PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
MSc Research Methods in Psychology
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
MSc
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
2009 onwards
(e.g. from 2015 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Life Sciences
Parent Department:
Psychology & Language Sciences
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
(if applicable)
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lifesciences-faculty/degreeprogrammes/research-methods-psychology
Method of study:
Full Time and Part Time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
Length of the programme:
1 year Full Time and 2 years Part Time
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
(see Guidance notes)
Masters Level (Level 7)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
(see guidance notes)
Empirical Projects
Group Projects (15 credits): one mandatory but unassessed jointlywritten 3,000 word report; one assessed individually-written report..
Main Project (60 credits): 10,000-12,000 word dissertation.
Special Research Methods Options
Principles of Cognition (15credits) – one 3,000 word essay.
Special Research Options (30 credits) – two 3,000 word essays.
Generic Research Methods
Statistics (15 credits) – one 2 hour exam.
Computer Programming (15 credits) – a computing project.
Qualitative Analysis (15 credits) – one 3,000-5,000 word qualitative
report.
Keys Skills Portfolio (15 credits) – Web page; PowerPoint slides;
poster. Oral presentation at RM conference – mandatory but
unassessed.
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
MSc in Research Methods in Psychology
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
1. To equip students with the advanced training in research methods that will prepare them for a career
involving psychological research with human and nonhumans.
2. To provide students with leading-edge experimental knowledge of experimental, survey, and qualitative
methods, so they can investigate and evaluate psychological ideas.
3. To provide students with statistical and computational tools so they can develop and evaluate psychological
ideas.
4. To provide a challenging and supportive intellectual environment that is international and culturally diverse.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
1. Research design, quantitative
and qualitative methods.
2. Computer programming for the
conduct of experiments.
3. Use of software for statistical and
qualitative analysis.
4. Research design and the
philosophy of science
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Teaching.
Our strategy is to ensure in-depth coverage of the key
areas of psychological research.
We use a wide range of delivery methods:
1. Statistics, computation, and experimental
methods are taught in practical classes.
2. Specific research issues relating to particular
areas of psychology are taught in seminars.
3. Generic research skills are taught in workshops.
All of the above have a high active learning
component and ensure excellent coverage of
technical detail.
4. The above are also supported where
appropriate by web-based exercises.
Learning.
Students take responsibility for their own learning
from the start and to collaborate with others.
Students work in small groups to devise and run
empirical projects.
Seminars provide an opportunity to explore and to
integrate ideas. We propose to explore ways to
support and encourage this activity.
A major goal of our programme is to develop our
student’s capacity to carry out a fully-fledged
research project from initial research and planning to
execution and report.
Assessment:
Formative assessment:
Self-assessments form part of our statistics teaching.
Students write essays as part of their programme, and
are provided with structured feedback on these. Their
marks reflect the explicit criteria for each grade.
Students also appraise their own reports and those of
their peers.
Summative assessment:
We use a variety of summative assessments.
Empirical work is assessed on a continuous basis by
production of laboratory reports.
Qualitative analysis and computer programming are
assessed by projects.
Statistical methods are assessed by examination.
Specific research skills related to particular areas of
psychology and philosophical aspects are assessed by
essay.
Generic research skills are assessed by the production
of a portfolio.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Students will be able to:
Seminars model relevant skills in presenting ideas, and
provide an opportunity for students to present and
discuss ideas with feedback from experienced staff and
peers.
1. Engage in scientific
argumentation.
2. Appraise the most appropriate
methodology for any given
problem. Generate and test
psychological hypotheses.
3. Critically evaluate the
psychological literature, both
theoretical and
experimental/empirical.
Students write essays on specific research areas and
general philosophical issues, which are commented on
by the member staff in terms of the quality of the
argumentation. The dissertation includes an in-depth
literature review.
The empirical projects classes, together with the project,
provide an opportunity to generate and test hypotheses
and to integrate findings with the existing literature.
Assessment:
Formative assessment is provided via grades on essays
and projects.
Empirical reports are commented on and assessed on a
continuous basis.
Outline formative feedback is also provided on first
drafts on the final project.
Summative assessment is provided by written reports,
essays, portfolios, and unseen examinations.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Students can:
Skills in planning, conduct, and analysis of experiments
are taught via laboratory classes.
1. Use statistical packages for
analyses of data (quantitative and
qualitative).
2. Conduct laboratory-based
experiments.
3. Conducting qualitative analyses.
4. Design and analyse
questionnaires.
5. Communicate effectively by
presentations (using PowerPoint
and papers).
6. Use electronic resources (ejournals, the world-wide web,
word processing packages).
7. Write literature reviews.
Students initially work in small groups to design their
own experiments under guidance. Later, they work with
a single supervisor in an apprenticeship relation.
Statistical skills are taught in weekly practical classes
using relevant psychological problems that students are
required to solve.
Qualitative and computational skills are taught via
seminars and practised through projects.
Effective writing and presentation skills (posters and
PowerPoint) are taught via the weekly seminars and
background work for this requires the use of electronic
data.
Assessment:
Students submit four laboratory reports. These are
graded and commented upon so that students can learn
continuously.
The project is assessed in two stages: a project proposal
and a final project report.
An open-book statistics examination.
Computational and qualitative skills are assessed by
submission of a project.
Key research skills are assessed though submission of a
portfolio of previously practised skills.
Essays are graded according to a comprehensive
marking scheme and returned promptly to students.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Students can:
The weekly key-research skills workshop provides a key
forum for practical skills.
1. Generate hypotheses and test
these empirically.
2. Analyse and appraise numerical
and qualitative data.
3. Critically evaluate scientific
literature.
4. Write grants and ethic
applications.
5. Make effective use of IT (e.g.
search engines, spreadsheets,
statistics packages and other
software).
6. Argue from a scientific
standpoint.
7. Study independently and
efficiently.
8. Think critically and write
effectively.
9. Collaborate with peers and others
to achieve goals.
10. Communicate confidently and
effectively to both specialist and
non-specialist audiences.
11. Reflect on their own learning and
manage competing demands on
their time.
Numeracy, computational, and qualitative research skills
are formally taught, and are applied in research settings.
Empirical projects are taught in weekly seminars, and
are practised under staff guidance throughout the year.
Library and IT resources are available to facilitate
independent study.
The student handbook and seminar leaders act as
sources of guidance for effective study.
Psychological argumentation and scientific thinking are
modelled and taught throughout the programme.
Weekly seminars facilitate the acquisition of
interpersonal skills. In laboratory classes, students are
required to work in small groups in order to achieve their
experimental goals. Seminars also facilitate the
development of effective verbal communication skills.
Students are encouraged to reflect on their learning via
the seminar and their personal tutorials and are required
to learn to manage their time effectively by numerous
deadlines for different kinds of work (e.g., essays,
laboratory reports, seminar presentations, project
proposals and reports, unseen examinations.
Assessment:
A portfolio of practical work is presented by the student
(including web-page, PowerPoint presentation,
conference poster, literature review, grant and ethics
application).
Practical work – laboratory reports.
Qualitative and computing projects.
Projects reports.
Statistics examinations.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Framework-Higher-Education-Qualifications-08.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Dr Hugo Spiers
Name(s):
Date of Production:
26th April 2009
Date of Review:
October 2014
Date approved by Head of
Department:
October 2014
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
October 2014
November 2014