Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

• To provide students with the opportunity to study psychology from a social perspective in the multidisciplinary context of a Social Sciences Department in a way that fosters critical evaluation of psychological theory and research, the relations between psychology and its cognate disciplines, both academically and in its real-life application.
• To provide an intellectually stimulating environment in which students develop systematic and scientific understandings of key and cutting-edge aspects of psychology in a social psychological context, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge of mind, brain, behaviour, and experience, and of the complex interactions between these.
• To enable students to devise and sustain arguments and solve problems throughout their development of a conceptually and empirically grounded understanding of social psychology and core psychological topics, and be able to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to different types of audiences.
• To develop students’ ability to critically evaluate arguments, assumptions and abstract concepts, understand of the role of empirical evidence in the creation and testing of theory and appreciate the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.
• To enable students to deploy accurately established techniques of  quantitative and qualitative research techniques and methods for investigating experience and behaviour culminating in an ability to conduct research independently.
• To enable students to manage their own learning, exercise initiative and responsibility, use scholarly materials and primary sources, which maximises students’ opportunities to graduate with the abilities needed to undertake further training and enhance their employability.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• The QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Psychology.
• Requirements of the British Psychological Society which undertakes regular two-yearly ongoing monitoring and a full Review once every five years, including their curriculum.
• Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2008)
• University Learning and Teaching Strategy
• External Examiners’ Reports for BSc Social Psychology 

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

The Social Psychology degree teaches the broad range of psychology, but necessarily emphasises the social psychological base of the discipline.  In keeping with the British Psychological Society requirements for accreditation, students develop knowledge and understanding of psychological topics in the areas listed below, assessed separately at Level I or H as defined by the QAA Framework for HE Qualifications. On successful completion of this programme, students will therefore be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

1. Social psychology: e.g., social cognition, attribution, attitudes, group processes and intergroup relations, close relationships and social constructionism.
2. Cognitive psychology: e.g., perception, learning, memory, thinking, language, consciousness and cognitive neuropsychology.
3. Individual differences and personality: e.g., abnormal and normal personality, psychological testing, intelligence, cognitive style, emotion, motivation and mood.
4. Developmental psychology: e.g., childhood, adolescence and life-span development, development of attachment, social relations, cognitive and language development, social and cultural contexts of development.
5. Biological psychology: e.g., biological bases of behaviour, hormones and behaviour, behavioural genetics, neuropsychology, sociobiology and evolutionary psychology.
6. Conceptual and historical issues in psychology: e.g., the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline, its historical origins, development and limitations.
7. Research design, including qualitative and quantitative methods, the nature and appropriate statistical analysis of data, psychometrics and measurement techniques, an empirical project.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students are able to:

• Apply multiple perspectives to psychological issues, recognising that psychology involves a range of research methods, theories, evidence and applications.
• Reason scientifically and integrate ideas and findings across psychology and recognise distinctive psychological approaches to relevant issues.
• Critically analyse methods and theory in psychology and demonstrate the relationship between theory and evidence.
• Apply psychological theory and research methods of psychology to problems in everyday life and social institutions.
• Identify and evaluate general patterns in behaviour, psychological functioning and experience.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to

• Generate and explore hypotheses and research questions.
• Carry out empirical studies involving a variety of methods of data collection, including experiments, observation, psychometric tests, questionnaires, interviews and field studies.
• Analyse data using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Present and evaluate research findings.
• Employ evidence-based reasoning and examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues associated with the use of different methodologies, paradigms and methods of analysis in psychology.
• Use a variety of psychological tools, including specialist software, laboratory equipment and psychometric instruments.
• Carry out an extensive piece of independent empirical research, including defining a research problem; formulating testable hypotheses/research questions; choosing appropriate methodologies; planning and carrying out a study efficiently; demonstrating awareness of ethical issues and current codes of ethics and conduct; obtaining the appropriate ethical approval for their research; demonstrating ability to reason about the data and present the findings effectively; discussing findings in terms of previous research; evaluating methodologies and analyses employed and implications for ethics; and, where appropriate.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

1. Communicate effectively through written, oral and visual means, and be able to develop a cogent argument supported by relevant evidence, sensitive to the needs and expectations of an audience.
2. Comprehend and use numerical, statistical and other forms of data effectively.
3. Be computer literate, retrieve and organise information effectively, and handle primary source material critically.
4. Problem solve and reason scientifically, identify and pose research questions, to consider alternative approaches to their solutions and to evaluate outcomes.
5. Make critical judgements and evaluation, be able to take different perspectives on issues and problems, to evaluate them in a critical, sceptical manner to arrive at supported conclusions.
6. Be sensitive to contextual and interpersonal factors that shape behaviour and social interaction including understanding interpersonal conflict and the importance of enhancing cooperation to maximise the effectiveness of individual skills as shown in group work and team building.
7. Be independent and pragmatic as learners, taking responsibility for their own learning and skill development.

4. Programme structure

Important Note: No module may be taken and passed more than once. Module availability is subject to timetabling constraints. 

Teaching Assistantships and Placements - Candidates following the Diploma in International Studies (DIntS) route are required to spend the third academic year (Part I) undertaking an approved Teaching Assistantship either at a school or other approved placement in a French, German or Spanish speaking country in accordance with Senate Regulation XI. It should be noted that students undertaking a Teaching Assistantship should have a minimum of AS level in the appropriate language, or its equivalent.  The equivalent level in the University Wide Language Programme is level 4.

Alternatively students may undertake a programme of industrial training leading to the award of the Diploma in Industrial Studies (DIS) or a programme of professional training leading to the Diploma of Professional Studies (DPS) in the UK or abroad in accordance with Senate Regulation XI.

Registration on the DIntS, DIS and DPS routes is subject to Departmental approval and satisfactory performance during Parts A and B.

PROGRAMME - BSc SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (SSUB02)

4.1     Part A - Introductory Modules

COMPULSORY MODULES (total modular weight 80)

OPTIONAL MODULES (total modular weight 40)

Candidates must choose at least one Social Sciences option per Semester, and four options in total.

Students may choose modules in the semester weight ratio of 50:70, 60:60 or 70:50. 

Other modules in the University’s Module Catalogue approved by the Department for inclusion in the programme, including language modules in French, German, Spanish and Mandarin.

4.2     Part B - Degree Modules

COMPULSORY MODULES (total modular weight 120)

4.3     Part I

One of the following:

4.4     Part C - Degree Modules

COMPULSORY MODULES (total modular weight 60)

OPTIONAL MODULES (total modular weight 60)

Candidates must choose three 20 wgt modules from the Departmental Options List.

The selection will be offered from the following list, plus language modules:

Note that students may choose semester weighting ratios as follows:  50:70, 60:60, 70:50.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to C, and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX.

Subject to the provisions of Regulation XX, candidates who have the right of reassessment in any Part of the programme may opt to undergo reassessment in the University’s Special Assessment Period, subject to SAP restrictions on SSA107, SSA108, SSB103, SSB104, SSB105 and SSB106.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Candidates' final degree classification will be determined on the basis of their performance in degree level Module Assessments in Parts B and C. The percentage mark for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 40% : Part C 60% to determine the final programme percentage mark.