PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
MSc Developmental and Educational Psychology
Awarding body:
University College London
Teaching Institutions: UCL Institute of Education
Name of final award:
Master of Science (MSc)
Programme title:
Developmental and Educational Psychology
UKPASS code: P044305
Language of study
The Institute of Education teaches and assesses participants through the medium of
the English language. Competence in English language is required of all applicants.
Programme regulations may indicate the level of competence required of each
applicant and may make its achievement a condition of admission.
Entry requirements
Participants require a first or second-class honours degree with a substantial amount
of psychology (30%) from an approved university.
Aims of the Programme
This research-focused masters aims to:
 offer a comprehensive research training in developmental and educational
psychology
 provide a good grounding for doctoral study
 provide a valuable preparation for a research career in the academic community,
the public sector or in industry
 enable students to become informed members of the developmental and
educational psychology research community
 provide an in-depth knowledge of specialised research skills, using a broad range
of methods
 develop critically appraisal skills
Programme Outcomes
On successful completion of the programme students should be able to:
 Demonstrate how concepts, theories and evidence can be used in constructing an
understanding of issues and practices
 Produce and communicate reasoned and informed argument, both in writing and
orally
 Critically evaluate theory and evidence in psychology
 Develop a researchable question within the field of developmental and
educational psychology
 Carry out and write up a focused empirical enquiry in the discipline of
 psychology and within the framework of postgraduate research
 Reflect on, and apply, conceptual and theoretical frameworks and research
evidence in understanding professional policy and practice
Evidence for the achievement of these aims and objectives include:
 Written assignments for formative and summative purposes
 Discussion and debate in lectures, seminars and tutorials.
Mode of study
One year full-time or two to four years part-time study.
Programme structure
The programme consists of four modules as indicated below. In addition, students
will carry out a piece of research leading to a dissertation of 10,000 - 12,000 words.
They will also undertake sessions in academic competencies.
Taught modules
 Developmental Psychology (30 credits)
or Personality and Social Psychology (30 credits)
or Cognitive Development and Learning (30 credits)
 Methodology & Statistics (30 credits)
 Social Development (30 credits)
or Core Topics in Psychology of Education (30 credits)
 Qualitative Data Analysis (30 credits)
Below is a detailed description of these for each core module.
Developmental Psychology
This module provides an advanced analysis of children’s perceptual, emotional,
cognitive, linguistic and behavioural development throughout the period from
conception to late adolescence. Biological contributions to development, and to
individual differences in development, are considered in relation to other
contributions. Teaching strategies include lectures and small group discussions.
The module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of:
 the conceptual basis for a developmental approach to infant, child and adolescent
psychology
 evidence and theory about the interplay between genetic, prenatal and postnatal
factors in regulating normal and abnormal child development
 recent research into children’s perceptual, emotional, cognitive, linguistic and
behavioural development
Personality and Social Psychology in Education
This module provides an opportunity to examine theoretical and research
developments within the fields of Personality and Social Psychology, with particular
reference to their educational implications. Attention will be paid to issues of
crosscultural comparison and problems of psychological measurement, throughout.
The module seeks:
 To provide a critical and up to date account of selected theoretical/research
developments in the study of Personality and Social Psychology which are of
potential special importance for Educational Psychology
 To identify contrasting underlying theoretical assumptions within Personality and
Social Psychology and hence evaluate varied approaches to research which are
implicit in such differing theoretical orientations
 To explore the implications of material presented in terms of its applied
significance for improving teaching and learning, as well as for developing
effective organisational strategies, in schools and other educational contexts
Cognitive Development and Learning
This module provides an opportunity to examine theoretical and research
developments within the fields of Cognitive Development and Learning, with
particular reference to their educational implications. Attention will be paid to issues
of cross-cultural comparison and problems of psychological measurement,
throughout.
The module seeks to:
 Extend and deepen knowledge and understanding of theory and research in
cognitive development and learning
 Equip participants to evaluate evidence, claims and theory, and to challenge
previously held and new views
 Enable participants to identify educational implications of theory and research in
cognitive development and learning
Methodology and Statistics
This module considers methods of research and data analysis. It evaluates the
strengths and limitations of the various methods to study children, adolescents, and
their behaviour. An important aim of the module is to convey the fact that research
design and data analysis cannot be reduced to a set of rules. At the end of the
module students will have:
 developed their grasp of methodology and their understanding of data analysis,
 enhanced their ability to analyse research papers and formulate research projects,
and
 increased their expertise in running statistical analyses using SPSS.
Social Development
This module considers psychological research on social aspects of development in
childhood and adolescence and how families, schools and other social institutions
may influence these developments. It aims to encourage reflection on the origins and
validity of commonly held beliefs about children and their development. The module
uses a variety of methods including lectures and small group discussions.
 At the end of the module students will understand views about the relation
between psychology and culture that have motivated research and theory in
developmental and cognitive psychology
 know the range of influences on parents’ behaviour towards their children and
how these may determine differences between and within families
 be familiar with research on social and emotional aspects of development in
childhood and adolescence
Core Topics in the Psychology of Education
Core Topics in the Psychology of Education, as the module‟s name implies,
addresses key psychological topics of educational interest, and are divided into five
blocks taught by members of the programme team:
1. Academic and social interactions in schools
2. Critical reading and thinking
3. Thinking and reasoning
4. Learners and their contexts
5. Language development
The module aims to:
 Provide you with an introduction to key issues in psychology of education
 Develop an understanding of research processes
 Develop the skills required for undertaking research
 Develop the skills of critical analysis
 Enable you to identify the implications of theory and research for practice
Qualitative Data Analysis
The course is designed for students with little or no initial knowledge and experience
of qualitative analysis. It comprises a series of lecture/seminars and workshops led
by the tutor, as well as some complementary presentations/workshops on methods
of analysis within psychological studies. The course will involve a consideration of a
variety of strategies of qualitative analysis in order to develop an initial appreciation
of the range of practices falling loosely under the umbrella of qualitative analysis:
grounded theory, thematic analysis, discourse analysis, conversation analysis,
analysis of visual materials, interpretative phenomenological analysis, narrative
analysis etc.
Summary timetable
Term
Day
Time
Autumn
Tuesday
17.30-20.30
Autumn
Thursday
Autumn
Thursday
14.00-17.00
10.00-13.00
or
17.30-20.30
Module
Core Topics in Psychology of
Education
Developmental Psychology
Methodology & Statistics
Spring
(4 sessions)
Spring
Spring
10.00-11.00
or
17.30-18.30
Wednesday 17.30-20.30
Wednesday 17.30-20.30
Thursday
Methodology & Statistics
Cognitive Development and Learning
Personality and Social Psychology
Spring
Monday
10.00-13.00
Social Development
Spring
Tuesday
17.30-20.30
Qualitative Data Analysis
It is generally accepted that a 30 credit module requires 300 (notional) learning
hours. These include preparation, contact hours, background reading, engagement
in online discussion/activity, individual and group-based activity, self-directed study
and tutorial time.
The dissertation
The 60-credit dissertation will be 10-12,000 words in length. It will involve a piece of
empirical work investigating a research question of the student’s choice. The
teaching strategy involves small group tutorials, and individual supervision provided
by a member of the programme team, sometimes in collaboration with distinguished
psychologists from neighbouring institutions. Assessment is by the submitted write
up of the study.
The module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the research process
including identifying a topic, conducting bibliographic research, identifying a
significant question, formulating a project, obtaining ethical approval, negotiating a
sample, conducting and analysing a study, debriefing participants, and writing up the
results using current academic conventions
It provides opportunities to develop, under supervision, skills of
 bibliographic research using electronic databases
 critical analysis and synthesis of research
 negotiation with members of the public
 conducting research with children
 data analysis
 academic writing
Teaching and learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
We aim to offer a range of approaches to teaching and learning and to help students
in developing theoretical and conceptual frameworks that enable them to understand
and critique analyses of educational issues. The approaches used are lectures
including guest speakers, student preparation of tasks and longer presentations,
group work, discussion, computer workshops giving hands on practice, handouts
and a resource pack of readings to support learning and email communication
between students and tutors. The development of key and transferable skills is
supported through the tutor-student relationship, especially through comment on,
and the annotation of, the students’ writing.
Assessment
The taught modules will be assessed by coursework and in the case of Core Topics
in Psychology of Education by a two-hour unseen examination. Coursework can
involve small exercises conducted throughout the module, critiques of set research
articles and extended pieces of writing on set topics. In addition the 10 -12,000 word
dissertation will be assessed.
Participants must successfully complete all elements of the programme, to achieve
the minimum credits required for the award. All coursework is assessed according to
the grade-related criteria for the programme level, found in the programme
handbook.
All assignments are independently marked by two staff members, who meet to
discuss and reconcile the marks and comments for each individual. Assignments are
graded from A to D, with D being a failing grade. Participants are permitted to
represent a failed assignment on one further occasion, within 12 months of the
original submission.
An external examiner is appointed by Senate and plays an important role in
monitoring the quality of the programme and evaluating the effectiveness of the
teaching and support provided for the programme participants and the reliability of
the judgements made in assessing them.
Further details about assessment regulations can be found at
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/srs/academic-manual/overview .
Support for learning
Programme participants have varied needs. The following support is provided:
 An induction day at the commencement of the programme informs participants of
the programme content, methods and expectations, and introduces them to
Student Support Services and Academic literacy sessions.
 Programme and module handbooks offer full guidance and advice on studying,
writing and submitting both assignments and dissertations.
 The programme leader is available to advise all participants on academic matters,
and to refer them to the support services available at IOE
 Formative feedback is provided on draft assignments to take forward to their final
submission
 Peer support and networking is facilitated in the group by the use of VLE and
collaborative projects.
 Access to the full range of welfare and union facilities is afforded to all Institute
students
 Participants are all advised on the use of the library and information services, and
of the Moodle VLE operating system.
Methods for evaluating and improving the programme
Internal mechanisms and committees are as follows.
• Module evaluation by students
• Termly meetings of the Programme Committee and Programme Team
• Annual programme review prepared by programme team and considered by
Teaching and Quality Committee
•
•
•
•
Periodic programme review and revalidation
Staff review and development
Peer observation of teaching
External examiner reports
Committees with responsibility for monitoring and evaluating quality and standards
• Programme Committee
• Board of Examiners
• Teaching and Quality Committee
• Validation and Partnership Panel
Mechanisms for gaining student feedback on the quality of teaching and the learning
experience
• Student module evaluation (sessional and programme)
• Student representation on programme committees
Indicators of quality and standards
 Career development. Former programme participants have progressed to training
as primary teachers, Clinical and Educational Psychologists, research degrees,
university teaching and research posts
 Research. Several dissertations have been presented at national and international
conferences, and published in academic journals. Participants have also used
them as the basis for PhD research
 Evaluation. The report of the last Periodic Review commented very favourably on
the curriculum, the accessibility and expertise of the staff, and the motivation and
commitment of the students. Visiting Examiner reports compare the programme
very favourably with other postgraduate psychology programmes.
Date of completion/amendment of specification
September 2015