(MSc) Master of Science
Research Methods in Psychology
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Psychology
Colchester Campus
Masters
Full-time
None
MSC C80612
06/06/2014
Details
Professional accreditation
None
Admission criteria
A degree with an overall 2:1.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
None
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
Dr Ashok Jansari
Reader
Goldsmiths College
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
To provide advanced training in research methods as a suitable foundation for a PhD research degree.
To meet the criteria of postgraduate research training specified by the Economic and Social Research Council.
To develop a critical awareness of psychological science in relation to its philosophical context, and in relation to its social, computational and biological foundations, and in relation to research in the natural and social sciences.
To provide an opportunity for advanced study in cognitive psychology that will extend theoretical knowledge in selected areas of specialisation.
To provide knowledge and skills (critical evaluation and argument, quantitative and qualitative empirical methods, communication and presentation) that will prepare students for academic careers as well as a wide range of alternative careers, and will be widely sought by employers.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A1: Acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of a broad range of quantitative and qualitative empirical methods to address psychological issues
A2: Acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of fundamental theoretical issues in the natural, social and cognitive sciences, and the philosophy of mind
A3: Acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of current theoretical developments and empirical evidence within selected fields of cognitive psychology
A4: Acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of ethical, health and safety, and legal issues pertaining to research
A5: Graduates will demonstrate an advanced knowledge and understanding of psychological theory within the core domains of cognitive neuroscience
A6: Graduates will demonstrate an advanced knowledge and understanding of research methods, instrumentation and experimental design appropriate for cognitive neuroscience
A7: Graduates will demonstrate an advanced knowledge and understanding of statistics appropriate for cognitive neuroscience
Learning methods
A1 is taught through lectures, seminars and workshops, including on-line data analysis in computer laboratories.
A2-A7 are taught through lectures, seminars and workshops.
A2 - A3 are taught through high level internal and external research seminars, and follow-up group discussions.
A3-A4 are taught by individual supervision on the research project leading to the dissertation.
Assessment methods
A1 Practical exercises and a 2-hr examination in univariate statistics.
A2-A3 are assessed by coursework essays (usually 2 x 2500-word essays per module).
A4 is assessed through a 5000-word written research proposal.
A1, A3, A4 are assessed through the 10,000-word dissertation.
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B1: Graduates will be able to select and apply as appropriate a range of quantitative and qualitative empirical methods to answer psychological questions.
B2: Graduates will be able to understand and apply ethical principles pertaining to psychological research
B3: Graduates will be able to plan and design an empirical investigation
B4: Graduates will be able to analyse and interpret empirical data, including those of the student's own investigation
B5: Graduates will be able to critically evaluate a range of contemporary issues in psychology
B6: Graduates will be able to assemble and integrate evidence from a variety of sources
B7: Graduates will be able to report, interpret and discuss original research findings
B8: Graduates will show evidence of enhanced ability to evaluate the theoretical issues and experimental techniques of cognitive neuroscience
Learning methods
Lectures, seminars and practical workshops are used to teach research methods, theoretical ideas in psychology, and the ability to assemble evidence and report research findings (B1-B7).
B5 is also taught by attendance at, and subsequent seminar discussion of, high-level research seminars.
An original research project is carried out under supervision (B1-B7).
Interactive seminars are used for which the students create their own presentations.
Feedback is provided by students and staff (B7).
Assessment methods
Theoretical knowledge, critical evaluation and the integration of evidence are assessed through coursework essays and the dissertation (B4-B6).
Quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis are assessed by practical exercises in qualitative and quantitative research methods and the dissertation (B1, B3, B4).
Knowledge of ethical issues, and the costs of research are assessed by the research proposal (B2).
Reporting research findings is assessed by the dissertation and by a poster presentation (B7).
C: Practical skills
C1: Graduates will be able to deploy statistical skills, providing the ability to display and analyse empirical data, using appropriate software
C2: Graduates will be able to deploy research skills, including use of scientific databases, referencing packages, and modelling packages
C3: Graduates will be able to deploy writing skills, including use of academic conventions for publication, and presentation of a research proposal
C4: Graduates will be able to deploy preliminary investigative procedures, enabling them to conduct pilot studies, and, where necessary, construct and validate new instruments.
C5: Graduates will be able to deploy data collection skills, including the recruitment, instruction and debriefing of participants
C6: Graduates will be able to use a range of psychological tools related to cognitive neuropsychology, such as specialist software, laboratory equipment and psychological assessment tests.
Learning methods
Statistical skills are taught through lectures and practical classes, and also through the independent research project (C1).
Lectures, seminars, practical classes and computer workshops are used to teach all other skills (C2-C6).
Specific research skills are taught as part of the research project that is completed under individual supervision (C1-C6).
Assessment methods
Production of the dissertation assesses proficiency in all these skills (C1-C5).
Statistical skills are assessed by practical exercises and by a 2-hr statistical examination (C1).
The research proposal addresses skills involved in planning and reporting research (C2 - C5).
Research and writing skills are assessed through the coursework essays (C2, C3).
D: Key skills
D1: Communicate information, ideas and arguments effectively using a range of media, including written and poster communications
D2: (i) Use IT resources for research and presentation, including databases, library catalogues, internet resources, wordprocessing and presentation packages.
(ii) Use appropriate software to analyse quantitative and qualitative data
D3: Describe and analyse univariate and multivariate quantitative data using appropriate methods
D4: Apply theoretical knowledge, research design and practical techniques to investigate and solve empirical problems
D5: Not applicable.
D6: (i) Produce work that is properly presented against strict deadlines.
(ii) Reflect on their own performance and make constructive use of feedback.
(iii) Work independently, and plan work effectively
Learning methods
Oral and visual presentation skills are developed through seminars and practical exercises that address and monitor these skills directly (D1).
Generic IT skills and statistical packages are taught in computer workshops (D2, D3).
Numeracy is taught and encouraged by statistics and research methods lectures and workshops(D3).
Problem solving is taught through individual supervision on the research project (D4).
Assessment methods
These skills are assessed by coursework essays (D1, D2(i), D6), practical exercises (D2(ii)), the dissertation (D1, D2, D3, D4, D6) and the research proposal (D1, D4, D6).
All assessed work is carried out with strict submission deadlines, and returned promptly with feedback (D6).
Numeracy is also assessed through practical exercises in quantitative data analysis, and a statistical examination (D3).
Communication skills are also assessed through the poster presentation (D1).