Unit information: Contemporary Issues in Psychology in 2015/16

Unit name	Contemporary Issues in Psychology
Unit code	PSYC30016
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1B (weeks 7 - 12) Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18)
Unit director	Professor. Lewandowsky
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Psychological Science
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This seminar unit will furnish students with a detailed understanding of selected contemporary issues in Psychology. It will also develop students' critical evaluation skills and other transferrable skills via the synthesis and oral presentation and discussion of research findings and debate related to these important current topics in psychology. Students choose two seminar topics out of a wide range (between 15 and 25) of topics proposed by the department.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

• Have a comprehensive understanding of the methodological approaches to the study of the respective research topic;

• Have a comprehensive understanding of the application of these approaches in literature;

• Be able to integrate this understanding of these methodologies with other areas of psychological enquiry;

• Have developed a variety of transferable skills via assessed oral presentations, discussions, team work and written assessment.

Teaching Information

5 x 3 hour seminars in TB1 and 5 x 3 hour seminars in TB2

Assessment Information

Coursework: two x 500 word essays devoted to critical writing

Presentation: two oral presentations (including small group discussions throughout)

Final Grade: based on 2 x 15% presentation, 2 x 35% essay.

Attendance throughout and participation in group discussions is mandatory. For each unexcused non-attendance there will be a reduction in the associated overall presentation mark by 25%.

Reading and References

N/A Papers will be posted on Blackboard.