Dr Victoria Vass BSc Hons, MSc, PhD, FHEA, CPsychol, AMBPsS
Director of Online Studies in Psychology; Lecturer in Psychology Psychology
- About
- Research
- Publications
- Teaching
- Professional Activities
Teaching
On campus, I coordinate a third-year module on the Psychology of Psychosis, and support students in research on this topic. In 2021, I was the first member of the Department of Psychology ever to be awarded the 'Teacher of the Year in Health and Life Sciences Award' from the Liverpool Guild of Students Awards.
I am also responsible for the coordination of our online postgraduate psychology programmes in association with our partners Kaplan Open Learning. This predominantly comprises of three Masters-level programmes: MSc Psychology (Conversion), MSc Mental Health Psychology, and MSc Organisational and Business Psychology, and associated sub-awards.
Psychology of Psychosis
I teach a final year module which introduces 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 severe mental illness. The course aims to 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 importance of social environmental factors. Additionally, I discuss the values and limitations of pharmacological and psychological interventions for psychosis, and concepts of recovery in psychosis.