Module manager: Dr Amy Palmer
Email: A.Palmer2@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
At least an upper second-class honours degree in Psychology or a discipline containing a substantial amount of psychology and research
| PSYC5900M | Advanced Research Issues in Psychology |
| PSYC5918M | Systematic Review |
PSYC5908M MPsyc Advanced Psychology Research Project
This module is not approved as an Elective
Working closely with a supervisor, students will design, plan, implement, analyse, and critically interpret outcomes from a research project within the field of psychology. A final project report produced in the style of an appropriate journal article.
This module aims to:
1. Build understanding and experience of designing a psychological study informed by contemporary literature and appropriate methodologies
2. Extend knowledge of ethical research practice in students when conducting their own psychological study
3. Provide the opportunity for students to gain practical skills in pre-registration and open science
4. Enable students to experience research delivery in a real-world context
5. Promote applied knowledge of data collection and analysis
6. Develop confidence and skills in presenting research in both oral and written formats
Learning activities include regular and tailored individual and / or small group supervision across the research project. Such supervision will develop greater independence in designing, implementing, and reporting psychological research under guidance. Supervision meetings along with some small group discussions with students undertaking similar research (as appropriate) provides an excellent scaffold for the learning outcomes.
On completion of this module students should be able to;
1. Write a concise, coherent and critically evaluative review of the literature in their area of research.
2. Design and carry out an appropriate empirical study, which shows critical awareness of research practice and methods in the relevant area.
3. Appropriately analyse (via statistical or other methods), using advanced techniques, as appropriate, and critically interpret the study data.
4. Write a report of the study performed using a style and format similar to journal articles of the same type of data/research area as the area of the project itself, which demonstrates a critical awareness of the limitations of the study performed.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. The ability to retrieve, synthesis and utilise relevant research using suitable IT applications.
2. A high level of written communication skills
3. Data analysis and interpretation skills
Identification of a research topic and supervisor; initial discussion of research topic, ideas and design with supervisor
Submission of a substantial research proposal form, including title of research, brief summary of relevant literature, description of the proposed methodology, outline of the research design and hypotheses; submission for ethical approvals; preparation of experimental materials; start of data collection
Literature, data analysis and written report;
While it is expected that students will undertake a project that reflects the nature of their selected pathway, the crucial issue is that the topic reflects both the interest of the student and staff expertise.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Private study hours | 435 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 15 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 450 | ||
Private study and independent learning will be guided by the project supervisor. However, students are expected to demonstrate initiative in presenting ideas, potential challenges, and creative solutions to their supervisor for discussion, to seek actively and, where possible, to find appropriate learning resources to support their research project, and to request support from their supervisor on specific aspects of the research when uncertain how to proceed. Private study and independent learning will include reading primary sources on the topic of study and methods of analysis, developing and practicing necessary research skills (such as of statistical analysis), and implementing guidance for progressing the research as advised by the supervisor. Private study time also incorporates the substantive work involved in preparation, administration, implementation, analysis, and report writing required by the research project.
The ethical review process will monitor students’ progress and understanding of relevant literature, design and methodology (BED form project proposal). As part of the BED form, students will submit a literature overview, research design and analysis plan. The project supervisor will provide feedback on these sections of the BED form. Ongoing supervision on one-to-one or small group basis, initially bi-weekly, with subsequent meetings as required by students, dependent on progress and understanding.
Students will have the opportunity to present their current thinking about their project, including the rationale for the study, data analysis and interpretation to their supervisor in the form of a presentation.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Final Project Report (10,000 words) | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
There is no reading list for this module
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team