Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2011-2012 (archived)

Module PSYS3041: PSYCHOLOGY AND HEALTH

Department: Psychology (Applied Psychology) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

PSYS3041: PSYCHOLOGY AND HEALTH

Type Open Level 3 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2011/12 Module Cap None. Location Queen's Campus Stockton

Prerequisites

  • 100 credits from Level 2 Applied Psychology (C810) OR Memory and Language (PSYC2081)

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To provide an introduction to the ways in which psychological factors affect health and illness

Content

  • Psychology and health promotion/disease prevention
  • The psychology of illness
  • Judgement and decision research applied to health care
  • The module will also cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Detailed knowledge of health psychology including current theory, evidence and research methods
  • In-depth knowledge of some specialist areas of applied psychology
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of psychological knowledge and apply it appropriately
Key Skills:
  • Good written communication skills
  • Good IT skills in word processing, data manipulation, and data presentation
  • Ability to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Knowledge and understanding is developed through the weekly 2 hour sessions involving variety of learning modes including lectures, student presentations, video-based material, and some small group work
  • This knowledge will be assessed in the summative assessment, and the written examination. These assessments will be essay-based, providing students with opportunities to demonstrate their abilities to appraise and apply empirical and theoretical in a critical manner
  • Preparations for formative and summative assessments promote students' abilities to locate, read and evaluate a body of evidence. These abilities are assessed via the summative essay and written examination. Feedback is provided for the formative assesment and summative essay
  • All modes of teaching are designed to promote critical evaluation of evidence and arguments, to adopt different theoretical positions, and to interpret empirical work in terms of its application to real-world issues. Assessment of these abilities is based on the summative essay and written examination
  • Written communication skills are developed through the formative assesment. Feedback is provided for the formative assessment
  • Good IT skills are required for the preparation of the summative essays. Feedback is provided regarding the adequacy of these skills where necessary

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures and seminar sessions 22 1 per week 2 hours 44
Preparation and Reading 156
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
one-hour examination 100%
Component: Assignment Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
2500 word assignment 100%

Formative Assessment:

One written assignment


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University