UG Handbook - Programme aims and learning outcomes

The Department offers a three-year, single-subject modular undergraduate degree programme, leading to a BSc in Psychology and a four year, MSci degree with pathways in either Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Developmental Disorders, or Clinical Psychology. Both UG courses are BPS accredited giving you eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. No joint undergraduate programmes are offered.

The major teaching aims of the Department are to provide a stimulating and enjoyable undergraduate experience by offering programmes designed to:

• lead students to an understanding of the substance of psychology, with emphasis on the empirical study of mind, brain, and behaviour
• help students to develop a range of skills based on an understanding of the methods of scientific psychology, including hypothesis testing, information handling, and the critical evaluation of empirical data
• help students acquire a range of more general skills in problem solving and effective communication, so as to facilitate access to a broad range of postgraduate educational and employment opportunities.

Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

At the end of the BSc course, graduates can be expected to:

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.
2. Critically analyse and evaluate theory within and beyond the field of psychology using empirical evidence to support their reasoning and arguments.
3. Demonstrate a systematic knowledge of a range of research paradigms, research methods and measurement techniques, including statistical analysis, and be aware of their limitations.
4. Design, conduct, analyse and interpret systematic, scientifically rigorous and ethically sound studies both individually and in groups, using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods and statistics, and supported by state-of-the-art digital software.
5. Communicate complex information effectively using appropriate written, oral, graphical and electronic means, taking into account diversity among individuals to whom the information is communicated.
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).
7. Problem-solve and reason scientifically. Specifically, graduates will be able to identify and pose research questions, consider alternative approaches to their solutions, and evaluate outcomes.
8. Demonstrate sensitivity to contextual and interpersonal factors. Graduates will be able to outline the complexity of factors that shape behaviour and social interaction, and to evaluate the bases of problems and interpersonal conflicts.

At the end of the MSci course, graduates can be expected to:

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 three pathways: Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Developmental Disorders, or Clinical Psychology.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
8. Be a self-critical learner, showing sensitivity to contextual and interpersonal factors. Demonstrate sensitivity to contextual and interpersonal factors. Graduates will be able to outline the complexity of factors that shape behaviour and social interaction, and to evaluate the bases of problems and interpersonal conflicts..