Psychology (Conversion) MSc

Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of thinking. It is a core area of psychology which investigates the thoughts that people have when perceiving, paying attention, remembering, using language, solving problems, and many other aspects of cognition.  The module introduces you to the key topics of cognitive psychology, and the methods that cognitive psychologists use, including experiments, case studies of people with brain damage (Cognitive Neuropsychology), brain imaging, and observational studies.  You will be introduced to key theories of cognitive psychology and how cognitive psychology can be applied to real world problems.

This module introduces you to the essentials of psychological research, and includes an introduction to qualitative methods and quantitative methods, including questionnaire / survey and experimental research methods. Overviews of qualitative methodologies are given covering both data acquisition (e.g. interview, focus group, photo elicitation) and major analysis techniques (e.g. discourse analysis, interpretative phenomenological analysis, etc.). Thematic or content analysis is covered in more detail.

The module also introduces quantitative designs (e.g. surveys and experimental studies) and key analytical techniques. Laboratory exercises provide you with hands-on activities and include training in the use of statistical software packages (e.g. SPSS). The module introduces you to the nature and philosophy of the experimental method, the design and execution of psychological experiments, descriptive statistics, frequentist and Bayesian inferential parametric and non-parametric statistical procedures (e.g. chi-square, t-tests, (factorial) ANOVA, correlation, regression, and allied analyses). The module covers the replication crisis and potential remedies.

You receive guidance on the production of qualitative and quantitative research reports.

Biological psychology is a dynamic interdisciplinary core area of psychology. This module will introduce you to the basic tenets of biological psychology, including coverage of (i) the basic neurochemistry and neurophysiology of neural communication, (ii) the structure and organisation of the central nervous system, and (iii) exploration of the biological bases of psychological processes such as reward, drug action and behaviour, emotional functioning, recovery / rehabilitation and memory. You will also be introduced to approaches such as psychopharmacology, behavioural genetics, behavioural endocrinology and evolutionary/comparative psychology.

This module is an exploration of social psychology including: historical and contemporary perspectives, research methods in social psychology, social constructionism, attribution, attitudes and their formation, social cognition, self and social identity, and close relationships. You will also explore group processes and intergroup relations, including topics such as: Leadership, conformity and compliance, prosocial behaviour; antisocial behaviour, prejudice, aggression, and culture.

In this module, we will discuss the wide range of differences between individuals, especially focusing on the key areas of personality and intelligence. We will examine competing definitions, evaluations and applications, and the history and accuracy of methods of measurement. Theoretical approaches to personality will be covered including psychodynamic, trait, phenomenological, behaviourist and cognitive social. Intelligence perspectives involving traditional/hereditarian, behavioural, emotional, and single versus multiple intelligences will be compared. Key concepts covered will include nature/nurture, age/gender/cultural differences, temporal stability and situational consistency. Individual differences can be key predictors of many life outcomes including for mental and physical health, relationships, achievement/education/occupation, culture and social policy.

This module will explore research methods and related ethical issues in developmental psychology across the lifespan, including observation, assessment and application of psychological theory. You will examine major theories and models of lifespan development. This will incorporate physical, cognitive, social and emotional development from conception to early adulthood, including the effects of teratogens, life-events and transitions. You will also study developmental psychology in relation to mid-life stages and beyond.

The focus of this module is to enable you to develop in detail your knowledge of a specific topic in psychology, and to further develop your research methodology skills through the process of researching and writing a complete research project and producing a dissertation. The module will also facilitate your critical reflections on your skills development, relevance to employability, and transferability to careers.