MSc Psychology (Conversion)

Achieve the British Psychological Society Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership and take the first step towards gaining status as a chartered psychologist on this conversion programme for graduates from other subject areas.

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    Overview

    Course Length: 1 Year Full-Time, 2-3 Years Part-Time
    Start Dates: September 2020, September 2021
    Subjects: Psychology
    Location: Edge Hill University
    • Study a programme conferring the British Psychological Society (BPS) Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership;
    • Take the first step towards gaining status as a Chartered Psychologist, preparing yourself for further professional training in psychology;
    • Gain a postgraduate qualification widely accepted and useful in a variety of occupational contexts.

    The MSc in Psychology is a conversion programme and as such provides graduates in disciplines other than psychology with the opportunity to obtain the Graduate Basis for Chartered membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

    GBC allows you to pursue postgraduate training in applied areas of psychology associated with the Societies’ Divisions (such as educational and clinical psychology). GBC is the first step toward gaining status as a Chartered Psychologist.

    In Depth

    What will I study?

    You will cover all the core areas of psychology as specified and required by the British Psychological Society for the accreditation of conversion courses.

    You will examine the nature of personality and individual differences, including intelligence, developmental patterns and changes in social and cognitive abilities, interpersonal behaviour and the impact of social contexts on behaviour.

    Exploring Cognitive Language and Biological Psychology, you will gain an understanding of the role of biology in underpinning behaviour and the nature of attention, perception, language and memory.

    A research methods module will equip you with the ability to organise, analyse, interpret and report findings of research involving quantitative (numerical) data before you are introduced to approaches to qualitative research and analysis.

    The programme concludes with a Masters dissertation in an area of psychology of particular interest to you. This will be supervised by a member of academic staff in the department.

    How will I study?

    Teaching methods follow a variety of formats from traditional style lectures to tutorials, seminars and workshops.

    How will I be assessed?

    Most modules are assessed by a mixture of examination and coursework though some are assessed solely by coursework.

    Coursework assignments might be essays, research project reports, group presentations or the critical analysis of research papers.

    Who will be teaching me?

    Psychology is a rapidly growing department at Edge Hill University, currently with eighteen members of staff. The programme team are all research active, particularly in the areas of thinking and reasoning, work psychology, psychological aspects of substance abuse, counselling, close relationships and the functioning of working memory.

    Members of the team have been published in major national and international peer reviewed journals such as The British Journal of Psychology, The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, The Journal of Experimental Psychology and Learning, Memory and Cognition, Cognitive Neuropsychology, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Psychological Review, and Human Perception and Performance.

    A Great Study Environment

    Students chat on sofas in a social learning space on campus.The £6m Law and Psychology building provides contemporary teaching and learning facilities for students in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Law and Criminology.

    The three-storey building includes a 250-seat lecture theatre, seminar and tutorial rooms, and social learning areas which encourage a more informal and interactive style of learning. There are also specially designed experimental facilities for psychological research.

    Psychology resources include state-of-the-art eye trackers, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) methods, and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for examining cognitive functioning and brain activity. Other specialist laboratories include a group testing laboratory, two bi-directional observation rooms, a ‘bar simulation laboratory’ (for alcohol research), audio-visual suites and dedicated IT facilities equipped with subject specific software installed to support experimental work.

    Modules

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    PSY4106Social Psychology (20 credits)

    Social Psychology critically examines major areas of social psychological research and applies this to real world scenarios. You will discover the unique contribution of social psychology to the understanding of human behaviour in a social context. The module will enhance your awareness of the extent to which social influences and interactions are pervasive in affecting individual behaviour. It will also examine how the actions of individuals, in turn, affect the behaviour and beliefs of other individuals and groups. Through an in-depth exploration of these psychological processes and social dynamics, you will develop an awareness of the extent to which relationships between people are dynamic, context dependent and of paramount importance to understanding behaviour. The module will also make you critically aware of the ethical issues raised by social psychological research.


    Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

    PSY4107Developmental Psychology (20 credits)

    Developmental Psychology addresses the processes involved in key aspects of human development and their relevant applications in real world settings. The module will focus mainly (though not exclusively) on development in childhood, including areas such as cognition, memory, language, emotional, social development. Emphasis will be placed on the evaluation of key theories and psychological research that have informed our understanding of development in these areas.


    Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

    PSY4108Personality and Individual Differences (20 credits)

    Personality and Individual Differences equips you with an appreciation of individual differences in the study of human behaviour. One of the most obvious things we notice in our everyday lives is that not everybody behaves the same way. This module will cover the main personality theories, intelligence, and the ways in which psychologists measure individual differences and abnormal behaviour. Individual differences interact in almost every example of psychological research with experimental or situational paradigms to produce results differing profoundly for individuals of different personalities, different capacities and different motivations.  The study of individual differences is therefore of central importance in any psychology course.


    Assessment: Coursework: 50%, Practical(s): 50%.

    PSY4111Biological Psychology (20 credits)

    Biological Psychology studies the human nervous system, including its structure and functioning. There will be a particular focus upon the brain. You will learn in detail about the processes by which messages are passed through the system, and the interaction with the hormones of the endocrine system in order to preserve life. The methods by which the brain is commonly researched will also be explored in order to provide a basis for understanding much current research and theorising in psychology.


    Assessment: Written Exam(s): 100%.

    PSY4311Cognitive Psychology (20 credits)

    Cognitive Psychology is a branch of Psychology that investigates internal mental processes such as perception, memory, problem solving, and language production. Research in this area examines issues such as how we recognise (and forget) the faces of people we know, how we remember  (and why we forget) where we left our house keys, how we are able to solve (or sometimes fail to solve) crossword puzzles, and how we learn new languages. The module explores both classic and contemporary research that has led to the development of theories explaining how such mental processes function.


    Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

    PSY4313Research Methods and Data Analysis (20 credits)

    Research Methods and Data Analysis provides you with the skills necessary to design, execute, analyse and report your own research. A particular emphasis is placed on data analysis, with the quantitative techniques taught on the module including analyses of variance and regression, whereas the qualitative techniques taught include grounded theory and interpretative phenomenological analysis.


    Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

    PSY4314Psychology Masters (Conversion) Dissertation (60 credits)

    Psychology Masters (Conversion) Dissertation provides you with the opportunity to undertake independent research in a relevant area of your choice (subject to approval of the programme team). The module enables you to demonstrate your effectiveness as an independent learner and researcher. The dissertation is an opportunity to design, execute and write-up a piece of substantive, original, empirical research.


    Assessment: Coursework: 100%.

    Timetables

    You can expect to receive your timetable at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day or evening of the week.

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

    Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

    Entry Criteria

    Entry Requirements

    To join this MSc you should have a degree equivalent to UK second class honours (2:2 or above) either be in a subject other than psychology or in psychology which does not confer eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Registration of the British Psychological Society.

    An interview forms part of the selection process.

    English Language Requirements

    International students require IELTS 6.5, with a score no lower than 6.0 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

    If your current level of English is half a band lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

    Recognition of Prior Learning

    Edge Hill University recognises learning gained elsewhere, whether through academic credit and qualifications acquired from other relevant courses of study or through recognition of an individual’s professional and employment experience (also referred to as ‘experiential learning’). This may include credit or learning undertaken at another university.

    Previous learning that is recognised in this way may be used towards meeting the entry requirements for a programme and/or for exemption from part of a programme. It is your responsibility to make a claim for recognition of prior learning. For guidance, please consult the University’s academic regulations (sections C7 and F3.1) or contact the faculty in which you are interested in studying.

    Career Prospects

    What are my career prospects?

    The programme is accredited with the British Psychological Society to provide eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC).

    There are two clearly identifiable career routes. Firstly, successful completion of this programme will open up a number of further postgraduate training and career opportunities, notably educational psychology, clinical psychology, work psychology, health psychology and teaching and research in further and higher education.

    Secondly, you will be well qualified to enter a wide range of professions from advertising and the caring professions, through to personnel or teaching (further training required). The Psychology team at Edge Hill University has a strong record of research and encourages new graduates to register for higher degrees such as MPhil and PhD.

    Finance

    Tuition Fees

    Tuition fees for full-time study on this MSc are £5,400 for UK and EU students and £13,250 for international students enrolling on the programme in academic year 2020/21.

    Tuition fees for part-time study on this MSc are £30 per credit for UK and EU students enrolling on the programme in academic year 2020/21, i.e. £600 per 20 credit module.

    180 credits are required to complete a Masters degree.

    The University may administer a small inflationary rise in part-time postgraduate tuition fees in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

    Financial Support

    For comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK and EU students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University in academic year 2020/21, together with details of how to apply for potential funding, please view our Money Matters 2020/21 guide at www.edgehill.ac.uk/postgradfinance2020.

    Financial support information for international students can be found at www.edgehill.ac.uk/international/fees.

    Apply

    How to Apply

    There is an online application process for this programme.

    For academic year 2020/21 entry, you will need to apply using our own online application system. Please choose the application form for your preferred intake date and mode of study.

    Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applydirect for more information about the application process.

    Further information for international students about how to apply is available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/applyinternational.

    Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

    Visit Us

    If you are considering applying to study at Edge Hill University, the best way to gain an insight into student life is to discover our stunning campus for yourself by attending an open day. You can view dates and book your place at www.edgehill.ac.uk/opendays.

    Alternatively, if you are unable to attend an open day, you can find out more about all of our events for prospective students, including monthly campus tours, at www.edgehill.ac.uk/visitus.

    Request a Prospectus

    If you would like to explore our full range of taught Masters degrees, MBA awards and our Masters by Research (MRes) degree before you apply, you can order a postgraduate prospectus at www.edgehill.ac.uk/postgradprospectus.

    Get in Touch

    If you have any questions about this programme or what it’s like to study at Edge Hill University, please contact:

    If you would like to talk to the programme leader about the course in more detail, please contact:

    International students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international or email international@edgehill.ac.uk with any queries about overseas study.

    Course Changes

    Expand All This page outlines any material changes to course content, programme structure, assessment methods, entry criteria, and modes of study or delivery, implemented in the past two years.

    30th January 2020 - Change to Entry Requirements

    Entry criteria updated to indicate that an interview forms part of the selection process.