LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY Course Specification MSc Psychology 2017-18 (MSPSY) www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk
School of Social Sciences Award and programme title: MSc Psychology Level of qualification: Level 7 Contained awards available: Award Title Level PGDip Psychology 7 PGCrt Psychology 7 Length and status of programme and mode of study Programme Length (years) Status (FT/PT/SW) Mode (campus-based / DL or other) Full-time 1 Year FT Campus-based Part-time 2 Years PT Campus-based Course Specification Overview and Aims Psychology is distinctive in the rich and diverse range of attributes it develops, drawing, as it does, on skills associated with studying the humanities (e.g., critical thinking and essay writing) and the sciences (hypotheses-testing and numeracy). These include effective communication skills, data analysis skills, computer literacy, the ability to retrieve and organise information from a variety of sources, problem-solving and scientific reasoning, the ability to make critical evaluations of issues, and the ability to conduct independent research and manage projects. Psychology continues to be a popular degree course in the UK, with many students in other disciplines taking elective modules in areas of psychology. Although the skills which psychology students develop over the course of their degrees are valued by a range of employers, many students are interested in pursuing a career in one of the Chartered areas of Psychology, such as Health Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counselling, Educational Psychology, or Forensic Psychology. In order to do this, students need a psychology qualification offering the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) from the British Psychological Society (BPS). The MSc Psychology (Conversion Award) will therefore be of interest to those considering such a career who have either not studied psychology before, but have a strong interest in the area, or who have completed an undergraduate degree with a psychology component which is not accredited by the BPS.
The decision to develop the conversion award as a Masters degree award rather than as a Postgraduate Diploma will provide students with added value in a competitive employment market and in applying for places on courses conferring Chartership. The provision of a Masters degree award enables the development of training in the research skills necessary for designing and conducting quality research beyond that expected of graduates. In addition, students will work closely with their personal tutors to develop a portfolio detailing the transferable employability skills developed or enhanced during the course supported with evidence and actions taken to further their psychology careers. Support for employability and career planning is embedded throughout the degree programme and is based on developing students ability to reflect on, recognise and articulate the general and subject-specific skills developed. The MSc Psychology (Conversion Award) has been designed for delivery on-site (either fulltime or part-time). The teaching is concentrated on one day per week (part-time) or two days (full-time). This enables students to continue working or pursuing career-relevant experience whilst studying and is one of our unique selling points. The MSc Psychology (Conversion Award) aims to equip students with the in-depth knowledge, skills, and experience in the core areas of psychology to qualify for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society. The programme will: Provide students with a thorough knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts, and frameworks in the BPS core curriculum areas of psychology. Equip students with detailed knowledge of, and skills in, qualitative and quantitative research methods. Provide students with skills in critically evaluating the research of others. Enable students to communicate research findings to others in both written and verbal formats. Develop independence and employability through increasing evaluative and reflective skills. Prepare students for a career in psychology or related areas.
Course Learning Outcomes 1 Critically and systematically evaluate current research, practice and advanced scholarship in the core areas of psychology, namely cognitive, social, developmental, biological, individual differences, research methods and conceptual & historical issues. 2 Demonstrate originality and creativity in the application of knowledge and an understanding of how new knowledge is created and synthesised across the core areas and in an extensive piece of independent empirical research 3 Show competency in the analysis and interpretation of statistical and other forms of data, including employment of digital literacy skills in accessing, processing and evaluating information, ideas and evidence from a wide range of psychological sources. 4 Critically evaluate and apply, with due regard to ethical considerations, a range of methodological techniques applicable to research in psychology and make a reasoned judgement regarding the implications of that critique for assessing the validity of research findings. 5 Demonstrate that you can collaborate effectively with others in academic settings, communicate complex issues and ideas in ways appropriate to specialists and nonspecialists in diverse settings. 6 Engage in employability activities and accept responsibility for subsequent career and continuing professional development. Course Structure NB - All option modules are indicative. Full-time or Part-time Year 1 Semester 1 Growing and Developing in the Social World (20 credits) Psychological Research and Statistics (20 credits) Full-time or Part-time Year 2 The Embodied Mind (20 credits) Applying Psychology (20 credits) Dissertation (40 credits) Core Semester 2 Psychological Research and Analysis (20 credits) Working and Living in a Social World (20 credits) Thinking, Living and Acting (20 credits) Core
Learning and Teaching Learning and Teaching Approaches The course has been developed to support students progression as learners and as future psychology professionals. Learning activities facilitate the development of transferable skills and competencies. The MSc Psychology (Conversion Award) course is designed to reflect the learning and teaching values of Leeds Beckett. These include: Putting our students at the centre of our activities and providing a flexible and relevant curriculum with excellent teaching and learning. Providing a welcoming, inclusive, supportive and caring environment and preparing our students for employment and life. Engaging, valuing and developing our diverse community of colleagues Ensuring that teaching is informed by research and/or expert professional practice with contributions from our Professors, Readers and expert visiting professionals. The teaching staff on the MSc Psychology (Conversion Award) are driven by: Our enthusiastic research-informed teaching Our commitment to developing our students transferable and employability skills and the Leeds Beckett graduate attributes of digital literacy, enterprise and global outlook The depth of support we provide in developing a sound and critical understanding across psychology Our expertise in the teaching of both quantitative and qualitative research methodology Our emphasis on applications of psychological knowledge and real-world, problem-solving teaching and learning activities and assessment Our specialist laboratory resources Here is a link to the PG Course Development Principles: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/staff/files/postgraduate_course_development_principles.pdf Learning and Teaching Activities Students experience a range of teaching methods and learning activities. While the lecturers and tutors are there to disseminate knowledge and facilitate learning, there is an emphasis on students collaboration in the learning experience. Students receive an on-line course handbook detailing the course structure and what is expected of students (it also provides other information about the University, course team, regulations and policies etc.). In addition, students receive an on-line module handbook for each module, providing details about the module, how the module will be delivered in terms of types of teaching elements and the main topic for each unit, how it will be assessed, a reading list, and other material relevant to the module. In order to deliver core knowledge, facilitate understanding of theories and concepts, and develop practical and applied skills, we employ a range of teaching methods. These may include (as appropriate): lectures, seminars, group work, practical/laboratory classes, presentations, problem-based projects/briefs,
tutorials, and on-line activities on the university s VLE. This range of learning activities provides an opportunity for students to develop communication skills via different media and encompasses different learning styles amongst students. All members of staff are aware of the need for all teaching and learning contexts to be (i) nondiscriminatory and appropriate for each student; (ii) respectful and valuing the perspectives and experiences each individual can offer; (iii) promoting the values and practices associated with inclusive attitudes and behaviours in others. Use of the Virtual Learning Environment The course makes extensive use of the VLE to keep all students properly informed of information about their studies and updated regularly with any changes to practice, changes to the timing of the return of coursework etc. Students are able to access their individual, cohort and course timetables from MyBeckett as appropriate. The course has an agreed policy regarding the use of the VLE and all modules have (as standard) the following on the MyBeckett module site: module handbooks. details of module assessment (including any re-assessment details). all lecture slides and notes to improve access to module content for all students additional reading to develop students broader understanding of the topic areas seminar activities to support the face-to-face learning within seminars. on-line formative assessments such as on-line self-assessment quizzes to help students identify areas of further development where appropriate. Turn-it-in for students to audit their work and submit assignments prior to formal submission to avoid plagiarism and to learn improved referencing and citation skills. details of the previous student module evaluation and information on the enhancements made to the module as a result of this previous student feedback. on-line discussion boards to facilitate student interaction with student peers and informal learning. Assessment Strategy There is a varied diet of assessments across the modules, with a maximum of two assessments for each 20 credit module, designed to assess the full range of learning outcomes and provide a discriminator across the grade classifications. Assessment tasks (both group and individual assessment), include essays, presentations, research proposals, case studies, reports, examinations, online discussions, and a research thesis. All assessments are designed for students to develop and extend key skills. The combination of group and individual assessment is designed to foster group-working collaborative skills but also independent working abilities.
Assessment structure for the course, both on-site and distance learning: Module Assessments Growing and Developing in the Social World Psychological Research and Statistics Psychological Research and Analysis 2. Portfolio Working and Living in a Social World The Embodied Mind Thinking, Living and Acting Applying Psychology 1. Personal development portfolio 2. Report Dissertation 1. Proposal 2. Thesis
Feedback on Assessed Coursework Feedback is provided both formally (written feedback sheets and communications) and informally (during in-class activities and discussions in seminars). As a standard on all coursework we also provide summary details of the three main aspects where students have performed particularly well and three areas where students could improve their work to achieve a higher grade. Clear information is provided at the beginning of each academic semester regarding submission deadline dates for summative assessments for each modules (coursework and exam periods); the locations and methods for submission and collection of student work; and the specific requirements and assessment criteria. Feedback for all assessments is provided within a 4-week period from the submission date. Module Assessment Methods NB - All option modules are indicative. Core Personal Development Portfolio Module Titles Growing and developing in the 50 50 social world Working and Living in a Social 50 50 world The Embodied Mind 40 60 Report Research Proposal Final Project Report Work Portfolio Exam Qualitative methods report: Coursework Thinking, Living and Acting 50 50 Psychological Research & Statistics Psychological Research & Analysis Applying Psychology 50 50 50 50 50 50 Dissertation for Conversion Masters 15 85
Employability and Professional Context The course is designed for students who have studied little or no psychology before and are interested in acquiring a Masters level qualification in psychology which confers GBC status from the BPS. Students applying for the course are likely to have a strong interest in psychology and be interested in pursuing a career as a named psychologist. Work-Related Activities Placement or Work-Related Activity Level: Not applicable. Placement or Work-Related Activity Length in Weeks: Not applicable. Type of Placement or Work-Related Activity: Not applicable. Reference Points used in course design and delivery All our courses leading to Leeds Beckett University awards have been designed and approved in accordance with UK and European quality standards. Our courses utilise the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and relevant subject benchmarks (where these are available) and professional, statutory and regulatory body requirements (for professionally accredited courses). We review our courses annually and periodically, responding to student feedback and a range of information to enhance our courses. Our University is also subject to external review by the Quality Assurance Agency. Our latest report can be found on the QAA website at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews-and-reports We appoint External Examiners to verify that our University sets and maintains standards for awards which adhere to relevant national subject benchmark statements and the FHEQ (UK), ensure standards and student achievements are comparable with other Higher Education Institutions in the UK, with which they are familiar, and ensure that assessments measure achievement of course and module learning outcomes and reach the required standard. External Examiners may also provide feedback on areas of good practice or potential enhancement.