PSY-40127 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This module will allow you to develop your knowledge and reflective skills on a range of topics in biological and cognitive psychology centred on current issues relevant for the discipline. It will allow you to understand how they relate to the development of psychology as a discipline and to other areas in psychology. This module, where possible, will also help you to develop an appreciation of the impact of cultural and individual differences in psychology. Typical cognitive topics could include perception, attention and inhibitory control, human learning and memory, mental imagery. Biological topics are related to the central nervous system in normal and pathological conditions, highlighting the brain substrates underpinning mental processes and behaviour. You will have weekly asynchronous teaching (online, not live) with synchronous weekly seminars (online, live) led by our expert tutors. You will also be encouraged to think critically about the application of cognitive and biological psychology in professional contexts, for example you might be asked to critique the `medical model¿ of psychosis or current national guidelines around communication with dementia patients.

This module will enable students to develop an advanced knowledge of biological psychology and cognitive psychology, to understand current issues in their study and to critically evaluate theories and research in these areas. Students will be also encouraged to recognise not only that biological and cognitive aspects are often highly integrated, but also that they interact with social, developmental and other aspects in psychology, to determine mental processes and behaviours. Moreover, this module will aim to help students develop, where possible, an appreciation of cultural and individual differences in psychology. The module will cover both biological and cognitive psychology in a range of applied contexts to demonstrate the utility of such knowledge to students in a practical sense.

Intended Learning Outcomes

describe, explain and critically evaluate key issues, theories and research in biological and cognitive psychology;: 1,2,3
apply underlying concepts and principles of biological and cognitive psychology to explain human mental processes and behaviour;: 1,3
accurately use language and terminology relating to biological and cognitive concepts;: 1,2,3
reflect on the ways in which different perspectives in psychology can be integrated to give a holistic view of human thought and behaviour;: 1,3
critically evaluate the application of biological and cognitive psychological theories in a professional context.: 3

Study hours

300 hours Independent study, comprising:
- 24 x 2 hours weekly asynchronous learning = 48 hours
- preparation for the production of the MCQs (24 hours)
- preparation for the academic blog entries (wider reading, structure assignment, writing up, proofreading: 72 hours)
- preparation of the critique (72 hours)
Total assessment prep = 168 hours
Independent and guided reading = 84 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment