Description
Programme Specification for the 2022/3 academic year
BSc (Hons) Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science with Professional Placement
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | BSc (Hons) Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science with Professional Placement | Programme code | UFS4PSYSHS01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Full Time Part Time |
Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) St Luke's (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 6 (Honours) |
2. Description of the Programme
Psychology is the systematic and scientific study of behaviour, experience and expertise. As a discipline, it plays an important role in drawing together techniques, theories, findings and professional practice from several areas of expertise to address complex and socially and economically important questions about behaviour. Psychologists study people at all stages in their lives from birth to old-age, assessing how people perceive the physical and social world around them, how they think and use ideas, how they vary in intelligence and personality and how they are influenced by particular environments such as work, school and family. One fruitful application of Psychology is in understanding the necessary ingredients for developing high-level skill and expertise, such as those required in Sports. On the other hand, psychologists are also studying the effects of physical activity and exercise on behaviour, cognition, interpersonal interactions and mental health. The latter two applications of Psychology are the focus of our BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science and Professional Placement undergraduate programme.
The programme is taught jointly by the School of Psychology and the Department of Sport and Health Sciences (SHS) Based in the Washington-Singer Laboratories on Exeter’s Streatham campus, The Department of Psychology is an expanding centre for academic teaching and research, committed to providing its staff and students with a friendly and stimulating intellectual environment. It is one of the UK's top Psychology departments, providing high-quality undergraduate programmes for intelligent and highly-motivated people, whatever their background. Its teaching staff are recognised internationally for their academic excellence and world-leading research investigating mood disorders, human cognition, animal behaviour, and social, environmental and organisational psychology. You also benefit from the establishment of the Mood Disorders Centre, funded by the Wellcome Foundation, a variety of neuropsychological testing laboratories, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, electroencephalography and eye-tracking. Based on the St Luke’s Campus, the Department of Sport and Health Sciences has dedicated laboratories for sport and exercise physiology, sports biomechanics, and health and performance psychology. Its staff are active researchers whose work informs public policy on exercise and health. For example, they provide scientific support and consultancy services to national and international athletes and teams including Rugby Football Union, England and Wales Cricket Board, and the Football Association.
Our BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science and Professional Placement degree has been designed to be stimulating, flexible and relevant to the needs of a career in psychology, with a strong reputation for intellectual rigour, academic excellence and practical value. Our undergraduate students benefit from the active research environment and our teaching standards are considered to be excellent. The degree provides a solid grounding in all major areas of psychology, with particular emphasis on sports and performance psychology, and our teaching is inspired and informed by our internationally-rated research. Our graduates are widely recognised as being thoroughly prepared for employment or for entry into postgraduate research and professional training courses, and the programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society for Graduate Membership and Graduate Basis for Registration.
A BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science and Professional Placement degree from the University of Exeter would be an excellent foundation for a career in Sports Psychology. Because the degree is BPS accredited, it could also be your first step towards becoming a clinical, educational, or occupational psychologist (although entry into all these professions also requires postgraduate training). It will also give you valuable academic, personal and professional skills that can be used in a variety of sectors such as education, business, health and the media. Our programme is designed to provide a fantastic platform for many future career paths.
On the work placement you will gain valuable experience by spending a year working within an organisation appropriate to your degree. Your first and second year of the Psychology degree provides you with excellent transferable skills, and you will be encouraged to apply for positions with relevant organisations, with the support of the module convenor. You are encouraged to consider a range of organisations, including consultancies, charities, sports clubs, research institutes and universities. Psychology and SHS have established collaborations with local, national and international organisations that you can consider when applying for placement positions. You will gain valuable experience from the professional placement: you will learn to apply the skills learnt during the first and second years, improve personal and transferable skills, make new contacts and enhance employability. Professional placements allow you to develop your career focus and are valued highly by employers.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
We aim to promote the values described by McGovern et al (2010), providing an intellectual environment that allows you to develop into, ‘critical scientific thinkers and ethical and socially responsible participants in their communities’ (p.10).
Specifically, the aims of the undergraduate Psychology programme are:
- To provide an education of high quality in a stimulating and supportive environment that is enriched by research and/or current practice in the discipline;
- To provide training in scientific skills of problem analysis, research design, evaluation of empirical evidence and dissemination;
- To provide a range of academic and key skills that will prepare you confidently for employment, future study, or training for professional practice;
Additional aims specific to this programme are:
- To provide a thorough grounding in a range of skills, including statistical analysis and research design and methodology, necessary to satisfy the criteria for accreditation as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Registration under the scheme administered by the British Psychological Society
- To promote specialist capabilities in specific areas of psychology congruent with the research focus of the College.
Plus, whilst on placement:
- The application of psychology in the workplace.
- How to think critically, evaluate evidence, analyse, build resilience, challenge, solve problems, work collaboratively, and communicate effectively.
In doing so, we aim to encourage you to develop into individuals who, on graduation, will:
- Have a well-defined vocabulary and basic knowledge of the critical subject matter of Psychology, with special emphasis to its application to sports, exercise and performance
- Value the intellectual challenges required to use scientific thinking and the disciplined analysis of information to evaluate alternative courses of action
- Take a creative and amiable sceptic approach to problem solving
- Apply psychological principles to personal, social and organisational issues in work, relationships and the broader community
- Act ethically
- Be competent in using and evaluating information technology
- Communicate effectively in different modes and with many different audiences
- Recognise, understand and foster respect for diversity
- Be insightful and reflective about your own and other’s behaviour and mental processes
4. Programme Structure
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
www.exeter.ac.uk/psychology/currentstudents/modules/
www.exeter.ac.uk/sshs/students/modules/
You may take optional modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
You may take elective modules up to 30 credits outside of the programme in each stage of the programme as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
You are also permitted to take the five-credit module PSY3910 Professional Development Experience in the second or final years. Registration on this module is subject to a competitive application process. If taken, this module will not count towards progression or award calculation.
Stage 1
60 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules
a The written Statistics examination component of PSY1205 must also be passed at 40%.
b You must choose modules to the value of 15 credits from this list of Psychology modules.
c You must choose modules to the value of 45 credits from this list of Sport and Health Sciences modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY1202 | Introduction to Biological Psychology | 15 | No |
| PSY1205 | Introduction to Statistics [See note a above] | 15 | Yes |
| PSY1206 | Introduction to Research Methods | 15 | No |
| PSY1207 | Cognition, Emotion and Development | 15 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY S1 BSc Psy-SES - Psy opt 2021/2 [See note b above] | |||
| PSY1203 | Introduction to Social Psychology | 15 | No |
| PSY1204 | Introduction to Clinical Psychology | 15 | No |
| PSY1208 | Workplace Learning | 15 | No |
| PSY S1 BSc Psy-SES - SHS opt 2021/2 [See note c above] | |||
| ESS1006 | Human Anatomy and Kinanthropometry | 15 | No |
| ESS1007 | Human Physiology | 15 | No |
| ESS1605 | Foundations of Exercise and Sport Psychology | 15 | No |
| ESS1606 | Nutrition and Metabolism | 15 | No |
| ESS1703 | Bioenergetics | 15 | No |
Stage 2
90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules
d You must choose modules to the value of 15 credits from this list of Psychology modules.
e You must choose modules to the value of 15 credits from this list of Sport and Health Sciences modules.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY2203 | Social Psychology II | 15 | No |
| PSY2205 | Personality and Individual Differences | 15 | No |
| PSY2206 | Methods and Statistics in Psychology II | 15 | Yes |
| PSY2303 | Cognition and Emotion | 15 | No |
| PSY2304 | Biological Basis of Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY2306 | Development Psychology and Psychopathology | 15 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY S2 BSc Psy-SES - Psy opt 2021/2 [See note d above] | |||
| PSY2209 | Cognition Practical I | 15 | No |
| PSY2210 | Social Practical I | 15 | No |
| PSY2212 | Cognition Practical II | 15 | No |
| PSY2213 | Social Practical II | 15 | No |
| PSY2214 | Observations and Experiments in Animal Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY2216 | Qualitative Methods and Interview Skills | 15 | No |
| PSY2217 | Wild Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY2218 | Social Practical III | 15 | No |
| PSY S2 BSc Psy-SES - SHS opt 2021/2 [See note e above] | |||
| ESS2001 | Exercise Physiology | 15 | No |
| ESS2222 | Motor Control | 15 | No |
| ESS2808 | Sport Psychology 2: Skill Acquisition | 15 | No |
Stage 3
120 credits of compulsory modules.
f You must take either PSY3406 or ESS3108. PSY3406 should be taken if you aim to do a Psychology-related placement. ESS3108 should be taken if you aim to do a Sport and Health Sciences-related placement. Module convenors will be available to advise you on module selection.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY3406 | Professional Placement [See note f above] | 120 | Yes |
| ESS3108 | Professional Placement [See note f above] | 120 | Yes |
Stage 4
60 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules (subject to an overall total of 120 credits)
g All students must take a research project module. This can either be PSY3401 Research Project in Psychology (45 credits) or ESS3302 Dissertation (45 credits) offered by Sport and Health Sciences. In the latter case, it is a requirement of BPS accreditation that the project involves a Psychology topic and that the work be supervised by a Psychologist within Sport and Health Sciences.
If you choose PSY3401 then you must take 60 credits of optional modules comprising:
- At least one ESS-coded module (30 or 15 credits).
- 30 or 45 credits from either PSY- or ESS-coded modules. You can select all ESS-coded modules. If you decide to take two Psychology modules these must be from two different groups. If you decide to take three Psychology modules these must be from three different groups.
If you choose ESS3302 then you must take 60 credits of optional modules comprising:
- At least one ESS-coded module (30 or 15 credits).
- At least one PSY-coded module (15 credits).
- 30 or 15 credits from either PSY- or ESS-coded modules. If you decide to take two Psychology modules these must be from two different groups. If you decide to take three Psychology modules these must be from three different groups.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY3401 | Psychology Research Project [See note g above] | 45 | Yes |
| ESS3302 | Dissertation [See note g above] | 45 | Yes |
| PSY3402 | Methods and Statistics in Psychology III | 15 | Yes |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSY SF BSc Psy-SES - SHS opt 2021/2 | |||
| EDU3013 | Learning for Teaching: School Experience | 15 | No |
| EDU3014 | Learning for Teaching: School Experience | 30 | No |
| ESS3705 | Sport, Physical Activity and Health | 15 | No |
| ESS3707 | Physiological Determinants of Exercise Performance | 15 | No |
| ESS3804 | Clinical Exercise Prescription | 30 | No |
| ESS3808 | Sport Psychology | 30 | No |
| PSY SF BSc-BA Psy S3 MSci Psy App - Group 1 2021/2 | |||
| PSY3411 | Psychology and Law | 15 | No |
| PSY3412 | The Psychology of Gender | 15 | No |
| PSY3416 | Work and Organisational Psychology | 15 | No |
| PSY3432 | The Moral Mind | 15 | No |
| PSY3443 | The Social Psychology of Ageing and Ageism | 15 | No |
| PSY3424 | Applied Social Psychology: Health, Environment and Society | 15 | No |
| PSY3439 | Social Exclusion and Inclusion in Childhood and Adolescence | 15 | No |
| PSY3447 | Solitude and Social Withdrawal across the Lifespan | 15 | No |
| PSY3452 | Social and Affective Neuroscience | 15 | No |
| PSY3458 | The Psychology of Inequality, Conflict and Social Change | 15 | No |
| LAW3169 | Equality and Diversity at Work | 15 | No |
| PSY3464 | The Psychology of Human-Animal Intergroup Relations | 15 | No |
| PSY3463 | Violence against Women and Girls: Causes, Consequences and Interventions | 15 | No |
| PSY SF BSc-BA Psy S3 MSci App Psy - Group 2 2021/2 | |||
| PSY3417 | The Associative Mind | 15 | No |
| PSY3418 | Processes of Human Memory | 15 | No |
| PSY3419 | Studying Cognition and Emotion with Brain Imaging | 15 | No |
| PSY3420 | Brain Plasticity and Language Learning across the Lifespan | 15 | No |
| PSY3427 | Compulsive Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY3431 | Comparative Approaches in the Study of Brain and Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY3437 | The Psychology of Addiction | 15 | No |
| PSY3444 | Foundations of Human Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY3445 | Mechanisms of Face Recognition | 15 | No |
| PSY3436 | Neuropsychology of Ageing and Dementia | 15 | No |
| PSY3449 | The Evolution of Social Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY3450 | Philosophy of Mind | 15 | No |
| PSY3461 | Neuroscience of Cognition and Behaviour | 15 | No |
| PSY SF BSc-BA Psy S3 MSci App Psy - Group 3 2021/2 | |||
| PSY3411 | Psychology and Law | 15 | No |
| PSY3425 | Cognitive Behavioural Approaches to Mood Disorders | 15 | No |
| PSY3426 | Parental Psychiatric Disorders and Children's Development | 15 | No |
| PSY3446 | Prevention Science in Developmental Psychopathology | 15 | No |
| PSY3448 | Sleep and Psychology | 15 | No |
| PSY3451 | Clinical Neuroscience: Brains, Drugs and Psychiatry | 15 | No |
| PSY3454 | Lifecourse Influences on Behaviour and Cognition | 15 | No |
| PSY3455 | Environmental Psychology | 15 | No |
| PSY3456 | Cognitive Biases in Emotion and Psychopathology | 15 | No |
| PSY3457 | The Psychology of Play | 15 | No |
| PSY3460 | Health Neuroscience | 15 | No |
| PSY3462 | Women's Reproductive Mental Health | 15 | No |
| NEU3003 | Psychology Applied to Health | 15 | No |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge about a range of core subject areas as defined by the British Psychological Society, with in-depth specialisation at the forefront of the subject in certain areas | ILO 1 is developed in Stages 1 and 2 of the programme through lectures and tutorials. In-depth specialisation is developed in Stage 3 via seminars and the dissertation (research project). ILOs 2 and 3 are developed throughout the programme, via practical classes, lectures, and the Stage 3 dissertation (research project). Independent study also forms a major part of the programme’s teaching and learning methods. |
|
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
4. Apply skills of scientific writing and presenting results | ILOS 4, 5, 6 and 8 are developed through Research Methods, Key Skills, and Statistics lectures, tutorials and practicals at Stage 1; through research practical modules at Stage 2, and through the research project at Stage 3. ILOs 4, 7 and 8 are also developed throughout the programme in lectures, seminars, and continuous assessment. Independent study and practice also forms a major part of our teaching and learning methods. |
|
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
9. Think independently, critically and creatively. | ILOs 9, 10 and 11 are developed through the process of acquiring subject knowledge and core academic skills (see A and B above). ILO 12 is developed through group discussions in academic tutorials, through working in groups in practicals, through pair work and an apprenticeship teaching model on the final research project. ILO 13 is developed through you progressing through a teaching programme that is gradually more self-managed, and the personal tutorial and Personal Development Planning system. Independent study and practice also forms a major part of our teaching and learning methods. | ILOs 9, 10 and 11 are assessed primarily through continuous assessment essays, practical reports, and the final project report. ILOs 12 and 13 are indirectly assessed – in the sense that where modules require development of these skills, it would be very difficult to achieve a good mark in the assessments without having developed such skills. |
7. Programme Regulations
Programme-specific Progression Rules
To progress to Stage 2 of this programme you must pass the non-condonable module PSY1205 Introduction to Statistics. If you do not pass PSY1205 you will be transferred to the 3-year BA Psychological Studies programme. If you subsequently take and pass PSY2206 Methods and Statistics in Psychology II as an optional module on the BA in Psychological Studies programme, you would have the opportunity to transfer back onto the BSc Psychology programme; you will not be permitted to transfer back to the BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science.
To progress to Stage 2 you must also achieve an average mark of at least 60% in Stage 1. If you do not achieve an average mark of 60% in Stage 1, you will be interviewed to determine whether you can continue the Professional Placement programme; if you do not succeed in that interview you will be required to transfer to the 3-year programme. This is to ensure that only those students who are likely to succeed in their professional placement are selected. If you are unsuccessful in your application for a professional placement, you will normally be transferred to the 3-year programme
To progress to Stage 3 of this programme you must pass the non-condonable module PSY2206 Methods and Statistics in Psychology II. If you do not pass PSY2206 you will be transferred to the 3-year BA Psychological Studies programme.
In stage three you will take the PSY3406 Professional Placement or ESS3208 Professional Placement module, depending on whether you secure a Psychology- or Sport and Health Sciences-related placement, respectively. Each of these count as 120 credits and are non-condonable; you must pass this module to graduate with the degree title of BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science and Professional Placement. If you fail the professional placement your degree title will be commuted to BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
You will be allocated two tutors - one in the Department of Psychology and one in the Department of Sport and Health Sciences. Typically, the tutor in the Department of Psychology will be their personal tutor who will remain with them throughout the programme, where possible. The two tutors will provide guidance and feedback on assessment performance and guidance in generic academic skills. The personal tutor will provide pastoral support. They are also able to refer students to more specialist support services, both within the College and elsewhere across the University.
You will have access to the computer clusters in the Washington Singer Laboratories and the Richards Building, when not in use for teaching or assessment purposes, along with the pay-per-print laser printer installed there. University IT Services provide a range of central services, including open and training clusters of PCs - available on a 24/7 basis. Network access is available from all rooms in the hall of residence on site.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
(http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/admin/staff/qualityassuranceandmonitoring/tqamanual/fullcontents/)
12. Indicators of Quality and Standards
The programme is not subject to accreditation and/ or review by professional and statutory regulatory bodies (PSRBs).
13. Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards
The University and its constituent Colleges review the quality and standard of teaching and learning in all taught programmes against a range of criteria through the procedures outlined in the Teaching Quality Assurance (TQA) Manual Quality Review Framework.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
BSc (Hons) Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science with Professional Placement
19. UCAS Code
Not applicable to this programme.
20. NQF Level of Final Award
6 (Honours)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | 180 |
ECTS credits | 90 |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
23. Dates
| Origin Date | 05/03/2021 |
Date of last revision | 05/03/2021 |
|---|