Unit information: Contemporary Issues in Psychology in 2013/14

Unit name	Contemporary Issues in Psychology
Unit code	PSYC30016
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Bowers
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Level 4 and 5 Units in Psychology
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

This unit comprises 18 x 90 minute seminars.

Assessment Information

Coursework: one 2000 word essay Presentation: one oral presentation

Final Grade: based on 30% presentation, 70% essay.

Reading and References

N/A Papers will be posted on Blackboard a week prior