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Programme Specifications

Programme Specification

BSc (Hons) Psychology (2016 to 2020 entry)

Academic Year: 2020/21

This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning opportunities that are provided.

This specification applies to delivery of the programme in the Academic Year indicated above. Prospective students reviewing this information for a later year of study should be aware that these details are subject to change as outlined in our Terms and Conditions of Study.

This specification should be read in conjunction with:

  • Summary
  • Aims
  • Learning outcomes
  • Structure
  • Progression & weighting

Programme summary

Awarding body/institution Loughborough University
Teaching institution (if different)
Owning school/department School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body

British Psychological Society (BPS), for Graduate Membership of the Society (GM) and Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC). 

Final award BSc/BSc+DIntS/BSc+DPS
Programme title BSc (Hons) Psychology
Programme code PSUB13
Length of programme BSc – 3 years full-time
BSc with placement – 4 years full-time
UCAS code C800, C801
Admissions criteria

BSc (Hons) - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/c800 

BSc (Hons) DPS/DIntS - http://www.lboro.ac.uk/c801

Date at which the programme specification was published Fri, 25 Sep 2020 12:13:13 BST

1. Programme Aims

The overarching aim of the BSc Psychology programme is to provide a comprehensive and coherent understanding of key and cutting-edge aspects of psychological science.

Within this general aim, curriculum content reflects the need to meet the programme standards for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and:

  • equip students with intellectual, practical and transferable skills for careers in which psychology provides a relevant foundation;
  • develop a range of research skills for investigating experience and behaviour, culminating in the deployment of these skills in the conduct and reporting of an independent piece of research;
  • foster a constructive, critical approach to the evaluation of psychological theory and research, and to relations between psychology and its cognate disciplines in both academic and applied settings;
  • enable students to develop and sustain arguments and solve problems through a conceptually and empirically grounded understanding of psychological topics, and to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to different audiences; and
  • promote and provide a multi-disciplinary educational experience.

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

  • British Psychological Society GBC curriculum
  • Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
  • The subject benchmark statement for Psychology

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of these programmes, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas.

 

  K1

Social psychology: e.g. social cognition, attribution, attitudes, group processes and intergroup relations, close relationships and social constructionism.

  K2

Cognitive psychology: e.g. perception, learning, memory, thinking, language, consciousness and cognitive neuropsychology.

  K3

Individual differences and personality: e.g. abnormal and normal personality, psychological testing, intelligence, cognitive style, emotion, motivation and mood.

  K4

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.

  K5

Biological psychology: e.g. biological bases of behaviour, hormones and behaviour, behavioural genetics, neuropsychology, socio-biology and evolutionary psychology.

  K6

Conceptual and historical issues in psychology: e.g. the scientific underpinnings of psychology as a discipline, its historical origins, development and limitations.

  K7

Research design, including qualitative and quantitative methods, the nature and appropriate statistical analysis of data, psychometrics and measurement techniques, an empirical project.

  K8

The major career pathways along which psychological skills can be professionally developed (including clinical, counselling, health, educational, industrial/organisational, and academic psychology).

  K9 The role of psychology in researching, defining and promoting both physical and mental health and wellbeing.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of these programmes, students should be able to:

  C1

Demonstrate evidence-based scientific reasoning and make critical judgements about arguments and primary source material in psychology.

  C2

Apply multiple perspectives to psychological issues, recognising that psychology involves a range of research methods, theories, evidence and applications.

  C3

Search for similarities and general principles in order to detect and evaluate meaningful patterns in behaviour, psychological functioning, and experience.

  C4

Recognise the continuous significance and importance for psychology of contextual, interpersonal and cultural influences, and appreciate the complexities their recognition raises.

  C5

Examine practical, theoretical and ethical issues associated with the use of different methods, paradigms, analytic techniques and applications in psychology.

  C6

Critically analyse methods and theory in psychology and demonstrate the relationship between theory and evidence.

  C7

Construct psychological, psychosocial and neuropsychological hypotheses to account for a range of normal and challenging human behaviours.

  C8 Apply evidence-based principles to the development of policy and practice in a range of applied professional settings.
b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of these programmes, students should be able to:

  P1

Observe, record and give a systematic account of human behaviour in a range of settings.

  P2

Make effective use of a variety of methods of data collection, including experiments, observation, psychometric tests, questionnaires, interviews and field studies.

  P3

Analyse data using both quantitative and qualitative psychological methods.

  P4

Present and evaluate psychological research findings.

  P5

Use a variety of specialist software packages, laboratory and psychometric instruments, and digital data gathering platforms.

  P6

Deploy effective listening skills and communicate psychological concepts, methods, and findings effectively in speech and writing.

  P7

Apply ethical considerations to psychological research and professional practice.

  P8

Conduct and report an empirically-based research project under appropriate supervision, demonstrating appropriate levels of personal planning and project management.

  P9

Design an empirical investigation to test a specific theory in relation to, or to identify attributes indicative of normal and pathological psychological states.

  P10 Use and critique a range of laboratory based and ambulatory technologies which capture and quantify aspects of human behaviour.
c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of these programmes, students should be able to:

  T1

Generate, organise, analyse and interpret qualitative, numerical, statistical and other forms of data effectively.

  T2

Demonstrate computer literacy with respect to relevant and widely used word-processing, database and analytic software packages and resources.

  T3

Use electronic and other resources to search for, identify and organise information in library books, journals, and appropriate online sources.

  T4

Work independently and in groups to solve problems, find alternative solutions, reach common goals and evaluate outcomes.

  T5

Deploy critical judgements and evaluations to arrive at supported conclusions.

  T6

Communicate effectively to a range of audiences using a range of media.

  T7

Learn independently and pragmatically and take responsibility for their own learning and skill development.

  T8

Recognise the value of building on experience, appropriately testing new ideas, and reviewing evidence.

  T9 Apply the practical rigour and intellectual critique required for behavioural experimental methods to a range of applied personal and professional challenges.

4. Programme structure

Candidates must take a total modular weight of 120 credits in each Part with a minimum modular weight of 50 in each semester, taking into account both compulsory and optional modules.  Individual modules taught and assessed over both semesters with a modular weight of 10 may count against either semester 1 or semester 2, depending on the balance of other modular weights between semesters.  Where the modular weight of a module taught and assessed over both semesters is 20 or 40, this shall be split equally between semesters.

4.1a    Part A – Compulsory Introductory Modules:

Code

Module Title

Modular Weight

Semester

PSA500

Foundations in Developmental and Social Psychology

20

1

PSA510

Foundations in Qualitative Research Methods

10

1

PSA503

Foundations in Quantitative Research Methods

10

1

PSA505

Academic & Professional Skills for Psychology

10

1

PSA501

Historical and Conceptual Issues in Psychology

10

2

PSA509

Foundations in Cognitive Psychology

10

2

PSA511

Psychology Practicals A

10

2

PSA502

Foundations in Biological Psychology

10

2

PSA302

Professions in Psychology

10

2

 

4.1b     Part A – Optional Introductory Modules:

20 credits from optional modules listed in the table below:

Code

Module Title

Modular Weight

Semester

PSA301

Introductory Neuroscience

10

1

CXA156

Self and Identity

10

1

SSA155

Social Psychology and Relationships

10

2

BSA702

Introduction to Work Psychology

10

2

PSA026

Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology

20

2

CXA160

Language in Society

10

2

 

4.2a    Part B – Compulsory Degree Modules:

Code

Module Title

Modular Weight

Semester

PSB510

Personality and Individual Differences

10

1

PSB513

Human Cognition

10

1

PSB508

Developmental and Social Psychology

20

1

PSB514

Brain and Behaviour I

10

2

PSB511

Quantitative Research Methods

10

2

PSB512

Psychology Practicals B

10

2

PSB509

Qualitative Research Methods

10

2

 

4.2b    Part B – Optional Degree Modules all subject to confirmation, availability and having taken appropriate pre-requisite modules. 

40 credits from optional modules listed in the table below and may include 10-credits from the University-wide Language Programme:

Code

Module Title

Modular Weight

Semester

BSB711

Psychological Approaches to Human Resource Management 10 1
CXB128 Political Psychology 10 1
CXB165 Social Psychology and Communication 10 1
BSB710 Leading and Developing Others 10 2
CXB175 Psychological Disorders in Society 10 2
CXB164 Studying Social Interaction 10 2
PSB732 Current themes in Sport and Exercise Psychology 20 2
  A module from the University-Wide Language Programme, subject to approval by Programme Director 10 1 or 2

 

4.3       Part I (4-year/8-semester programme only)

Candidates pursue ONE of the following streams:

(i)        Placement Stream (DPS)

Candidates will undertake an appropriate psychology-related placement.

(ii)       Study Abroad Stream (DIntS) where applicable

Candidates will study at an approved academic institution overseas.

 

4.4a    Part C – Compulsory Degree Modules, choose one of the following project modules (selection subject to having taken appropriate pre-requisite modules)

Code

Module Title

Modular Weight

Semester

PSC300

Project 

40

1&2

 

4.4b    Part C - Optional Degree Modules all subject to confirmation, availability and having taken appropriate pre-requisite modules. 

80 credits from optional modules listed in the table below and may include 10-credits from the University-wide Language Programme:

Code

Module Title

Modular Weight

Semester

 PSC033

Psychology of Coaching and Physical Education

10 

 PSC301

Advanced Experimental and Qualitative Design & Analysis 

20 

 PSC319 Psychology of Eating Behaviour  20 
 PSC321 Psychology of Workplace Health  20 
 CXC130 Social Psychology of Everyday Life  20 
 CXC171 Advanced Social Psychology  10 
 SSC020 Race and Racism in Modern Society 20 
 SSC024 Gender, Sex and Society  20 
MAC103 Learning in Early Childhood 20 1
 BSC720 Behavioural Decision Science  10 
 BSC722 Consumer Behaviour  10 
 PSC036 Applied Exercise Psychology  10 
 PSC311 Clinical Psychology  20 
 PSC320 Parenting and Socialisation  20 
 CXC173 Language Culture and Mind  10 
MAC203 Educational Neuroscience 20 2
  A module from the University-Wide Language Programme, subject to approval by Programme Director 10  1 or 2 

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

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

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 percentage mark.

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