Psychology (Conversion) MSc

The module introduces students to quantitative statistical skills and research methods. Students will demonstrate awareness of the importance of research and professional ethics in psychology. They will be able to critically evaluate the principles underlying quantitative research methodologies, and be able to choose a research design and method of analysis to answer a research question. They will demonstrate their ability to use a range of techniques and research methods, including inferential statistics and psychometric evaluation. They will be able to critique the data collection methods and analysis of psychology relevant papers.

There will 20 hours of lectures (10 x 2 hours), 20 hours of practical classes (10 x 2 hours) and 5 hours of unscheduled online classroom activity.

The module will be assessed through a (1) report (50% of the final mark) and (2) formal examination (50%).

The module covers cognitive, social, and emotional development, and discusses the key theories and debates in lifespan development. Successful students will demonstrate an understanding of theories of human development and of the range and relative merits of research conducted in lifespan psychology.

The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. There will be 20 hours of lectures. In order to explore the practicalities of conducting research in this area there will be small group research seminars (3 x 2-hour) where students will conduct practical work (such as practising critiquing research) under the supervision of a member of staff which is targeted towards the assessments. There will be 4 hours on online unscheduled activities which focus on module-specific research questions and skill development, with a focus on the application of knowledge. The module will be assessed via an individual presentation designed to be given to the public (30%) and a research critique (70%).

Material will be available to students via the online learning platform (e.g., lecture slides, stream captured sessions, online activities, group discussion forum, formative and summative feedback).

The module summarises the current understanding in all key research fields of cognitive psychology, including perception, memory, language, reasoning and decision making. Through the information processing approach, students will learn how our conscious experience of the world and thoughts are formed by a combination of biological mechanisms. In this process, students will learn how various behavioural and neuroimaging methods contribute to providing a unique picture of the workings of the human mind.

The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. There will be 20 hours of lectures, focussed on research and theory in the field and how this knowledge can be used in the real world. In order to explore the practicalities of conducting research in this area there will be small group research seminars (3 x 2 hours) where students will focus on practical work necessary for the development of skills (how to précise a paper and how to prepare a poster for an academic conference) necessary for assessment under supervision of a member of staff. There will be 4 hours of online unscheduled activities which focus on module-specific research questions and skill development, with a focus on the application of knowledge.

The module will be assessed via a précis of a research paper presented as a poster suitable for presentation at an academic conference (30%) and a position paper focusing on a key topic in cognitive psychology or neuroscience (70%).

Material will be available to students via online platform (e.g., lecture slides, stream captured sessions, online activities, group discussion forum, formative and summative feedback).

This module explores issues in our relationship with food from a biopsychological perspective. Topics include: 1, the rising incidence of obesity and its implications for health, 2, associated causes and treatments, 3, developmental aspects of eating, 4, appetite control and 5, hedonics and the resulting concept of food addiction.

The module will be taught via lectures and online discussions which will develop both subject specific knowledge and transferable skills. Learning will be assessed via a written exam and coursework (blog).

​The module is designed to develop an understanding of the way that increasing age influences the psychological experiences of adults. These issues will address the broad spectrum of psychological experience from cognitive, social, health and wellbeing perspectives. The focus will be on non-clinical experiences. Attention will be drawn to the necessity for well-designed research to be conducted with respect to ageing. The module draws on a number of perspectives including psychology, behavioural science, epidemiology and gerontology. Students are also given the opportunity to explore 4 current debates during lecture time in interactive sessions. Students will be assessed by a poster presentation, which precisés an academic paper (30%), and a two part final examination (70%). The two part essay-based examination will consist of Section A, with a choice of 1 out of 4 drawn from the syllabus, and a Section B which will have a choice of 1 out of 3 drawn from the debates discussed during the interactive lecture sessions. 

This module provides an advanced introduction to theoretical and empirical developments in studies of visual processing, including object, colour, spatial and movement processing in human vision from the perspectives of current research in clinical and cognitive neuroscience. Particular focus will be on investigations of object and colour perception. We will critically examine current evidence from studies of the neurologically normal brain in experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience (e.g., fMRI, PET, TMS and ERP), and from clinical studies of cognitive impairments following brain injury (visual agnosia, prosopagnosia, Parkinson’s disease, and developmental deficits).

This module offers an in-depth understanding of visual processing, both in health and disease. The topics covered in this module are related to basic neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, sensation, and perception. The students will develop skills in reading and comprehending scientific papers, as well presenting their ideas in a small-group setting.

Students will be taught through core lectures (10 x 2-hour), research-focused lectures delivered by guest speakers (2 x 2-hour), and student-led seminars (3 x 2-hour). The remaining 120 hours are covered by independent study. The module will have two assessment components: a presentation on a published research paper (coursework) and unseen written exam (final exam).

The nature of the threat facing the UK is changing and how Global Britain establishes itself within the ever evolving conflict ecosystem is changing with it. The Integrated Review (2021) and Defence in a Competitive Age (2021) outline the UK Government’s strategy for dealing with the changing nature of warfare for Global Britain. Why social movements decide to use terrorism as a strategy continues to perplex Governments around the world. This module will introduce you to the root causes of terrorism.

Terrorism is difficult to define and research so the module will focus on providing you with the necessary concepts and definitions to understand that complexity. Inherent in this complexity is the multidisciplinary nature of the research and so different perspectives will be discussed. As terrorism is ultimately a strategy employed by a social movement the focus of this module will be social movements that may adopt terrorism.

This module will also introduce you to the concept of radicalisation and its appearance after the 9/11 attacks. There is no universal agreement on the concept and definition of radicalisation and its use is highly politicised. British Government policy has focused on radicalisation (e.g. ,PREVENT) and multiple agencies are now tasked with identifying and preventing radicalisation as part of their statutory duties. This module will cover existing theories of radicalisation and critically evaluate their utility for practitioners in this context.

Terrorists are commonly labelled as mentally ill, just plain evil, or often both. The reality is somewhat different with little evidence of either. This module will introduce you to how terrorist groups operate. There are numerous different types of terrorist organizations that adopt different internal structures so the module will focus on providing you with the necessary theoretical background to understand the implications of these different modus operandi.

The lectures will cover a broad range of topics, such as ideology, propaganda, recruitment, tactics, techniques, and procedures. The similarities and differences between groups that operate at the national, international, and transnational level will be critically evaluated. Rising nationalism has led to an increase in the threat from peer and near-peer adversaries and tensions reminiscent of the Cold War. These threats are often manifest in the ‘grey zone’ between peace and conflict where it is difficult to counter them within the existing ‘rules-based international system’. Understanding the psychology of hybrid threats will potentially afford novel methods of identifying and countering such hybrid threats. This module will seek to apply psychological theory to real world experience of hybrid threat actors and their activities in the ‘grey zone’.

The core theoretical components and applications of those theories will be delivered through lectures. The module will be assessed through a single piece of written coursework and an essay-based exam.

This is a third year undergraduate evolutionary psychology module. The module will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of evolution at the biological level. The students will be made familiar with models developed in the field of evolution that account for nonhuman and human behaviour. The module will encourage an understanding of the individual as a product of a gene-environment interaction. The module will integrate the vast amount of knowledge that students have acquired in many branches of psychology into one theoretical model.

The module will introduce students to a range of important subject areas within media psychology. These include the use of media to persuade the consumer (e.g., advertising) and the influence of specific media content (e.g., media violence), media representations (e.g., gender stereotypes), and online behaviour (e.g., social media). The manner in which researchers investigate these subjects, research limitations, and emerging practice will also be examined. Relevant material will be provided from a range of subject disciplines including psychology, advertising, political science, public relations, and journalism. The module will be assessed through (1) written coursework (15% of the final mark) and (2) a two hour Essay Based Examination (85% of the final mark) taken during the exam period. 

This module is  designed to familiarise students with the principal theories, concepts, and research methods relevant to the area of emotions. The lectures aim to acquaint students with both evolutionary and constructivists views in the area of emotions. It will focus mainly on biological correlates of emotional processing. Successful students will achieve a broad understanding of the neural bases of different emotions ranging from basic ones such as fear to more complex emotional states such as love and admiration. This module has a strong biological component. All the content reviewed tends to be approached from this perspective. The empirical evidence provided is usually based on animal models and research in humans that usually involves techniques that quantify biological parameters such as imaging techniques and physiological measurements. The module will be delivered mainly by 11 two hour lectures, which will include discussions and a revision lecture. It will be assessed by a short answer test (15%) and an essay type exam (85%)​.

Pain is an unpleasant subjective experience signalling potential damage of tissue or a threat of such damage. However, adaptive features of pain are of little benefit in chronic pain, and may even worsen the painful condition. Pain itself may represent a more serious clinical complication than the pathological process provoking pain. Prolonged chronic pain has detrimental effects on both the physical and mental state of the patient and often leads to social isolation. Cognitions, emotions, and attitudes toward pain may either exaggerate or mitigate chronic pain. Knowledge of neurophysiological and psychological mechanisms of pain opens new avenues toward interventions for pain relief. This module addresses two principal questions related to psychobiology of pain: 1. What are the biological and psychological factors predicting the development of chronic pain? 2. Can we apply the knowledge of psychobiological mechanisms of pain to alleviate clinical pain? Information, theoretical concepts, and clinical aspects related to possible predictors and treatment of chronic pain will be presented in a series of lectures. The module provides comprehensive information about acute and chronic pain states ranging from pain sensors to higher-order cognitive modulation of pain. Physiological and psychological changes occurring in chronic pain patients will be outlined. Cognitive-behavioural and other methods of pain treatment will be presented. Lectures 1 and 2 provide the necessary neurophysiological and clinical information about experimental and chronic pain. This part of the curriculum will be examined using short-answer questions. The module will also be assessed via a written exam. ​

This module will cover research methods that are used in Clinical and Health psychology, particularly those advanced methods that are used by researchers at the University of Liverpool. Students who complete this module will be able to describe and critique different research methods and they will be able to develop a method that is suitable for investigating a research question. The module is taught with a combination of lectures and interactive seminars delivered by research active staff, and is assessed with two written assessments: a critique of a peer reviewed journal article and a study protocol.

This module introduces students to the principles whereby practitioner psychologists apply psychological science to address and ameliorate real world problems. Practitioners in four key branches of applied psychology, clinical, health, forensic and educational, will illustrate the theoretical underpinnings of their practice.  The module will be delivered via expert lectures and tutorials for more in depth exploration of the issues. Students will also, of course, be provided with materials relevant to their studies and reading lists for further exploration and enquiry. The module will have two assessment components, a briefing paper (on an aspect of the course) and a post-interview report based on an interview that students will arrange and conduct with an applied psychologist.

This is the second of three modules which focus on research methods. This module is designed to develop students’ qualitative research methods skills and complements the quantitative research methods module. It introduces students to qualitative methods and develops their skills. It sets the foundations for the empirical project at the end of the programme. These skills are fundamental to psychologists.

Students develop an awareness of and are able to critically discuss conceptual issues in qualitative inquiry, qualitative designs and data collection as well as the analysis methods, interpretation and reporting of qualitative research. Students will be able to practically apply this knowledge and there is also a practical focus on the development of necessary skills to conduct qualitative studies.

There will be 20 hours of lectures, 20 hours of practical classes, and 5 hours of unscheduled online classroom.

The module will be assessed through (1) an interview topic guide (30% of the final mark), and (2) a qualitative research report (70% of the final mark).

Psychologists who are interested in individual differences focus on the dispositional factors that influence how people think and behave, whereas social psychologists seek to examine behaviour through the social interactions that take place. This module examines the history of both fields of psychology, the principal theories and methods used and how this knowledge can be applied to solve real-world problems. In addition, students will be introduced to clinical psychology.

The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. There will be 20 hours of lectures, combining core theoretical content with research-focussed content which will demonstrate how psychology is used in the real world. In order to explore the practicalities of conducting research in this area there will be small group research seminars (3 x 2 hours) where students will undertake practical work (such as search skills, quality assessment) under the supervision of a member of staff which is targeted towards the assessments. There will be 4 hours of online unscheduled activities which focus on module-specific research questions and skill development, with a focus on the application of knowledge.

The module will be assessed via a systematic review protocol (30%) and a systematic review (70%).

Material will be available to students via online platform (e.g., lecture slides, stream captured sessions, online activities, group discussion boards, formative and summative feedback).

This module introduces students to the relationship between physiology and psychology. The module content will focus on basic and more complex processes and how these can be applied to a number of areas of psychology (e.g., social psychology; cognitive psychology) that will be covered in other modules. The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.

There will be 20 hours of lectures, which will teach core theory and research evidence and demonstrate how psychology is used in the real world. In order to explore the practicalities of conducting research in this area there will be small group research seminars (3 x 2 hours) where students will conduct practical work under the supervision of a member of staff which is targeted towards the assessments. There will be 4 hours of online unscheduled activities which focus on module-specific research questions and skill development, with a focus on the application of knowledge.

The module will be assessed via a presentation designed for policy makers (30%) and a policy paper (70%).

Material will be available to students via online platform (e.g., lecture slides, stream captured sessions, online activities, group discussion forum, formative and summative feedback).

This module exposes students to several current controversies in clinical psychology.  Each controversy covered is based upon the work of active researchers at the University of Liverpool. The main aim of the module is enable students to develop critical appraisal skills in order to understand why the controversy has developed and continues to be debated.  Students will be expected to, develop testable research questions and ideas as to how the debates may be resolved. 

Teaching will consist of seminars to expose the students to the key aspects for the controversies. The seminars will be supplemented with Problem Based Learning tutorials to facilitate independent and collaborative learning. The module will be assessed by a 3,500 coursework review paper on a controversy of choice and via a group presentation, students individual contributions will be assessed. 

This module exposes students to four core controversies in health psychology based upon the work of active researchers and practitioners in these areas. These four broad areas are, What makes behaviour change interventions more or less effective? How can health psychology research and practice be conducted safely and effectively in real world settings? How does clinician and patient decision-making processes affect physical health? How do factors related to mental health and well-being affect physical health outcomes? Students will be expected to develop their capabilities to apply psychological theories to complex real world problems, develop testable propositions and critically review evidence. Material will be taught using Problem Based Learning, Lectures, and Workshops to facilitate active independent and collaborative learning. Learning will be assessed with a 3,500 word coursework position paper and a 5 minute individual presentation

This module offers an in-depth understanding on cyberpsychology, as technology has become integral part of our everyday lives. The topics are related to social psychology, cybercognition, mental health and the problematic use of the Internet, education and cybercrimes. Additionally, by following this module students develop their own digital literacy skills through the blog preparation (digital writing, digital imaging, and digital audio-visual editing).

The module covers key issues relating to Forensic and Investigative Psychology. Successful students will be able to: critically evaluate how theoretical models, and relevant research are used to address global issues in Forensic and Investigative Psychology; debate global crime problems and critically evaluate how they are addressed; critically appraise international forensic and investigative psychology issues from different cultural, social, and ethical perspectives. Students will benefit from research-led teaching with academic staff. . The course will be delivered via 1 x 2-hour lectures each week, alongside 1 x 2-hour workshop at the beginning of the module to support the students carrying out a piece of authentic assessment (writing an online science article). There will also be 12 x 1 hour online tasks to be completed after every lecture. Learning will be assessed via coursework submitted mid semester and an essay exam in the exam period. Material will be available to students via the VLE (e.g., lecture slides, online activities, group discussion forum, formative and summative feedback).

This module covers some of the great debates in psychology, philosophy, neuroscience and the social sciences (without assuming any prior knowledge or reading). The module will examine the role of genes and experience in determining behaviour. It will also address the question of consciousness and free will and the differences in human belief systems.

The module will be taught via lectures and seminars. Learning will be assessed by an essay (30%) and by exam (70%). Students will participate in (non-assessed) group work and oral presentations throughout.

The module aims to provide the student with an understanding of how psychoactive substances work in the brain, the effects they produce, and how this affects behaviour and broader society. We will discuss historical uses of psychoactive substances, societal implications, psychopharmacological mechanisms of action, acute effects, abuse potential / dependence potential, consequences of long-term use, and potential therapeutic effects. We will also discuss how the study of psychoactive substances has led to discoveries about our normal regulatory physiological functioning.

We will cover a range of both animal and human research, and highlight the importance of studying centrally acting substances for development of novel treatments for various conditions (e.g., pharmacotherapy for addiction, cannabinoids for involuntary appetite loss, psychedelics for intractable depression). In addition we will cover the importance of understanding harms associated with illicit drug use in order to inform public health policy and harm reduction strategies.

The module will be taught via lectures and online discussions. Learning will be assessed via a written exam and coursework (conference style narrated e-poster).

This is a third year undergraduate health psychology module. The module will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of health psychology and the theoretical models which have been developed to aid understanding of health-related behaviours and health outcomes. The module will discuss and debate the individual, psychological, social, and biological influences on health and healthcare delivery. Students will develop an understanding of the intersectionality of these factors and how they influence health and health behaviour. The module has clear links to professional health psychologist career pathways and would be a good foundation for students wishing to pursue postgraduate study in an area of health psychology.

The module uses a mixture of theory and practical work to develop a critical understanding among students of the mechanisms and processes underlying typical and atypical language development. The module will cover the topics of: Basic theoretical approaches, introduction; Syntactic Development; Morphological Development; Atypical Development and Neuropsychology; Langauge Universals; Review and Revision lectures will also cover the theoretical background to the topics studied. It is highly recommended that students have completed or are currently registered for the developmental psychology and/or the language and thought modules. The module will provide students with both psychological and generic skills. At the end of the module, students will be able to outline competing theoretical accounts of phenomena in the above domains, and be able to critically evaluate these theories on the basis of empirical evidence. They will be able to conduct a complex ANOVA in SPSS and report the findings in APA Style, Poster Assessment. They will also gain an understanding of exam technique and understand the importance of writing with precision, using evidence to support each of the claims that they make. Students will be able to communicate ideas and research findings by written means, approach problem solving in a systematic way, undertake self directed study and project management, understand the psychological and linguistic underpinnings of the discipline of develomental psycholinguistics, demonstrate a good knowledge and critical understanding of a range of influences on language functioning. Students will also demonstrate knowledge of a range of research paradigms, research methods and measurement techniques.

This module will introduce students to the clinical phenomena associated with diagnoses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder by examining the historical development of concepts of psychosis, and the controversies around diagnosing and treating psychosis. The course will give students the opportunity to consider contemporary approaches to theories of psychosis and its diagnosis, with a focus on biomedical and neuropsychological models, and the influence of social environmental factors. Moreover, the values and limitations of pharmacological and psychological interventions for psychosis will be examined. The course will comprise ten lectures and five seminar sessions which give the students opportunity to further explore the lecture topics. The module will be assessed through a Patient Health Information Leaflet coursework mid-term assessment which is 20% of final mark, and a two hour, Seen Essay Based Examination worth 80% of final mark, during the Exam period.

Applied social psychology brings together social psychology theory and intervention techniques and their practical application for solving real world social problems. The module will explore how traditional topics in social psychology, such as self esteem, social cognition, social influence and group behaviour can be applied to a variety of real world social problems. Broad topic areas will include interpersonal relations and helping behaviour, aggression, prejudice and intergroup conflict, leadership and social influence and the impact of social media. There will be an emphasis on ways of reducing social ills or promoting beneficial behaviour, such as reducing prejudice, promoting reconciliation after conflict, promoting environmentally friendly behaviour and employing social media in ways which benefit the users’ wellbeing. An interactive revision session will be held at the end of the module, considering ways in which the lectured material can be usefully brought together.   Discussion boards will be used throughout the module to provide deeper reflection and understanding of the lectured material. There will be a written blog assessment and a final two hour examination in which students will answer two from a choice of six essay questions.   

Students will conduct an empirical piece of research which will focus on utilising the knowledge and skills developed across the Programme.

This module is a three semester module which begins by introducing psychology to students as a science and ends with students completing an independent empirical study. It comprises three blocks: The first is an introduction to psychology as a science, transferable skills, Personal Development Portfolio (PDP)and introduction to the dissertation and proposal development. The second consists of further skills, PDP development and data collection. The final block consist of final data collection, dissertation write up and completion of the PDP.
The module will primarily consist of self-directed learning. However, there will be 24 hours of lectures, of which the majority will be in S1, and weighted to the beginning of the module. There will also be 25 hours of online discussion, also weighted in the same way.

Assessment comprises both formative assessment (proposal, ethics application and academic poster) and summative assessment (dissertation write-up 90%; PDP 10%).

For the empirical dissertation itself students will define a research question, collect data using an appropriate methodology and analyse and present the data in the form of written report written for an academic journal. Students will be required to prepare an ethics application and receive ethical approval.