BSc Educational Psychology / Course details

During Year 1, you will build foundational knowledge of the core areas of psychology in relation to education.

• Development and Childhood critically examines key theory and research in developmental psychology, and critically evaluates applications and extension of developmental psychological theory in relation to education and child development.
• Exploring Psychology in the Classroom is the first fieldwork opportunity designed to familiarise you with the school environment and systems. You will spend time in a local school, observing classes and having the opportunity to meet and interact with key staffing roles (e.g., special educational needs coordinators).
• Foundations of Psychology will introduce you to the study of psychology as a science by examining the social and cultural construction of psychology and its application to `real-world questions' with particular regard to education.
• Social Psychology of Education will take an exploratory case approach by `walking through' the many experiences of an individual in relation to social-psychological processes that impact on teaching and learning.
• Research Issues in Psychology and Education provides a comprehensive grounding in core issues surrounding research in psychology and education, helping you to develop your own understanding and ideas.
• The Brain Goes to School will begin with the fundamentals of basic neurology (e.g., cells, neurotransmitters) and an introduction into experience and learning. It then moves to examining how brain structures and specialisation are currently understood and applied to learning. Each area will be considered from a neurobiological perspective and then applied to learners in classrooms.

Please note that the above course unit details may change.

In Year 2, there will be a greater emphasis on the application of knowledge and psychological theory in specific relation to education.

You will continue to build and deepen your foundational knowledge of the core areas of psychology in relation to education and develop your ability to evaluate and apply your understanding.

Cognition and Learning: Implications for School revisits the areas covered in Year 1's `The Brain Goes to School'. It develops the ideas further by building on the concepts from neuropsychology using information processing theory. This leads to cognitive models explaining Attention; Perception; Learning; Memory; Thinking and meta-cognition; Problem solving and decision-making; and Language. The focus is on understanding how these cognitive processes are used by typical and atypical learners in educational settings.

Counselling and Educational Psychology in the Professional Context offers grounding in the `real world' applications of education and counselling psychology in the professional context, with specific reference to the intersection of research and practice.

Data Analysis in Psychology & Education will build upon foundation skills developed in Year 1, specifically in relation to the analysis and interpretation of different data strands in research. It will develop your critical thinking skills and prepare you for your dissertation project in Year 3.

Risk and Resilience Processes in Human Development will provide you with an introduction to theory and research relating the concepts of risk and resilience, and their application in the study of human development.

Students are free to select optional units to customise their bespoke course of study.  Popular choices have included the Psychology of Learning, Sociology of Education, Teaching and Learning Literacy and Understanding Mental Health.

Please note that the above course unit details may change.

In Year 3, you will gain further independence in your learning and will be encouraged to draw links between the different components of the course in your application of learning, especially in relation to your major project and final year placement.

In the third fieldwork unit Intervention in Schools, you will draw upon your prior learning and fieldwork experiences in order to develop and conduct a bespoke intervention in a partner school.

Drawing upon the some of the key work within the department, the Prevention Science and Education unit aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of how theory and research in prevention science can be applied in educational contexts to improve children's social, emotional and behavioural outcomes.

Current Issues in Special Educational Needs (SEN) will explore the relevance of psychological theory for individual learning and assessment (drawing on developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology and social psychology). It will also consider historical and social influences on how SEN is defined as well as critically explore the value and use of diagnostic labels within educational settings (e.g., dyslexia, ASD, ADHD).

With support from a dedicated supervisor, you will conduct your Major Project - a piece of independent research, focusing on your areas of interest, with a focus on what useful knowledge might be gained and applied.

Please note that the above course unit details may change.

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service.

For more information, email dass@manchester.ac.uk .