School of Psychology

Overview

• Choice of three degree programmes (Dual Honours, Major, Single Honours)
• Accreditation by the British Psychological Society
• Active support of Distinctive Keele Curriculum
• Teaching by research-active subject specialists
• Optional Study Abroad in Year 2
• Combine with wide choice of other subjects
• Individually supervised final-year research projects
• Range of teaching and assessments to suit individual learning styles
• A supportive system of pastoral care and learning support
• Relevance to a wide range of different career paths

Psychology is a large and varied discipline concerned with the systematic investigation of mind and behaviour. It is exciting to study and provides a useful background for many different types of career. Our students come to the course with both arts and science A-levels, Access, International Baccalaureate and vocational entry qualifications. The School is lively and expansionist, with research-active academic staff providing teaching and research expertise across a range of specialised topics.

The research activity of the School is currently focused on three main areas:

• Social and developmental psychology
• Cognition and neuropsychology
• Applied psychology

Anyone who is interested in understanding more about human behaviour and in acquiring the skills of scientific research can profitably read Psychology at Keele. The course teaches a range of psychological skills that are transferable to other areas of study and to the world of employment.

Outcomes

On completing one of the undergraduate degree courses in Psychology, graduates will have:

• Developed a psychological perspective, or way of thinking, which informs many social and personal issues. This perspective might be characterised by the adoption of an open-minded but critically evaluative consideration of the nature of the problem or issue; an emphasis on the importance of scientific and systematic methods of data collection and concept development; and a recognition of the importance of evidence-based argument

• Developed an appreciation of a psychological perspective on the human condition

• Developed a critical evaluation of the major ideas, concepts, findings and theories of psychology

• Developed knowledge and skills in the use of the major methodologies used in psychology, including qualitative methodologies

• Planned, executed and reported an independent piece of research

• Developed the ability to interpret critically empirical research studies.

Course Content

BSc Honours in Psychology and [another subject] (Dual Honours) (BPS approved)

Students need to gain the 180 credits during each academic year in Psychology that are needed for a dual-honours degree at Keele. A credit equates to approximately 10 hours of study, including lectures, seminars, practical classes, individual supervision and independent study, and most modules are 15 credit modules.

First year of Dual Honours
Students study four modules during year 1:

Individuals in Society introduces psychological procedures and methods of enquiry and illustrates them in three different areas: child development, social psychology, and the study of individual differences.

Research Methods 1 introduces the range of research methods used in psychology, and focuses on developing an introductory understanding of data collection and analysis.

Biological and Cognitive Psychology introduces fundamental mechanisms and ideas in psychology by looking at perception, memory, learning and the biological basis of human behaviour.

Research Methods 2 extends the work done in the first module on research perspectives and develops understanding of more advanced techniques of data analysis.

Second year Dual Honours modules
Developmental and Social Psychology extends and builds on the material taught in the first year. You will study more detailed and specific accounts of research and theories in developmental and social psychology.

Survey and Qualitative Research Methods extends and builds upon the material taught in the first year, particularly in relation to the design and analysis of questionnaires, observational methods and qualitative research methods. Data from interviews, observations, and conversations, lend themselves to qualitative analysis.

Biological Psychology, Perception and Cognition extends and builds upon the material taught in the first year. You will gain more detailed knowledge of recent and current issues in biological basis of behaviour, perception and low level cognitive processes.

Cognitive and Biological Research Methods further extends and builds on the material taught in the first year modules on research perspectives and quantitative methods. Topics studied include: factorial experimental designs, analysis of variance, the analysis of interactions and an introduction to research methods in neuropsychology and psychobiology.

Third year Dual Honours
This year includes the special subject, the research dissertation (double module), and a lecture course.

Special subject: These modules are offered in the area of the academic staff’s special interest and expertise.  Whilst the choices vary from year to year, recent examples include:

Social Development in Children
Thinking about Knowledge and the Mind
Ecopsychology
Cognitive Neuropsychology
Disclosure Processes in Children and Adolescents
Ecopsychology
Peer Relationships in Childhood and Adolescence
Research in Music Psychology
Human Memory
Recognising and Remembering Words
Influences on Human Cognitive Performance
Psychology, Health and Social Action
Health Psychology
Behaviour Analysis in Clinical Psychology.

The Research Dissertation involves students in independent study, supervised by a member of the teaching staff. You research an area of interest to you, plan and carry out an investigation, and write it up as a research report, utilising the methods and procedures taught in the earlier research methods modules. This is a ‘double’ module that runs over both semesters of the final year.

A lecture course, Individual Differences and Conceptual Issues extends and builds on the material taught in the first year. You will develop an evaluative understanding of theories and research relating to individual differences, conceptual and historical issues in psychology.

BSc Honours Psychology with [another subject] (Major-minor)
Students majoring in Psychology study all the above modules with a minimum of a further three additional psychology modules in Year 3, to gain at least 225 credits in Psychology. These include two compulsory modules (Advanced Cognitive Psychology and Advanced Social Psychology) and a range of optional electives, including a range of Year 3 electives (see below). These modules aim to develop confidence and expertise in the content and methods of psychology at an advanced level.

BSc Single Honours Psychology
Students taking the Single Honours programme need to gain at least 255 credits from psychology modules. They will take the core modules that are compulsory for professional accreditation (see the  description of the Dual Honours programme above) plus Advanced Cognitive Psychology and Advanced Social Psychology and select modules from a range of new elective modules currently being prepared. At the time of writing (October 2012) these are expected to be:
Year 1: Counselling skills; Applied Psychology; Psychology of Unusual Phenomena
Year 2: Community Psychology: Theoretical and research perspectives; Community Psychology: Placement (optional supervised attachment to a charitable or statutory sector organisation); Applied Cognitive Psychology.
Year 3: Abnormal psychology; Psychology at Work; Psychology of Happiness and Wellbeing.

The content of our three programmes is summarised in the Table below:

Membership of professional institutions
The Dual Honours and Major route programmes are accredited as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) by the British Psychological Society, which is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist. Students should note that to be awarded GBC by the British Psychological Society they must pass their empirical dissertation and achieve a minimum standard of qualification of second class Honours. Keele students who elect to take part in the Study Abroad programme must take a supplementary module in Semester 1 of their final year to ensure their eligibility for GBC. It is expected that the Single Honours degrees will receive BPS accreditation but this has not been confirmed at the time of writing – October 2012).

Codes and Combinations

All students who study a science subject are candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Science (with Honours) (BSc Hons).

Dual Honours course can be combined with: 

# subject to approval

* For students who decide to Major in Psychology and Minor in their subject: Year 3 elective modules can be chosen from the subjects marked.

Single Honours, Major, Foundation courses available:

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching is done by a combination of lectures, practical classes, and seminars, supplemented by individual meetings and supervision with students, and the services of a learning support tutor. Feedback is a key element of this, shaping student work towards a professional ideal.

Lectures are usually 50-minutes in length and delivered usually with a PowerPoint-type presentation, which is available on the University’s website for revision and independent study. There may be additional study resources for each lecture such as hand-outs or links to external resources.

Practical classes are 2 hours long and held weekly during Years 1 and 2. They introduce the key features of carrying out ethical and systematic study in psychology with people as research participants, including planning and conducting a study, the analysis of qualitative and quantitative research data, and the professional reporting of study findings. Students are encouraged to work in groups as well as individually.

Seminar teaching includes tutor-led meetings in year 1, workshops in year 2 and special subject meetings in year 3.

Individual supervision is a feature of the final-year research project and other modules which encourage independent study.

Some modules include visits and placements as an element of the teaching.

Assessment is done principally through assignments (essays and practical reports), examinations (essay-type and multiple-choice), presentations (oral and poster-type), and a requirement to attend seminars and practical classes. Other forms of assessment include blogs, reflective diaries, placement reports, and group project reports.

Feedback is given in the form of numerical marks and detailed comments on essays and practical reports, and in individual and group meetings.

Learning support In addition to the personal support given to all students from their course tutors, a specialist learning support teaching fellow is available for individual advice and to run study skills sessions.

Programme specifications (new window)

Skills and Careers

The unique combination of skills that characterise the study of psychology are transferable across disciplines and into the world of work. These include skills in oral and written communication, the use of IT, numeracy and data analysis, team working, problem-solving, and skills in research methodology. We also intend that our course will prepare our graduates for, and stimulate their enthusiasm about pursuing continuing educational opportunities following graduation and indeed the course prepares our students to study Psychology at postgraduate level and to pursue professional training courses in an applied setting.

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