Psychology and Counselling

This module introduces the methods which are used in psychology and related fields. Statistical concepts and the quantitative methods which they underpin are taught alongside qualitative methods. The module builds knowledge which is important in interpreting the research papers you will read over the course of your degree as well as providing the foundation for skills which you will need in order to conduct your own research projects.

You will be introduced to key factors in human development including social, emotional, cognitive and biological foundation. Within social psychology you will look at how individuals perceive, influence and interact with others.

An introductions to basic counselling, communication, listening, interpersonal skills and reflective practice.

This module introduces the study of personality, intelligence, gender and mental health. Understanding these differences can be applied later in your studies to understand, for example, why some children learn language faster than others, or why men’s and women’s language use is sometimes so different.

You will be introduced to the basic biological processes and cognitive principles necessary for understanding human psychology. Language is a key cognitive skill, and this module covers topics such as reading and listening, automatic word identification, resolving linguistic ambiguities, and aphasia.

This module will enable you to recognise and contextualise Counselling and Psychotherapy nationally, internationally and globally and explore the impact on clients and therapists.

You will develop on the skills you developed in year one, designing, carrying out research and analysing your results.

You will explore the links between biological and cognitive processes and examine how this relationship influences performance in real-world contexts. You will also go into more depth in topics such as language and thought, reading, understanding language, and speech production.

In this module you will work with fellow students to further develop your counselling skills through experiential learning.

Building on your knowledge from year one, you will examine the influences of nature and nurture on human development. You will learn how to critically evaluate historical and contemporary theories. Your assignments will provide you with the opportunity to examine the implications of research for education, policy and clinical practice.

A further study of personality and social psychology.

Intermediate Counselling Skills 2 builds on Intermediate Counselling Skills 1 and on its completion enables you to receive a Graduate Certificate of Competency in Counselling.

You will carry out a research project on a topic of your interest, which may include aspects of English language as well as psychology. Recent dissertation topics have included the influence of parent-child interaction on child language acquisition, and the relationship between bilingualism and social anxiety. The range of skills you develop as you navigate the process of research design, completing an ethics form, recruiting participants and carrying out your research, performing appropriate analysis and writing up your work, will be invaluable in all workplaces.

This module explores what it’s like for children growing up with various conditions like autism spectrum disorder, Down’s syndrome, deafness, and developmental language disorder, and well as the impact on development of growing up in adverse environments such as poverty.

This module examines in detail the relationships between behaviour and the nervous system. You will explore these relationships through the consideration of key topics in the field of neuroscience, including learning, psychopharmacology, brain damage, organic brain disorder and mental health.

This module will develop your knowledge of how children learn language, from sounds, words and grammar, to the complexities of human communication. You will explore data from real children to increase your understanding and test out the theories discussed in class.

Develops your understanding of the relevance of psychology to education and provides opportunities to apply psychological theory and principles in the field of education and professional practice.

During this module, you will learn to apply theories and methodologies from cognitive psychology to real-world behaviour. You will explore the influence of emotional processing on human cognition and performance and reflect on the optimal conditions for thinking and decision-making.

This module will introduce you to the field of Environmental Psychology, exploring current and seiminal research in key areas of human-environment interrelationships. Topics may include: 

The psychological significance of place; climate change denial and activism; psychologically informed architecture; media, politics and the environment. 

An applied module which will introduce you to offender profiling, lie detection techniques and psychological theories of criminal behaviour; guest speakers have included a serving chief investigating officer, a forensic psychologist and a probation officer.

This module explores the effects that exposure to media has on people, as well as how people process information from media. It looks at advertisement, persuasion, news journalism, social media and internet use, including the use of metaphors in the media. It also covers conversation analysis and discursive psychology.

A practitioner based module which will provide you with a tour of relevant theories and topics (including stress, selection techniques and change at work), as well as an assessment opportunity to apply these in real-world settings, including your own experience in the workplace.

Explore positive models of ageing and lifespan development in the 21st Century including: identity, physical and mental health, and the psycho-social implications of ageing.

A new module which considers the role of psychology in a global context. You will have the opportunity to use your psychological knowledge to explore the issues of the day.

This module aims to introduce you to the concepts, theory, methods and applications of health psychology. It is concerned with the psychological aspects of physical illness, their treatment and management as well as what it is that keeps people healthy and well.

Explore conceptualisations of mental health, explanations of mental health., the legal and social ramifications of mental ill health, the range of conditions treated within psychiatry and different therapeutic modalities and agencies.

The psychology of serial homicide, mass shooting, and terrorism. The module also explores the neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass shooters, the pathway to intended violence in such extreme cases of violence and the neuropsychodynamics of individuals who commit serial homicide and single homicide.

The work placement will give you the opportunity to put what you've learnt into practice.