MSC PSYCHOLOGY (CONVERSION)
WELCOME TO PSYCHOLOGY AT LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and of behaviour. It is both a thriving academic discipline and a professional career. As such, it is the ideal subject area in which to both broaden the mind and develop a new career path. This MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme is aimed at graduates in non-psychology subjects – perhaps you would like to increase your earning potential? Or perhaps you feel that you chose the wrong career and would like to try something both relevant and different? Maybe it is just time to move on. Whatever your reasons, we seek students who are determined and motivated to become Psychologists. As a graduate, we expect critical thinking and the ability to draw up a concluding argument effectively, but we don’t expect starting knowledge of Psychology as a discipline. This course, which is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), is taught by expert academics who are keen to share their knowledge and experience with you. Choose to study at Leeds Trinity and you’ll be joining a distinctively supportive university community where you’ll receive the personal and academic support you need to achieve your full potential. I’m really proud of the MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme we’ve designed and hope to be able to welcome you to the course. Dr James Jackson, CPsychol, AFBPsS, SFHEA Reader in Psychology and Programme Co-ordinator for MSc Psychology (Conversion)
About Leeds Trinity University A small university with a big reputation, Leeds Trinity University is renowned for teaching excellence and producing highly employable graduates. We’re proud to be known as the University where you’re a name, not a number, thanks to our commitment to ensuring everyone in our community, whatever their faith, feels supported and valued. Leeds Trinity has always been characterised by this sense of community spirit, offering a truly personalised university experience that enables students to flourish. Our reputation for teaching quality and excellence has been developed thanks to a commitment to delivering outstanding teaching, led by research, scholarship and practice. Our teaching staff have extensive professional experience in their fields and many are active researchers, contributing to our increasing reputation for research excellence. 2
COURSE OVERVIEW This is an MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme, not an MSc Psychology programme. As such, this course is aimed primarily at non-Psychology graduates who wish to undertake further training as a Psychologist, but do not wish to undertake a second undergraduate degree. Effectively, you will be undertaking one half of an undergraduate Psychology degree in one third of the time, for approximately one fifth of the cost, before graduating with an MSc Psychology (Conversion) degree. Successful graduation will see you gain eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society (BPS), enabling further training and a career as a Psychologist. No prior knowledge of psychology is expected. Aided by active researchers in the field of psychology, you will cover all of the important areas within the discipline and develop a broad understanding of human behaviour and interaction. Content will be taught through a mix of traditional lectures, student-led workshops and a broad array of assessments. There will be a strong element of research design, encouraging critical thought and enabling a thorough and practical experience of the research process. You will be encouraged to take ownership of a valued research topic and to write up your MSc Thesis in a journal format that may lead to publication of impressive work. By the time you graduate, even without previous experience of psychology, you will be well-placed to seek out further training and progress towards a career as a Psychologist.
“I am currently interning as an Assistant Psychologist at a renowned Mental Health hospital in India. This course gave me an insight and deeper knowledge in the field of mental health. I aspire to complete a doctorate in Clinical Psychology to become a registered practicing Clinical Psychologist.” Shreya Aila Assistant Psychologist MSc Psychology (Conversion)
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COURSE STRUCTURE The modules and delivery structure given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study. The MSc Psychology (Conversion) can be studied on a full or part-time basis. Details of delivery of the full-time MSc Psychology (Conversion) studied in one year are given below. For the latest information, including course structure, for studying on a part-time basis over two years, visit leedstrinity.ac.uk
Full-time – one year Semester
Module
Contact hours
Semester One
Cognitive Psychology
1.5 days per week
Personality and Individual Differences Psychological Research Methods Social Psychology Semester Two
Research in Clinical Psychology Developmental Psychology
January – September
Biological Psychology
1.5 days per week
MSc Thesis (journal format)
One-to-one meetings with your personal tutor, arranged at your convenience
“The course covered a wide variety of psychological disciplines, including Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Psychology. I feel that these have helped to better prepare me for the career ahead of me in psychology.” Grace Lewis Assistant Psychologist MSc Psychology (Conversion)
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Modules Cognitive Psychology You will critically examine how cognitive psychology draws upon different theoretical perspectives and methods of inquiry. You’ll study topics such as memory, perception, thinking and language as inter-related cognitive processes. You’ll critically examine historical development and theoretical explanations and consider a variety of investigative methods and approaches, gaining an understanding of the careers to which cognitive psychology could be applied. Personality and Individual Differences In everyday life, there are often minor and major differences between individuals, groups and populations. It is the focus of individual difference research to explore these differences and how this might impact upon behaviour and choices. Psychological Research Methods The aim of this module is to introduce you to the foundations of research methods in psychology. It is the structure upon which psychology is built and will enable you to approach your MSc Thesis with confidence. You will be guided through the process of research design, ethical applications, data collection and subsequent analysis. Social Psychology The module introduces you to the history of social psychology, core theories and research, and controversies and debates. You’ll explore the evolution of social psychology, social cognition, group processes and relations, and social influence. The workshops within the course address specific issues within these areas, critically evaluating the research and applying them to real-life examples. The course also explores the cultural relativism of social psychological theories and research.
Research in Clinical Psychology Clinical psychology is the application of psychological science to help address human problems. We’ll introduce the profession and explore clinical psychology through critical examination and evaluation of psychopathology (including a history of mental health in relation to psychiatry and psychology), diagnostic frameworks, psychology versus psychiatry and mental health through the lifespan. You’ll also gain an overview of various mental health conditions and interventions, the topic of mental health, race and culture, and get an introduction to the service user movement and service user-led research. Developmental Psychology You’ll explore the defining characteristics, methods and scope of major topic areas in developmental psychology. Topics include perspectives on development from a wide range of research areas: the bio-psychosocial approach, temperament and personality, cognitive development, the family, emotions and attachment, peer relationships and gender identity. Biological Psychology Human behaviour is complex but can be readily explained by the interactions between body and mind. This module takes a behavioural and endocrinological (hormonal) approach, investigating the ways in which hormones can influence specific behaviours. We will look at basic neuroanatomy before introducing topics such as trust, sexual orientation, stress appraisal, aggression and human attraction. MSc Thesis This module provides an opportunity for you to complete an original investigation within your chosen field of psychology. You will complete a thorough literature search of the previous research relevant to your chosen subject area, before applying the knowledge and skills developed in Psychological Research Methods to test your hypothesis.
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LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT Our approach on this programme values active learning and is aligned with British Psychological Society (BPS) standards. All taught modules (not including the empirical project) are delivered through a combination of lectures and small group tutorials and seminars. We also place an emphasis on student-led activities and supervised small-group work. Throughout your studies, you will have access to a variety of online resources, including basic statistical packages, video tutorials, podcasts and our virtual learning environment, Moodle. You’ll also have 24/7 access to learning materials, including over 1,600 psychological journal titles. We believe in the power of collaborative learning, so we have a range of technology-ready spaces across campus for you to work on projects with your fellow students. These spaces are particularly useful for looking at new topics or techniques together, such as statistics analysis. You’ll be able to access the specialist software you’ll need for your course on our campus PCs and remotely using your Leeds Trinity login details, such as SPSS (data analysis software). We’ve also got a range of laboratories on campus which are there for you to use if needed.
Assessment Assessment within the programme employs a full range of written forms, presentations and practical activities, in order to reflect the academic and employability skills being developed during your studies. Employability-relevant forms of assessment – including posters, information leaflets and evidence-based briefs – are used to assess the outcomes from both individual and group-based learning. We have a good variety and balance of forms of assessment and there are opportunities for you to exercise an element of choice in the form of assessment undertaken. There are class tests, but these are never worth more than 20% of a module. There are no exams.
Entry requirements Leeds Trinity University is committed to recruiting students with talent and potential and who we feel will benefit greatly from their academic and non-academic experiences here. We treat every application on its own merits; we value highly the experience you illustrate in your personal statement. The MSc Psychology (Conversion) is specifically designed for graduates with a minimum 2:2 classification degree in any subject area other than Psychology. For further information on our entry requirements, visit our website.
How to apply Applications for the MSc Psychology (Conversion) are made online via our website. Please visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/postgraduate for the latest course information, including tuition fees, and to access the online application form. For more information about applying, contact our Admissions team at admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk or on 0113 283 7123.
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WHY STUDY WITH US? Accredited by the British Psychological Society Our course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). This means that you’ll be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership when you graduate – your first step to becoming a Chartered Psychologist.
The thesis is also substantially smaller than other courses – a 6,000 word submission in the form of a journal article. This is challenging as it requires you to write in a concise and scientific style – shorter does not mean easier – but it allows you to submit a piece of work in the format of a scientific article and the aim is to put forward the best for academic publication.
The opportunity to study Clinical Psychology Fast track your career This course is aimed at non-Psychology graduates who wish to undertake further training as a Psychologist, but who do not wish to undertake a second undergraduate degree. Because our MSc is a conversion course, you’ll effectively undertake half of our undergraduate degree in a third of the time. But unlike many conversion courses, we have developed completely bespoke lecture content for our MSc students. This means that rather than sharing lectures with undergraduate students, you’ll have bespoke postgraduate content tailored to you. It also means you’ll spend your time focusing on new subject content, rather than learning about academic skills you’ll have already developed at an undergraduate level.
Employability-focused assessments Postgraduate study should enhance your career prospects, which is why we’ve designed practical assessments that mirror the projects you could work on in a psychology career. These range from evidence-based briefs and advisory pamphlets, to journal articles that you could submit for publication. To help you manage the MSc alongside your job and other commitments, we’ve carefully planned our assignment schedule, so you’ll never have more than one deadline in any week. There are also no exams; instead, you’ll have one or two mini seminar-based tests a year that contribute a small percentage towards your grade.
As a University, we pride ourselves on our personal approach to higher education. We listen to what students want, so when they told us that they wanted a course that included Clinical Psychology content, we delivered. We’ve carefully designed our programme so that it covers all the content needed for BPS-accreditation, as well as a module on Clinical Psychology that is rarely found in a Psychology conversion course.
Passionate lecturers with national reputations Our lecturers are nationally renowned for their expertise in psychology and are extremely passionate about psychology. They’re dedicated to sharing this knowledge and passion with our students, bringing the subject to life through interactive and stimulating lectures and seminars.
Receive an alumni discount If you studied your undergraduate degree at Leeds Trinity University, you may be eligible for a discount of up to 50% on the cost. Visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/student-finance for more information.
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Leeds Trinity University Horsforth Leeds, LS18 5HD 0113 283 7150 hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk Information correct at time of publication, October 2021. Please visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/postgraduate to review our latest course information before you make your application. The information in this booklet is available in alternative formats. Please call 0113 283 7150 or email hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk
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