This module will enable you to learn about the skills psychologists need to study human behaviour. The module will enable you to understand the main ideas behind some key scientific methods used in advanced psychological research, combining critical concepts with an introduction to the skills required to use these methods in practice.

You will study research methods from different topic areas in psychology: social, developmental, neuroscience, cognitive.

The module will: (1) ensure that you are furnished with introductions to a range of methods across topic areas; (2) provide you with flexibility over which topic area you will focus on; (3) enable the development of a range of research skills in depth; and (4) promote open science best practices.

This module focuses on developing the statistical understanding and practical skills required to analyse quantitative data using the modern and powerful R statistical programming language and environment. During this module, our students will learn how to apply a range of analytic techniques that are standard in professional practice in psychological research, how to apply statistical tests across a variety of settings, as well as how to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data types.

Building on skills learnt in PSYC411, this module aims to equip students to conduct and present quantitative data analyses appropriately and effectively using advanced methods. Students will be introduced to popular, modern, data analysis techniques through a combination of lectures and practical workshops, learning especially how to utilise modelling techniques (such as linear and generalised linear mixed-effect models) across a wide range of psychological applications, as well as the importance of reproducibility within the psychological sciences.

Students will develop an understanding of developmental psychology research, methods and theories that apply when working with children. A wide range of approaches used in contemporary research in psychology will be addressed, and there will be focus on different theoretical assumptions underlying individual research techniques.Expanding on elements previously introduced at undergraduate level, this module examines the various stages of developmental change and includes a balance of historic and contemporary methods such as ERP and Near-infrared spectroscopy. Students will gain a working knowledge of how to implement different types of research procedure and learn how to write within the conventions implemented by the American Psychological Association in how to publish a research article.

Students will learn about the ethics which are required for events involving children, and, after submitting their own ethics proposal, will conduct independent research on a matter of their choice in order to contribute with other students in the ‘Hot Topic Debate’.

This module will give students the opportunity to apply their research and professional skills in an independent investigation. Students will focus in depth on a particular psychological question, and develop theoretical understanding of research methods to investigate that question. They will then communicate their findings in a report equivalent in standard to a published article in a professional psychology journal.

While carrying out research on the dissertation topic, students will develop essential skills in the critical evaluation of research literature. During the dissertation itself, they will independently complete the development and testing of a hypothesis, the design and construction of study and test materials, and the collection or collation of data relevant to testing their hypotheses. Students shall also determine the appropriate use of analytic methods, interpret and successfully communicate their research findings.

By the end of the dissertation, the students will have used empirical methods to collect original data or to select, prepare, and analyse secondary data; conducted appropriate analyses of the data; shown an understanding of the research findings and presented that understanding effectively.

This module aims to develop skills in critical reading, review, thinking and communication, alongside an awareness of ethical concerns in psychology. Student will learn how to understand and accommodate for the moral and ethical implications of experimental and observational studies, complete literature reviews of scientific papers from across psychological domains, as well communicate experimental findings – in both written and oral mediums – in a format suitable for academic and non-academic settings.

What are the current contemporary issues in developmental psychology, how do researchers address them, and how do we convert this research to make a real difference to children's lives? This module presents you with a series of the very latest topics in developmental psychology, with experts talking you through how research in that topic area is formed, how it is conducted, analysed, how then the research can apply in practical settings, and what the next stages will be in the research topic - what will be the next step in our understanding of development.

This module will provide you with an introduction to, and grounding in, both qualitative and quantitative approaches to the analysis of talk and text. It takes you through the process of conducting a research project using combined methods. By the end of the module, you will be able to generate and collect qualitative and quantitative data from both mediums suitable for analysis, apply a range of analytical methods to such data, as well as consider the ethical issues surrounding the collection and analysis of speech and text-based datasets.

A developmental disorder affects development from conception to adulthood. It can arise as a consequence of genetic or chromosomal abnormalities, perinatal complications, or environmental influences (or a combination of these). In most cases, however, their aetiologies are unknown or poorly understood.

This course aims to examine a range of neurodevelopmental conditions and, through description and analysis, consider the clinical continuum of early detection, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention. The course will also foster the ability to synthesise and integrate concepts across specific conditions, and to consider the appropriate level of explanation and methodological approaches for understanding neurodivergent cognitive development. By means of reviewing key, up-to-date publications, you will be introduced to the most recent theories and methodologies that bear upon this continuum. The main thrust of these reviews will be to foster a critical, but constructive, attitude to the ways in which we as psychologists can advance understanding of developmental disorders.

This module involves a self-directed literature review, undertaken by the student on a psychological topic of their own choosing, under expert supervision. Students will be encouraged to develop an in-depth knowledge of a specific area of psychological research. This will include both classic theories and studies in the area, as well as up-to-date knowledge of current approaches and recent research findings.

Students will engage and develop skills in literature searching, in addition to the understanding they will gain in evaluating evidence, summarising findings from primary sources, and drawing conclusions on the basis of existing research. Students will obtain the practical knowledge and experience required to use electronic and other forms of library resources to identify published research in psychology, and will be aware of different traditions of theory and research in their chosen topic area.

Paired lectures and seminars will cover a wide range of indicative topics, including auditory and visual languages, psycholinguistic programmes and the subliminal power of advertising such as non-conscious effects, persuasion and emotional appeals.

Students will advance their skills in the critical examination of empirical evidence and theoretical arguments. They will examine the main cognitive psychological factors that impact on advertising success, ranging from lower-level perceptual, attentional and memory processes through to higher-level interpretational and inferential processes.

In addition, this module provides an understanding of the psychology of advertising from both a developmental and adult perspective, while also examining methodological issues associated with the study of child and adult cognition.

This module is designed to explore meta-level issues that are important for work on psychology and behavioural analytics. Here, students learn a theoretical toolkit - and understand the implications for how they might use these concepts to explore or refine a psychologically-relevant question using digital data. To this end, the module discusses the current state of psychological science and the key tensions that exist as psychologists begin to embrace new forms of digital data. It introduces key psychological theories and explores which theories are best supported ‘outside of the lab’ by new forms of digital data. Beyond positioning psychology across this new digital plane, this module deals with issues of research ethics, morality, and scientific practice.

Education during the school years directly impacts further study and employment opportunities, and has also been linked to long-term physical and mental health. Understanding how individuals learn and engage in educational settings is therefore crucial.

This module will explore these important issues through the lens of psychology. You will gain an understanding of the key role of psychology in education. You will be introduced to contemporary research which has investigated how psychological concepts operate in educational settings. You will also critically evaluate research studies and methodologies, identifying both strengths and weaknesses, and apply this knowledge in a range of practical activities.

You will develop a range of skills during the module, including your ability to communicate complex information to non-specialist audiences, communicate effectively in both writing and orally, and develop strong and coherent critique of research studies and methodologies.