Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2022-2023 (archived)
Module PSYC2121: CONTEMPORARY AND CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Department: Psychology
PSYC2121: CONTEMPORARY AND CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Type | Tied | Level | 2 | Credits | 20 | Availability | Available in 2022/23 | Module Cap | None. | Location | Durham |
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Tied to | C800 Psychology |
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Prerequisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combination of Modules
- None
Aims
- The aim of this module is to develop skills in researching and communicating a range of contemporary and conceptual issues in psychology
- It will provide students an opportunity to discuss psychological research in a tutorial context
Content
- Students will undertake weekly tutorials to discover, share, and discuss contemporary research in areas of psychology under investigation within the Department of Psychology
- The focus of the module will be on research-led teaching and the development of skills for understanding and communicating empirical findings and theoretical concepts
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- In depth knowledge relating to a sub-set of topics researched within the Department of Psychology
Subject-specific Skills:
- Understand the relationship between theory and data, including the ability to evaluate theories and concepts
- Ability to formulate research questions and hypotheses
Key Skills:
- Competent in written communication skills
- Competent in presentation skills
- Competent IT skills in word processing and data presentation
- Location, reading, and review of a body of research evidence
- Critical evaluation of the quality of evidence and arguments
- Ability to adopt different theoretical positions and see relationships between them
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Acquisition of knowledge and understanding in the areas studied is facilitated by activities undertaken in tutorials, as determined by individual tutors, and by individual study outside the tutorial setting
- The tutorials will guide understanding of the relationship between theory and data
- Knowledge and understanding will be assessed via an essay assignment and a recorded presentation
- The essay assignment will assess the ability to organise, review and evaluate evidence and theory, to provide critical appraisal, and to contrast theoretical positions
- The presentation assignment will assess the ability to verbally review and evaluate evidence and theory, to provide critical appraisal, and to contrast theoretical positions
- A key component in the preparation of the essay is the acquisition of adequate word processing skills
- A key component in the preparation of the presentation is the acquisition of adequate computer visual display skills
- Feedback on progress in the module will be provided via in-class activities
- Subject-specific and Key skills are fostered through discussion and will be assessed via the coursework assignments
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total/Hours | |
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Tutorials | 10 | Bi-weekly in two blocks of 5. One block occuring each term | 1 hour | 10 | ■ |
Lectures | 5 | 1 hour | 5 | ||
Asynchronous activites | 8 | Bi-weekly | 30 mins | 4 | |
Preperation and Reading | 181 | ||||
Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
Component: Summative Essay | Component Weighting: 50% | ||
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Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
Summative Essay | 2000 words | 100% | |
Component: Recorded presentation | Component Weighting: 50% | ||
Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
Recorded presentation | 10 minutes | 100% |
Formative Assessment:
Formative assignments and presentation opportunities within tutorials
■ 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