Essential Information Required for Changes to/or New
Module Additions
PART A
1SPA1- Structured PhD in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Course Instance
Subject/Group/Level
To which module belongs
Module Co-Ordinator
Module Title &
Description
Psychology
Dr. Padraig MacNeela/Dr. AnnMarie Groarke
Specialist Methodologies in Psychology: Research 1
Module aim
For the student to become familiar with the methodologies used in the specialist research
domain within which their PhD project falls. This module will focus the student’s initial
analysis of the skills and concepts associated with the specialized research methodologies in
their domain.
On successful completion of the module the student will be able to describe the research
methods used in their specialist field comprehensively and insightfully, demonstrate proficiency
in relevant practical skills associated with these methods, and relate these methods to their thesis
topic. Having identified and explore the key methodological issues in planning their thesis,
some students will go on to address these in Specialist Methodologies in Psychology: Research
2.
Learning process. This module offers a generic framework that will be fitted to the individual
student’s needs. The module will be taken at an early stage in the student’s registration to focus
the task of identifying the methodological requirements raised in the thesis research plan.
At the beginning of the module, the student will collaborate with the supervisor and thesis
committee to identify and articulate the learning needs to be addressed in the module. This will
be set out in the form of a learning contract. Depending on the research cluster with which the
student is affiliated in the School of Psychology, s/he will follow an individualized learning
process based on a template comprising lecture attendance, use of Blackboard resources,
seminar participation, one-to-one supervision, assignment completion and access to specialized
methodological resources.
To give an example, the Psychology & Health research cluster will identify a template of
learning activities that draws on staff members’ teaching, Blackboard resources and so on. This
standard set of activities will form the core resource for students, contextualized to the student’s
needs by an individualised plan in the learning contract. The learning contract will provide the
basis for the student’s self-directed learning, with weekly supervision.
The student’s learning will be further particularised by the assessment format, which will be
agreed with the thesis supervisor. The learning contract will stipulate a form of assessment
tailored to the student’s needs, based on a workload equivalent to that of a 10,000 word
assignment. Given the focus in the module on methodology, student assessment will balance
skill acquisition with conceptual awareness..
Module Code
Module Type
Optional
Year Long
Is Module taught via
Blackboard: Yes
(will be centrally
allocated if new)
ECTS
Requisite(s)
10
Semester/
Trimester
(Taught)
Co-Req.
Modules 
Pre-Req
Modules 
Excl.Req.
Modules 
Assessment Sitting
Assessment Type
Exam Session
Duration
1st Sitting
Departmental Assessment
Autumn
N/A
2nd Sitting
Departmental Assessment
Autumn
Bonded Modules
N/A
Type of Bond
(i.e. modules which are
to be examined at the
same date and time)
Departmental
Allocation (for FTE
Psychology
(if different)
& white sheet
production)
PART B (optional)
Module Proposed by
(HOD)
Academic
Qualifications of
Co-Ordinator
If yes,
give
names
Dr. AnnMarie Groarke
PhD
Yes
Are there others
involved in the
programme delivery
No. of
1 hour or 2 hour
Qualifications All those
responsible for
hours of
lecture
module teaching
delivery
will be full time
permanent
members of staff
Over the Duration of the Module
Indicative number of 7
No. of Lectures
lectures. The number of
lectures will be variable
across students,
depending on their
assessed need. The
student will be directed to
attend lectures across
relevant MSc / PhD level
modules offered in the
School of Psychology
Lecture Duration
No. of Tutorials
Indicative number of 5
tutorials. The number of
tutorials will be variable
across students,
depending on their
assessed needs. Tutorials
will be specific to the
structured PhD in
Psychology
Tutorial Duration
1 hour or 2 hour tutorial
Lecture, Workshop, Laboratory, Individual and Group Supervision
Other forms of
delivery (Describe)
Learning Outcomes (list) Having completed this module, students will demonstrate the
ability to:
Describe the research methodologies used in the specialist research domain
to which the thesis belongs
Demonstrate an appropriate level of skill in the research methodologies
associated with the proposed thesis research plan
Identify how the research methods in the specialist domain will be applied in
the thesis research plan
Suggested Reading (list) A semi-structured learning package will be designed by each research cluster in the
School of Psychology (Psychology & Health; Perception, Cognition & Action;
Lifespan Development; Clinical, Biological & Behavioural Psychology); the aim of
this is ensure students have access to a coherent picture of the sub-discipline of
psychology relevant to the student. Boundaries between clusters are flexible, so that
students can also avail of resources developed in other clusters.
Each PhD student will be affiliated with a particular research cluster and will utilise
the learning package for that cluster, which will comprise reading list of textbook
chapters, journal articles, working papers, lecture Powerpoints and ancillary learning
materials, Blackboard resources, etc.
This package will be made specific to each PhD student following collaborative
review of the student's needs by the supervisor, thesis committee and student
him/herself.