Education and Psychology BSc

Core modules:

What is Psychology?

This module will introduce you to the foundational principles of psychology as a scientific discipline, including its historical development, research methods, and ethical considerations. 

You will also explore alternative and contemporary perspectives within psychology, such as critical psychology, indigenous psychologies, and post-structuralist approaches, fostering a nuanced understanding of the field's diversity. 

You will examine the cultural influences on psychological phenomena, highlighting how societal norms, values, and traditions shape human thought, emotion, and behaviour. 

You will find out about the applied nature of psychology across various real-world contexts, including clinical, educational, organizational, and forensic settings, showcasing its practical utility in addressing human challenges.

20 credits

Unpacking Education

This module will introduce you to the core concepts and foundational theories of education as an academic field. You'll explore the historical evolution of educational thought, from ancient philosophies to contemporary approaches, and examine the sociological aspects of education, including its role in socialisation, inequality, and social change.

The module also investigates the philosophical underpinnings of education, prompting you to consider different aims, values, and approaches to teaching and learning. By the end of the course, you'll be able to critically understand contemporary educational issues by placing them within their broader historical, sociological, and philosophical contexts.

20 credits

Unlocking Research

This module introduces you to the essential principles of research in education and psychology and shows how these ideas connect to real-life issues. You'll explore both qualitative and quantitative approaches—for example, how surveys can reveal patterns in student wellbeing or how classroom observations can shed light on teaching practices. Along the way, you'll gain practical skills in finding and evaluating academic sources, and learn how to apply ethical principles when working with people and sensitive topics. The module also highlights how research contributes to tackling global challenges such as inequality, climate change, and mental health through the lens of Education for Sustainable Development. By the end, you'll understand how research is not only about generating knowledge, but also about shaping positive change in society.

20 credits

Professional Skills for Education and Psychology

This employability module is designed to help you develop and apply key professional skills. The module is structured in three phases: Foundational Skills, Application and Exploration, and Integration and Future Planning.

The first three weeks focus on foundational skills - core, transferable skills essential for any profession. Topics covered include self-awareness and goal setting, where you will complete a SWOT analysis and create a personal mission statement. The module also emphasizes communication and collaboration as well as problem-solving and critical thinking using structured models to produce solutions to case-studies.

The module then transitions from theory to practice, helping you apply foundational skills in real-world contexts relevant to education and psychology. The content includes an exploration of professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical codes. You will participate in a 'mock ethics committee' activity to debate challenging ethical dilemmas. To connect students with the professional world, the module features a guest speaker series with professionals from diverse fields. The final part of this phase includes a mock interview session to practice different interview techniques.

The final part of the module brings all the elements together, encouraging you to think about your career pathway and take concrete steps toward your goals. The key component of this section is a real-world, project-based learning challenge. The module concludes with a final group presentation of the project. You will also review your personal development throughout the course and create a tangible action plan for your future.

20 credits

Mind, Metrics and More

This module will introduce you to the core psychological concepts of personality and intelligence. You'll get an overview of different approaches to psychological assessment, including psychometrics and IQ testing, while also critically examining their historical context, development, and limitations. The course will address critical perspectives on individual differences, including issues of bias, cultural relevance, and social justice. Finally, you will explore the principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and consider how an understanding of individual differences can help inform the creation of more inclusive and equitable educational and social systems.

20 credits

Development across the lifespan

This module provides an in-depth exploration of human development from a combined psychological and educational viewpoint, spanning from childhood through to old age. It integrates key theories and research from developmental psychology with an understanding of educational contexts and practices across the lifespan. The module will examine the biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional changes that occur throughout life, considering how these changes are influenced by and, in turn, influence learning, teaching, and educational policy.

20 credits

Core modules:

Psychology and Learning Communities

This module explores learning as conceptualised by different approaches within the broad umbrella of psychology. It examines how and why these different approaches emerged, how they compare to one another, and how they have come to inform different understandings of what learning is, how it happens and how it might be facilitated. It also explores how these different conceptualisations have come to impact individual learners, and particular learning communities. Critical attention is drawn to the way in which language facilitates social practices including those involved in the construction of different kinds of knowledge. In this sense, knowledge relates to formal conceptualisations of learning provided by developments in scientific disciplines (e.g. psychology) and the social sciences (e.g. education and sociology). It is also concerned with informal understandings such as the continual constitution of learner's identities through social engagement. The module aims to challenge notions of learning as an individual enterprise and to support students in critical reflection upon their own learning experiences in connection to the approaches discussed.

20 credits

Research Toolkit for Education and Psychology

This module is designed to develop your understanding of fundamental research techniques in education and psychology, covering both quantitative and qualitative approaches. You will learn the principles of statistics necessary to analyze and interpret data. The course also explores the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research, focusing on its use in data processing and analysis while addressing important ethical implications and potential biases.

You will also be introduced to participatory methods, highlighting collaborative approaches and the importance of community and participant voice in research. By the end of the module, you'll be equipped with the practical skills to conduct basic studies and analyze data. The module will integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles by showing how these research methods can be applied to study and promote sustainable behaviors and societal change.

20 credits

The Social Self

This module will introduce you to core theories and research in Social Psychology, focusing on how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. You'll examine key phenomena such as attitudes, stereotypes, prejudice, group dynamics, and interpersonal relationships.  You will also explore the Sociology of Education and how this intersects with these psychological phenomena.

The module will consider interaction in education and will explore how diverse social and cultural contexts influence human interaction. It will also develop your ability to critically analyze social behavior and its implications in real-world and online settings. Finally, the module integrates Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles by showing how social psychology can be used to inform interventions that promote pro-social and sustainable behaviors, address social inequalities, and encourage collective action for global challenges.

20 credits

Pathways to Adulthood

This module will deepen your understanding of developmental psychology, focusing on diverse pathways across the entire lifespan. You will explore major theories and research methods, including longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches. The module examines how biological, cognitive, and socio-cultural factors influence development, and considers the impact of diverse cultural contexts on developmental theories.  You will also explore how theoretical knowledge influences educational practices/systems e.g. how does our understanding of developmental psychology underpin (or not) education systems.

The course also addresses the complexities of atypical development and both developmental and acquired disorders, fostering a more inclusive understanding. Finally, you will explore Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles by considering how developmental principles can be used to create resilient, equitable, and sustainable communities, particularly for children and future generations.

20 credits

Neuroscience Explained: Brain Behaviour and Genes

This module provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of biological psychology and neuroscience, exploring the relationship between brain structure, function, and behavior. You will examine the basic anatomy and physiology of the nervous system, from individual neurons to major brain regions. The course also explores the biological underpinnings of key psychological processes such as sensation, perception, learning, memory, and emotion.

You will be introduced to the role of genetics in shaping brain development and behavior, which lays a foundation for understanding individual differences. The module also fosters a critical understanding of research methods used in biological psychology and neuroscience, including neuroimaging techniques. Finally, it integrates Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles by considering the responsible use of neuroscience and genetic knowledge for human well-being and by critically examining historical and cultural biases in neuroscience research.

20 credits

It's All In The Mind

This module will introduce you to the core theories and findings of cognitive psychology, focusing on fundamental mental processes. You will explore the psychological mechanisms behind perception, examining how sensory information is organized and interpreted. The module also delves into the multifaceted nature of memory, from encoding to retrieval, and investigates different forms of learning, including classical and operant conditioning. In addition you will explore sociocultural theories and perspectives that view cognition as a collaborative process.

You will develop the ability to critically evaluate cognitive models and research methodologies, particularly experimental design. The module integrates principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by exploring how understanding cognitive processes can inform effective communication about sustainability and promote learning for behavioral change. It also encourages a critical examination of how cognitive theories have been influenced by Western perspectives and explores how diverse cultural contexts may influence these processes.

20 credits

Core:
- Research Dissemination in the Social Sciences
- Perspectives on Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Dissertation in Psychology and Education

Optional:
- Reading Development and Disorders
- What is Learning?
- Evaluating Complex Interventions
- Globalising Education