MRes in Research Methods in Psychology

Structure Structure The MRes runs for one academic year full-time or two years part-time. Most of the lectures, seminars and workshops on the programme run in the first two terms, but you are expected to pursue your studies beyond formal term times, particularly in respect of your research project. Lectures, seminars and workshops for the programme are timetabled mainly for Mondays and Tuesdays, but you may occasionally be required to attend other seminars and workshops held by the Department and College. You must take all the modules listed in the syllabus. The list below provides an overview of the topics covered in each module. All modules include a strong practical component. Module title Credits. Qualitative Methods in Psychology Qualitative Methods in Psychology 15 CATS This module seeks to provide you with a critical and flexible approach to methodological issues in psychology and to equip you with the skills required for the collection and analysis of qualitative data from within a psychological framework. 15 CATS. Critical Analysis Critical Analysis 15 CATS This module encourages you to engage with the research of a psychologist who is external to the Department and to consider that research within a wider psychological context. You will be evaluating the work presented by a psychologist visiting the Department in the context of the Departmental Seminar Series. The module seeks to foster skill in evaluating both the content and methods of a particular piece of research and to develop critical thinking concerning the presentation of research findings. 15 CATS. Research Design and Analysis Research Design and Analysis 15 credits The aim of this module is to provide understanding and skills related to research design and to provide extra support for design aspects of dissertation work. Topics include: basic concepts; non-experimental methods; experimental methods; quasi-experimental methods; ethical considerations; experience using online databases and other resources; a seminar on design and statistics as principled argument. Tutor: Dr Karina Linnell 15 credits. Statistical Methods Statistical Methods 15 credits This module covers primary statistical analyses used in psychology and neuroscience. This includes: multivariate data screening and cleaning. power and sample size determination. factor analysis. multiple regression. analysing contrasts. univariate and multivariate repeated measures. psychometrics.. Tutor: Dr Devin Terhune.. 15 credits. Theoretical Issues in Psychology Theoretical Issues in Psychology 15 CATS This module acquaints you with the philosophical foundations of psychological knowledge, and allows you to evaluate how this relates to science as a whole. In addition, the module provides an overview of different forms of psychological understanding and how these may be combined into an integrated view of human nature. Current controversies and methods are explored to consider the limits of current psychological understanding. Topics include: rationalism and empiricism in philosophy;. the development of psychological science;. science versus non-science;. verifiability and falsifiability;. subjectivity, inter-subjectivity and objectivity;. scope and limits of reductionism;. current issues and controversies in psychology;. differing levels of psychological explanation.. 15 CATS. In addition to these modules, you will also complete: Research Project (60 credits). You will produce an empirical piece of research leading to a research project, supervised by at least one member of the lecturing staff in the Department. The project provides invaluable, practical ‘hands on’ experience of evaluating a particular research question. You have the opportunity to set your research question, determine and apply the methods to obtain the answers, and present, discuss and interpret the results. You normally start your project in the second term, together with necessary literature reviews and research design. Work on your project will continue full-time following the formal examinations in May up until project submission in mid-September. Additional workshops and seminars You are also required to attend some of the Department’s programme of Invited Speakers’ talks given by distinguished academics in psychology, and to produce a written critique on one of these. You are welcome to attend the Department’s other seminar series, which are hosted by eminent academics and practitioners. Assessment Written examinations; coursework; dissertation. Download the programme specification for the 2018-19 intake. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.