Developmental Psychology

This module aims to introduce you to the core area of cognitive psychology from a developmental viewpoint. Cognitive development will be considered across the lifespan, from infancy to adulthood.

You will study topics such as:

• The development of thinking, reasoning and problem solving
• Memory development and decline
• Language and literacy
• Social cognition

This module aims to introduce you to the core areas of psychobiology as well as taking a developmental approach to current issues ranging from infancy across the lifespan.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Psychobiological underpinnings: introduction to key approaches, methods and concepts in psychobiology
• Atypical development
• Reward mechanisms
• Adolescent brain development and behaviour
• Psychobiological approaches and mechanisms related to neurodevelopment, neurophysiology, behavioural genetics and development and evolutionary developmental psychobiology

This module addresses the BPS core curriculum training in the fundamentals of quantitative statistics. This is a laboratory-based module designed to give you the skills necessary for understanding and utilising research methodologies and analyses. You will be introduced to methods for summarising and describing patterns in data, and how best to communicate these in tables and graphs. You will learn how to assess if these patterns in your data are significant and also how to determine if they are meaningful. You will also learn to communicate findings from your own research activities in the conventional format of laboratory report, the basic template of journal articles.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Descriptive statistics and parametric assumptions
• P-values, effect sizes, and confidence intervals
• Correlation and regression
• T-test and ANOVA

This module aims to develop a critical integration of core theoretical, methodological and applied aspects of attachment theory. In this module, you will explore the behavioural, cognitive and experiential components of attachment theory, drawing on a wide range of applied contexts to examine the role of attachment theory in contemporary relationship science.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Attachment Theory: core theoretical concepts, methodology and research
• The Strange Situation and the Adult Attachment Interview
•  Applications of Attachment Theory (e.g., grief, separation and loss, psychopathology, counselling and therapy, caregiving, school psychology, romantic relationships, forensic psychology, the law, social policy and social work, fostering and adoption)

This module aim is to introduce you to qualitative research in psychology. The module covers a range of qualitative research methods, some of which you may use for qualitative research projects.
The module will familiarise you with the theoretical context as well as the key principles of each of the methods covered. The module will also consider design issues and ethical considerations in relation to qualitative research, and will consider the empirical applications of each method covered. The module is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to conduct and write up qualitative data analysis in applied settings and to enable you to think reflexively about qualitative research.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Philosophical underpinnings
• Data collection (e.g., interviews, focus groups, observation, online methods
• Reflexivity
• Ethical considerations in relation to qualitative psychology
• Transcribing and analysing qualitative data
• Thematic Analysis
• Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
• Discourse Analysis
• Real world applications of qualitative methods

The module aims to increase your awareness across a range of developmental psychology topics. We will highlight the challenges involved and insights gained from critically evaluating and applying appropriate methods in research and professional settings.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Typical and atypical development across the lifespan
•  Attachment and social relations
• Research with babies
• Emotional development
• Autism
• Alternative Education methods
• Cognitive and language development

This module develops your critical understanding of the theory, evidence, measurement, and research methodology of core topic areas within the domain of differential psychology (otherwise known as personality and individual differences). Where appropriate the content will be discussed relative to development across the lifespan.

You will study topics such as:

• Child temperament and development.
• Theories of personality.
• Intelligence.
• Perspectives on differential development, mental health and clinical psychology.
• Psychometric testing and diagnostic measures.

This module aims to increase your understanding of research, with a mainly developmental focus. We will focus on practical skills and help you to develop an understanding of some of the key techniques used when conducting research. As such, the module will cover the main quantitative and qualitative approaches, in general, but also how to conduct ethical research, critically evaluate research papers, and how to develop appropriate research question/design appropriate studies to address those questions.

You’ll study topics such as:

•  Introduction to qualitative research methods
• Introduction to quantitative research methods
• Lab-based studies
• Research in schools/field-based research
• Participatory (collaborative) research
• Developing research questions
• British Psychological Society ethics

This module aims to increase your understanding of research, with a mainly developmental focus. The module focuses on practical applications of your knowledge and will encompass both quantitative and qualitative approaches and outline how to conduct such research ethically. You will be asked to critically evaluate research papers and be supported to develop an appropriate research question and design a study that answers this question.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Quantitative and qualitative research methods and analysis
• Lab-based studies
• Questionnaire/survey-based studies
• British Psychological Society ethics

This module aim is to introduce you to a broad-based knowledge of core approaches to counselling and psychotherapy, including contemporary ‘third-wave’ approaches. Through the module, you will become familiarised with the general theoretical context for each of the models, as well as the main therapeutic principles within each theoretical approach. The module will also consider the applications and empirical based evidence for the success of each approach.

The module is designed to explore how different approaches in counselling and psychotherapy can be used to provide an insight into different presenting issues, drawing on a range of theories and therapeutic practices to develop understanding.

You’ll study topics such as:

• Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic approaches
• Cognitive Behavioural Approaches
• Person-centred/Humanistic approaches
• Contemporary perspectives e.g. mindfulness