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MSc
Course runs over one academic year (September to July)
Access wide-ranging facilities at our multi-million pound Science Centre
Become eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership from the BPS
This conversion course is for students who wish to pursue a career in psychology but who have an undergraduate degree in another subject, or have a Psychology degree that isn’t accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Our Psychology MSc conversion course covers all core areas of psychology as defined by the BPS, and successful completion of the course will make you eligible to apply for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) from the BPS. You’ll also be able to choose a specialist option module.
You can complete the course in one academic year, between September and July, enabling you to apply for work or further study in the September following enrolment.
You’ll receive high levels of support from our staff, including our award-winning technicians, and will benefit from the lab facilities at our multi-million pound Science Centre, including:
Our staff research activity underpins the course delivery, with many modules reflecting their interests and expertise.
On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Psychology
The course is designed to cover the core areas of psychology equivalent to the British Psychological Society’s qualifying examination:
• Research design and methodology
• Practical work
• Cognitive psychology
• Biological bases of behaviour
• Developmental psychology
• Social psychology
• Personality and intelligence
The research design and methodology content includes both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative methods will involve statistical analysis and the use of SPSS software. The qualitative methods will consist of semi-structure interviews and thematic analysis.
Additionally, you can choose one option module at Level 6, allowing you to learn more about a specialist area within psychology.
Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for the purpose of eligibility to apply for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC)
Successful completion of the course will enable you to register with the British Psychological Society for Graduate Basis for Chartership, which is required for entry to professional applied psychology training courses.
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Join Senior Lecturer Nikki for a tour around our state-of-the-art psychology facilities.
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The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.
This module brings together theory and research methods, to explore how social psychological notions and individual differences are conceptualized. Content of the module will identify how the assumptions underpinning psychological theories shape the way research is conducted in order to investigate psychological phenomena. It will also look at how research results are understood and interpreted, and used, in their turn, to inform psychological theories. The module will examine how concepts such as social identities, attitudes, personality or intelligence, among others, are theorized and investigated, and how their understanding is informed by various forms of context, such as social, historical, economic, cultural and political. The module will give you practical experience of two types of research methods (e.g. psychometric assessments and thematic analysis) to see how they can be applied to the study of social psychological phenomena and individual differences.
Module code: PSYC70794
The module will provide you with an introduction to, and development of, a variety of research methods commonly used in the investigation of psychological phenomena. It will introduce research ethics, design, conduct, analysis, interpretation and reporting of empirical research in psychology.The module will introduce qualitative research methods such as interviewing, designing interview studies, coding of interview data, and thematic analyses. The module will also focus on introducing quantitative research methods used in psychological research. It will cover experimental and correlational designs, and the hypotheses associated with these designs. It will also cover how to conduct, interpret and report appropriate inferential statistical tests based on these designs. The importance of effect size and power will also be emphasised. Throughout, you will focus on the application of appropriate methods in order to address specific research questions. You will also develop your practical skills in the collection and reporting of psychological data as part of a group, and gain familiarity with statistical software.
Module code: PSYC70804
This module will allow you to develop a systematic understanding of theories, debates and research findings and to develop research skills in cognitive and biological psychology.Examples of aspects of cognition that will be covered are: attention, perception, memory, thinking and reasoning, and consciousness. Examples of aspects of the biological underpinnings of behaviour that will be covered are: learning and memory, motivation, emotion, and psychiatric disorders.
Module code: PSYC70791
The module will address the ethics, design, conduct, analysis, interpretation and reporting of empirical research in psychology. This will start by introducing designs which include one independent variable with at least three levels. The nature of the hypotheses which are associated with such a design will be explained. The method of conducting, interpreting and reporting the initial analysis will be explained. The types of follow-up analysis and how to analyse and report them will be covered. Designs including more than one independent variable will be explained, including how they extend the complexity of the research questions which can be dealt with. The initial analysis and necessary follow-up analysis will be covered along with the interpretation and reporting of such analysis
Module code: PSYC70820
This module takes a life-span perspective covering a range of typical and atypical developments (e.g., physical, biological, cognitive, social, emotional, health and clinical) within the following periods of development: pre-natal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older people. Each lecture will consider atypical variants to typical patterns, with exception of childhood onset disorders that will focus on the atypical. Furthermore, historical and conceptual issues relating to development will be addressed.
Module code: PSYC70805
The Psychological Interventions module explores with students some of the main approaches to interventions designed to help people cope with psychological difficulties. This module will build on a critical approach to research evidence which is at the forefront of knowledge in this field. You will be expected to engage in critical discussion and debate. Included in the module content are developments in:-Cognitive-behavioural therapies -Positive psychology interventions -Counselling traditions such as integrative, psychodynamic/systemic and person-centred approaches-Self help groups-Health Psychology interventionsResearch methodology particularly pertinent to psychological interventions, such as single case designs, will be reviewed.
Module code: PSYC60648
This module provides you with an overview of the core issues and debates within health psychology theory, research and application. As well as covering different models and theories of health behaviour, sessions may include topics such as long-term conditions, communication issues and applications of health psychology, for example, behaviour change and health promotion. Topics such as health across the lifespan and critical health psychology may also be included.
Module code: PSYC60792
The module will consider a number of contemporary socio-political issues at national and global level and will evaluate the contribution of psychological theories, research and practice towards addressing and influencing such issues, including those of oppression and empowerment in society. The areas/issues may vary from year to year, according to socio-political developments, but will include mental health, poverty, gender/sexuality, war, politics and law, in a variety of contexts such as the workplace, media, education, welfare, or health. The module will address issues of representation, theorisation and research in psychological applications to these areas and will evaluate the ethical and professional consequences and implications thereof, as well the impact of these challenges on professional and discipline development in psychology.
Module code: PSYC60789
The module examines children's making and understanding of pictures, as well as relating the research findings to more general developmental, cognitive, clinical, aesthetic, educational and cross-cultural issues in child development. Examples:Development: The developmental pattern of children's drawings of realism and expression, and factors that explain such developments.Cognitive: The relationship between production and comprehension, understanding the dual nature of pictures, drawings as measures on internal representations, drawings as memory aids.Clinical: Can drawings be used to assess maladjustment?Aesthetic: Children's expressive drawings and their understanding of expression in drawings and art.Culture and Education: Differences in drawings and art teaching programmes across cultures.
Module code: PSYC60652
In this module you will be introduced to the theory and strategies relevant to producing a piece of empirical research in psychology. Teaching sessions will include: strategies for choosing an appropriate research area; processes for the identification of appropriate literature; development of research questions; designing research; planning and timetabling research projects; pilot work; and ethical issues in psychology research. By the end of the module you will have developed the appropriate skills and capabilities to collect and analyse data relevant to psychology and will have designed and completed an empirical, data driven study.
Module code: PSYC70795
You’ll normally need:
or
If your first language is not English, you must have achieved Level 7 overall and no lower than 6.5 in all components of IELTS (or equivalent).
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Simulation equipment is available throughout the psychology laboratory areas and as stand-alone resources for facilitating research and teaching.
The Psychology Human Sciences Suite has an impressive array of laboratory equipment which includes the Electroencephalography (EEG) Laboratory, the Pain Laboratory, and the Cardiovascular Laboratory.
The Psychology Eye Tracking Cubicles house desktop and portable eye trackers that allow us to track participants’ visual attention during psychology experiments.
The Psychology Cognitive Cubicles are a set of small cubicles used to run Psychology based tests on individual participants using specialist software.
The Observation Suite contains an Observation Laboratory setup with a one-way mirror, video cameras and microphones to allow activities to be observed and recorded from the Control Room.
The counselling suite contains four cubicles for practising counselling skills or conducting interviews with participants, and a base room for teaching and peer observation of counselling sessions.
Simulation equipment is available throughout the psychology laboratory areas and available as stand-alone resources for facilitating research and teaching applications.
Find out more about our simulation facilities.
Find our more about our Human Sciences Suite.
Find out more about our eye tracking cubicles.
Find out more about our Psychology Cognitive Suite.
Find out more about our Psychology Observation Suite.
Find out more about our Counselling Suite.
After completing this course you’ll be eligible for postgraduate and/or training to become a qualified psychologist.
Psychologists can be employed to serve educational establishments at all levels, from primary school to university; or within the NHS, including Primary Care Trusts. Some psychologists work in prisons and some in clinical settings.
We’ll provide further information about careers in psychology as you progress through the course. More information is available on the British Psychological Society website.
All students have access to Career Connect, our dedicated careers team.
We want you to be responsible, reflective and progressive learners. Our teaching and learning methods encourage you, as you move through your studies, to become more evaluative and more independent in your learning.
We recognise that not all people learn in the same way, so we use a range of different methods including group work, individual work, lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes and workshops. We combine more innovative methods (e.g. problem-based learning) with traditional methods (e.g. lectures).
All psychology modules have explicit learning outcomes, and each is supported through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard. This allows you to access a range of materials via the internet to support your scheduled classes.
Most of the course will be taught alongside undergraduate psychology students, but you’ll also have small group sessions as an MSc group which will focus upon Masters-level skills, and dissertation preparation. Your dissertation supervisor will support you individually through your research project.
Forms of assessment include essays and seen or unseen examinations. All 30-credit modules which run across two semesters have an assessment at the end of each semester.
Depending on your option choice you may also be required to do case-study analyses, short-answer study packs or submit material online. These use enquiry-based learning, and you’ll be guided through them by your tutors.
In line with other BPS-accredited postgraduate courses, there are specific assessment regulations:
Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:
If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.
We know that it’s important for you to be able to gauge your progress. So, your tutor will give you feedback on any practice assessments you do.
We usually give you feedback on formal assessments within 20 working days, but the format will vary for each module.
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Your study time will include scheduled classes, independent learning and assessments. It will vary depending on your module choices.
As well as timetabled sessions, we know it’s important for you to discover things on your own terms. This could involve:
• Reading journals, articles and books
• Working on projects, alone or in a group
• Researching in the library
• Preparing coursework
• Getting ready for exams
We’ve invested in state-of-the-art facilities to help you make the most of your private study time. Whether you need a library, a computer, or a lab, you’ll find it at Staffordshire University.
You'll be taught by staff who have a range of academic and industry experience.
Senior Lecturer
My interests are broadly in the area of attention and memory. I'm particularly interested in how human emotion influences attention and memory performance.
Romina's research interests are focussed on symbolic development as it relates to pictures and occupational gender stereotypes.
If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.
If you've previously completed a Staffordshire University undergraduate degree (excluding HND and foundation degrees) you may be entitled to a discount of up to 25% off your course fees for any subsequent postgraduate taught course (terms apply, see the alumni discount page for details). If you have any questions about how this relates to you, please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.
If you have previously completed an undergraduate degree with us, you may be entitled to an alumni discount off your course fee for any subsequent postgraduate taught course. For further information please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation
Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £11,570 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning.
For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.
Applications are not currently available for this course.
If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.
Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.
StudentCrowd University Awards 2022
Complete University Guide 2022
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023
Research Excellence Framework 2021
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