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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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

Undergraduate Course: Psychology 2B (PSYL08012)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course aims to develop an integrated understanding of modern approaches to some of the core areas of psychology such as perception, cognitive neuroscience, language and memory/learning (the remaining core areas were covered in Psychology 2A). As a continuation of Psychology 2A, students are also presented with a broader conceptual and methodological framework of psychological research and its outreach to the public. Besides this, students are taught transferable skills such as writing about science for lay audience and making presentations.

Course description The course will cover four core areas of psychology, building on the introductory lectures to many topics addressed in Psychology 1A and Psychology 1B.

The course will consist of four thematic lecture blocks of six lectures each, grouped into two double-blocks. Before each double-block, there will be two to three lectures covering broader conceptual and methodological topics that cut across multiple areas of psychology (experimental and computational approaches to psychology, experimental design, and the role of psychology in society).

Each thematic lecture block will be accompanied by a lecture content-oriented small-group tutorial and a lab that teaches and enhances a general research-related or transferable skill (experimental design, presenting science in written and oral forms).

Halfway through the course, in week 6, is Activity Week, when typical lectures, labs and tutorials are suspended. The Activity Week consists of group-based hands-on activities that illustrate the course content as well as teach transferable skills. The Activity week activities are not assessed.

The last week of the course consists of a Mini-conference, where students give presentations on a range of psychological phenomena.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: ( Informatics 1 - Cognitive Science (INFR08020) OR Psychology 1A (PSYL08009) AND Psychology 1B (PSYL08010)) AND
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students should usually have at least one introductory level Psychology course at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  0
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 30, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 4, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 152 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 60 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 40 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 60% exam: 40% multiple-choice exam; 2 x 10% short essays
20% oral presentations in the final week
20% practical assessments in labs and tutorials
Feedback Feedback on participation and performance in tutorials and labs
Feedback on presentation
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Psychology 2B2:00
Resit Exam Diet (August)Psychology 2B Resit2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Show knowledge of the key concepts, research areas, methods and empirical findings in the four core areas of psychology (perception, cognitive neuroscience, language, memory/learning).
  2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of how the core areas relate to one another: what are their similarities and differences in terms of conceptual and empirical approaches.
  3. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the main principles of experimental design.
  4. Show basic knowledge of and have basic skills in communicating science for lay audience.
  5. Show basic knowledge of and have basic skills in making presentations.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Be prepared to look for connections in the material covered in different parts of the curriculum and look beyond the presented material

Presentation skills
Efficiently extract the key features of a scientific problem or research program and present these orally/audiovisiually in a succinct and engaging manner

Writing skills
Efficiently extract the key features of a scientific problem or research program and present these in writing in a succinct and engaging manner
KeywordsPsychology,perception,cognitive,neuroscience,language,memory,learning,presentations
Contacts
Course organiserProf Caroline Watt
Tel: (0131 6)50 3382
Email: Caroline.Watt@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Catherine Renton
Tel: (0131 6)50 3602
Email: crenton2@ed.ac.uk
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