MSc in Cognitive Psychology/Neuropsychology

Programme Director: Professor Bob Johnston

Introduction

Cognitive psychology and neuropsychology bring together a range of different theoretical frameworks. Cognitive psychological, neuropsychological, neurobiological and computer science approaches can be combined in order to understand how the human mind/brain solves a variety of complex problems, such as recognizing objects, remembering previous experiences, reading, speaking, and reasoning. The MSc programme will provide an overview and critical evaluation of the major issues, investigative strategies, and empirical findings of recent attempts to integrate these different approaches to 'brain cognition'. We believe Kent offers a distinctive and attractive programme.

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Entry requirements

1. Degree requirement:

You are required to hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with:

a. Adequate level of academic achievement

This is defined as a final degree classification (grade average) with at least a 2.1 or Merit in the UK system, the second highest classification after First/Distinction.

Academic results from institutions in other countries will be assessed individually according to this standard, as institutional practices and marking systems vary.

b. Statistics and research methods training in the social sciences

You must have taken a minimum of one term each in statistics and social science research methods courses (or two terms of a joint statistics and research methods course), and passed these courses, as noted on your degree.

Our Masters’ courses involve a rigorous one-year statistics sequence which you must normally pass in order to receive a degree. The teaching assumes that you are familiar with the following topics before arriving:

1. Means and standard deviations
2. Distributions, hypothesis testing and statistical significance
3. t-tests
4. Correlation coefficients
5. Variables and measurement

Evidence required:

An authorized copy (not a photocopy) of the university transcript, sent directly from the issuing institution to the Information, Recruitment and Admissions Office, The Registry,
University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ. Tel: +44 (0)1227 827272/824040, Email: recruitment@kent.ac.uk, Web: www.kent.ac.uk/aps/information-recruitment-admissions.
The transcript is part of the general University postgraduate admission procedures.

The degree does not necessarily have to be in psychology as long as the statistics training requirement is met.

2. English language

For students whose degree is from a non-English-speaking institution, you must meet at least one of the following University English language test requirements for postgraduate study:

  • 6.5 in the International English Language Test (IELTS) with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the reading and writing categories
  • 600 in the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
  • 250 in the computer-based TOEFL and a TWE of 4.0
  • 90 in the internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT) with a minimum of 20 in writing and reading
  • 'C' in the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English
  • 'B' in the Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English.
Evidence required:

An authorized copy (not a photocopy) of the test certificate sent to the Information, Recruitment and Admissions Office, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ. Tel: +44 (0)1227 827272/824040, Email: recruitment@kent.ac.uk, Web: www.kent.ac.uk/aps/information-recruitment-admissions. These test results are part of the general University postgraduate admission procedures.

3. References

Two reference letters are required from academic referees at the applicant’s degree granting institution who are able to assess the applicant’s suitability for postgraduate study. Reference writers should describe their impression of the applicant’s academic achievements, preparedness and motivation for postgraduate study in the chosen field, and personal qualities relevant to postgraduate study. They should give specific examples of things the applicant has done, where possible, that illustrate the reasons for their judgment of the applicant. Also, those applicants who do not qualify for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society must request that their referees complete the appropriate School of Psychology pro-forma available for download on our website.

References should take the form of letters on official headed paper of the institution, sent directly by the reference writer to the Recruitment and Admissions Office, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ, with completed pro forma attached where applicable.

See also the University's general entry requirements.

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Aims and objectives

  1. To equip students with the skills necessary for careers in cognitive psychology and neuropsychology areas, through the provision of strong theoretical understanding, research skills and experience of working in the different disciplines of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology.
  2. To enable students to acquire experience and expertise in the design, statistical analysis and evaluation of research in different cognitive psychology and neuropsychology disciplines. Such skills will be of use in disciplines both within and outside cognitive psychology and neuropsychology.
  3. To increase students' knowledge and understanding of the core areas of concern in cognitive psychology and neuropsychology (such as vision, memory and language). In addition, to increase students' understanding of the practice and significance of interdisciplinary cooperation, and the role of cross-domain constraint satisfaction in furthering scientific discovery in these different areas of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology.
  4. To equip students with critical and analytical skills in dealing with their own and others' theoretical ideas and empirical research (from a range of disciplines). To enable students to develop their own coherent arguments which they are able to evaluate critically and reconstruct flexibly in the light of their own and others' feedback. To equip them with the ability to communicate these criticisms, analyses, and arguments efficiently through different means of communication (e.g. in written extended essays, orally, or through the use of multimedia presentation techniques).
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Teaching and learning strategies

The programme will mainly involve lecture and seminar based teaching. In addition, however, particular option units (such as computational modelling) will require 'hands-on' experience and learning of particular skills. Assessment will be through seminar presentation, extended essays, and research project. Staff contact time will be 8 hours per week. Students will be expected to study for 1,800 hours over 45 weeks.

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Programme structure

The MSc will be composed of 3 compulsory modules and 2 option modules. Module 2 involves a seminar schedule integrated with lectures from internal speakers and external speakers from different universities in the UK and Europe.

   
Kent credits
ECTS credits
1. Advanced Statistics and Methodology
40
20
2. Current Issues in Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology
40
20
3, 4. Option Modules
2 x 20
2 x 10
5. Dissertation
60
30

See this year's timetable (PDF)

Advanced Statistics and Methodology (40 credits; 20 ECTS credits)

Module convenor: Dr Roger Giner-Sorolla
Tutors: Dr Roger Giner-Sorolla, Dr Dirk Janssen, Dr Mike Forrester, Professor Byron Morgan

The module will be based on the School's current Advanced Statistics and Methodology module, but will contain additional components (included in place of some the less relevant components of the existing module). These will include computational modelling and single case designs. This module will take place over Autumn and Spring terms. The aim of this module is to enable students to acquire research skills in the different domains of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology.

Assessment: Students will be required to complete two extended examinations, one each at the beginning of the Spring and Summer terms (each counting for 35% of the overall mark), and two 2,500-word methodology essays (each counting for 15%) with deadlines at the beginning of the second weeks of Spring and Summer terms. Assignments will be internally marked.

Options (2 x 20 credits; 2 x 10 ECTS credits)

Students will take advanced versions of two options already available to final year undergraduate students. Different options will be available in Autumn and Spring terms. Successful completion of this module will give students rich and detailed knowledge of particular aspects of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology (such as vision or learning and memory), which serve as illustrative examples where the relation between theory, research strategies, methodologies and empirical findings may be critically evaluated. Students who have already completed a Kent undergraduate degree or who can demonstrate prior training at a sufficiently advanced level in the relevant options may wish to conduct a second dissertation project in lieu of up to two x 20 credits (two x 10 ECTS credits). A decision to allow this is at the discretion of the MSc programme director.

Options will include:

Assessment: Unless stated otherwise, students complete one 4,000-6,000 word extended essay for each of the two options taken. Deadlines will be the last day of Autumn and Spring terms.

Dissertation in Cognitive Psychology/Neuropsychology (60 credits; 30 ECTS credits)

Module convenor: Professor Bob Johnston

The dissertation will consist of a supervised empirical or theoretical project in the area of cognitive psychology, cognitive neuropsychology or computational modelling.

Assessment: Students will be required to complete an 8,000-10,000 word dissertation with a deadline in August. The project will be internally and externally marked.

[Programme Specification]

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Further information

For further information please Email R.A.Johnston@kent.ac.uk.

For informal enquiries please phone +44 (0)1227 827709 or Email psypgadmissions@kent.ac.uk.

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How to apply

You can apply for this programme at any time but applications for the next academic year must be submitted by the end of July.

You can apply either online or by post. For further details see the University's application Web page.

Please make sure that you have fulfilled the entry requirements as detailed under the tab above.

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