LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
Programme Specification
B.Sc. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
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 full advantage is taken of the learning opportunities that are provided.
More detailed information on the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and
assessment methods of each module can be found in Module Specifications and other programme
documentation and online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/
The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed by the University and may be
checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Awarding body/institution:
Department:
Teaching institution (if different):
Loughborough University
Social Sciences
Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body:
Name of the final award:
British Psychological Society, for Graduate
Membership of the Society (GM) and Graduate
Basis for Registration as a Chartered
Psychologist (GBR)
B.Sc. (Honours)
Programme title:
Social Psychology
UCAS code:
C880
Subject Benchmark Statement:
Psychology
Date at which the programme specification was
written or revised:
August 2008
1.
Aims of the programme:
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to provide an intellectually stimulating environment in which students can develop the
critical and practical skills of the social psychologist;

to provide students with the opportunity to study social psychology in the
multidisciplinary context of a Social Sciences Department where the value of
interdisciplinary analysis is explored;

to enable students to gain a theoretically and empirically well-grounded understanding
of how people develop and think, how they interact with one another as individuals or
groups, and how they affect, and are affected by, the cultures in which they live;

to enable students to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of particular aspects
of social psychology;

to introduce students to multiple perspectives in a way that fosters critical evaluation of
psychological theory and research, both academically and in its application to the
everyday world;
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2.

to develop students’ understanding of the role of empirical evidence in the creation and
testing of theory and also in how theory guides the collection and interpretation of
empirical data;

to enable students to acquire a range of quantitative and qualitative research skills and
methods for investigating experience and behaviour;

to develop the ability of students to conduct independent enquiry in the field of social
psychology, using appropriate methodologies;

to provide a high quality honours programme in social psychology, which maximises
students’ opportunities to graduate with a good degree and enhance their employability.
Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal reference
points used to inform programme outcomes:
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3.
The draft Benchmark Statement for Psychology
The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
Requirements of the British Psychological Society which undertakes regular two-yearly
ongoing monitoring and a full Review once every five years
University Learning and Teaching Strategy
Departmental teaching and learning policies
The research interests and specialisms of the teaching staff and their professional
involvement in the discipline.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
The Social Psychology degree teaches the broad range of psychology, but necessarily
emphasises the social psychological base of the discipline. In keeping with the British
Psychological Society requirements for GBR, students will have opportunities to develop
their knowledge and understanding of psychological topics in these areas:
1. Social psychology: core topics in, for example, attitudes, prejudice, intergroup relations,
interpersonal relationships, gender and society.
2. Cognitive psychology: core topics in, for example, perception, memory, thinking,
language, consciousness.
3. Personality and individual differences: core topics in, for example, abnormal and normal
personality, psychological testing, intelligence, emotion.
4. Developmental psychology: core topics in social, cognitive and linguistic development.
5. Biological psychology: core topics in the biological bases of behaviour, the central
nervous system, neuropsychology.
6. Research methods in psychology: qualitative and quantitative methods, research
design, statistics, information technology.
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Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated:
Core knowledge and understanding of areas 1 to 5 is acquired by lectures, seminars, and
guided independent study. The more practically-oriented knowledge in 6 is imparted
through practical classes.
Areas 1-5 are assessed by examination and coursework, and 6 by coursework alone,
including a substantial independent Project.
Skills and other attributes:
(a)
Subject-specific cognitive skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1. locate and understand accounts of human experience in a variety of sources,
and establish connections between them.
2. evaluate primary and secondary data.
3. critically analyse methods and theory in psychology.
4. apply psychological theory and research methods of psychology to problems in
the daily world.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Cognitive skills are promoted by lectures, practicals, seminars, small group
supervision of advanced work in the Final year, and by guided independent study of
scholarly material.
Cognitive skills are assessed by coursework and examinations. Examinations show
how well the student can demonstrate their mastery of an area of scholarly
knowledge by selecting appropriate material from memory and applying it to an
unseen question in a limited time-period. Coursework allows the student to
demonstrate wider academic skills of focused scholarly research, drafting, editing
and polished writing. In the Final year, the student demonstrates their ability
independently to design and execute a substantial empirical investigation and
present its findings in a written dissertation.
(b)
Subject-specific practical skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1. observe, record accurately and give an objective account of human behaviour in
natural settings.
2. design an experiment which compares behaviour or experience under at least
two conditions of at least one experimental variable.
3. interpret qualitative data rigorously.
4. collect and organise quantitative data for statistical analysis.
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5. communicate ideas in different genres and for different audiences: long and
short essays, practical reports and a major dissertation; to peers and teachers;
in writing and orally.
6. act professionally and in accordance with ethical propriety.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Practical skills are promoted through practical work in the laboratory and in the field.
In Years 1 and 2 students are taught in practical classes and undertake increasingly
more demanding empirical projects in small groups. In the Final year the student
undertakes a major independent research project under the supervision of a
member of staff.
Assessment is via coursework (including class tests), ranging from small-scale
practical reports through to the major write-up of the student’s independent Final
year project.
(c)
Key/transferable skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1. Information technology: use instructional material (e.g. experimental
demonstrations) and research tools (e.g. statistical packages) on computers,
and search for relevant material on the internet.
2. Numeracy: collect data in numerical form, present it in tables and graphs, and
analyse it with a range of statistical tools.
3. Problem solving: clarify questions, consider alternative solutions and evaluate
outcomes.
4. Teamwork: share responsibility for a task with others; agree common goals and
methods to achieve them; co-ordinate the use of common resources.
5. Communication skills: write or speak clearly to topic; to draft, edit and polish
presentations; to contribute actively to group discussion.
6. Manage self-learning: seek out sources of information, plan time to make the
best use of resources and review priorities in the light of deadlines.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Key skills 1-4 are promoted by the requirement in practical classes and in the Final
year project that students use computers, become proficient at statistics, research
design and implementation, and work in teams. Key skill 5 is embedded in the
teaching methods used in tutorials and practical classes and in the assessment
system, which is based on written and (to a lesser extent) oral reporting. Key skill 6
is fostered by guidance given in Handbooks and in personal consultations with
students.
Assessment of key skills is embedded in module assessment, and is explicit in endof-module student evaluations.
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4.
Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards:
Full details can be found in the Programme Regulations at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/lps/progreg/year/0809/docs/Social%20Psychology%20BSc
.doc
5.
Criteria for admission to the programme:
A typical offer would be:
A Level qualifications: Grades AAB from either three A levels or two A levels plus two
additional subjects at AS level (including General Studies).
BTEC ND: Distinction, Distinction, Distinction OR Distinction, Distinction, Merit profile (in
some cases)
SQA: Minimum grade AB/BB in Advanced Highers. Majority B grades in Highers.
International Baccalaureate: Minimum 34 points.
6.
Information about assessment regulations:
Most modules are assessed by a mixture of written examination and coursework, although
there are exceptions in Year 1 where some modules are assessed entirely by coursework
and others entirely by examination. First year assessment is for progression to the second
year. Second year and third year results are weighted in the proportions 40% : 60% in
calculating final degree classifications.
Students follow modules weighted at 120 credits each year. In order to progress to the
next year of the programme, or to be awarded the degree at the end of Year 3, students
must, each year, accumulate at least 100 credits and obtain a minimum of 30% in
remaining modules.
Any student who fails to meet these requirements has the automatic right of reassessment
on one occasion only in any module which is causing them to fail the year. The Practical
Social Psychology 1A and 1B modules are barred from September reassessment and so
any student who fails either of these must wait until the following academic year to be
reassessed in all fail modules.
Full details of these arrangements are contained in the official Programme Regulations
(attached as an appendix).
7.
What makes the programme distinctive:
The programme is distinctive in its focus on psychology in its broader social context. It
covers the breadth of psychological topics that other courses do, as well as maintaining the
depth of coverage on particular topics, but psychological processes are understood in
relation to issues of broader political, sociological and practical concern. This is reflected in
the way that the programme is situated in an interdisciplinary Social Sciences Department,
thus allowing students to draw on expertise in areas such as Sociology, Communication
and Media Studies, and Criminology and Social Policy.
The programme offers rigorous ‘hands on’ training in the methods of investigation used by
psychologists, including the full range of qualitative and quantitative methods of data
collection and analysis. Students engage in a significant amount of small group project
work, as well as undertaking a major individual dissertation in their final year.
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The social psychology team at Loughborough includes leading international experts on the
analysis of discourse, rhetoric and conversation and has helped developed important
critical alternatives to more traditional forms of psychology. The world renown of this group
of researchers is reflected in the top Departmental rating for research that was obtained in
the last three audits by the Higher Education Funding Council. Students benefit from being
taught by researchers who produce leading-edge research.
The programme is fully accredited by the British Psychological Society for Graduate
Membership of the Society (open to all graduates) and the Graduate Basis for Registration
(GBR) as a Chartered Psychologist (open to graduates obtaining a second class degree or
higher).
8.
Particular support for learning:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/templates/notes/lps/
Additional Information for the Department of Social Sciences:
Library:
Social science staff regularly order new material for the Library, including both books and
journals. Students receive a detailed reading list for each module, and popular texts are
placed in the Short Loan collection to ensure ready access.
Computing Services:
The Social Sciences Department has three technicians who provide IT support for both staff
and students. The Department has an open-access IT laboratory for student use, and
several others which can be booked when not in use for teaching purposes.
Counselling Service and English Language Study Unit:
Within the Social Sciences Department individual members of staff are always willing to
assist students with their study skills, and the Personal Tutor system gives students a first
port of call if they have personal problems to resolve.
Disabilities and Additional Needs Service and Mental Health Support Service
At Departmental level, staff work in collaboration with the Services to take account of
students’ special needs when preparing teaching materials. A Departmental Disability Coordinator (currently Dr Dennis Howitt, D.L.Howitt@lboro.ac.uk) acts as a source of advice
and help for both staff and students.
Careers Centre:
The Careers Centre organises a successful work-shadowing programme specifically of
interest to students in the Department of Social Sciences.
9.
Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of learning:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/templates/notes/lps/
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