BSc Forensic Psychology (with Foundation Year)

This course will introduce students to a number of influential early studies, positions, debates, movements and controversies in psychology. The module will demonstrate how these early studies, positions, debates, movements and controversies are still relevant to psychology today. Students’ understandings of these positions will be illustrated through reference to classic studies, debates and controversies on topics such as tyranny and the Stanford Prison Study, Milgram’s ‘obedience’ studies, Social Learning, classical and operant conditioning and intelligence testing. Issues concerning the ethics of psychological experimentation will also be introduced, through consideration of ethical issues arising from classic studies. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within this module. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will also be reflected on.

This module provides students with a broad introduction to the history of psychology as a scientific discipline. A number of different psychological perspectives will be introduced, for example, psychobiological, cognitive, behaviourist, psychodynamic, social constructionist, and students will be expected to apply and evaluate the application of such perspectives to important contemporary issues, such as drug addiction, violent behaviour, mental illness, etc. Research skills will be developed through the use of online databases and other library resources. Students will receive training in using e-resources such as PowerPoint and Panopto to produce presentations, and in using information resources.  Introductory consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence base explored within the module. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will also be considered. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work.

This module will introduce students to the strengths, limitations and ethical issues associated with qualitative and quantitative research design. It will enable students to explore in greater depth the underlying principles and epistemological bases of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students will examine the key similarities and differences between these approaches, whilst appreciating the strengths and limitations of such approaches in addressing psychological research questions. Students will consider a range of data collection techniques (e.g., observations, interviews, simple experiments, and psychometric instruments) to consolidate their knowledge and experience of such methods. Students will be equipped with a critical understanding of different quantitative research designs that will be considered in regard to important methodological concerns such as validity and reliability, and students will be aware of the implications of different research designs for the selection and use of different descriptive and inferential analytical techniques. Students will appreciate how appropriate descriptive quantitative analysis can be used to effectively characterise and summarize batches of data, whilst also providing them with tools for preliminary data screening and exploration. Students will develop their understanding of hypothesis testing, probability and important related concepts such as statistical significance, type 1 and type 2 errors, statistical power, estimation and confidence intervals, and how these relate to choices of research design and analytical alternatives. Students will be introduced to the basic principles behind parametric and non-parametric statistical tests of difference, association, and correlation, and will be introduced to simple linear regression; furthermore, students will have the opportunity to conduct such analyses using appropriate statistical software. General principles of qualitative design (developing research questions, interviewing, focus groups) will be explored. Students will develop their understanding of application of analysis in qualitative research by introduction to data analysis (coding). Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work, and implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on. Students will be introduced to the BPS’s current Code of Ethics and Conduct, and have the opportunity to see its application in their empirical work. The distinction between behaving ethically and legally will also be investigated.

This module aims to introduce students to the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. The core principles and skills within psychology inquiry and learning will be explored.  It aims to define psychology and provide understanding of evidence-based psychological practice, and the implications of research methodology behind the evidence base, for assessing individual sources contribution to developing knowledge. Students will be introduced to key methodologies within psychology research and explore the philosophical stance underpinning these methodologies. In addition, this module aims to identify academic skills needed to succeed in a psychology degree course and will focus on the development of ethical, legal, reflective and academic practice within psychology. Students will explore their personal development of learning through the application of psychological theories and concepts with an emphasis on developing a coherent skill set based on critical thinking and deeper understanding of empirical psychological science. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work.  Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This module will introduce students to how psychology is used to explain offending behaviour. It aims to enhance knowledge by consolidating and building upon the students’ learning from other modules, and applying theory to specific behaviours. Key topics across biological, social, cognitive, and developmental psychology will be covered with specific reference to offending. Students will learn how factors such as hormones, social learning, cognitive processing, and attachment may be maladaptive in influencing behaviour. The module will introduce students to key theories in forensic psychology. Students will develop their academic skills through scheduled learning, engaging in wider reading, and producing a written assessment. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This module offers an introduction to a range of applications in psychology and explores the various professional pathways in psychology practice. It aims to enhance knowledge of the application of psychological theory to the real world and examines the role of evidence-based practice and scientific method in guiding the work of professionals in a range of applied contexts, such as health, legal, organisational and educational settings. This module aims to develop the employability of students through an enhanced awareness of the range of available career pathways open to psychology graduates. The role of regulatory bodies such as British Psychological Society (BPS) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) are explored in relation to professional development and practice. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within this module. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This module will consolidate and extend students’ knowledge and skills relating to quantitative research methods that were developed in PYU416. Students will extend their knowledge of simple experimental designs to more complex factorial designs involving two or more independent variables, and/or multiple dependent variables, whilst undertaking, interpreting, and reporting suitable univariate and multivariate ANOVA-based data analyses. Similarly, simple linear regression will be extended to multiple linear regression, whilst introducing partial and semi-partial correlation, and in addition to undertaking, interpreting, and reporting such analysis, students will consider the role and utility of this approach in addressing research questions. Ideas relating to factor analysis and its influence and role within psychology that were introduced in PYU416 will be extended, and students will undertake and interpret principal component analysis. Issues of reliability and validity in conjunction with factor analytic and reliability analysis will be developed in the context of psychometric assessment. Data screening and the many and complex assumptions underlying the analyses covered within this module will be considered, and students will use appropriate techniques to evaluate the extent to which such assumptions have been met. Throughout the module, students will have the opportunity to see how these analytical methods are presented and utilized in contemporary psychological literature. Students will also have the opportunity to further reflect on the BPS’s latest Code of Ethics and Conduct, and explore the distinction between ethical and legal practice. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work. Additionally, implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This module builds upon the first year course and particularly the modules PYU414 Foundations of Psychology and PYU416 Research Design and Analysis. Developmental Psychology is generally viewed as one of several core areas in the discipline. This module, however, suggests that developmental psychology must be viewed as something more important and pervasive: All areas of the study of human existence can only be fully understood if a developmental perspective is adopted in the sense that all behaviour develops either by evolution (phylogeny) or during the lifespan of the organism (ontogeny). Furthermore, this module places developmental psychology in the wider context of studying the human condition by exploring not only the phylogeny and ontogeny of behaviour and thought but also their function (and dysfuction) and mechanism. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities, which provide formative feedback that directly leads into the summative feedback of the examination, and readings, and individual and group work. The module is fully complemented by auditory and visual aids, including the use of Panopto recordings. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within the area this module explores by means of critical reviews of research papers, Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work.

In this module, students will be introduced to key concepts, issues and studies within the fields of social psychology and individual differences. Examples of the breadth and depth of issues which students may explore include attitudes, attribution, intelligence, inter-group behaviour, Intelligence, Personality, Prejudice and Discrimination, Personality, and Social Influence. Issues of measurement and testing, including psychometric testing, reliability, validity and usage will be explored. Students will explore both classic social psychological and individual differences approaches to these phenomenon, as well as looking at recent research, debates, and developments within the field. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within this module. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on throughout the module.

This module covers the key processes associated with cognition as well as the biological and neurological underpinnings of such cognitive processes. The module also introduces cognitive psychology as a specific approach to understanding behaviour with its emphasis on theoretically led hypothesis and the experimental testing of these hypotheses to further develop theory. Additionally, consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within this module. The module will provide depth in knowledge in the cognitive and biological aspects of psychology including understanding the principles of neuronal transmission, basic neuroanatomy, basic psychopharmacology, key cognitive processes such as memory, perception, attention, and language, and how neuropsychological functioning relates to cognitive processing. The empirical component of this module will require students to consider and apply the latest BPS’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work, and implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This module will build on foundation level modules to further enhance knowledge and understanding of qualitative methods and analysis. It will focus on various approaches within qualitative psychological research (e.g IPA, Discourse Analysis and Thematic Analysis) appreciating the strengths, limitations and the philosophical assumptions underlying each approach. It will enable students to consider how research questions are developed and how these inform the choice of the method. Students will have the opportunity to conduct a qualitative study, gain the experience of collecting qualitative data, and explore the research process within qualitative inquiry (devising an interview schedule, conducting one-to-one semi-structured interviews, recording data, transcription of qualitative data). Students will develop their understanding of application of Thematic Analysis in qualitative research, as well as develop their ability to analyse textual data (code, coding, and developing themes). Topics, where possible, will make theoretical links with other modules running concurrently; enabling students to apply qualitative report writing skills in future research projects. Furthermore, students will continue to explore the important distinctions between ethical and legal practice. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the application of psychological theory to the criminal justice system. By building upon previous knowledge, students will start to understand how theory has relevance in practice, specifically in criminal justice settings. The module will cover keys aspects of the criminal justice system, from identifying risk factors before an individual commits an offence, through to the probation system, and the processes in-between. This will include police interviewing, eyewitness testimony, the court system and juries, and incarceration in forensic settings. The module will also cover the psychological impact of being a victim of crime. Students will develop their academic skills through varied styles of learning, including scheduled learning, wider reading, and assessment writing. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

Health psychology is an exciting field within psychology that has important contributions to make to our understanding of health, wellbeing and illness, from a biopsychosocial perspective. The module will explore key theoretical models (e.g., TPB HBM, SOC), which attempt to explain and predict health-related behaviour (e.g., smoking, alcohol, diet, physical activity & ultra violet radiation rays), and examine the practical applications of these models on health, wellbeing and illness. A multitude of health interventions will be reviewed and critically evaluated. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within this module. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will also be reflected on.

This module builds upon the second year module Human Development: An Ethological Approach (PYU516) and applies an understanding of contextualised development in an educational setting. Educational Psychology explores various and seemingly discrete issues associated with the dynamic between teaching and learning. These issues include the qualities of a good teacher, the environment of the classroom, the form and function of assessment, diversity and the use of blended approaches to teaching and learning. This module also affords students the opportunity to work in groups to ascertain various pragmatic issues that may confront practicing educational psychologists in the field. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within the area this module explores by means of critical reviews of research papers Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This module will help to further students’ understanding of the practical application of psychology within forensic settings. It aims to define case formulation and introduce students to its key features, and how different tools and techniques can be used to assess the risk of recidivism. The module will cover the history and development of risk assessment tools and provide an overview of various tools that are used in forensic practice. Students will learn about the differences between professional judgement, actuarial risk assessment, and structured professional judgement, and the risk assessment tools that are included within this. This includes tools such as the violence risk appraisal guide-revised, historical clinical risk-20, and sexual violence risk-20. The module will also cover different case formulation models, such as the 4Ps and biopsychosocial model. Knowledge already gained (such as psychological paradigms) will be consolidated and built upon to develop understanding of how psychology is used to reduce the risk of reoffending. Students will further develop their academic skills through varying styles of learning, including scheduled sessions, directed learning, independent learning, and assessment writing. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This course will introduce students to a number of controversies, conceptual issues, and philosophical debates in contemporary psychology. Students will be introduced to competing philosophical perspectives within psychology, and will explore how the philosophical stance adopted by psychologists may affect their assumptions about the nature of psychological phenomenon. Student will explore how this in turn may affect the kinds of knowledge which may be produced or uncovered. Students will engage with issues concerning the conceptual reliability of validity of psychological research, including grappling with what the core aims of psychology as a discipline are, how well psychology may be addressing these aims, how psychology as a discipline has changed and developed over time, and how psychology could be different. Students will be given the opportunity to apply content from this module to their specific programme area through activities such as class discussions, seminar activities and readings, and individual and group work. Consideration will be given to the research methodology underpinning the evidence based explored within this module. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected on.

This tutored double module provides students with the opportunity to select an area of particular interest to them within the field of Forensic Psychology, and to design, plan and execute an in-depth empirical research project in their chosen area. Students will be required to produce a brief initial research proposal, for discussion with their supervisor. The proposal is then used as a basis for developing an application for Newman University ethical approval, which must be achieved prior to commencing data collection. The research design should include either quantitative and/or qualitative analyses and draw upon and critically evaluate a range of both classic and contemporary research findings throughout. A poster presentation detailing the research process and findings will also be an assessed element.

This module will help to further students’ understanding of the practical application of psychology to offending behaviour, with a focus on intervention. It will introduce students to a range of interventions, including punitive and rehabilitative, across varying forensic settings such as prisons, secure units, charities, and community settings. The module will cover key topics such as punishment versus rehabilitation, treatment and rehabilitation options, and barriers to accessing/providing support. Knowledge already gained will be consolidated and built upon to further develop knowledge and understanding of how psychology applies to the criminal justice system. Students will further develop their academic skills through varying styles of learning, including scheduled sessions, independent study, and assessment writing. Implications of the module requirements for student employability will be reflected upon.