Psychology

Course summary

Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and the mind. The aim of the Psychology course is to encourage students to develop a sense of wonder about how the behaviour of other people can be explained using psychological theories. Students will naturally become curious about themselves and the world they live in. Psychology students will gain a knowledge and understanding of scientific methods and the theoretical underpinnings of the research. Students will develop their critical thinking skills by learning to analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information gained from research. Practical skills will be developed when students design and conduct their own research, find relevant sources to support their hypotheses, and present their findings in a report format. Students will become proficient at presenting their findings using descriptive and inferential statistics. Year 1 — Social influence (e.g. conformity and obedience). — Memory (e.g. models of memory, explanations for forgetting). — Attachment (e.g. explanations of attachment). — Biopsychology (e.g. the nervous system and the function of the endocrine system). — Psychopathology (e.g. explanations and treatments of phobias and depression). — Approaches in Psychology. — Research methods, scientific processes, and techniques for data handling and analysis. Year 2 — Biopsychology (e.g. biological rhythms, localisation of function of the brain). — Issues and debates in Psychology (e.g. gender and culture, free will and determinism, the ethical implications of research). — Inferential statistics. — Relationships (e.g. virtual relationships in social media, theories of romantic relationships). — Eating behaviour (e.g. biological and psychological explanations of anorexia nervosa and obesity). — Forensic Psychology (e.g. biological explanations of offender behaviour, offender profiling). The course requires curiosity, an interest in human behaviour and a desire to explore and understand the complexities of the mind. To succeed students should have strong Maths and English skills. You will need to possess critical thinking skills so to analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific research. From this analysis, you will be required to create logical written arguments. Research skills will be needed when students design and conduct their own research. Students will be expected to analyse and interpret the data gathered from this research, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Previous students have progressed to study a degree in Psychology, Applied psychology and Business Management, Psychological and behavioural studies and Criminology and Forensic studies. Studying Psychology will benefit you if you choose a profession in Teaching, Police, Law, Healthcare and Social Services.