PY4CCP: Communicating Current Psychology

Module code: PY4CCP

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: Level 4 (Undergraduate Masters)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Amanda Branson, email: A.Branson@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 29 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

As a balance to the specialisations provided by the optional modules, this core module brings the year group together to consider issues of current theoretical, ethical and practical importance to psychology and to disseminate information about these issues to wider audiences. 

As part of this module, students will carry out an investigation of the literature and wider context relating to a topic of current interest and communicate information on this topic in a presentation that might be used to engage the public with the field of psychology. 

Students will be provided with additional training in critical thinking, the synthesis of information, the construction of arguments, and how to present information in an accessible, clear and engaging style of written and/or oral communication.  Students will further develop their self-awareness through regular and critical self-reflection. 

The Module Lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is Dr Marat Zagidullin (m.zagidullin@reading.edu.my).

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Critically evaluate topics of contemporary interest, synthesising relevant information from across psychology as a discipline.  
2. Translate and apply a synthesis of literature from across psychology to a contemporary issue and produce a presentation suitable for dissemination to a chosen non-specialist audience. 
3. Critically consider and reflect on current debates in the discipline of psychology and their implications to the discipline and beyond; on the self and on the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences gained, and applied on the module. 

Module content

Via interactive lectures and seminars, students will be introduced to critical approaches to a variety of topics of contemporary interest such as philosophical and ethical debates, psychological perspectives on contemporary issues and events and controversies in the media surrounding psychological issues. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their existing knowledge and skills, and to draw on their broad knowledge of topics across the fields of psychology to integrate and contrast different perspectives in addressing the issues and problems posed.  

A number of academic skills will be revisited, including critical thinking skills, argumentation and reflective writing.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

A range of methods will be used to support achievement of the learning outcomes, including interactive lectures, seminars involving group work, and a tutorial and drop-in to support the oral presentation.  In addition, students will be expected to engage with independent literature review and reading to gain expertise in a chosen area for their oral presentation. 

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 37 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students will be provided with an opportunity for formative peer and group-based feedback to prepare for their reflective journal, and verbal feedback on a sample of their work to prepare for their presentation.   

Reassessment

Additional costs