MSc Psychology of Childhood Adversity
Academic Year 2018/19
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 and Enhancement processes as set out in the DASA Policies and Procedures Manual.
Programme Title |
MSc Psychology of Childhood Adversity |
Final Award |
Master of Science |
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Programme Code |
PSY-MSC-CA |
UCAS Code |
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HECoS Code |
100952 |
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ATAS Clearance Required |
No |
Health Check Required |
No |
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Portfolio Required |
Interview Required |
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Mode of Study |
Part Time |
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Type of Programme |
Postgraduate |
Length of Programme |
2 Academic Year(s) |
Total Credits for Programme |
180 |
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Exit Awards available |
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INSTITUTE INFORMATION
Awarding Institution/Body |
Queen's University Belfast |
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Teaching Institution |
Queen's University Belfast |
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School/Department |
Psychology |
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Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level |
Level 7 |
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QAA Benchmark Group |
Psychology (2010) |
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Accreditations (PSRB) |
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REGULATION INFORMATION
Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations N/A |
Programme Specific Regulations N/A |
Students with protected characteristics N/A |
Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations (Please see General Regulations) No |
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF PROGRAMME
The overall aims of this programme are to offer a high quality, supportive teaching and learning environment that is academically challenging, intellectually stimulating and provides students with advanced knowledge and understanding of a range of theoretical and applied issues concerning the psychology of childhood adversity.
The General Aims of the programme are to:
1. Provide graduate students with an opportunity for advanced study in developmental psychology with a particular focus on the impact of growing up in adverse environmental conditions.
2. Prepare graduate students for more advanced research in topics relevant to the psychological consequences of growing up in adversity.
The Specific Aims are to:
Provide students with an advanced understanding of different theories of development in the context of adversity.
1. Enable students to link theories of normal development to understanding development in the context of adversity.
2. Raise students’ awareness of how growing up in adversity can impact on their psychological and educational development
3. Enable students to critically evaluate research in order to better understand mediators and moderators of outcome
4. Enable students to evaluate interventions designed to mitigate the effects of growing up in adversity.
5. Provide students with the skills to use appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods to address theoretical and applied research questions as well as with the skills to interpret quantitative and qualitative data
6. Educate students to conduct research ethically and maintain appropriate standards of conduct
7. Enable students to plan and conduct an independent research study from conception to dissemination.
8. To enable students to demonstrate self-direction and the capacity to deal with complexity and uncertainty
9. Facilitate self-reflection in support of personal and professional development
The General Aims of the programme are to:
Provide graduate students with an opportunity for advanced study in developmental psychology with a particular focus on the impact of growing up in adverse environmental conditions.
Prepare graduate students for more advanced research in topics relevant to the psychological consequences of growing up in adversity.
The Specific Aims are to:
Provide students with an advanced understanding of different theories of development in the context of adversity.
Enable students to link theories of normal development to understanding development in the context of adversity.
Raise students’ awareness of how growing up in adversity can impact on their psychological and educational development
Enable students to critically evaluate research in order to better understand mediators and moderators of outcome
Enable students to evaluate interventions designed to mitigate the effects of growing up in adversity.
Provide students with the skills to use appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods to address theoretical and applied research questions as well as with the skills to interpret quantitative and qualitative data
Educate students to conduct research ethically and maintain appropriate standards of conduct
Enable students to plan and conduct an independent research study from conception to dissemination.
To enable students to demonstrate self-direction and the capacity to deal with complexity and uncertainty
Facilitate self-reflection in support of personal and professional development
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Outcomes: Cognitive SkillsOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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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 Essays, Dissertation, literature reviews and presentations, policy briefing |
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Contrast different levels of explanation in developmental psychology, examine their implications and recognise their limitations. |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lecture, seminars, workshops, talks, project work Methods of Assessment Essay, literature reviews, proposal, dissertation, presentations |
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Critically analyse research studies, commenting both on theory, methods and conclusions |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lecture, seminars, workshops, talks, project work Methods of Assessment Essay, literature reviews, Ethics report, dissertation, presentations |
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Reflect on how theory and research can inform interventions and practice |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lecture, seminars, workshops Methods of Assessment Policy briefing |
Learning Outcomes: Transferable SkillsOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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Communicate ideas, principles, theories and research findings by oral and written means |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lecture, seminars, workshops, talks, project workLecture, seminars, workshops, Project /placement workwork Methods of Assessment Coursework, presentations and dissertation, placement report |
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Elicit high quality information and data from field sources |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lecture, seminars, workshops, Project /placement workwork Methods of Assessment Coursework, placement report and dissertation |
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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 Class work, coursework and Dissertation |
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Conduct themselves in a professional (accountable, responsible, ethical) self-regulated and constructively critical fashion |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, project work Methods of Assessment Class work, coursework and Dissertation |
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Use interpersonal and social skills as appropriate |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Seminars, workshops, project work Methods of Assessment Class work, coursework and dissertation |
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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 and dissertation |
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Use analytical skills in a problem solving context |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Use analytical skills in a problem solving context Methods of Assessment Use analytical skills in a problem solving context |
Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & UnderstandingOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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The recent history of developmental psychology in relation to theoretical approaches to development in the context of adversity. |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, talks and workshops Methods of Assessment Essays, literature reviews, presentations, dissertation |
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Different levels of explanation in accounting for children’s development |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, talks and workshops Methods of Assessment Essays, literature reviews, presentations, dissertation |
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Theories and research related to specific examples of childhood adversity. Practical issues relating to research and/or intervention with children raised in the context of adversity. |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, talks, placement work and workshops Methods of Assessment Essays, literature reviews, presentations, dissertation, placement report |
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Basic and advanced research design and methods of investigation, data analysis and techniques and how they relate to theoretical and applied issues in child development |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars and workshops, placement work Methods of Assessment Class tests, Ethics Report, dissertation, placement report |
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The ethical conduct of research with human participants, specifically with children |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars and workshops Methods of Assessment Ethics Report, ethics submission, dissertation |
Learning Outcomes: Subject SpecificOn the completion of this course successful students will be able to: |
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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 assignments, ethics assignment, dissertation, placement report |
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Show specialist competence in the methodology and analyses chosen for thesis and placement work. |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, workshops, research supervisor meetings Methods of Assessment Dissertation |
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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, research supervisor meetings, placement work Methods of Assessment Dissertation, proposal, essays, presentations, placement report |
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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 supervisor meetings Methods of Assessment Essays, Ethics assignment, dissertation. presentations |
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Make a successful application for ethical approval for planned thesis. |
Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Lectures, seminars, workshops, research supervisor meetings Methods of Assessment Ethics assignment, Essays |
MODULE INFORMATION
Programme Requirements
Module Title |
Module Code |
Level/ stage |
Credits |
Availability | Duration |
Pre-requisite |
Assessment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S1 |
S2 |
Core |
Option |
Coursework % |
Practical % |
Examination % |
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Principles of Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis 1 |
PSY7063 |
7 |
10 |
YES |
6 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
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Principles of Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis 2 |
PSY7064 |
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% |
||
Quantitative Data Analysis 2 |
PSY7066 |
7 |
10 |
YES |
6 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
||
Childhood Adversity |
PSY7077 |
7 |
20 |
YES |
12 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
||
Improving Outcomes using Evidence Based Interventions |
PSY7080 |
7 |
20 |
YES |
12 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
||
Theoretical Perspectives on Child and Adolescent Development |
PSY7081 |
7 |
20 |
YES |
12 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
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Dissertation Childhood Adversity |
PSY7082 |
7 |
60 |
YES |
24 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
||
Psychological Methods in Developmental Research |
PSY7034 |
7 |
10 |
YES |
6 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
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Children in International Contexts of Adversity |
PSY7035 |
7 |
10 |
YES |
6 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
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Research Skills |
PSY7031 |
7 |
10 |
YES |
6 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
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Placement - Childhood Adversity in Applied Contexts |
PSY7036 |
7 |
10 |
YES |
6 weeks |
N |
YES |
100% |
0% |
0% |
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Notes
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