Module PSYC42015: Diversity and Inclusion in Practice

Department: Psychology

PSYC42015: Diversity and Inclusion in Practice

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• Acquisition of knowledge about the psychological theories and research on social and cultural diversity.

Content

• This module examines the psychological theories and empirical research on social and cultural diversity.
• The module begins with an introduction to the psychology of social and cultural diversity, before critically addressing key studies and exploring their application to organisational, community and cultural contexts.
• Topics can vary from year to year but are likely to include intergroup and acculturative models of cultural adaptation and integration, models of organisational diversity and decision-making, impact of diversity experiences on creativity and innovation.
• The module will also cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology and behavioural science more broadly.

Learning Outcomes

• Detailed knowledge of a range of topics and methods in the field of behavioural science on the topic of diversity and inclusion.

• Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of knowledge on the topic of diversity and inclusion and the ability to apply it appropriately.

• 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

• Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures and seminars which will include elements of student-led discussion and small group work
• Learning will be aided by audio-visual materials and detailed reading lists
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and empirical studies in behavioural science examining the topic of diversity and inclusion, as well as the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current evidence
• The use of group discussions / small group work will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions, and encouraged to understand their inter-relations
• Discussions and small group work during the module seminars will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work
• In addition, there will be one interactive workshop to provide students with opportunities to consolidate material taught.
• The summative components of this module are made up of a blog posting and an essay which will assess students' detailed subject knowledge
• The blog posting will assess students’ ability to synthesise for a general audience a piece of recent empirical evidence in the field of behavioural science on the topic of diversity and inclusion
• The blog posting will test student’s ability to translate core science to accessible formats, a key aspect of application
• Students will receive guidance on the preparation of the blog posting during weekly seminar discussions, and as part of their group work will have the opportunity to practice writing a blog post
• The ability to communicate effectively the main conclusions of the empirical piece of work discussed in the blog posting will be the main criterion of assessment
• An assessment of the range, recency and appropriateness of sources will be included in the overall assessment of both the essay and the blog posting
• The essay assesses students' acquired knowledge of theoretical principles and empirical studies and their ability to organise and synthesise them coherently and critically in written form in response to a set question
• Both the essay and the blog posting will assess students' written communication skills
• Feedback on the essay and the blog posting will be available within 3 teaching weeks allowing students plenty of time to benefit from feedback on this aspect of their work

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None

■ 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