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.