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Psychology |
Psychology is a large and varied discipline concerned with the systematic study of behaviour and experience. The School of Psychology uses three main methods of tuition: lectures, seminars and practical classes. The balance between these methods varies from module to module. The staff involved in teaching Psychology are all mainstream, active researchers and their teaching areas reflect their research interests and expertise.
Most modules are assessed on the basis of essays or lab reports completed during the module (usually weighted at 40%) and an end of module examination (usually weighted at 60%). More information on courses and modules in Psychology can be found on their website..
Places on the optional third year modules (denoted by the letter O) are very limited, particularly for some modules. Also, because of timetabling constraints, the vast majority of these optional modules run at the same time and so students should only choose one of these modules. It is also important for students to be aware that these modules are specialised and extremely demanding. Due to these issues it is very important for students wishing to take any of the third year optional modules to contact the Subject Tutor in the first instance, before putting them on their Learning Agreement.
NB. Because of variations in staff availability and research interests from time to time, certain courses may not run in particular semesters. Erasmus, Exchange and Study Abroad students please confirm availability with the Department when applying.
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-10015 | Research Methods 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to some of the basic research methods used in Psychology. During weekly lab classes students take part in a range of different studies. This gives students first hand experience of psychological research in action. It teaches students how to design and conduct psychological research in an ethical manner, analyse the data collected (by hand and using computers) and how to write up the findings of the research. An overview of each of the different statistical and qualitative techniques is given in the associated lecture each week. Students are required to take part in research studies conducted by members of staff, amounting to one and a half hours of research participation time. This aims to help students appreciate the subtleties of empirical design and procedure and it can also stimulate ideas for student research projects undertaken in subsequent modules. The module is assessed by a 2000 word lab report and a multiple choice exam (60% and 40% of the module mark respectively). Other forms of assessment provide opportunities for students to gain important feedback on their progress, i.e. a class test and a short lab report written in the first few weeks of the module. | ||||||
| PSY-10018 | Individuals in Society 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module considers how the person develops their place in society by examining child development; then by considering individual differences between people and finally, by considering how people relate to each other. These reflect three core areas of psychological knowledge: developmental psychology, individual differences and social psychology. Indicative topics in developmental psychology are social, moral development, language and cognitive development. Indicative topics in Individual differences are intelligence, psychodynamic, humanistic, trait and behavioural / cognitive views of personality. Indicative topics in social psychology are social influence and small group processes, prejudice, attitudes, prosocial behaviour and interpersonal relationships. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-10016 | Research Methods 2 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module develops student understanding of psychological research methods. It builds on content taught in semester 1, introducing more sophisticated experimental designs, specifically where there are more than two conditions. Appropriate statistical techniques for analysing data from such designs - Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and its non-parametric equivalents - are introduced. Doing research and designing one's own investigations can be really challenging, interesting and enjoyable. We hope that we will successfully convince students of this during the module. | ||||||
| PSY-10017 | Biological and Cognitive Psychology 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| No prior knowledge of psychology is required in order to study this module in which students explore biological psychology (e.g., how neurons transmit information), perception (e.g., how we make sense of the visual world), learning (e.g., how behaviour is conditioned) and memory (e.g., what sort of memory problems are faced by amnesic patients). | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-20006 | Psychology - Study Abroad I | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20007 | Psychology - Study Abroad II | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| + | PSY-20012 | Developmental and Social Psychology | C | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Students wishing to take this module must first complete Year 1 module $ùIndividuals and Society 1&©. PSY20012 builds and extends students&© knowledge and understanding of theory and research in key areas of Developmental and Social Psychology. Students will study detailed and specific examples of research examining aspects of human development: for example, looking at children&©s earliest understanding of objects and events, language, self and others; describing how patterns of play and relationships develop from childhood to late adulthood. In Social Psychology, topics will explore how both internal and external factors shape people&©s understanding and explanations of their social world and look at psychological explanations for attitudes and behaviour that occur within and between groups. This module is an essential component of the Keele Undergraduate Psychology degree for students wishing to achieve the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society. | ||||||
| # | PSY-20013 | Survey and Qualitative Research Methods | C | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module aims to advance understanding of survey and qualitative research methods used in Psychology and builds on the content of the first year research methods modules. The module is split into two main components with weekly lectures and lab classes. First, qualitative research methods are covered, including a range of data collection methods (e.g. interview and focus groups) and different approaches to data analysis (e.g. IPA, narrative analysis, discourse analysis). Students then turn their attention to the issue of questionnaire development, including item generation, hands on data collection, and item analysis (e.g. reliability analyses and factor analysis) using SPSS. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PSY-20005 | Biological Psychology, Perception and Cognition | C | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Students wishing to take this module must first complete Year 1 module $ùBiological and Cognitive Psychology I&©. This year 2 module builds upon and extends students&© knowledge and understanding of key issues in the study of the biological basis of behaviour and cognitive processes. Students study universal normal cognitive processes such as human learning, language skills such as reading, memory and false memory. Later in the module, students study core underlying biological structures such as the central nervous system and visual system as well as exploring what psychopharmacological approaches can reveal about normal and abnormal behaviour and being introduced to neuropsychology and issues such as the biology of sex, sleep and hormones. This module is an essential component of the Keele Undergraduate Psychology degree for students wishing to achieve the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (GBC). | ||||||
| PSY-20010 | Psychology - Study Abroad III | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20011 | Psychology - Study Abroad IV | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20018 | Cognitive and Biological Research Methods in Psychology | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This exciting module will present students with an opportunity to study cutting-edge research methods applied by psychologists to investigate human behaviour. Techniques are drawn from across the discipline of Psychology, and range from functional brain imaging to the application of inferential statistics. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| # | PSY-30011 | Social Development | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This final year special option module builds on what you have studied on developmental psychology in the first and second year and focuses on social development. The module aims to develop skills in evaluating current research in social development. The content of the module varies from year to year as students are encouraged to make decisions on what topics they wish to explore. Core material is also provided which, in the past, has included: the development of a child&©s attachments with adults, the development of peer relationships (including friendship), peer aggression, and the social development of children with autistic spectrum disorder. Topics chosen by students in the past have included the influence of the following on social development: shyness, siblings; the family; Down&©s Syndrome; child care; play; and gender differences in social development. This module will be of particular interest to students wishing to pursue a career working with children including school teaching, childhood clinical psychology and educational psychology. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30018 | Disclosure Processes in Children and Adolescents | O | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| Disclosure processes comprises the revealing of personal information and perceptions of it. Disclosure processes play a pivotal role in the major problems (e.g., sexual abuse and AIDS) faced by people and in their development of close relationships. This module provides students with a comprehensive review of the theory, research and design on disclosure processes during childhood and adolescence. The module includes discussions of display rules, friendship, parent-child relationships, sexual abuse and mental health. Module performance is assessed by a class presentation and an exam. The module will help to increase students&© numerical and linguistic skills and to prepare them for the fields of developmental psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, and educational psychology. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30031 | Thinking about knowledge and the mind | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| Is it okay for people to think different things? How do we know who to believe? What count as good reasons to hold a belief? How certain can we be? For many of the most important issues we face in everyday life these are the kind of questions which arise. This module looks at how our ability to respond to such questions develops with age, from early childhood through to adulthood, based upon our developing understanding of the nature of knowledge and beliefs. The module will cover research which has examined the understanding that humans and other animals have about minds; the development of children&©s understanding of the mind; atypical development and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD); and how children and adults approach uncertainty in different contexts. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30036 | The Psychology of Memory | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Module PSY30036: The Psychology of Memory This module presents contemporary memory theory and research in terms of its ability to explain the amnesic syndrome. The amnesic syndrome is an organic brain disorder that has influenced memory theory since HM&©s detailed description in the mid 1950s (and also the basis of the film, Memento.) A temporal lobectomy was successful in controlling HM&©s severe epilepsy, but the operation also resulted in memory loss for a period prior to surgery, but, worse, HM seemed unable to form any new memories. Recent accounts of the amnesic syndrome in neurological and behavioural terms are presented, before focusing on the interplay between theory development in the psychology of memory and amnesic syndrome explanations. Many philosophical and cognate issues are raised by the amnesic syndrome, so the particular interests of special option group can direct the focus of study. The module presents a curious and intrinsically fascinating subject and demonstrates one application of theory development in the psychology of memory. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30042 | Psychology of Time | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| How do we know how long events last? Why does time sometimes seem to pass quickly and at other times to drag? How does time experience change from childhood, through adulthood, to old age, and how is our experience of time affected by drugs and brain damage? This course introduces the student to the explosion of knowledge about time perception that has occurred during the last thirty years, in lectures given and discussions led by one of the world&©s leading experts on the topic, whose own research forms one of the cornerstones of the field. The student will be introduced to research ranging from that carried out in the 19th. Century to the very latest, as yet unpublished, studies and will involve a core of cognitive Psychology, with forays into comparative, developmental, and neurobiological approaches to time perception. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30043 | Research in Music Psychology | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module introduces students to the subject area of music psychology and to key approaches to research in this field, drawing on a range of existing studies at the forefront of the discipline. It is a highly practical module where students both participate in and design and conduct their own innovative group research studies in a range of topic areas at the core of the discipline. These include the effects of music on emotion, memory, and concentration, strong experiences of music, motivation for music, and other aspects of musical biography, preferred music and personality. The module develops students' understanding of research methods in psychology and enables them to apply this to a specific field, practising specific skills of analysis and presentation of findings in different written media. Students will be expected to participate fully in the research projects of themselves and other class members and 10% of the module is awarded for contribution to project work. Remaining assessments include an individual written critique of the research in the chosen topic area (60%) and a group poster presentation of the findings of the research (30%). | ||||||
| # | PSY-30060 | Ecopsychology | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| With climate change, concerns about food and farming, species reduction, and the need to have a healthy diet hot topics in the media, it seems important that psychologists should be involved. This level 3 module, offered as an elective to level 3 psychology undergraduate students and Masters students, introduces the relatively new subject area of ecopsychology, which explores our attitudes, knowledge and behaviour to the world around us. We will explore new directions in applied psychology methods (such as participatory action research) and we may even go on visits to local environmental projects. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30068 | Cognitive Neuropsychology | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module is essential for anyone with an interest in the workings of the brain and the cognitive structure of the mind. It provides a fascinating insight into the sorts of remarkable deficits that can follow brain injury or dysfunction such as prosopagnosia (inability to recognise familiar faces, even the patient&©s own face), the capgras delusion (delusional belief that a close relative has been replaced by an imposer) and amnesia. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30072 | Behaviour Analysis in Clinical Psychology | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| To develop students&© knowledge and understanding of the influence of the experimental analysis of behaviour and of contemporary applied behaviour analysis in clinical settings. Students will draw on experimental and applied studies in exploring clinical problems such as substance abuse, autistic spectrum conditions and challenging behaviour. Central to the module is an appreciation of the importance of the therapeutic relationship and acceptance based models in clinical practice. | ||||||
| PSY-30075 | Group dynamics | O | E | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module looks at small group research in psychology, and how members join, interact with, and leave such groups. How do existing group members feel about newcomers $ú do they welcome the change, or feel threatened by &«newbies&ª? Does everyone in a group work towards the same goal, or do some people let everyone else do the work? How do initiation ceremonies work, and why are people willing to do strange and terrible things to join a club or society? Opening sessions will give an introduction to these topics. Subsequent sessions will involve a more in-depth examination of key areas, with the majority of the class involving student less discussions. | ||||||
| PSY-30077 | Health Psychology | O | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| The pictures are on the packets, but why do people still smoke? Is there such a thing as a biological clock? Does our personality affect our health? These are the kinds of questions that health psychology asks, amongst many others. This diverse module will cover a range of learning activities that can help to answer such questions, and will provide you with valuable skills that can be applied academically and professionally within health psychology. Using a variety of assessment methods, you will gain knowledge of how high quality health research is presented and how it is filtered through to wider audiences. You will examine evidence within a health topic of your choice to understand how psychological issues mediate health behaviours, cognitions and social activities. This module is available as a special option for third years, and expands upon issues touched upon in our core modules (such as Individual Differences and Health). It will be extremely valuable for students wishing to undertake a health psychology dissertation, and also for those who are considering careers in academic research, health or clinical psychology. | ||||||
| PSY-30086 | Critical psychology, globalization and human rights | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Globalization has dramatically changed the way individuals, communities and nation states operate and interact. Its relevance to human behaviour and experience is worth examining, especially its impact on social identities, relationships and human rights. This course provides a unique opportunity for students to examine theories, issues, debates, and pedagogy associated with globalization and to contextualize these discussions within a critical psychology and human rights framework. To enhance the $ùglobal student experience&© for this module, the course will be run in partnership with more than 20 partner universities from around the world, including Australia, Portugal, Russia, Mexico, Italy and USA. Using the internet and other technologies, students will work with peers from overseas to develop a case study to apply the theories discussed in class into practice. They will also engage in live and online discussions, thus providing students with the opportunity to look at these issues from different linguistic and cultural perspectives. More than 200 students from around the globe are anticipated to take part in this module this Fall 2011. | ||||||
| PSY-30088 | Psychology of Task-Switching | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will introduce students to the Psychology of Task-Switching. Topics guide students through a critique of the task-switching literature and its applications to our understanding of human multi-tasking. Students will identify and engage in a research question unaddressed by extant theory and design a proposal to test this question. Students will be required to critique their own work and that of others. Assessment is based upon "real-world" research criteria - such as peer-reviewing and presentations. | ||||||
| PSY-30092 | Psychobiology | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Does Red Bull give you wings? Does long term ecstasy use cause memory problems? Can music relieve pain? This third year special option module teaches the skills to answer these or similar questions depending on personal interest. Activities include mini-lectures, journal club seminars, independent study leading to the production of a research proposal, class presentations and reacting in a considered way to peer-comments on your research proposal. Students research interesting topics with obvious everyday application and there is a focus on developing critical thinking skills. These skills may usefully be applied both to other areas of psychological study and to issues encountered more widely in work and life. | ||||||
| Semester 1-2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| # | PSY-30061 | Final Year Project (Double) - ISP | C | C | 15 | 30 |
| The Final Year Project module, which runs over Autumn and Spring Semesters, offers the opportunity to put into practice all the scholarship and research methods skills developed over the Psychology Course. Successful completion of the Final Year Project is also a prerequisite for eligibility for a British Psychological Society Chartered Degree. Students identify a supervisor from Psychology Academic Staff with specialist knowledge in an area in which they wish to conduct research. After consulting their supervisor, students design, conduct and write-up a piece of original empirical work. Students also construct a poster describing their research project and its progress at the end of the first semester. Project report and the poster marks contribute to the module assessment, while the academic, logical, numerical, IT, communication and organizational skills developed and practiced on this module are vital for postgraduate study in psychology and are held in high esteem by potential employers. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| # | PSY-30067 | Individual Differences and Conceptual Issues | C | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module consists of two separate parts. The Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology section introduces the students to the history of Psychology, and its content ranges over a number of general issues including: the treatment of consciousness by different approaches to Psychology, philosophical problems such as the existence of qualia, the status of &«animal minds&ª in the light of recent research, the influence of political and social attitudes on the study of Psychology, and the development of new psychological approaches which seek to avoid reductionism and positivism. The Personality and Individual Differences section discusses traditional and more modern approaches to the study of personality and intelligence. Topics include influence of gender and race on intelligence, psychodynamic approaches to Psychology, Personal Construct Theory, and individual differences in interpersonal relationships as well as physical and mental health. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-10015 | Research Methods 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to some of the basic research methods used in Psychology. During weekly lab classes students take part in a range of different studies. This gives students first hand experience of psychological research in action. It teaches students how to design and conduct psychological research in an ethical manner, analyse the data collected (by hand and using computers) and how to write up the findings of the research. An overview of each of the different statistical and qualitative techniques is given in the associated lecture each week. Students are required to take part in research studies conducted by members of staff, amounting to one and a half hours of research participation time. This aims to help students appreciate the subtleties of empirical design and procedure and it can also stimulate ideas for student research projects undertaken in subsequent modules. The module is assessed by a 2000 word lab report and a multiple choice exam (60% and 40% of the module mark respectively). Other forms of assessment provide opportunities for students to gain important feedback on their progress, i.e. a class test and a short lab report written in the first few weeks of the module. | ||||||
| PSY-10018 | Individuals in Society 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module considers how the person develops their place in society by examining child development; then by considering individual differences between people and finally, by considering how people relate to each other. These reflect three core areas of psychological knowledge: developmental psychology, individual differences and social psychology. Indicative topics in developmental psychology are social, moral development, language and cognitive development. Indicative topics in Individual differences are intelligence, psychodynamic, humanistic, trait and behavioural / cognitive views of personality. Indicative topics in social psychology are social influence and small group processes, prejudice, attitudes, prosocial behaviour and interpersonal relationships. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-10016 | Research Methods 2 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module develops student understanding of psychological research methods. It builds on content taught in semester 1, introducing more sophisticated experimental designs, specifically where there are more than two conditions. Appropriate statistical techniques for analysing data from such designs - Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and its non-parametric equivalents - are introduced. Doing research and designing one's own investigations can be really challenging, interesting and enjoyable. We hope that we will successfully convince students of this during the module. | ||||||
| PSY-10017 | Biological and Cognitive Psychology 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| No prior knowledge of psychology is required in order to study this module in which students explore biological psychology (e.g., how neurons transmit information), perception (e.g., how we make sense of the visual world), learning (e.g., how behaviour is conditioned) and memory (e.g., what sort of memory problems are faced by amnesic patients). | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-20006 | Psychology - Study Abroad I | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20007 | Psychology - Study Abroad II | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| + | PSY-20012 | Developmental and Social Psychology | C | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Students wishing to take this module must first complete Year 1 module $ùIndividuals and Society 1&©. PSY20012 builds and extends students&© knowledge and understanding of theory and research in key areas of Developmental and Social Psychology. Students will study detailed and specific examples of research examining aspects of human development: for example, looking at children&©s earliest understanding of objects and events, language, self and others; describing how patterns of play and relationships develop from childhood to late adulthood. In Social Psychology, topics will explore how both internal and external factors shape people&©s understanding and explanations of their social world and look at psychological explanations for attitudes and behaviour that occur within and between groups. This module is an essential component of the Keele Undergraduate Psychology degree for students wishing to achieve the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society. | ||||||
| # | PSY-20013 | Survey and Qualitative Research Methods | C | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module aims to advance understanding of survey and qualitative research methods used in Psychology and builds on the content of the first year research methods modules. The module is split into two main components with weekly lectures and lab classes. First, qualitative research methods are covered, including a range of data collection methods (e.g. interview and focus groups) and different approaches to data analysis (e.g. IPA, narrative analysis, discourse analysis). Students then turn their attention to the issue of questionnaire development, including item generation, hands on data collection, and item analysis (e.g. reliability analyses and factor analysis) using SPSS. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PSY-20005 | Biological Psychology, Perception and Cognition | C | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Students wishing to take this module must first complete Year 1 module $ùBiological and Cognitive Psychology I&©. This year 2 module builds upon and extends students&© knowledge and understanding of key issues in the study of the biological basis of behaviour and cognitive processes. Students study universal normal cognitive processes such as human learning, language skills such as reading, memory and false memory. Later in the module, students study core underlying biological structures such as the central nervous system and visual system as well as exploring what psychopharmacological approaches can reveal about normal and abnormal behaviour and being introduced to neuropsychology and issues such as the biology of sex, sleep and hormones. This module is an essential component of the Keele Undergraduate Psychology degree for students wishing to achieve the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (GBC). | ||||||
| PSY-20010 | Psychology - Study Abroad III | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20011 | Psychology - Study Abroad IV | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20018 | Cognitive and Biological Research Methods in Psychology | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This exciting module will present students with an opportunity to study cutting-edge research methods applied by psychologists to investigate human behaviour. Techniques are drawn from across the discipline of Psychology, and range from functional brain imaging to the application of inferential statistics. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | LSC-30001 | Behavioural Neurobiology | EA | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This is a multidisciplinary module whose aim is to develop an understanding of animal (including human) behaviour in terms of the function of the nervous system. This module concentrates on the brains of mammals, especially humans, and on sub-cortical systems. There are occasional references to lower vertebrates and even invertebrates where the study of shared mechanisms in simpler animals is useful. Modern neuroscience is an interdisciplinary study, and this is reflected in the syllabus in that it draws on information from anatomy and microanatomy, physiology, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology and neuroendocrinology to bring about an understanding of behaviour. Lectures are supported by a series of student-led seminars based on recent research publications. Topics covered include pleasure and pain, fear, stress and sleep all linked through the pervading theme of learning and memory. There are no pre-requisites, but students who have done little or no neuroscience before are likely to find it difficult and would be well advised to read Part 1 of the main recommended text, Bear Connors and Paradiso: Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain (Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 3rd edition 2007) before taking the module. | ||||||
| + | LSC-30020 | Neurobiological Basis of Brain Disease | EA | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The lectures in this module will review the occurrence, cause, aetiology and neuropathology of a number of common neurodegenerative diseases and neurobiological conditions. The lecture material will be complemented by a number of Clinical Presentations which will stress the clinical aspects of neurodegenerative disease. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30011 | Social Development | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This final year special option module builds on what you have studied on developmental psychology in the first and second year and focuses on social development. The module aims to develop skills in evaluating current research in social development. The content of the module varies from year to year as students are encouraged to make decisions on what topics they wish to explore. Core material is also provided which, in the past, has included: the development of a child&©s attachments with adults, the development of peer relationships (including friendship), peer aggression, and the social development of children with autistic spectrum disorder. Topics chosen by students in the past have included the influence of the following on social development: shyness, siblings; the family; Down&©s Syndrome; child care; play; and gender differences in social development. This module will be of particular interest to students wishing to pursue a career working with children including school teaching, childhood clinical psychology and educational psychology. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30018 | Disclosure Processes in Children and Adolescents | O | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| Disclosure processes comprises the revealing of personal information and perceptions of it. Disclosure processes play a pivotal role in the major problems (e.g., sexual abuse and AIDS) faced by people and in their development of close relationships. This module provides students with a comprehensive review of the theory, research and design on disclosure processes during childhood and adolescence. The module includes discussions of display rules, friendship, parent-child relationships, sexual abuse and mental health. Module performance is assessed by a class presentation and an exam. The module will help to increase students&© numerical and linguistic skills and to prepare them for the fields of developmental psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, and educational psychology. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30031 | Thinking about knowledge and the mind | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| Is it okay for people to think different things? How do we know who to believe? What count as good reasons to hold a belief? How certain can we be? For many of the most important issues we face in everyday life these are the kind of questions which arise. This module looks at how our ability to respond to such questions develops with age, from early childhood through to adulthood, based upon our developing understanding of the nature of knowledge and beliefs. The module will cover research which has examined the understanding that humans and other animals have about minds; the development of children&©s understanding of the mind; atypical development and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD); and how children and adults approach uncertainty in different contexts. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30036 | The Psychology of Memory | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Module PSY30036: The Psychology of Memory This module presents contemporary memory theory and research in terms of its ability to explain the amnesic syndrome. The amnesic syndrome is an organic brain disorder that has influenced memory theory since HM&©s detailed description in the mid 1950s (and also the basis of the film, Memento.) A temporal lobectomy was successful in controlling HM&©s severe epilepsy, but the operation also resulted in memory loss for a period prior to surgery, but, worse, HM seemed unable to form any new memories. Recent accounts of the amnesic syndrome in neurological and behavioural terms are presented, before focusing on the interplay between theory development in the psychology of memory and amnesic syndrome explanations. Many philosophical and cognate issues are raised by the amnesic syndrome, so the particular interests of special option group can direct the focus of study. The module presents a curious and intrinsically fascinating subject and demonstrates one application of theory development in the psychology of memory. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30042 | Psychology of Time | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| How do we know how long events last? Why does time sometimes seem to pass quickly and at other times to drag? How does time experience change from childhood, through adulthood, to old age, and how is our experience of time affected by drugs and brain damage? This course introduces the student to the explosion of knowledge about time perception that has occurred during the last thirty years, in lectures given and discussions led by one of the world&©s leading experts on the topic, whose own research forms one of the cornerstones of the field. The student will be introduced to research ranging from that carried out in the 19th. Century to the very latest, as yet unpublished, studies and will involve a core of cognitive Psychology, with forays into comparative, developmental, and neurobiological approaches to time perception. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30043 | Research in Music Psychology | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module introduces students to the subject area of music psychology and to key approaches to research in this field, drawing on a range of existing studies at the forefront of the discipline. It is a highly practical module where students both participate in and design and conduct their own innovative group research studies in a range of topic areas at the core of the discipline. These include the effects of music on emotion, memory, and concentration, strong experiences of music, motivation for music, and other aspects of musical biography, preferred music and personality. The module develops students' understanding of research methods in psychology and enables them to apply this to a specific field, practising specific skills of analysis and presentation of findings in different written media. Students will be expected to participate fully in the research projects of themselves and other class members and 10% of the module is awarded for contribution to project work. Remaining assessments include an individual written critique of the research in the chosen topic area (60%) and a group poster presentation of the findings of the research (30%). | ||||||
| # | PSY-30060 | Ecopsychology | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| With climate change, concerns about food and farming, species reduction, and the need to have a healthy diet hot topics in the media, it seems important that psychologists should be involved. This level 3 module, offered as an elective to level 3 psychology undergraduate students and Masters students, introduces the relatively new subject area of ecopsychology, which explores our attitudes, knowledge and behaviour to the world around us. We will explore new directions in applied psychology methods (such as participatory action research) and we may even go on visits to local environmental projects. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30068 | Cognitive Neuropsychology | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module is essential for anyone with an interest in the workings of the brain and the cognitive structure of the mind. It provides a fascinating insight into the sorts of remarkable deficits that can follow brain injury or dysfunction such as prosopagnosia (inability to recognise familiar faces, even the patient&©s own face), the capgras delusion (delusional belief that a close relative has been replaced by an imposer) and amnesia. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30072 | Behaviour Analysis in Clinical Psychology | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| To develop students&© knowledge and understanding of the influence of the experimental analysis of behaviour and of contemporary applied behaviour analysis in clinical settings. Students will draw on experimental and applied studies in exploring clinical problems such as substance abuse, autistic spectrum conditions and challenging behaviour. Central to the module is an appreciation of the importance of the therapeutic relationship and acceptance based models in clinical practice. | ||||||
| PSY-30075 | Group dynamics | O | E | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module looks at small group research in psychology, and how members join, interact with, and leave such groups. How do existing group members feel about newcomers $ú do they welcome the change, or feel threatened by &«newbies&ª? Does everyone in a group work towards the same goal, or do some people let everyone else do the work? How do initiation ceremonies work, and why are people willing to do strange and terrible things to join a club or society? Opening sessions will give an introduction to these topics. Subsequent sessions will involve a more in-depth examination of key areas, with the majority of the class involving student less discussions. | ||||||
| PSY-30077 | Health Psychology | O | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| The pictures are on the packets, but why do people still smoke? Is there such a thing as a biological clock? Does our personality affect our health? These are the kinds of questions that health psychology asks, amongst many others. This diverse module will cover a range of learning activities that can help to answer such questions, and will provide you with valuable skills that can be applied academically and professionally within health psychology. Using a variety of assessment methods, you will gain knowledge of how high quality health research is presented and how it is filtered through to wider audiences. You will examine evidence within a health topic of your choice to understand how psychological issues mediate health behaviours, cognitions and social activities. This module is available as a special option for third years, and expands upon issues touched upon in our core modules (such as Individual Differences and Health). It will be extremely valuable for students wishing to undertake a health psychology dissertation, and also for those who are considering careers in academic research, health or clinical psychology. | ||||||
| PSY-30084 | Research Apprenticeship for BSc Major Psychology 1 - ISP | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical and methodological approaches at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own critical literature review and research methodology. The module is assessed by a conference-style minipresentation and research paper, formatted in the style of a mainstream psychology or psychology-related journal. | ||||||
| PSY-30084 | Research Apprenticeship for BSc Major Psychology 1 - ISP | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical and methodological approaches at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own critical literature review and research methodology. The module is assessed by a conference-style minipresentation and research paper, formatted in the style of a mainstream psychology or psychology-related journal. | ||||||
| PSY-30085 | Special Topics in Psychology - ISP | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical approaches and research ideas at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own systemtic l literature review and critique. | ||||||
| PSY-30085 | Special Topics in Psychology - ISP | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical approaches and research ideas at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own systemtic l literature review and critique. | ||||||
| PSY-30088 | Psychology of Task-Switching | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will introduce students to the Psychology of Task-Switching. Topics guide students through a critique of the task-switching literature and its applications to our understanding of human multi-tasking. Students will identify and engage in a research question unaddressed by extant theory and design a proposal to test this question. Students will be required to critique their own work and that of others. Assessment is based upon "real-world" research criteria - such as peer-reviewing and presentations. | ||||||
| PSY-30092 | Psychobiology | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Does Red Bull give you wings? Does long term ecstasy use cause memory problems? Can music relieve pain? This third year special option module teaches the skills to answer these or similar questions depending on personal interest. Activities include mini-lectures, journal club seminars, independent study leading to the production of a research proposal, class presentations and reacting in a considered way to peer-comments on your research proposal. Students research interesting topics with obvious everyday application and there is a focus on developing critical thinking skills. These skills may usefully be applied both to other areas of psychological study and to issues encountered more widely in work and life. | ||||||
| Semester 1-2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| # | PSY-30061 | Final Year Project (Double) - ISP | C | C | 15 | 30 |
| The Final Year Project module, which runs over Autumn and Spring Semesters, offers the opportunity to put into practice all the scholarship and research methods skills developed over the Psychology Course. Successful completion of the Final Year Project is also a prerequisite for eligibility for a British Psychological Society Chartered Degree. Students identify a supervisor from Psychology Academic Staff with specialist knowledge in an area in which they wish to conduct research. After consulting their supervisor, students design, conduct and write-up a piece of original empirical work. Students also construct a poster describing their research project and its progress at the end of the first semester. Project report and the poster marks contribute to the module assessment, while the academic, logical, numerical, IT, communication and organizational skills developed and practiced on this module are vital for postgraduate study in psychology and are held in high esteem by potential employers. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| # | PSY-30058 | Psychology, Health and Social Action | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module provides an introduction to the psychology of health and social action. It adopts a holistic conceptualisation of health that considers the wider socio-cultural and economic determinants of health and wellbeing. It provides students with the opportunity to explore, discuss and reflect on a specific issue relevant to health by developing an action research proposal to address this. They will be encouraged to work as a team with their peers, as well as with external social groups. The assessment will be a combination of presentations, seminar participation, critical reflections, and a final output for the action research proposal. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30058 | Psychology, Health and Social Action | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module provides an introduction to the psychology of health and social action. It adopts a holistic conceptualisation of health that considers the wider socio-cultural and economic determinants of health and wellbeing. It provides students with the opportunity to explore, discuss and reflect on a specific issue relevant to health by developing an action research proposal to address this. They will be encouraged to work as a team with their peers, as well as with external social groups. The assessment will be a combination of presentations, seminar participation, critical reflections, and a final output for the action research proposal. | ||||||
| # | PSY-30067 | Individual Differences and Conceptual Issues | C | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module consists of two separate parts. The Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology section introduces the students to the history of Psychology, and its content ranges over a number of general issues including: the treatment of consciousness by different approaches to Psychology, philosophical problems such as the existence of qualia, the status of &«animal minds&ª in the light of recent research, the influence of political and social attitudes on the study of Psychology, and the development of new psychological approaches which seek to avoid reductionism and positivism. The Personality and Individual Differences section discusses traditional and more modern approaches to the study of personality and intelligence. Topics include influence of gender and race on intelligence, psychodynamic approaches to Psychology, Personal Construct Theory, and individual differences in interpersonal relationships as well as physical and mental health. | ||||||
| PSY-30083 | Research Apprenticeship for BSc Major Psychology 2 - ISP | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical and methodological approaches at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own critical literature review and research methodology. The module is assessed by a conference-style minipresentation and research paper, formatted in the style of a mainstream psychology or psychology-related journal. | ||||||
| PSY-30083 | Research Apprenticeship for BSc Major Psychology 2 - ISP | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical and methodological approaches at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own critical literature review and research methodology. The module is assessed by a conference-style minipresentation and research paper, formatted in the style of a mainstream psychology or psychology-related journal. | ||||||
| PSY-30085 | Special Topics in Psychology - ISP | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Students are exposed to a range of different theoretical approaches and research ideas at the forefront of psychological research, and engage with these through discussion and reflection during one to one supervision sessions with a research-active member of staff. Students apply these skills to the development of their own systemtic l literature review and critique. | ||||||
| SOC-30034 | Sex, Death, Desire: Psychoanalysis in Social Context | EA | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will enable students to explore psychological theories of society and social relations. Following an introduction, which links psychoanalysis to the history of sociology and in particular ideas of alienation, disenchantment, and anomie, the module looks the key principles of Freudian psychoanalysis and core texts in the Freudian tradition. The core purpose of the module is to show how psychoanalysis can be seen to contain a general meta-psychology of universal human behaviour that might be used to understand social phenomenon through what Freud saw as the fundamental human concerns: sex, death, and desire. Throughout the module we seek to think through the possible application of key psychoanalytic concepts - repression, projection, anxiety, perversion, sadism, thanatos or the death drive, paranoia and so on - to concrete social examples in order to illuminate a new dimension of socio-psychoanalytic explanation. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-10015 | Research Methods 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to some of the basic research methods used in Psychology. During weekly lab classes students take part in a range of different studies. This gives students first hand experience of psychological research in action. It teaches students how to design and conduct psychological research in an ethical manner, analyse the data collected (by hand and using computers) and how to write up the findings of the research. An overview of each of the different statistical and qualitative techniques is given in the associated lecture each week. Students are required to take part in research studies conducted by members of staff, amounting to one and a half hours of research participation time. This aims to help students appreciate the subtleties of empirical design and procedure and it can also stimulate ideas for student research projects undertaken in subsequent modules. The module is assessed by a 2000 word lab report and a multiple choice exam (60% and 40% of the module mark respectively). Other forms of assessment provide opportunities for students to gain important feedback on their progress, i.e. a class test and a short lab report written in the first few weeks of the module. | ||||||
| PSY-10018 | Individuals in Society 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module considers how the person develops their place in society by examining child development; then by considering individual differences between people and finally, by considering how people relate to each other. These reflect three core areas of psychological knowledge: developmental psychology, individual differences and social psychology. Indicative topics in developmental psychology are social, moral development, language and cognitive development. Indicative topics in Individual differences are intelligence, psychodynamic, humanistic, trait and behavioural / cognitive views of personality. Indicative topics in social psychology are social influence and small group processes, prejudice, attitudes, prosocial behaviour and interpersonal relationships. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-10016 | Research Methods 2 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module develops student understanding of psychological research methods. It builds on content taught in semester 1, introducing more sophisticated experimental designs, specifically where there are more than two conditions. Appropriate statistical techniques for analysing data from such designs - Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and its non-parametric equivalents - are introduced. Doing research and designing one's own investigations can be really challenging, interesting and enjoyable. We hope that we will successfully convince students of this during the module. | ||||||
| PSY-10017 | Biological and Cognitive Psychology 1 | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| No prior knowledge of psychology is required in order to study this module in which students explore biological psychology (e.g., how neurons transmit information), perception (e.g., how we make sense of the visual world), learning (e.g., how behaviour is conditioned) and memory (e.g., what sort of memory problems are faced by amnesic patients). | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PSY-20006 | Psychology - Study Abroad I | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20007 | Psychology - Study Abroad II | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| + | PSY-20012 | Developmental and Social Psychology | C | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Students wishing to take this module must first complete Year 1 module $ùIndividuals and Society 1&©. PSY20012 builds and extends students&© knowledge and understanding of theory and research in key areas of Developmental and Social Psychology. Students will study detailed and specific examples of research examining aspects of human development: for example, looking at children&©s earliest understanding of objects and events, language, self and others; describing how patterns of play and relationships develop from childhood to late adulthood. In Social Psychology, topics will explore how both internal and external factors shape people&©s understanding and explanations of their social world and look at psychological explanations for attitudes and behaviour that occur within and between groups. This module is an essential component of the Keele Undergraduate Psychology degree for students wishing to achieve the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society. | ||||||
| # | PSY-20013 | Survey and Qualitative Research Methods | C | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module aims to advance understanding of survey and qualitative research methods used in Psychology and builds on the content of the first year research methods modules. The module is split into two main components with weekly lectures and lab classes. First, qualitative research methods are covered, including a range of data collection methods (e.g. interview and focus groups) and different approaches to data analysis (e.g. IPA, narrative analysis, discourse analysis). Students then turn their attention to the issue of questionnaire development, including item generation, hands on data collection, and item analysis (e.g. reliability analyses and factor analysis) using SPSS. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PSY-20005 | Biological Psychology, Perception and Cognition | C | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Students wishing to take this module must first complete Year 1 module $ùBiological and Cognitive Psychology I&©. This year 2 module builds upon and extends students&© knowledge and understanding of key issues in the study of the biological basis of behaviour and cognitive processes. Students study universal normal cognitive processes such as human learning, language skills such as reading, memory and false memory. Later in the module, students study core underlying biological structures such as the central nervous system and visual system as well as exploring what psychopharmacological approaches can reveal about normal and abnormal behaviour and being introduced to neuropsychology and issues such as the biology of sex, sleep and hormones. This module is an essential component of the Keele Undergraduate Psychology degree for students wishing to achieve the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society (GBC). | ||||||
| PSY-20010 | Psychology - Study Abroad III | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20011 | Psychology - Study Abroad IV | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This is a module that is automatically allocated to the records our Keele level II students who are going to Study Abroad at a partner University for a semester of their second year and cannot be selected by any other level II students. | ||||||
| PSY-20018 | Cognitive and Biological Research Methods in Psychology | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This exciting module will present students with an opportunity to study cutting-edge research methods applied by psychologists to investigate human behaviour. Techniques are drawn from across the discipline of Psychology, and range from functional brain imaging to the application of inferential statistics. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| # | PSY-30067 | Individual Differences and Conceptual Issues | EP | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module consists of two separate parts. The Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology section introduces the students to the history of Psychology, and its content ranges over a number of general issues including: the treatment of consciousness by different approaches to Psychology, philosophical problems such as the existence of qualia, the status of &«animal minds&ª in the light of recent research, the influence of political and social attitudes on the study of Psychology, and the development of new psychological approaches which seek to avoid reductionism and positivism. The Personality and Individual Differences section discusses traditional and more modern approaches to the study of personality and intelligence. Topics include influence of gender and race on intelligence, psychodynamic approaches to Psychology, Personal Construct Theory, and individual differences in interpersonal relationships as well as physical and mental health. | ||||||