MSc Psychology (Conversion)

The MSc Psychology (Conversion) course is delivered entirely online. A part-time study option will be available from September 2022, and a full-time route will commence in September 2023.

A total of 180 credits will be studied across 6 20-credit modules and a 60-credit dissertation.

• Contexts and Debates (20 credits)
  This module will explore the scientific basis of psychology as well as major theoretical perspectives and historical paradigms. Students will study the contextual factors impacting stability and consistency in psychological functioning including personality, cognitive style, intelligence, physical and mental health and mood. These perspectives will be applied to key political and ethical issues in psychology, the challenges of addressing diverse groups within psychological practice and contemporary applied issues.

• Psychological Investigation in Practice (20 credits)
  This module will address different forms of research design and analysis, with a focus on preparing students for a range of research challenges that they might face in applied settings. A range of statistical tests will be covered, with students having the opportunity to practice these and understand their underpinning assumptions. A key theme of this module is being able to select and critically appraise the suitability of different quantitative research methods and forms of analyses for particular circumstances, including the ethical and practical considerations of doing research.

• Applied Social Psychology (20 credits)
  This module will address core topics in social psychology including the self and identity, social cognition, attribution, attitudes and attitude change, close relationships and intergroup relations. Students will be encouraged to consider social behaviour at three different levels of analysis – individual, interpersonal and intergroup – and the interrelationships between these levels. Students will also be invited to generate solutions to applied problems that may occur within education, business, health, criminal justice or environmental contexts.

• Lifespan Development in Context (20 credits)
  This module will address core topics in developmental psychology including cognitive, social and emotional development across the lifespan (from early childhood to ageing). Students will be encouraged to critically appraise the concept of “typical” compared to atypical development; including how this is defined and assessed. Finally, students will critically assess the impact of contextual factors such as mental and physical health, poverty, economic disadvantage and cultural factors on development. Challenges of working with diverse individuals at different points in the life course will form part of the discussions in online seminars and students will be encouraged to formulate evidence-based solutions to meet these challenges.

• Brain and Cognition (20 credits)
  This module will address core topics in biological and cognitive psychology including sensation and perception, learning and memory, language and communication, thinking and problem solving. Students will be encouraged to critically appraise the relationship between brain structure and cognitive function and also to critically assess the effects of individual differences in relation to aspects of daily living. This will include topics such as experiencing the world through deficits in sensation and perception, communicating with others with atypical language development, and the challenges of making economic decisions.

• Getting Ready to Research (20 credits)
  This module will address qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. These will include interview, focus group and observational methods as well as types of secondary data that could be obtained and analysed qualitatively. Given the online nature of the course, methods will focus on data collection that could be completed remotely (including remote interviewing); this will include the ethical and practical issues associated with such data collection and the use of internet forums and social media as potential sources of data. This module will also provide students with grounding in, and preparation for, the dissertation process. This will include generating a research proposal and preparing for ethical approval, setting sub-goals for a research project, dissertation requirements, supervisor/student roles and responsibilities and reporting requirements.

• Dissertation in Psychology (60 credits)
  Students will work independently on the development of a major project applying psychology to real-world issues and challenges. Throughout the MSc Psychology (Conversion) course you will have experienced the input from our collaborative partners and some of the challenges which they have faced where psychology has been applied to create alternative perspectives on issues, solutions to challenges and/or interventions for behaviour change. You will be presented with opportunities to complete your MSc Dissertation research with these partners. Alternatively, you may have established interests or areas where you wish to pursue an area of psychological investigation.

For the part-time route, students will complete modules, one at a time, in the following sequence:

• Contexts and Debates (20 credits)
• Psychological Investigation in Practice (20 credits)
• Applied Social Psychology (20 credits)
• Lifespan Development in Context (20 credits)
• Brain and Cognition (20 credits)
• Getting Ready to Research (20 credits)
• Dissertation in Psychology (60 credits)

For the full-time route, students will complete modules in the following pairs:

• Contexts and Debates (20 credits) and Lifespan Development in Context (20 credits)
• Psychological Investigation in Practice (20 credits) and Brain and Cognition (20 credits)
• Applied Social Psychology (20 credits) and Getting Ready to Research (20 credits)
• Dissertation in Psychology (60 credits)

Study Methods

This course has been co-designed with our industry partners. Throughout you will be invited to develop solutions to real-world challenges faced by our partners. In the dissertation module you will be able to evaluate your solution and to disseminate your findings to our partners.

Representatives from the partner organisations will be invited to present their challenges to the students at the start of each academic year. They will then attend virtual events where students will present and discuss their solutions directly with the partners. Additionally, the course team will invite visiting speakers from other relevant organisations (including alumni from psychology courses) to talk to students about their current roles. Examples may include those who are working as assistant psychologists, as personnel responsible for training or employee well-being within private companies or as research/project officers for third sector organisations.

As this is an online course, fieldwork will not be required. However remote data collection will be an integral part of the course and students will be encouraged to form connections with organisations in their local areas to discuss challenges and solutions. It may also be possible for students to attempt face to face applied research activity if this is judged as feasible for the students’ research question and receives appropriate ethical approval.

This course is delivered online. A total of 180 credits will be studied across six 20-credit modules and one 60-credit dissertation.

Each 20-credit taught module will comprise of 10 hours of synchronous online delivery and 30 hours of focussed asynchronous activity (e.g., recorded short lectures; critical appraisal of current research; scenarios, case reviews or questions relating to elements of an industry “live brief”). Each module will be delivered across a 10-week period. The 60-credit dissertation will be supported by both group and individual guidance from a supervisor.

For part-time students, you are expected to engage in an average of 17.5 hours of study per week, studying a single 20-credit module at a time.

For full-time students, you are expected to engage in an average of 35 hours of study per week, studying two 20-credit modules at a time.

In addition to online synchronous seminars, student progress and pastoral care will be supported by regular meetings with the course leader. These meetings will take place three times per year. 

A range of assessment methods are employed, for example, observation journal, presentation, case study, reports, student choice (podcast, website template or poster), annotated bibliography, simulation, practical written work, literature review, and research proposal.

You will also complete a dissertation of 8,000 words, with a 1,500-word observation journal and 20-minute dissemination.