Programme Specification
A statement of the knowledge, understanding and skills that underpin a
taught programme of study awarded by
The University of Sheffield
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Programme Title
Psychology
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Programme Code
PSYU01, PSYU102
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JACS Code
C800
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Level of Study
Undergraduate
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Final Qualification
BSc Honours, BA Honours
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Intermediate Qualification(s)
None
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Teaching Institution (if not Sheffield)
Not applicable
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Faculty
Science
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Home Department
Psychology
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Other Department(s) involved in
teaching the programme
None
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Mode(s) of Attendance
Full-time
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Duration of the Programme
3 years
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Accrediting Professional or
Statutory Body
British Psychological Society (BPS)
Eligibility for Graduate Membership of the BPS
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Date of revision
February 2016
15. Background to the programme and subject area
Psychology is an empirical science which aims to understand the how’s and why’s of human experience and
behaviour. Methodologies developed within the discipline are used alongside those derived from cognate
disciplines such as biology, neuroscience, computer science, and philosophy.
Psychology encompasses several fields including social psychology, developmental psychology, occupational
psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and health psychology, to name but a few. The discipline attracts
students with a range of A Level and other qualifications, hence the encouragement of students with science and/or
social science and/or humanities backgrounds by offering both a BSc and a BA. Nevertheless the structures of both
the BA and the BSc programmes are identical. Students will be exposed to a variety of approaches which reflect the
research interests of staff within the Department. Psychologists are also concerned with the application of
psychological research to many different contexts, such as clinical, educational, and occupational environments.
The Department’ of Psychology here at Sheffield University is committed to research-led teaching.
Students will learn to use rigorous scientific techniques and statistical procedures to analyse, explain and report on
why people act in the ways they do. During their degree students will also acquire and practise skills which will not
only enhance their learning experience but which are also sought after by employers.
The degree at Sheffield has always been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and confers
eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership - an essential qualification for those who intend to
practise as psychologists. Accreditation means that the degree includes all the components of the BPS syllabus
(which is an explicit version of the subject benchmark for Psychology). (Subject Benchmark statements are
designed as reference points for assisting with the design of programmes, the setting and assuring of academic
standards, and are also concerned with describing the expected abilities of graduates.) In addition, the Department
more than meets all the necessary BPS requirements for quality teaching and resources.
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16. Programme aims
The aim of the programme is to provide students with:
• a broad and critical understanding of the subject matter of psychology, incorporating biological, cognitive, social
and developmental approaches;
• the skills for the acquisition, evaluation and use of information. In particular students should have the skills for the
assessment of psychological theory, by means of evidence, and skills for the evaluation of evidence itself;
• the distinctive skills associated with psychological research, including the design of empirical and qualitative
investigations, collection of data, statistical analysis of results, and the interpretation of findings;
• skills in personal organisation, written and oral communication and use of information technology in preparation
for continued studies or future careers.
17. Programme learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: By the end of the programme student will have gained:
K1
a critical understanding of theories in different areas of psychological research;
K2
a comparative awareness of the relationship between psychology and other disciplines;
K3
a knowledge of biological psychology, including the biological basis of behaviour and neuropsychology;
K4
a knowledge of cognitive psychology, including perception, learning, memory, and language;
K5
a knowledge of social psychology, including social cognition, attitudes and group processes;
K6
a knowledge of developmental psychology, including cognitive, social and language development;
K7
a knowledge of individual differences, including differences in intelligence and personality;
K8
an understanding of methodologies in different areas of psychology;
K9
an understanding of the significance of ethical issues in relation to psychological work and research;
K10
an understanding of different conceptual and historical issues in psychology;
K11
an understanding of how psychological theories and research are related to applied contexts.
Skills and other attributes: Transferable skills:
S1
To communicate effectively by developing relevant arguments backed up by empirical evidence;
S2
To be able to interpret and critically assess scientific data, using problem-solving and reasoning skills;
S3
To carry out literature and information searches effectively;
S4
To use software for communication, word processing, statistical analyses and accessing databases;
S5
To develop the skills and confidence of an independent learner;
S6
To work as part of a team and to be aware of the psychological aspects of interpersonal communication and
shared skills;
S7
To consider the ethical dimension of any work or activity;
S8
To carry out a significant empirical project with independence and responsibility, to meet the constraints and
time limits of such a project, and to achieve work of a recognised scientific quality.
Skills and other attributes: Subject specific skills:
S9
To recognise distinctive psychological approaches to different issues;
S10
To generate psychological hypotheses and the ways to test those hypotheses;
S11
To carry out empirical studies using psychological methods of data collection;
S12
To analyse quantitative and qualitative psychological data;
S13
To use psychological tools, such as statistical procedures, laboratory equipment and psychometric tests;
S14
To write an ethical proposal for psychological work;
S15
To produce independent psychological research and to describe that work in a written psychological report
and as a verbal presentation to an audience of psychologists.
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18. Teaching, learning and assessment
Development of the programme learning outcomes is promoted through the following teaching and
learning methods:
Knowledge and understanding (K1-10) are achieved through a variety of teaching methods. These include lectures,
seminars, laboratory and computer classes, small group tutorials, and individual supervision of extended essays
and projects. K1-2 and K8 are explicit in all modules. K3-K7 are taught throughout the programme and in particular
in Level 2 core modules that are dedicated to each of these five components. K8 is addressed in specialist methods
modules in Level 1 and Level 2 and in the course of project work in Level 3. K9 is covered by both lectures and by
the requirement that students produce an ethical proposal for their Level 3 project. K11 is considered throughout
the programme, and in particular through Level 3 options that link psychological theories to applied problems in the
environment and in the workplace. Specific skills (S9-S15) are taught throughout the programme. These will be part
of the specialised methods modules, but every module includes laboratory classes and write-ups, so that students
become very familiar with psychological research procedures. Transferable skills (S1-8) are taught at all stages and
in particular in specific Level 1 and Level 2 'thinking and study skills' modules, in which students learn and practise
written and verbal presentations, essay and laboratory writing skills, abstract and summary writing, poster
presentations, preparing for examinations and preparing for job applications and interviews. In the course of
completing their Level 3 projects students practise specific skills (in preparing, carrying out and writing up their
projects) and practise transferable skills (in working with other students, working as a member of a research team,
liaising with participants and by carrying out research in other organisations).
Opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the programme learning outcomes are provided through the
following assessment methods:
A variety of assessments, both formative and summative, are used throughout the programme. These include
different types of unseen examinations including multiple choice, short answer, essay and statistical examination
papers. Other assessments include coursework such as short and long essays, laboratory reports, statistical
questions and the Level 3 empirical project. Formative assessments include tutorial essays, laboratory report
writing, individual oral presentations and group presentations. K1-K8, K10 and K11 are assessed by all these
assessment procedures and K9 is covered by the obligation to produce an ethics proposal. S9 is also considered in
most forms of assessment. S10-S15 are assessed in methods examinations, coursework laboratory reports and in
the process of the Level 3 project. All the written examinations and coursework develop the transferable skills S1S4 and the Level 3 project work in particular provides an opportunity to demonstrate S5 and S7-8. S6 is reflected in
the group work in some modules, and is possible in joint project work.
19. Reference points
The learning outcomes have been developed to reflect the following points of reference:
Subject Benchmark Statements
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/subject-guidance/Pages/Subject-benchmark-statements.aspx
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2008)
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/The-framework-for-higher-educationqualifications-in-England-Wales-and-Northern-Ireland.aspx
University Strategic Plan
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/strategicplan
Learning and Teaching Strategy (2011-16)
http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/strategy/lts11_16
British Psychological Society syllabus for the BPS Qualifying Examination.
The research interests of Departmental staff and the research strategy of the Department of Psychology.
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20. Programme structure and regulations
The programme enables students to achieve both a broad based understanding of many of the main aspects of
contemporary psychology, and at the same time to study several topics in depth through Level 3 options,
coursework essays and project work. In Level 1, students will take several introductory modules in psychology
which are designed to be appropriate for both students who have had experience of psychology and those who
have not. These modules provide a general background to the course and include examples of how psychology can
be applied in practice. In Level 2, students take a set of six core modules that cover all main aspects of psychology
including social, developmental, cognitive, neuroscience, individual differences, methodology and statistics. These
modules provide the basis for more specialised topics in Level 3. Level 3 topics can be chosen from a wide range of
options.
All the core topics in the programme and the Levels at which they are taught are determined by the requirements of
the British Psychological Society. The Society requires all accredited Departments to teach a specific BPS syllabus,
and that syllabus is in effect the same as the psychology benchmarks. The Department communicates all details of
its programme to the BPS, provides the Society with a written report every two years and receives regular
accreditation visits from the Society. For this reason the BA and BSc Hons Psychology programmes meet all the
requirements of the psychology benchmarks (to which reference can be made for more details about the
programme content). In addition to the core content of the programme the Department offers a large number of
optional modules at Level 3. These options allow students the opportunity to specialise in the areas of greatest
interest to them, and to study topics in depth. All the optional modules are based on staff research interests and
therefore offer insights into contemporary empirical research and theoretical debates.
University regulations specify the number of credits necessary for progression between Levels. For details of the
University regulations see below.
Please refer to the General University Regulations and the On-line Directory of Modules for detailed information
about the structure of programmes, regulations concerning assessment and progression and descriptions of
individual modules.
21. Student development over the course of study
The programme is designed so that students achieve progressively more advanced learning outcomes. Students
undertake the programme from a variety of backgrounds that may or may not include previous experience of
psychology. Level 1 is therefore designed to provide a foundation of theoretical, empirical, and methodological work
that is appropriate for students who are familiar or unfamiliar with psychological concepts. Students will be given
training in writing psychology essays and laboratory reports, an introduction to critical, analytical thinking and to
scientific method.
Level 2 builds on this foundation to cover all the main topics of the programme and students receive specialised
tutorials focussed on those topics. In addition students will take more advanced laboratory classes and statistical
workshops. Following on from the introduction to study skills at Level 1, students continue to hone their study skills
alongside their transferable and employability skills. Level 2 provides the basis for more specialised Level 3 options
and allows students to make informed choices about their Level 3 project work.
Apart from the research project, the subject of which students select themselves, at Level 3 students are able to
select from a wide range of optional modules depending on their interests and future career plans.
22. Criteria for admission to the programme
Detailed information regarding admission to the programme is available at http://www.shef.ac.uk/prospective/
23. Additional information
Please refer to the Department’s web pages at http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/psychology, and to the British
Psychological Society’s web pages at http://www.bps.org.uk/index.cfm.
This specification represents a concise statement about the main features of the programme and should be
considered alongside other sources of information provided by the teaching department(s) and the University. In
addition to programme specific information, further information about studying at The University of Sheffield can be
accessed via our Student Services web site at www.shef.ac.uk/ssid.
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