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PSY-40169 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

PSY-40169 - Applied Research Dissertation
Coordinator: Chris Street Tel: +44 1782 7 33386
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 60
Study Hours: 600
School Office: 01782 733736

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This module is the culmination of your Masters programme of study and enables you to apply the skills gained across the programme to an empirical study in an area of psychology within your programme's discipline. You will have the opportunity to work closely under the supervision of an academic member of staff on designing, conducting, analysing and reporting their research in a dissertation.

Aims
To enable students to design, carry out and report an empirical study in psychology, applying appropriate design skills with content knowledge developed from appropriate content modules, and analytic skills developed in data analysis modules in order to present, interpret, and discuss findings.
To enable students to construct and submit an application for the ethical approval of a research plan.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Apply contemporary psychological theory and knowledge acquired in other modules of the course to the empirical investigation of a specific research question or hypothesis: 2,4
Consider appropriate approaches to research and be able to design and conduct independent research in psychology: 2,3,4
Complete a major piece of independent research from design through to final report: 2,3
Present their work in written form according to APA standards: 2,4
Apply the BPS Ethical Code of Conduct to secure ethical approval for conducting research by a relevant Keele University Ethics Committee (e.g., School of Psychology Ethics Committee) for any research planned with humans or other animals: 1,2

Study hours

Synchronous study:
- One-to-one supervision: 16 hours
- Module introduction: 2 hour
- BPS Ethics taught content: 2 hours
- HCPC Conduct and ethics taught content: 2 hours
- Academic Conduct and Integrity taught content: 2 hours
- Ethical and Appropriate Use of Generative AI taught content: 2 hours
- Conducting and Organising a Literature Review: 2-hours
- Evaluative Reasoning: Critical Literature Reviewing: 2-hours

Independent study hours:
- Preparing for supervision: 16 hours
- Preparing the application for research ethics approval: 6 hours
- Time spent working independently on literature reviewing and designing, implementing, analysing and writing dissertation: 548 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Research Proposal weighted 0%
Ethical Approval
Submission and successful outcome of application for ethical approval of research plan that involves humans and/or other animals.

2: Dissertation weighted 80%
10-15,000 word dissertation
Students write between 10,000 to 15,000 word dissertation reporting their empirical research in an area of psychology aligned with their programme of study. This will include an abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, and reference list presented in APA format.

3: Professional Development weighted 10%
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. Students will not be required to make a formal submission. There will be an opportunity early in the student's dissertation studies to gain formative feedback on this assessment to understand how they are currently performing and how they can improve in preparation for the summative assessment.

4: Poster weighted 10%
Poster and Q&A
You will produce a research poster (A1 size) and deliver a short verbal presentation (5-minutes) of your poster at the MSc Student Conference based on your Applied Research Dissertation. The poster will summarise key elements of the project, including the research question(s), theoretical framework, methodology, key findings (or anticipated outcomes), and implications for practice. Posters must be clearly structured, professionally presented, and appropriately referenced, making use of visual elements (e.g., tables, charts, diagrams) where relevant to aid clarity and impact. Posters should demonstrate clarity, critical insight, and the ability to communicate research to an academic audience. Following the presentation, students will participate in a Q&A session (approximately 10–minutes) with academic staff. This will assess the student’s ability to articulate and defend their research decisions, demonstrate critical engagement with theory and evidence, and reflect on methodological, ethical, and practical aspects of the research process. Students will be provided with indicative questions in advance to support their preparation. However, staff may also ask additional questions to explore specific aspects of the project in more depth.

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: 04 December 2025