Course specification and structure
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UDPSYCGY - BSc Psychology

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Bachelor of Science Level Honours
Possible interim awards Bachelor of Science, Diploma of Higher Education, Certificate of Higher Education, Bachelor of Science
Total credits for course 360
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University
School School of Social Sciences
Subject Area Psychology
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Full-time 3 YEARS  
Part-time 4 YEARS 6 YEARS
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

The BSc Psychology course provides a specialist programme which enables students to acquire and develop knowledge in each of the core areas of the discipline, along with a wide range of academic and transferable skills.

The teaching and learning strategies employed across the programme are designed :

  • stimulate students’ interest in all aspects of behaviour;
  • provide an appropriate intellectual challenge at BSc level whilst enabling students to gain the relevant knowledge and skills across the discipline of Psychology

and

  • promote students’ self management of the learning process with a view to future training and continuing professional development.

Factors influencing the choice of teaching and learning strategy include the need to:

  • enhance students’ communications and IT skills relevant to Psychology;
  • develop students’ research skills and their ethical awareness;
  • develop students’ problem solving skills;

to respond to variation in students’ learning styles and preferences

and

  • to support learning for students in both full-time and part-time mode.

Module teams will ensure that there are opportunities for students to:

  • be actively involved in their own learning;
  • develop and test psychology-related hypotheses;
  • work to deadlines and balance conflicting pressures;
  • use appropriate resources and technology available;
  • review, evaluate and reflect on their work

and

  • to work with others and develop team-working skills.

As well as access to the University wide learning facilities, sychology students will also have access to their own dedicated research laboratories and specialised project support equipment (such as Psychometric tests, Psychophysiological measuring equipment etc).

Course aims

This course aims to provide a specialist programme in Psychology that meets the requirements of the British Psychological Society (BPS) for Graduate Membership and the Graduate Basis for Chartership (a prerequisite for progression to Chartered Psychologist status). In order to achieve this, the programme is designed to ensure that students develop a thorough understanding of the core areas in Psychology (biological, cognitive, developmental, social, individual differences and research methods), are aware of the conceptual and historical context for current theory and knowledge within each of these areas and have an opportunity to choose from a range of different areas of advanced study of psychological theory and application. The teaching, learning and assessment strategy is designed to enable students to develop and demonstrate competency in a wide range of academic and transferable skills within the context of the discipline which will also be invaluable in future employment or training.

Course learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

On completing this course, students are expected to:

  • Have acquired knowledge and understanding of the broad areas that constitute psychology as an academic discipline (biological bases of behaviour, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, individual differences and research methods);
  • Understand and be able to explain the empirical basis of psychology and the different approaches that can be adopted in the investigation of human behaviour;
  • Understand the ways in which psychological theory is applied in practice and in real world settings

and

  • Understand the ethical issues and responsibilities associated with the study and practice of psychology.

Students are also expected to have developed higher order skills which are reflected in their ability to:

  • Carry out independent scholarly and empirical research to apply psychological methods, theories and principles to understanding and explaining human behaviour;
  • Demonstrate the intellectual skills required to evaluate psychological theory and research, and develop coherent and persuasive arguments about psychology and its application

and

  • Demonstrate self-awareness and metacognitive skills including organisation of information, problem solving, communication and decision making .

The overall curriculum is designed to develop students’ transferable graduate skills, along with subject specific skills which will underpin further training and professional practice in psychology.

Key/transferable skills including employability and professional practice

The key transferable skills developed through this programme are the ability to:

  • Think critically and evaluate the validity of conclusions based on argument;
  • Communicate effectively orally and in writing in a style appropriate to the context;
  • Use IT appropriately to search for, analyse and present information;
  • Work independently;
  • Work as part of a team

and

  • Seek out and respond to advice appropriately.

Subject specific practical skills

The subject specific skills developed through this programme are the ability to:

  • Use IT to access sources of information and to work with discipline based software;
  • Summarise numerical data and test statistical hypotheses using appropriate techniques;
  • Apply suitable tools to the analysis of data, interpret the output from analyses appropriately, extract key information from the output and present it in the required style for publication in the psychological literature;
  • Communicate complex psychological ideas and analysis;
  • Design, plan, organise and deliver an individual research project

and

Interact with research participants appropriately and in accordance with professional guidelines.

Principle QAA benchmark statements

QAA Statement for Psychology (2010)
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Subject-benchmark-statement-Psychology.pdf

Assessment strategy

A range of assessment methods will be used in the BSc, with the choice of assessment instrument chosen to test the specified learning outcomes. Overall the strategy is to promote students’ written, oral and research skills within the context of their understanding of psychological theory. At Level 4 assessments seek to encourage students to assimilate and describe theory. At Level 5 assessments require students to critically evaluate the knowledge and theories they have encountered. Students at this level are also required to produce research reports including data analysis and interpretation. At Level 6 assessments test students’ critical knowledge of applied areas of psychology and their ability to be independent researchers.

The course team aims to provide feedback on written (non exam based) work within a three week period from the submission date.

Assessment is the responsibility of the academic staff delivering the module. Assessment is part of the learning process and confirms the outcomes of the learning process. As such, the assessment process is used to provide an insight into learning problems and to thus trigger remedial action. It also provides feedback on curriculum design and delivery and, via the ongoing iterative process of module monitoring, makes a significant contribution to the continued development and improvement of the courses.

A variety of assessment methods will be used (see syllabi) including unseen written examinations, individual and group assignments. Laboratory and computer based investigations, poster and oral presentations and a level 6 project

Organised work experience, work based learning, sandwich year or year abroad

The programme includes a 15-credit core employment module [PC5050] taken at Level 5. The aim of this module is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their understanding of the relevance of psychological theory and empirical research to employment issues. Through engagement with a work-based project undertaken as part of a work based experience, this module aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore the application of their knowledge of the psychological material encountered within the curriculum to a question of relevance to their work experience host, and also to develop their skills in time and project management. This module further aims to develop students’ employability skills through the provision of taught sessions of various aspects of employability (e.g., effective self-presentation) and through an assessment pattern designed to develop students’ abilities in effective oral presentation, written communication, and reflective learning.

Course specific regulations

Students taking 15 credit modules at Level 6 must ensure a balanced programme of studies across both semesters [e.g. 15 credit in autumn semester and 15 credit is spring semester].


At level 5 Prerequisites at level 4 are required for the following modules:

Level 5 Module
PC5001 Research Design and Data Analysis in Psychology

Level 4 Prerequisite
PC4008 Experimental Psychology and Research Methods

Level 5 Module
PC5005 Individual Differences and Social Psychology

Level 4 Prerequisite
PC4006 Personality and Social Psychology

Level 5 Module
PC5006 Developmental Psychology & Cognition

Level 4 Prerequisite
PC4007 Cognitive and Developmental Psychology

Level 5 Module
PC5051 Psychobiology and Evolutionary Psychology

Level 4 Prerequisite
PC4005 Study Skills and Introductory Biopsychology

At level 6 Prerequisites at levels 4 and/or 5 are required for the following modules:

Level 6 Module
PC6P01 Psychology Project

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5001 Research Design and Data Analysis in Psychology

Level 6 Module
PC6005 Clinical Neuroscience

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5051 Psychobiology and Evolutionary Psychology

Level 6 Module
PC6050 Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5001 Research Design and Analysis in Psychology

Level 6 Module
PC6051 Forensic Psychology

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5005 Individual Differences and Social Psychology
PC5006 Development Psychology and Cognition

Level 6 Module

PC6054 Counselling Psychology

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5005 Individual Differences and Social Psychology

Level 6 Module
PC6055 Psychology of Learning and Education

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5006 Cognitive and Developmental Psychology

Level 6 Module
PC6057 Cultural and Social Psychology

Level 4/5 Prerequisites
PC5005 Individual Differences and Social Psychology

Modules required for interim awards

The following modules are core-compulsory to gain a BSc Psychology and eligibility for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society, and the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC):

PC4005 Study Skills and Introductory Biopsychology
PC4006 Personality and Social Psychology
PC4007 Cognitive and Developmental Psychology
PC4008 Experimental Psychology and Research Methods

PC5001 Research Design and Data Analysis in Psychology
PC5005 Individual Differences and Social Psychology
PC5006 Developmental Psychology & Cognition
PC5051 Psychobiology and Evolutionary Psychology

PC6P01 Project


Students must comply with the British Psychological Society's ethical standards in any course-related activity or assessment. These are covered in the following key documents
http://www.bps.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/code_of_human_research_ethics.pdf
http://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/Public%20files/inf206-guidelines-for-internet-mediated-research.pdf
Failure to comply with appropriate ethical standards, including failure to follow the University’s or School of Psychology’s specific procedures for gaining ethical approval, will result in an allegation of academic misconduct.

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

Progress with the development of graduate skills will be articulated to students as they progress through the programme through feedback from tutors and peers enabling them to reflect on their achievement based on the evidence available. At each level identified modules (PC4008, PC5001 and PC6P01) will contain activities and opportunities for students to reflect on their learning process and personal development. Within PC4006, PC5005 and PC6P01 students will have a learning manager allocated. The learning manager will provide guidance and support for creating an independent learner. Other modules will also provide opportunities for this process, e.g. PC4005 provides study skills and reflective practice at the start of their course. Other activities outside of the academic aspect of university life will also contribute to aspects of the development of graduate skills. Students will be encouraged to develop their personal portfolio, to critically review their learning experiences, to set their future personal and academic goals and to evaluate their progress towards these goals.

PDP will be embedded within each module with students given time to reflect on their learning. In PC4005 students will reflect upon and develop their use of oral and written communication skills, skills in identifying, analysing and evaluating information and interpersonal skills. Students will begin to draw up a profile of personal and professional skills, attributes and achievements. At level 5 students have a 15 credit module (PC5050) which provides them with key employability skills and work based experience and learning opportunities. In the final year project (PC6P01), supervisors will initially assist supervisees with the clarifying of the terms of the project, and ethical considerations as well as establishing a timetable for the research and subsequent meetings, directed background reading as well as report format and writing and statistical analysis.

Arrangements on the course for careers education, information and guidance

Students are made aware of the range of careers available to them as psychology graduates from the early stages of the course, but they are also encouraged to keep an open mind to all possibilities until they have gained more knowledge about the different areas of the discipline. In Level 5, via PC5050, students receive a series of career talks presented by professional psychologists working in different specialisms – e.g., Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Forensic Psychology. These professionals not only provide information about the training paths, but also give an insight into their day-to-day working lives. Prior to making choices about optional modules in 6, students are also given a presentation by the relevant module leaders to explain how particular modules can help to advance their knowledge and link to particular career options and also act as a ‘taster’ for a specialism (e.g., Counselling Psychology, Forensic Psychology).

Other external links providing expertise and experience

All students are eligible for student membership of the BPS and are encouraged to join. This membership provides them with more general information about the psychology community, student conferences, work experience opportunities, further training and careers advice. The School also hosts a number of external speaker events to which all students are invited, along with the specific expertise and advice relating to careers in psychology which is provided throughout their course and embedded within PC5050 (see Section 25)

Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) accreditations & exemptions

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society, and is the first step towards training as a professional psychologist.

Career opportunities

As your degree will be accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), you'll be able to progress on to postgraduate training to achieve Chartered Psychologist status.

Possible specialist areas include clinical psychology, counselling psychology, forensic psychology, educational psychology, health psychology and occupational psychology.

You'll also develop transferable skills such as report writing, teamwork, time management organisation, IT and numeracy skills, which are valued by employers in a wide range of industries. For example, our graduates have gone on to work as a Support Worker at Creative Support, Trainee Mental Health worker at Highgate Mental Health Centre NHS and Sales Negotiator at Reids of Mayfair.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

  • a minimum of grades BCC in three A levels or minimum grades BC in at least two A levels in academic or business subjects (or a minimum of 104 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma/Diploma; or Advanced Diploma; or Progression Diploma; or Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits)
  • English Langauge and Mathematics GCSE at grade C (grade 3 from 2017) or above (or equivalent)

Applicants with relevant professional qualifications or extensive professional experience will also be considered on a case by case basis.

Entry from appropriate foundation and access courses will also be considered.

If you don’t have traditional qualifications or can’t meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing the BSc Psychology Extended Degree.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2013/14 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 01 Sep 2013 Last validation date 01 Sep 2013  
Sources of funding HE FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND
JACS codes C800 (Psychology): 100%
Route code PSYCGY

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 04 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
PC4005 Study Skills and Introductory Biopsychology Core 30        
PC4006 Personality and Social Psychology Core 30        
PC4007 Cognitive and Developmental Psychology Core 30        
PC4008 Experimental Psychology and Research Methods Core 30        

Stage 1 Level 04 January start Not currently offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
PC4005 Study Skills and Introductory Biopsychology Core 30        
PC4006 Personality and Social Psychology Core 30        
PC4007 Cognitive and Developmental Psychology Core 30        
PC4008 Experimental Psychology and Research Methods Core 30        

Stage 2 Level 05 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
PC5001 Research Design and Data Analysis in Psychology Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR THU PM
          NORTH AUT+SPR THU AM
PC5005 Individual Differences and Social Psychology Core 30        
PC5006 Developmental Psychology and Cognition Core 30        
PC5052 Psychobiology Core 15 NORTH SPR MON PM
MN5W50 Creating a Winning Business 1 Alt Core 15 NORTH SPR FRI PM
          NORTH AUT WED AM
          NORTH SPR WED AM
          NORTH AUT WED PM
          NORTH SPR WED PM
          NORTH AUT THU AM
          NORTH SPR THU AM
          NORTH SPR THU AM
          NORTH AUT THU PM
          NORTH AUT FRI AM
          NORTH SPR FRI AM
          NORTH AUT FRI PM
PC5050 Psychology and Employment Alt Core 15 NORTH AUT+SPR MON PM

Stage 3 Level 06 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
PC6P01 Psychology Project Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR WED PM
PC6005 Clinical Neuroscience Option 30        
PC6006 Clinical and Health Psychology Option 30        
PC6009 Special Topics in Personality and Social Psycho... Option 15 NORTH SPR TUE AM
PC6050 Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology Option 15 NORTH AUT FRI PM
PC6051 Forensic Psychology Option 15 NORTH SPR MON PM
PC6054 Counseling Psychology Option 15 NORTH AUT WED AM
PC6055 Psychology of Learning and Education Option 15        
PC6056 Work Psychology Option 15 NORTH AUT THU AM
PC6058 Evolutionary Psychology Option 15        
PC6060 Cognition and Emotion Option 15 NORTH AUT MON PM