THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2014/2015
- ARCHIVE as at 1 September 2014

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Psychology

Postgraduate Course: Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology (PSYL11048)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) Credits10
Home subject areaPsychology Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis course will provide an introduction to Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology. Cognitive ageing individual differences and experimental psychology approaches will be included. A wide range of determinants of cognitive ageing will be considered, informed by genetic and brain imaging studies and including medical (including endocrine), lifestyle and social effects. Relevant animal studies are considered. Cognitive epidemiology addresses the association between early life intelligence and morbidity and mortality.

Topics included are:

Week 1
Course overview and cognitive ageing from an individual differences approach

Week 2
Human cognitive ageing: human cognitive neuroscience in normal and pathological ageing

Week 3
An introduction to cognitive epidemiology

Week 4
Mechanisms of cognitive ageing: human/translation work and animal models

Week 5
Methodological underpinnings of the work in cognitive ageing and cognitive epidemiology

Week 6
Feedback event: Assessment preparation/information session
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2014/15 Block 1 (Sem 1), Not available to visiting students (SS1) Learn enabled:  Yes Quota:  None
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Course Start Date 15/09/2014
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 10, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 88 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
No Exam Information
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the phenomena of cognitive ageing and cognitive epidemiology.

2. Critically evaluate studies examining the determinants of cognitive ageing in humans and animals.

3. Critically evaluate studies in the field of cognitive epidemiology.

4. Understand and apply the research methods of psychology (including individual differences and experimental psychology) and epidemiology to cognitive ageing and cognitive epidemiology.

4. Consider pursuing a topic in cognitive ageing and cognitive epidemiology in more detail for the course essay.
Assessment Information
1) Critique of a published paper (1500 words). Students will select from a list of 8 published research papers provided by course lecturers, and produce a written critique. Further instructions will be given on structure and content of the critique.

2) Research proposal (1500 words). Students will be asked to write part of a research proposal suitable for an application for research funding. This will be based on a topic within one of the lectures and can be for either a new study or secondary analysis of an existing dataset.

Assignment deadline: Thursday 27th November 2014, 12 noon
Word limit: 10% leeway on the word limit
Return deadline: 19th December 2014
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Not entered
Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Not entered
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsIntelligence, Memory, Aging, Epidemiology, Individual differences, Information processing, Neuroendo
Contacts
Course organiserProf Ian Deary
Tel: (0131 6)50 3452
Email: I.Deary@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Toni Noble
Tel: (0131 6)51 3188
Email: Toni.noble@ed.ac.uk
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