2019-20 MSci Psychology Programme Design Document

	A	C	F	G	I	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z	AA	AB	AC	AD	AE	AF	AG	AH	AI	AJ	AK	AL	AM	AN
1	Programme Information & PLOs
2	Title of the new programme – including any year abroad/ in industry variants
3	MSci in Psychology
4	Level of qualification
5	Please select:				Level 7
6	Please indicate if the programme is offered with any year abroad / in industry variants																				Year in Industry Please select Y/N								Yes
7																					Year AbroadPlease select Y/N								No
8	Department(s): Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department
9	Lead Department		Psychology
10	Other contributing Departments:
11	Programme Leader
12	Please name the programme leader and any key members of staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.
13	Prof Paul Bishop
14	Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
15	Statement of purpose for applicants to the programme
16	Our MSci course stands out from other comparable courses in that it puts a strong emphasis on scientific methods across all sub-disciplines of behavioural science. The programme is designed to engage students with the theories, perspectives, and methods that are used to study the mind, the brain, and behaviour, whilst also developing practical, high-level skills in empirical investigation and scientific data analysis. The MSci course provides advanced training in advanced research methods/statistics and specialisation in one of five pathways at the forefront of contemporary behavioural science: (1) Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging, (2) Developmental disorders, (3) Experimental, social, and cognitive psychology, (4) Forensic psychology, and (5) Clinical psychology . In addition, the MSci course is distinct from other courses in that it gives students practical experience with two research projects rather than one (one in year 3 and a larger one in year 4), thereby equipping students with strong analytical and independent research skills needed for graduate employment. This advanced training, combined with opportunities to develop professional communication and project skills, allow our MSci students to go on to sought-after graduate-level employment in various sectors of the job market, ranging from health care to education to technology. The programme also equips students with essential skills to undertake a career in research in cognitive neuroscience, developmental disorders, or experimental psychology, and, as such, be competitive applicants for postgraduate research (e.g., PhD).
17	Programme Learning OutcomesPlease provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the programme can be expected to do. Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
18	PLO	On successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
19	1	Understand the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline, its historical origins, development and limitations, with a particular emphasis on the role of brain functions in human behaviour and experience; through research-led training, acquire specialist knowledge in one of five pathways: Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Developmental Disorders, Forensic Psychology, Clinical Psychology or Experimental, Cognitive and Social Psychology.
20	2	Critically analyse and evaluate theory, and their potential contradictions, within and beyond the field of psychology using empirical evidence to support their reasoning and arguments.
21	3	Demonstrate a systematic knowledge of a range of advanced and cross-disciplinary research paradigms, research methods and measurement techniques, including statistical analysis, and be aware of their limitations.
22	4	Design, conduct, analyse and interpret systematic, scientifically rigorous and ethically sound studies both individually and in groups, using a combination of advanced appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods and statistics, and supported by state-of-the-art digital software; in the context of the empirical research project, gain extensive research experience in a specialist domain of psychology.
23	5	Communicate complex information effectively using appropriate and discipline-specific written, oral, graphical and electronic means, taking into account diversity among individuals to whom the information is communicated.
24	6	Explain the potential impact of psychological research and theory on a broad range of real world settings and situations (e.g., classrooms, industry, commerce, healthcare, as well as local and global communities).
25	7	Solve complex problems using evidence-based and scientific reasoning. Specifically, graduates will be able to identify and pose new research questions, devise new methods to address them, consider alternative approaches to their solutions, and evaluate outcomes.
26	8	Be a self-critical learner, showing sensitivity to contextual and interpersonal factors. Graduates will be familiar with the complexity of the factors that shape behaviour and social interaction which, in turn, will make them more aware of the bases of problems and interpersonal conflicts.
27	Programme Learning Outcome for year in industry (where applicable) For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year in Industry’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year in industry b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year in industry by alteration of the standard PLOs.
28	NA.
29	Programme Learning Outcome for year abroad programmes (where applicable) For programmes which lead to the title ‘with a Year Abroad’ – typically involving an additional year – please provide either a) amended versions of some (at least one, but not necessarily all) of the standard PLOs listed above, showing how these are changed and enhanced by the additional year abroad or b) an additional PLO, if and only if it is not possible to capture a key ability developed by the year abroad by alteration of the standard PLOs.
30	NA.
31	Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning OutcomesPlease explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
32	i) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
33	The PLOs are ambitious because they cover great breadth: They aim to produce graduates who (1) Are familiar with not only a broad range of knowledge but also an area of specialisation in psychology, (2) Can reason scientifically and conduct empirical research independently based on two research projects, (3) Can communicate their ideas effectively, and can apply their knowledge and skills to understanding human behaviour in the world at large.
34	ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the student:
35	The PLOs are distinctive in that they combine skills one might expect to see of a graduate of both a natural sciences and a humanities programme. The PLOs highlight that the MSci psychology graduate’s toolbox contains a combination of advanced research methods, specialist knowledge, hands-on experience with conducting research projects, and excellent communication skills.
36	iii) How the programme learning outcomes develop students’ digital literacy and will make appropriate use of technology-enhanced learning (such as lecture recordings, online resources, simulations, online assessment, ‘flipped classrooms’ etc)?
37	The PLOs capture the development of students’ digital literacy by highlighting their training on state-of-the-art technology, research methods, statistics (e.g., meta-analysis), and programming (e.g., E-Prime).
38	iv) How the PLOs support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)? The programme's employability objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
39	MSci graduates are desirable employees because they appreciate how to make and effectively communicate rational, empirically-driven, and statistically sound arguments that are grounded in specialist knowledge of human behaviour and its underpinning mechanisms. Their research methods and advanced statistical skills should be extremely attractive both within and outside psychology. MSci graduates have been trained to work independently and in teams, and they have state-of-the-art digital literacy skills.
40	vi) How will students who need additional support for academic and transferable skills be identified and supported by the Department?
41	At our termly personal supervision meetings, individual students' needs are discussed and addressed as far as possible. Ad-hoc remedial sessions in statistics are provided when students express a need for additional support. We also have a dedicated international student officer who is in close contact with our international students through induction sessions and regular meetings. We hold frequent employability tutorials, which require students to undertake an audit of their academic and transferable skills and to record examples of skill development. The tutorials culminate in the production of a Personal Employability Plan (PEP), which students then discuss with their personal supervisor and peers in dedicated groups and individual meetings. MSci students also have their own representatives on every departmental board. We have been offering winter internships to our recent graduants who are still trying to get on the job market in order to improve employability. We regularly highlight the services of the Writing Centre/Math Centre. Staff from the Writing Centre have come to give workshops for students who feel they need extra help.
42	vii) How is teaching informed and led by research in the department/ centre/ University?
43	Research-led teaching is at the core of every teaching activity and contact period with the students throughout their degree, especially in the MSci course. Teaching blocks in all years are taught by research-active experts in the field. Lecture content is updated every year to include new materials arising from recent research. This often includes published research conducted by departmental staff members and sometimes students. Year-1 and year-2 strand practicals involve data collection that occasionally end up being published or are used as pilot data for subsequent articles. Practicals can also be based on replications of existing studies, thus highlighting the link between skills training and actual research. In year 3, MSci students undertake an empirical project, which is a small version of the larger project they undertake in year 4. Experiments offered as research projects to students in their fourth year can be stand-alone studies but they can also be part of larger studies, some of them funded by external bodies, involving departmental lab groups (PhD students and postdocs). In those cases, the project students are fully integrated into the lab group and attend lab meetings and discussions. Scientists from outside the university, national and international, are invited to present their latest research at our biweekly seminars. Undergraduate students are invited to both the seminars and the post-event reception.
44	Stage-level progression Please complete the table below, to summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of each year. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules. Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each PLO, but this can be done if preferred (please add information in the 'individual statement' boxes). For a statement that applies across all PLOs in the stage fill in the 'Global statement' box.
45	Stage 0 (if your programme has a Foundation year, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
46	Stage 1
47	On progression from the first year (Stage 1), students will be able to:											Think critically about fundamental questions in psychological science. They will also have basic skills in developing sound experiments to address specific scientific questions about human behaviour.
48	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
49	Understand the fundamental scientific underpinnings of psychology and the biological bases of behaviour.		Critically analyse and evaluate mainstream theories, mostly within the field of psychology, using empirical evidence to support reasoning and arguments.			Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of a range of research paradigms, research methods and measurement techniques, including fundamental statistical analysis.					Conduct, analyse and interpret scientifically rigorous and ethically sound studies both individually and in groups, using a small range of quantitative and qualitative methods and statistics, and supported by state-of-the-art digital software.					Communicate effectively using appropriate written, oral and graphical means.					Appreciate the potential impact of psychological research on a broad range of real world settings and situations (e.g., classrooms, industry, commerce, healthcare, as well as local and global communities).					Appreciate the effectiveness of scientific reasoning within and outside psychology.					Become aware of the context-specificity of behavioural analysis in the broad context of society.
50	Stage 2
51	On progression from the second year (Stage 2), students will be able to:											Master the more complex aspects of psychological research, specifically the integration of questions across topics and the need for converging methods. They will be prepared to carry out an empirical project independently.
52	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
53	Understand the more complex scientific dimensions of psychology, their limitations, and the deep links with biology and neuroscience.		Critically analyse and evaluate mainstream and contemporary theories within and beyond the field of psychology using empirical evidence to support their reasoning and arguments. Apply these skills to new questions and data sets.			Be able to choose the tools most appropriate for a specific question from a range of research paradigms, research methods and measurement techniques, including statistical analysis, and be aware of their limitations.					Design, conduct, analyse and interpret systematic, scientifically rigorous and ethically sound studies both individually and in groups, using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods, and supported by state-of-the-art digital software.					Communicate effectively and confidently using appropriate and advanced written, oral and graphical means.					Explain and critically evaluate the potential impact of psychological research and theory on a broad range of real world settings and situations (e.g., classrooms, industry, commerce, healthcare, as well as local and global communities).					Problem-solve and reason scientifically, i.e., identify and pose research questions, consider more than one way of addressing them, and evaluate outcomes.					Be sensitive to contextual and interpersonal factors. The complexity of the factors that shape behaviour and social interaction will be familiar to psychology graduates and will make them more aware of the bases of problems and interpersonal conflicts.
54	Stage 3
55	(For Integrated Masters) On progression from the third year (Stage 3), students will be able to:											Critically evaluate research in their pathway specialisation, design a sound experiment from the ground up using advanced research methods and statistics, communicate scientific reasoning and results within and outside their area of specialisation. They will be able to carry out a large empirical project independently.
56	PLO 1		PLO 2			PLO 3					PLO 4					PLO 5					PLO 6					PLO 7					PLO 8
57	Understand the more complex scientific dimensions of psychology, especially in the area of pathway specialisation, their limitations, and the deep links with biology and neuroscience.		Critically analyse and evaluate theory within and beyond the field of psychology using empirical evidence to support and advanced statistical methods to support their reasoning and arguments. Apply these skills to new questions and data sets.			Be able to choose the tools most appropriate for a specific question in the area of pathway specialisation from a range of research paradigms, research methods and measurement techniques, including advanced statistical analysis, and be aware of their limitations.					Design, conduct, analyse and interpret systematic, scientifically rigorous and ethically sound studies both individually and in groups of different sizes, using appropriate quantitative and qualitative advanced methods, and supported by state-of-the-art digital software.					Communicate effectively using appropriate written, oral and graphical means. Be able to answer questions effectively.					Explain and critically evaluate the potential impact of psychological research and theory on a broad range of real world settings and situations, in particular with relevance to their research pathway (e.g., classrooms, industry, commerce, healthcare, as well as local and global communities).					Problem-solve and reason scientifically, i.e., identify and pose research questions, consider more than one way of addressing them, and evaluate outcomes using advanced statistical methods.					Be sensitive to contextual and interpersonal factors. The complexity of the factors that shape behaviour and social interaction will be familiar to psychology graduates and will make them more aware of the bases of problems and interpersonal conflicts.
58	Programme Structure
59	Module Structure and Summative Assessment Map Please complete the summary table below which shows the module structure and the pattern of summative assessment through the programme. ‘Option module’ can be used in place of a specific named option. If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists these lists should be provided in the next section. From the drop-down select 'S' to indicate the start of the module, 'A' to indicate the timing of each distinct summative assessment point (eg. essay submission/ exam), and 'E' to indicate the end of the module (if the end of the module coincides with the summative assessment select 'EA') . It is not expected that each summative task will be listed where an overall module might be assessed cumulatively (for example weekly problem sheets). If summative assessment by exams will be scheduled in the summer Common Assessment period (weeks 5-7) a single ‘A’ can be used within the shaded cells as it is understood that you will not know in which week of the CAP the examination will take place.
60	Stage 0 (if you have modules for Stage 0, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
61	Stage 1
62	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
63		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
64	20	PSY00001C		Research Methods I			S		A			A	A	A		A									EA					A	A	A
65	20	PSY00002C		Brain and Behaviour I			S									A						A		A	E					A	A	A
66	20	PSY00003C		Perception and Cognition I			S									A	A								E					A	A	A
67	30	PSY00004C		Development and Language I			S									A													EA	A	A	A			A
68	30	PSY00005C		Social, Personality, and Abnormal Psychology I			S									A		A									A		E	A	A	A			A
69	Stage 2
70	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
71		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
72	20	PSY00001l		Research Methods II			S	A								A									EA					A	A	A
73	30	PSY00002l		Brain and Behaviour II			S				A	A				A													E	A	A	A			A
74	30	PSY00003l		Perception and Cognition II			S									A							A			A			E	A	A	A			A
75	20	PSY00004l		Development and Language II			S									A						A			E			A		A	A	A
76	20	PSY00005l		Social, Personality, and Abnormal Psychology II			S									A			A						E					A	A	A
77	Stage 3
78	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term
79		Code		Title		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
80	10	PSY00001H		Literature Survey		S									EA
81	20	PSY00034H		Advanced Research Methods																						S			E	A	A	A
82	10	PSY00044H		Year 3 Research Project												S									EA
83	20	PSY00003H to PSY000056H		Advanced Modules (28 in all, of which MSci students choose 2)			S								E	A	S								E					A	A	A
84	Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging pathway
85	10	PSY00038H		Basic Principles in Neuroimaging			S								E	A
86	30	PSY00083M		Research Design in Neuroimaging													S								E	A
87	Developmental disorders pathway
88	20	PSY00040H		Neurodevelopmental Disorders			S								E	A
89	20	PSY00041H		Assessment of DD													S								E					A	A	A
90	Forensic Psychology pathway
91	20	PSY00053H		Applications of Forensic Psychology			S								E	A
92	20	PSY00052H		Forensic Psychology in Practice													S								E	A
93	Clinical Psychology pathway
94	20	PSY00011H		Clinical Psychology & Applications of CBT			S								E	A
95	20	PSY00023H		Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology													S								E	A
96	Experimental, social, and cognitive psychology pathway
97	20	PSY00036H		Practical Skills in ECSP			S								E	A
98	20	PSY00035H		Advanced Issues in ECSP													S								E	A
99	Stage 4
100	Credits	Module				Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term