Undergraduate Programmes

Individual & Social Processes

Draws on theory and research from psychology, social anthropology, sociology and media studies to examine issues that are important in daily life. Explores contemporary debates like gender differences in romantic relationships, lifestyle TV, sexual identities, alcohol abuse and obesity.

Applied Psychology

Explores the far reaching influences of professional psychology. Lectures from professional psychologists explain psychology careers, and how you can apply your findings to your own academic career at Brunel.

Brain and Cognition

Learn about the psychology of memory, perception, attention and other vital cognitive functions. Includes the latest research in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology.

Learning and Social Psychology

Provides a grounding overview of fundamental theories and facts in learning and social psychology. It illustrates from a historical perspective how science works as exemplified by these two areas within psychology.

Research Methods

The scientific method as it applies to psychology. In this module you will be trained to conduct good scientific research, and evaluate evidence with a critical eye. Includes common quantitative as well as qualitative approaches used to study the mind.

Statistics

Statistics is all about making sense of quantitative data, an essential part of the scientific toolkit. In this introductory course we'll cover the basics of hypothesis testing; you'll learn important skills such as how to compare samples, assess relationships between two variables, and visualise data patterns.

Biological Psychology

Includes cognitive behavioural research with normal and neurologically impaired individuals and neuroimaging research to study complex processes in the human brain such as perception, language, attention, memory, movement control, and emotion.

Social Psychology

This module presents a broad range of social psychological topics and theoretical approaches. Topics will range from social thinking (e.g., attitudes), to social influence (e.g., conformity), to social relations (e.g., intimate relationships), to group life topics (e.g., pro social behaviour).

Advanced Research Methods

This module has two parts. Quantitative Research Methods covers all types of practical experimental and laboratory based psychology research, while Qualitative Research Methods includes observational methods and interviewing techniques.

Advanced Data Analysis 

Theoretical and practical approaches to multivariate study design and data analysis. Students will use applications such as Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to conduct their own multivariate data analyses.

Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology has a framework to encourage a better appreciation of what children of various ages reputedly can and cannot do, the understanding of the scientific perspectives in which developmental studies proceed, and will also facilitate the development of critical thinking skills.

Individual Differences

This module addresses some of the controversies that have accompanied intelligence testing throughout the history of psychology. In addition, we examine the pros and cons of various schools of thought – Self, Psychodynamic, Behaviourist, Humanistic, Trait, and Cognitive – within personality psychology.

Cognitive Psychology

Shows how different techniques (experimental, imaging, TMS, computational) are used to study perception, imagination, reasoning, memory and language. Lectures on key empirical results in cognitive psychology are related to contemporary and historically important theories of cognition.

Psychological Disorders

Introduces the concept of abnormality and different approaches to understanding psychological disorders, such as psychoanalytic, cognitive -behavioural and socio-cultural. Common disorders covered include: obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Work Placement 1

The first placement is an opportunity to experience a psychology related job. You could find yourself working in a school, hospital or prison, helping people directly or taking a more behind-the-scenes role. You’ll develop professional and transferable skills that will benefit your studies and give you a wider choice of career options.

Work Placement 2

The second placement enables students to further develop skills and knowledge relevant to work and professional practice. This enables students to gain a deeper understanding of how theory and research in psychology relates to practice in an employment context.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Key issues in Autism Research are introduced and students are provided with an advanced knowledge of ASD, and how to conduct Autism research. Topics discussed include differences between Autism and Asperger’s syndrome; the MMR debate and its links with ASD; social and cognitive deficits in ASD; sensory impairments in ASD; intervention and learning outcomes for people with ASD.

Intergroup Relations

Intergroup Relations concentrates on the way people are shaped by the groups they belong to and in turn, by the relationships between groups. In this module we will critically examine a range of explanations for phenomena such as stereotyping, prejudice, crowd behaviour and group behaviour more generally.

Psychology of Expertise

In many domains – science, games, music, sports, and many more – some people, called experts, have attained the highest levels of skill and drastically surpass the average. How do people become experts? Is talent necessary or is diligent practice sufficient? What is the explanation of experts’ intuition? This module will try to answer these questions by presenting recent theories and empirical results on the psychology of talent and expertise.

Advanced Issues in Social Psychology

Students will learn to look at the deeper debates and theoretical issues that are common across topics which reflect the cutting edge of social psychology today, including the self, conformity and group life.

Advanced Issues in Individual Differences

Addresses some of the controversies that have accompanied intelligence testing throughout the history of psychology. In addition, we examine the pros and cons of various schools of thought (i.e., Self, Psychodynamic, Behaviourist, Humanistic, Trait, and Cognitive) within personality psychology.

Understanding Health

This module introduces various conceptual models and their relationship to health and health behaviours. We also explore how health psychologists can intervene to change risky health behaviours and promote positive health behaviours. Health behaviours include smoking, alcohol use; safe sex, exercise and healthy eating. We also explore gender and health and coping and health.

Magic and the Mind

Magicians have developed powerful methods of manipulating our conscious experience. This course will examine a range of these techniques and relate them to psychological phenomena. For example, what can misdirection and illusions tell us about visual perception. How does magic alter our beliefs? How do suggestions and hypnosis work?

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology is the scientific study of human nature. It assumes that the brain, just like the body, consists of mechanisms designed by natural selection to solve problems related to survival and reproduction. In PY3032 we will learn about how these mechanisms operate in diverse domains including mating, parenting, war and cooperation.

Psychology Dissertation (Single Honours)

The dissertation project involves students completing a major empirical research project in Psychology. The project enables students to: acquire analytical and problem-solving skills; develop skills for independent research and development; apply academic knowledge and skills in the investigation of a problem. Staff will provide guidance and feedback in producing the dissertation.

Drugs, Hormones and the Brain

This module focuses on how drugs that are used therapeutically or recreationally affect the brain and relationships between hormones and behaviour. Topics include mechanisms of action for recreational drugs / drugs of abuse (e.g. alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, nicotine, ecstasy, cannabis, opiates); drugs used therapeutically to treat psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia; and the role of hormones in sexual differentiation of the brain and behaviour.

Psychology of Ageing

Ways in which psychological theory and empirical research contribute to the understanding of ageing are introduced, with particular reference to cognitive and neuropsychological processes. Key themes will be illustrated in relation to everyday behaviours such as memory and attention, and also mild cognitive impairment, and age-related neurological disorders such as Alzheimers disease.

Therapeutic Approaches in Clinical Psychology & Mental Health

Introduces students to a range of therapeutic approaches in clinical psychology and mental health, and includes approaches whose theoretical origins are in humanities as well as social sciences. It features the history of mental illness and psychotherapy, and a number of theoretical approaches used in practice such as behavioural, cognitive-behavioural/cognitive, family/systemic approaches, creative arts- drama therapy/ psychodrama, and humanistic/existential approaches.

Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness

Provides an overview of scientific approaches to studying different aspects of consciousness, its underlying cognitive processes and brain mechanisms. We will cover such topics as visual awareness, the neural correlates of consciousness, impaired consciousness after brain damage and neuropsychological case studies, embodied cognition and the nature of mental representations, phantom limbs, synaesthesia and scientific approaches to studying hallucinations and other types of anomalous experiences.

Practical Investigations of Mind and Brain

Have you ever thought about the relationship between what goes on in the brain and those private thoughts and sensations that you experience in your mind? This module will introduce you to some of the classical techniques we have for studying those mental events, as well as some of the modern neuroimaging techniques for studying the brain. We’ll also have some practical sessions to reinforce what you learn.