BSc (Hons) Sport Psychology

This module provides an introduction to research methods and data analysis. It is a practical module where you are encouraged to develop your research methods skills through interactive seminar activities. The purpose of the module is to familiarise you with the basic concepts and terminology of research methods and introduce you to the different perspectives on collecting data. Active participation in the learning sessions will develop your ability to critically evaluate the empirical work of others with confidence. You will be introduced to data analysis software packages.

This module will extend your research skills obtained in Psychological Research Methods 1 by using and reporting all the basic experimental, differential and qualitative designs. The module will focus on conducting and reporting research in sport and exercise psychology. In addition, you will become proficient in conducting simple statistical tests. By the end of the module you will have developed an understanding of how to report and interpret the results of both quantitative and qualitative psychological studies.

In order for you to achieve your university and future workplace goals, you need to be aware of a number of personal qualities and behaviours that can impact your ability to succeed. It is also important that you understand the industry and societal context in which you plan to work. This module aims to introduce you to personal and professional factors relevant to employment in the sport industry, and to enhance your awareness of the industrial landscape. Additionally, it will support you in developing some essential academic skills for higher education (such as academic writing and referencing). The module will introduce you to a wide range of perspectives, philosophies, and principles of critical and ethical thinking which will equip you with the competencies and confidence to achieve your academic and employability goals.

You will gain scientific and practical knowledge from staff which will enable you to understand the practical implications behind performance which builds on the theory you are learning in your other sport psychology module this semester. The current module provides you with the basic knowledge of the necessary foundations required to acquire and build skill, both within individual and group settings.

This module introduces you to the fundamental psychological concepts involved in a variety of performance psychology including; sport, exercise, and performing arts. The module will give you preliminary understanding of the conceptual and methodological approaches underpinned by appropriate theoretical knowledge. You will be introduced to the key topics which will enable you to understand the historical context of performance psychology along with important behavioural, emotional and cognitive processes.

Biological and cognitive are two core approaches in psychology. The former involves understanding how neurobiology can shape our thoughts and behaviour, and the latter aims to explain how these thoughts and behaviours may be organised. This module aims to introduce you to many of the fundamental aspects of the human species that these approaches focus on (e.g. the complexity of our brains, how our brains work with our bodies, language, memory). Having a solid foundation in biological and cognitive psychology will support your development across many related topics in your other modules.

This module provides you with a range of practical skills and an appreciation of the conceptual issues associated with major quantitative paradigms commonly used in sport and exercise psychological research. You will study the purpose and logic of experimental differential methods.
This module will provide you with preliminary training in the use of the important techniques needed to analyse the data obtained from quantitative approaches. You will conduct research projects, which may be carried out in groups, but which are written up individually in the form of research reports. For each piece of research, you are encouraged to thoroughly explore and evaluate relevant theory and prior research findings in the area, thus directing you towards a clear rationale for addressing specific research questions. A central learning objective will be for you to show that you have fully considered ethical issues in relation to your proposed research.

Throughout the semester students will develop an understanding of relevant theoretical issues, as well as the skills involved in conducting qualitative research. You will learn how to collect data using interviews, and how to analyse data using a number of different techniques (including Thematic Analysis and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis).

Following on from your previous training regarding personal qualities and behaviours that can impact your ability to succeed, this module focuses on developing your practical skills relevant to a workplace environment. This module will ask you to apply your knowledge and personal skillset to problem-based learning scenarios, and live projects. You will learn project management skills, develop your personal pragmatism, and enhance your industry-based interests and understanding. You will work both as part of a team and independently, developing essential aspects of your emotional, social, and professional self.

The aim of this module is to provide you with an understanding of the principal concepts, theories, methods and debates in social psychology. A core element will be to examine the historical origins of social psychological concepts and understand the applications to the contemporary state of the discipline. This module will also cover a range of key topics, including social cognition, attributions, the self, attitudes, group process, prejudice, aggression, prosocial behaviour, attraction, and language and communication. Upon concluding the module, you will have developed the necessary critical thinking skills to evaluate and apply social psychological theory and research to real life contexts.

You will see how individual experiences impact on coping skills and stress regulation and how interventions may enhance health, well-being and performance. You will be able to show competence in aligning relevant psychological testing with pertinent performance issues and appropriate interventions.

As a psychologist working in any applied area, you will need to have a good understanding of the impact of both biological bases and cognitive components on human behaviour. Equally important, is to appreciate how biological and cognitive concepts are interdependent, and combine to produce a variety of physical and psychological results. This module aims to expand your knowledge of biological and cognitive concepts, leading to a more in-depth understanding of not only the key principles of each, but also the interaction between these two schools of psychology. The module will introduce you to a wide range of applied cognitive neuroscience examples, from sport industry scenarios to clinical and forensic cases. Your enhanced understanding of cognition and biopsychology will equip you with the confidence and competencies to apply these core concepts in your own future practice as a psychologist.

The empirical dissertation is the central module of all programmes accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). It is an opportunity for you to undertake an in-depth empirical research project in sports and exercise psychology under supervision of a member of the psychology team. This project will allow you to extend and deepen your knowledge and expertise within a focused area of study. You will have presented an initial project proposal as the final piece of coursework in the Level 5 research methods modules. This project should: identify an issue that needs investigation; critically evaluate relevant theories and research in the area; employ an appropriate method to collect, and subsequently analyse, data; interpret, evaluate, and consider the implications of these findings in relation to previous research. The module aims to foster the development of academic knowledge and skills in the planning, conduct and presentation of psychological research. As part of the final submission, you are required to include a brief reflective essay in which you relate your research work to your career plans and reflect on the graduate and employment skills you have gained.

Personality, intelligence, and psychopathology are vast areas of research in the psychology discipline, with many different schools of psychology offering investigations and explanations. For you to fully appreciate the variety of approaches, it is important you draw on all the knowledge you have gathered across your degree to date. Psychology is a complex subject, and many ‘real-world’ situations do not fit neatly into one psychological perspective. The topics in this module will provide you with many examples where multiple approaches offer sometimes contrasting, and sometimes complementary, explanations. This module will prepare you for specific aspects of psychology work (e.g. psychometrics, personality assessment, understanding of mental health problems).

The module aims to adopt a lifespan approach towards understanding development. You will therefore be examining development across key stages of life, including infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. Knowledge of the central issues in the study of development will be a main focus, thus debates between theories and approaches will
be considered, as well as the research strategies employed in this field of psychology. The module will also provide you with an understanding of fundamental topics pertaining to physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Throughout the module, emphasis will be placed upon facilitating your critical thinking regarding developmental
theories, particularly in the context of empirical findings and the application of such theories and findings to real world settings.

Following on from your previous training regarding personal qualities and behaviours that can impact your ability to succeed, this module focuses on practical application of that knowledge during a workplace visit. Until now, your modules have provided learning opportunities about the industry and societal context in which you plan to work. This module aims to introduce you to a workplace environment. Doing so will allow you to enhance your awareness of the industrial landscape through experience. This module creates a space for you to apply competencies developed in your modules to date to a real-life setting, leading to experiential and reflective learning.

This highly practically based module builds upon your previous understanding of applied sport, exercise and performance psychology. You will gain understanding of the frameworks and practical implications of being a psychologist within your chosen area. The module will give you the opportunity to understand the theories and applications of how psychologists work with athletes and performers. The module is delivered by a practising BPS Chartered Sport Psychologist currently working within high level sport.