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Postgraduate Programme Specification

PgCert Research Methods in Psychology

Academic Year 2022/23

A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be registered. All programmes of the University are subject to the University's Quality Assurance processes. All degrees are awarded by Queen's University Belfast.

Programme Title PgCert Research Methods in Psychology Final Award
(exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)
Postgraduate Certificate
Programme Code PSY-PC-RM UCAS Code HECoS Code 100985 - Health psychology - 100

ATAS Clearance Required

No

Health Check Required

No

Portfolio Required

--

Interview Required

--

Mode of Study Part Time or Full Time
Type of Programme Postgraduate Length of Programme Part Time - 2 Academic Years
Full Time - 1 Academic Year
Total Credits for Programme 60
Exit Awards available No

Institute Information

Teaching Institution

Queen's University Belfast

School/Department

Psychology

Quality Code
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code

Higher Education Credit Framework for England
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/higher-education-credit-framework-for-england

Level 7

Subject Benchmark Statements
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements

The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/qualifications-frameworks.pdf

Psychology (2019)

Accreditations (PSRB)

No accreditations (PSRB) found.

Regulation Information

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations
(Please see General Regulations)

N/A

Programme Specific Regulations

For the award of the PG Cert, students must have passed modules worth 60 credits. 40 of these credits must relate to PSY7031, PSY7034, PSY7063, PSY7064, PSY7065, PSY7066 or PSY7104. The remaining 20 credits can relate to any other taught modules on the programme.

Students with protected characteristics

N/A

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

No

Educational Aims Of Programme

To provide graduate students with the opportunity for study of specialist topics in the area of applied developmental psychology research methods

To encourage graduate students to consider how basic developmental science may be applied in real world contexts

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Show a high level of scientific reasoning, linking and evaluating theory and evidence in developmental psychology

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lecture, seminars, workshops, talks

Methods of Assessment

Informally assessed through class discussion and exercises. Formally through coursework such as statistics portfolios and research proposals

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Basic and advanced research design and methods of investigation, data analysis and techniques and how they relate to basic and applied issues in child development

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, dissertation supervision

Methods of Assessment

Class tests, coursework portfolios

The ethical conduct of research with human participants, specifically with children

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, placement work, dissertation supervision

Methods of Assessment

Ethics submission, project report

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Show competence in a range of methods to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data using statistical packages, if appropriate.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, placement work

Methods of Assessment

Statistics portfolios, ethics assignment

Use a variety of psychological tools relevant for working with children, e.g., psychometric tests, laboratory equipment, specialist software.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops

Methods of Assessment

Funding proposal, essays, presentations,

Write well-structured and well –argued prose, using style and conventions appropriate for publishing in the psychology literature.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, seminars, workshops, research

Methods of Assessment

Essays, funding proposal, ethics assignment

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Communicate ideas, principles, theories and research findings by oral and written means

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lecture, seminars, workshops, talks, project/placement work

Methods of Assessment

Coursework portfolios, posters, presentations,

Elicit high quality information and data from field sources

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lecture, seminars, workshops, project /placement work

Methods of Assessment

Project report, essays, placement portfolio

Use information technology (e.g. WWW, bibliographic data bases such as Psych info, word processors, statistics packages)

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Workshops, project work

Methods of Assessment

All coursework but especially statistics portfolios, posters and essays

Pursue continuous improvement via self-reflection and other forms of professional and personal development activity

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Student-self-assessment will be promoted through Personal Development Planning.

Methods of Assessment

Class work, coursework, placement portfolio and reflective statement

Module Information

Stages and Modules

Module Title Module Code Level/ stage Credits

Availability

Duration Pre-requisite

Assessment

S1 S2 Core Option Coursework % Practical % Examination %
Research Design and Essential Methods in Clinical Health Psychology PSY7104 7 10 YES -- 6 weeks N -- YES 90% 10% 0%
Psychological Adjustment In Chronic Physical Conditions PSY7102 7 20 -- YES 12 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Psycho-oncology: Living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis PSY7101 7 20 -- YES 12 weeks N -- YES 70% 30% 0%
Applied Psychology Experience PSY7105 7 10 -- YES 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Atypical Development In An Educational Context PSY7107 7 20 -- YES 12 weeks N -- YES 70% 30% 0%
Introduction to Therapeutic Skills PSY7109 7 10 -- YES 6 weeks N -- YES 0% 100% 0%
Childhood Adversity: From Basic Science To Improving Outcomes PSY7108 7 20 -- YES 12 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Health Behaviour Change PSY7100 7 20 YES -- 12 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Placement Applied Developmental Psychology PSY7036 7 10 -- YES 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Quantitative Data Analysis 1 PSY7065 7 10 YES -- 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Principles of Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis 2 PSY7064 7 10 -- YES 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Quantitative Data Analysis 2 PSY7066 7 10 -- YES 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Theoretical Perspectives on Child and Adolescent Development PSY7081 7 20 YES -- 12 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Research Skills PSY7031 7 10 YES -- 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Psychological Methods in Developmental Research PSY7034 7 10 YES -- 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%
Principles of Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis 1 PSY7063 7 10 YES -- 6 weeks N -- YES 100% 0% 0%

Notes

Students have the option to take one of PSY7036, PSY7105 or PSY7109, or none.