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PSY-40187 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

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

PSY-40187 - Advanced Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Theory and Techniques
Coordinator: Joseph Brooks Room: N/A Tel: +44 1782 7 32963
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
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 will develop your theoretical knowledge and practical skills with contemporary methods and in cognitive psychology and cognitive
neuroscience. This will includes approaches such as neuroimaging, eyetracking, brain stimulation, and more. It prepares you to design, conduct, and critically appraise research using these methods. The module covers the theoretical background of the methods and, for several methods, you will gain hands-on experience with data collection, data analysis, and use of specialist software and equipment. The module will emphasise a framework which will allow you to understand existing theories and methods and follow emerging trends going forward.

Aims
This module will develop students' knowledge and practical skills related to advanced theoretical and methdological approaches in cognitive
psychology and cognition neuroscience. This includes behavioural, neuroimaging, computational approaches, interventions (e.g., brain
stimulation), and neuropsychological approaches (e.g., patients). Students will develop an advanced understanding of the advantages and
disadvantages of each approach as well as a detailed practical knowledge of how to use technical tools and software to collect and analyse data
from each approach. This will enable students to develop an appropriate research proposal designed to answer a specific research question in
the domains of cognitive psychology and/or cognitive neuroscience.

Intended Learning Outcomes

develop a research proposal using appropriate methods to address a research question within cognitive psychology and/or
cognitive neuroscience: 2
critically assess advantages and disadvantages of a range of contemporary methods in cognitive psychology and cognitive
neuroscience
: 1,2
use software tools for experiment control and/or data analysis within cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience: 1

Study hours

ACTIVE LEARNING HOURS: 60 hours to include:
- Scheduled Teaching Sessions: 48 Hours of interactive teaching, discussion, laboratory demonstrations, and practicals
- 12 hours of asynchronous content (approximately 60 minutes per week) to include introductory background lecture recordings, supplemental
detail videos, background readings/exercises, discussion forum activity.
INDEPENDENT STUDY: 240 hours to include:
- 120 hours of wider background reading and engagement with module materials
- 60 hours of practical skills assessment preparation
- 60 hours of research proposal writing

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Exercise weighted 40%
Practical Skills Assessment
Students will be given a description of an experimental protocol and/or cognitive neuroscience data (e..g., EEG data) and they will need to use specialist equipment or software tools to produce either an experimental programme to run the experiment and/or produce an analysis of data. The student will submit (via KLE) a 1500 word report which includes details of the the experimental programme and/or data analysis and any relevant plots of results as requested in the assessment brief. The completed assignment will be submitted via the KLE. Marking will assess the degree to which students accurately complete the experimental or analysis components and clearly summarise this in their report.

2: Research Proposal weighted 60%
2500 Word Research Proposal
Students will independently prepare a 2500 word research proposal that uses at least one of the methodological and theoretical methods covered in the module to address a research question of interest to the student. The proposal will require them to consider practical considerations of the method(s) appropriateness of methods, previous research using the method, and how to evaluate data from the method(s). This will be written concisely to prepare students to communicate effectively within word limits that are often imposed on proposals in academia and industry.

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