Psychology (Conversion) Distance Learning

Module details: This module helps you develop and execute an independent research project or industry-focused study, culminating in a dissertation. You’ll gain expertise in research design, ethics, qualitative and quantitative methods, and data analysis. The structured teaching ensures mastery of research methods, critical data analysis, ethical adherence, and effective communication of research plans and findings. By the end, you’ll demonstrate competence in conducting rigorous, ethical, and impactful psychological research using primary data.

How you’ll learn: Recorded lectures introduce key research concepts, philosophies, and methods, while live seminars offer experiential learning through practical tasks, supported by asynchronous digital content and dedicated supervision throughout both terms.

Assessment: The assessment includes an Ethics Task outlining the research plan and ethical considerations, and a research dissertation demonstrating research design, execution, and evaluation. Formative assessments involve peer feedback on an anonymised Ethics Task draft and group-level staff feedback, helping students refine their approach. Additionally, each student receives supervisor feedback on a dissertation draft to assess progress, identify areas for refinement, and guide further development.

Module details: This module introduces key historical and conceptual issues in psychology, from its scientific beginnings to modern applied topics, integrating foundational knowledge with personal and professional development. You will critically examine psychology’s evolution, assessing its impact on contemporary research and methodologies. Through case studies in individual differences, social, and health psychology, you will explore theoretical, methodological, and ethical dimensions. Emphasising evidence-based practice, the module fosters critical evaluation, ethical conduct, and professional identity, equipping you with essential skills for diverse psychology careers.

How you’ll learn: Recorded lectures cover historical paradigms, ethics, practice, and individual differences, while live seminars focus on applying theories through experiential learning, supported by asynchronous digital content.

Assessment: Assessment includes an audio presentation on either power and obedience in psychological paradigms or the ethical implications of psychometric testing, and a critical review with a reflective conclusion. Formative assessment involves seminar discussions with peer and tutor feedback.

Module details: This module explores the biological and cognitive processes underlying perception, cognition, and behaviour. It examines how the brain, nervous system, and physiological systems influence mental functioning and experience. Cognitive topics include perception, attention, memory, and language. By integrating these areas, the module provides a systematic understanding of how diverse populations interpret the world. You will develop critical skills to engage with research findings and theoretical perspectives in biological and cognitive psychology, enhancing your analytical and evaluative abilities.

How you’ll learn: Recorded lectures cover key theories and research on perception, attention, emotion, motor functions and memory, while live seminars provide experiential learning through discussions, debates, and practical applications, supported by digital learning materials.

Assessment: Assessment includes a group presentation on cognitive processes, with individual contribution statements, and a blog post on perception and cognition in neurodiverse populations, following ethical AI guidelines.

Module details: This module explores key psychological subfields in relationships and identities, focusing on how individuals interact with the social world. It examines their development, research, practical implications, and potential interventions. Identity and social development are central to psychology, offering students essential theoretical and research-based knowledge. By critically evaluating research and applying insights to practice, students develop transferable skills for further study or professional settings. The module fosters analytical thinking and practical understanding of identity and social relationships in psychology.

How you’ll learn: Recorded lectures will cover key theories, research, and recent studies on identity, relationships and the social world, development of the self and identity, attitudes and social cognition, while live seminars offer experiential learning through discussions, debates, and practical applications, supported by asynchronous digital resources, including videos, linked materials, or exercises.

Assessment: This module is assessed through an infographic summarising theory and research on a social development topic and a qualitative lab report focused on self and identity.

Module details: This module focuses on key research methods, with an emphasis on quantitative approaches. It offers experiential learning through practical applications like data collection and analysis.

How you’ll learn: Recorded lectures will cover key research methods focusing on quantitative approaches, while live seminars provide experiential learning through practical applications like data collection and analysis. Additionally, there will be asynchronous digital support, including recorded materials and online forums.

Assessment: Assessment includes a quantitative lab report on data collection and analysis, and a group poster presenting a qualitative research proposal, covering research paradigms and methods. Formative assessment involves class discussions on research paradigms with peer and tutor feedback linked to the summative assessments.

Module details: This module focuses on mental health, encouraging critical thinking about current conceptualisations of mental health and ill-health, as well as issues related to diagnosis and treatment. You will explore factors affecting individual and societal experiences of mental ill-health, covering biopsychosocial perspectives on the causes and maintenance of common disorders. The module aims to develop mental health literacy through the critical evaluation of various perspectives while enhancing practical research skills, including assessing the effectiveness of different treatments.

How you’ll learn: Recorded lectures will cover models, theories, and frameworks in mental health through research-informed learning including the history of mental illness and its treatment, classifying psychiatric disorders, disordered eating and substance abuse while live seminars offer experiential activities such as practical skills, debates, and applied cases, with asynchronous digital support, including online testing, learning journals, reflection, and short talks.

Assessment: This module is assessed through a Digital Information Pack on a psychopathological condition, aimed at service users or carers, and a Case Study essay analysing a real-life case, focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Formative assessment involves group work critiquing clinical trial designs, with peer and tutor feedback aligned to the summative assessments.