Developmental and Educational Psychology

How can research methods and statistics to answer advanced research questions in psychology? As a postgraduate student, you will deepen your answers to these questions in this module. You will learn about the logic of qualitative analysis and the many different forms it takes, and gain a firmer understanding of quantitative analysis, sampling, and statistical inference. In preparation for understanding and conducting research, you will learn advanced insights about correlational and experimental methods to understand relationships, causes and effects among variables. Building on this understanding, you will learn in-depth how the simple correlation underlies understanding of multiple regression and its assumptions, and how regression in turn supports the general linear model, which is key to the other advanced topics taught in the module. The teaching will keep up-to-date with the latest advances in open science and transparent reporting of evidence. We will also use open source software to support practical lessons and assessments in data analysis, so that you can produce as well as understand the techniques being taught. Reporting your results through writing in APA style and appropriate data visualisation is an important skill, one that you will learn for a variety of analyses. There is also a special focus upon learning to identify which analysis technique is right for any given statistical problem.

How do we learn to think, reason, and understand others as we grow? In this module, you will explore groundbreaking research in cognitive development, examining how key cognitive and social-cognitive functions change throughout childhood and the unique psychological methods used to study them. By the end of this module, you’ll be equipped to critically assess research findings, understand the conceptual foundations, and analyse the strengths and limitations of various methodologies. Equipped with these advanced skills, you’ll have the tools to propose your own original research project on a topic that sparks your curiosity.

How does Developmental Psychology inform the work of clinical psychologists and other professionals who work directly with children? In this module you will learn how developmental psychology can be applied in professional settings (e.g clinical, education, healthcare, etc.) involving children and young people. You will receive lectures from clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, etc. These professionals will discuss with you the role developmental psychology plays in their professional settings, outline major theories that inform practice, and critically evaluate the role of developmental psychology in their work. Through Case Studies, you will have the opportunity to hear about specific instances where theories and methods from developmental psychology can be applied to a particular problem/issue in a professional setting with children and young people.

Current estimates suggest that up to 1 in 4 children are neurodiverse or experience some form of psychopathology, yet these children are often overlooked in our understanding of development. In this module, you’ll uncover the complexities behind common (neuro)developmental disorders and emotional/behavioural issues that arise in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. You’ll gain a deep understanding of how these disorders manifest and explore their potential psychological, neurobiological, and genetic or environmental causes. You’ll also examine key clinical approaches to supporting individuals with these challenges and learn how to evaluate research on developmental psychopathology, giving you the tools to critically assess study findings, theories, and methodologies. By the end of the module, you’ll be prepared to engage with this field on a deeper, more informed level.

Research forms the cornerstone of how we solve psychological problems. You will identify a burning question from a range of psychological sub-disciplines and design a research study that addresses the question using appropriate methodologies. This module will give you the skills to conduct research and communicate research in various forms. You will have the unique opportunity to conduct your research project under the supervision of experts across a range of psychological sub-disciplines. The skills learned in this module will prepare you for the completion of your dissertation and future as psychologists.

The Psychology Project is the capstone of your degree, where you will bring together what you have learned in the first two years of your studies to produce a thorough, professional research report. You'll evaluate existing evidence in your chosen area, develop your hypotheses and research questions, and select and run appropriate statistical tests to answer these questions. Present your findings in an accessible and professional style, and discuss how they fit within and build on psychological knowledge. Research reports are the fundamental tool of communication in the sciences, and producing your own is an exciting opportunity to join the scientific community in making valuable contributions to key discussions in the field of psychology.

Why do we study the brain? This module will provide you a coherent foundation for understanding the biological bases of human behaviour and on how different cognitive processes are instantiated in the brain. You will learn how to critically appraise the contribution of the various disciplines that comprise cognitive psychology and neuropsychology to our understanding of the human mind and behaviour. You will achieve this while by studying some of the methodological and theoretical issues that are currently considered important in the study of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology such as body perception, emotion, memory and psychopathology.

What role do sensory and motor systems play in human cognition? In this module you will survey cutting edge research on their role as well as learning about the relations between brain, mind and body from physiological, experimental, philosophical, linguistic, and neuroscientific perspectives. You will learn about areas such as sensorimotor interactions, interoception, brain plasticity, body representation, body ownership, the sense of agency, influence of the vestibular system on the self-consciousness, as well as embodied cognition. Implications for cognition, social behaviour and clinical conditions will be emphasised. At the end of this module you will be able to critically read and analyse articles of scientific journals, clearly and concisely communicate your own ideas and discuss advanced methodological and theoretical topics in cognitive psychology/neuroscience.

How can we investigate the mental processes that allow us to think, understand, remember and perceive the world around us? What are the best methods for addressing different research questions on the relationship between brain and mind? This module will provide you with a theoretical foundation and practical experience in some key advanced research methods appropriate for scientific research in cognitive psychology/neuroscience. You will learn how different cognitive psychology/neuroscience methodologies are applied in practice, including their strengths and weaknesses, and how they relate to and complement each other. This will provide you with the core knowledge base needed for interpreting and critically evaluating empirical research in the field, as well as planning your own research studies.

Accurately measuring people’s psychological attributes, for example, their personality, abilities and performance is a key goal in quantitative research, educational testing, and organisational selection. In this module, you will gain a  postgraduate-level foundation in the theory of psychological tests, measurements, and modelling. You will learn the concepts, methods, and computational techniques needed to  effectively evaluate and apply standardized measures in clinical, organisational, educational and research settings. You will be introduced to the fundamental principles of Classical Test Theory such as ‘true score’ and ‘error of measurement’, and key techniques needed for evaluating reliability and validity of test scores. The module covers factor analysis in depth, as a  core method to evaluate what the test measures. It also introduces ‘measurement by modelling’ using a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) framework. Within this framework, you will learn techniques for multivariate data analysis such as path analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, basic longitudinal analysis and multiple-group analysis. You will explore data analysis applications from various fields of behavioural studies, and learn how to model/test statistically complex phenomena such as spurious and indirect effects, growth and change, measurement invariance, and others.