will be introduced to attachment theory and attachment-related research that illustrates the impact that variations in attachment have on predicting mental illness and wellbeing. Throughout this module you will learn how to consider a number of clinically recognised psychopathologies via the mechanism of attachment history, and develop an understanding of the impact of individual differences in this dynamic

This module will continue to develop key transferable skills from level 4 and 5 such as group discussion and debate, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning. There will be research-led teaching which will explore key debates and methodologies used in language and communication research. The GBC areas of biological psychology, cognitive psychology and developmental psychology will be supplemented through this module.

This module explores the origins, developments and refinements in counselling psychology, in both theory and practice, as well as the necessary communication processes and skills employed in clinical practise across a range of settings in the human services. You will be introduced to key theoretical approaches to counselling psychology, core conditions underpinning successful counselling relationships and essential skills employed in counselling practice.

This module equips you with the relevant skills, knowledge and training which are required for understanding the psychology of gender and sexualities. In undertaking this module, you will gain the relevant knowledge of psychological perspectives of gender and sexualities, including their conceptualisation and organisation in relation to cultural and historical circumstances. You will evaluate psychological theory and apply theoretical concepts and knowledge to develop arguments relating to gender and sexuality. Additionally, you will be encouraged to examine the relationship between theory and practice in psychology in order to identify the links between psychological knowledge and its application. As part of your learning, you will analyse the construction of sexuality and gender in society and will be encouraged to develop awareness around how such conceptualisations impact on various social groups and psychological practice.

This module covers fundamental areas and phenomena of intellectual and developmental disabilities, exploring competing perspectives, contemporary debates and important areas of application such as education and mental health. The module looks at intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders pre-natal, post-natal and across the life-span.

The module will explore types of research methods, theoretical perspectives and questions of value, culture and context. The role of brain functioning and links between the different disabilities and disorders and mental health will be considered throughout this module. This module will also identify how the skills and knowledge gained during this module are relevant to GBC competencies and training which are relevant to future work and studies in the area of Psychology. This module will be of particular interest if you would like to explore a career as an educational or clinical psychologist.

The aim of this optional Level 6 module is to provide an overview of how psychology can be applied to policing and the wider criminal justice system. This is often referred to as legal psychology, an important branch of forensic psychology. Legal psychology focuses on the application of psychological theory and practice to, for example, legal proceedings, the criminal investigation process, and prosecution of offences.