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PSY-40137 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 11 September 2026

PSY-40137 - Dissertation - conversion
Coordinator: David Walker Tel: +44 1782 7 34265
Lecture Time:
Level: Level 7
Credits: 60
Study Hours: 600
School Office: 01782 733736

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

The Dissertation module, which runs over Autumn, Spring and Summer semesters, offers the opportunity to put into practice all the scholarship and research methods skills you have developed over the programme. Successful completion of the Dissertation is one of the prerequisites for the degree to confer Graduate Basis for Chartership from the British Psychological Society, which is necessary to pursue any professional career in psychology. You will work with a supervisor from the School of Psychology with specialist knowledge in an area in which you wish to conduct research. You will plan your project with your supervisor, then you will conduct and write-up a piece of original empirical work. You will also construct a poster about you research project at the end of the first semester.

Aims
The aim of this module is to give students the opportunity to carry out and report an empirical investigation of a research topic of personal interest to the student.

Intended Learning Outcomes

design a piece of research that complies with BPS ethical requirements, and which is subsequently approved by the School of Psychology Student Project Ethics Committee: 1,2,4
select, locate and critically review a pertinent research literature to identify gaps in existing knowledge: 2,3,4
initiate and design an empirical study that tests the research hypotheses/questions identified: 2,4
develop a methodology and create/source appropriate materials to answer the research question: 4
identify and communicate key aspects of their project to an informed audience using visual and verbal presentation skills: 2,3
engage in the process of data collection, data coding, or data synthesis as relevant to the project and perform appropriate analysis on the data: 4
discuss the implications of the results and critically evaluate the quality of the research: 3,4
write up their project research following APA report writing conventions: 4
conduct themselves in a professional manner during their project (for example, record-keeping, contributing in meetings, engaging in planning/discussions, time-keeping, etc.): 5

Study hours

Schedule teaching and learning hours:
Supervision - 25 hours
Poster presentation - 1 hour
Skills workshops - 4 hours
Total = 30 hours
Independent study hours:
Including applying for ethical approval, preparing project poster, independent study, data collection and report preparation - 570 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Ethical Approval weighted 0%
Student Project Ethics Committee Approval
SPEC Assessment of students' Final Year Project research proposals. The School of Psychology SPEC applies the British Psychological Society Guidelines for ethical (human and other animal) research. Research ethics is a topic covered throughout course from the 1st year of study.

2: Poster weighted 5%
Project poster
This is part 1 of a 2-part assignment. Students submit A1 size posters describing and explaining their Final Year Psychology Research Projects. In part 2, students will answer questions about their poster in a mini-viva format. Students must complete both part 1 and part 2 in order to get a grade. Students cannot get a grade for part 1 without completing part 2

3: Viva weighted 5%
Project discussion
This is part 2 of a 2-part assignment. Students complete a 15 minute mini-viva style conversation around their project, supported with the poster (part 1), describing and explaining their Final Year Psychology Research Projects. These conversations are assessed by the students' Research Project supervisors and the allocated 2nd marker of the students' Final Year Psychology Research Reports. The conversation will be led by questions from the supervisor and 2nd marker, who will cover all elements of the project including background, aims/hypotheses/research questions, method, planned analyses, and other areas of interest, e.g. potential implications of the research. Students will be provided indicative questions to help prepare but informed staff may include their own questions as well to test all ranges of abilities. The conversation will take place within a two week period following the submission of the poster. Students must complete both part 1 and part 2 in order to get a grade. Students cannot complete part 2, if they don't complete part 1. Students cannot get a grade for part 1 if they don't do part 2.

4: Assignment weighted 80%
Research report
Research Report: Word length: 5,000 - 10,000 words depending on the standard for the research area. Quantitative projects are expected to be towards the lower end of the range, while qualitative projects are expected to be towards the upper end of the range.

5: Professional Development weighted 10%
Professional skills
Professional Skills: Marks are awarded to each student based on a range of professional skills that the student is able to demonstrate across the project. Skills include: organisation; independence; preparation; problem solving and communication skills. This will be graded using a rubric.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 11 September 2026