Applied Psychology MSc

This module will introduce students to the issues that surround the successful management and completion of research projects in professional and applied settings. The course will focus on two core strands. Firstly ethical and professional standards will be examined in detail. The course will then focus on the practical issues and skills surrounding research projects, their development and their management. An emphasis on applied research, and on research with different populations, will be made during the course. 

The module introduces students to the nature and philosophy of applied psychology, reinforcing evidence-based critical thinking. The module reminds students about the essentials of psychological research, including brief refreshers on the basics of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Students are encouraged to develop a critical understanding of applied psychological methods (e.g. observational studies, interviews, single case studies, and experimental methods). 

The module also considers quantitative experimental and correlational methods and introduces appropriate analytical techniques for both. Workshops provide students with hands-on activities and will include training in the use of statistical software packages (e.g. SPSS) to supplement the training students will have gained during their undergraduate work. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to conduct and understand the output of a range of analyses, both descriptive and inferential (e.g. Generalised Linear Model, Structural Equation Modelling, Exploratory Factor Analysis). Taught sessions will provide students with the opportunity to critically evaluate research designs and assess the quality of evidence for different aspects of applied psychology practice. A practical overview of realist qualitative methodologies is given (e.g. interviews, content analysis, thematic analysis). Students are expected to explore at least one qualitative approach in detail.

Students will receive guidance on the appropriate communication of qualitative and quantitative analysis. 

The focus of this module is to enable students to further strengthen their knowledge of a specific research area in applied psychology and further develop their research skills by conducting a research project under the supervision of an academic expert in applied psychology. There will be workshops and tutorials commensurate with individual student learning needs.

This module will offer students on the MSc Applied Psychology course the opportunity to apply their knowledge of psychological theory and research to a work setting. As a work-based learning module, a substantial proportion of the students’ time will be spent on placement in a work setting which may take the form of a variety of different settings (e.g. voluntary, public or private). The placement will require students to use the transferrable skills and knowledge developed as part of the MSc Applied Psychology course.

This module aims to enable students to define and contextualise applied psychology and then allow students to demonstrate how psychological knowledge might be applied in an evidence-based manner to deal with a range of social issues. As this is an applied programme this will primarily be delivered using an interactive workshop format with slightly more emphasis on didactic lecture-style content at the start of the module. Problem-based learning will be used as a strategy to scaffold students' learning.

Using and applying psychological knowledge requires you to have a range of skills including professional practice skills and this module is designed to develop those. You will learn about ethics in practice through exploring the British Psychological Society and HCPC guidelines and explore how these differ between countries. You will also learn and develop practitioner skills such as contracts and contractual agreements, safeguarding working in multidisciplinary or agency situations, communicating psychology to the public and organizations.

This module aims to give students an awareness of intervention approaches to psychotherapy, including skills and techniques. Students are to learn about evidence-based techniques and gain an understanding of how they can be applied.