Study Psychology Your guide
Take your opportunity We are proud to be part of the ‘University of Opportunity’, with a history of teaching and researching Psychology in our state-of-the-art laboratories and specialist teaching spaces. All of our undergraduate degrees are accredited by the British Psychological Society, giving you the assurance that our courses are amongst the best in the country. Our postgraduate courses will take you even further on the journey toward expertise, and get your career in psychology off to an amazing start. The changing world has placed substantive importance on developing curious graduates with passions for areas that directly address issues of technology, health, and wellbeing. Psychology is uniquely placed to succeed, and creatively adapt to challenges in the future. Our Psychology students graduate equipped for change, to challenge the status quo and the commonly accepted, to innovate and to develop new knowledge for problems that do not exist yet. The Department of Psychology fosters success through a commitment to excellence in teaching, innovation, creative thinking and rigorous, impactful research: every individual and idea is encouraged and valued. Through partnerships with prisons, business, hospitals, government, and charities, our teams create a learning environment that shapes the way we think, work, and relate to each other through experience and knowledge exchange. Who will you become? Studying for a Psychology degree is a great investment in your future, and we know that it will change the way you think about the world. As a country, we need graduates with the capacity to create something new. Visionaries who can turn their ideas into a reality, think differently, build new products, and shape new ways of doing business and the services we provide. Join the psychology ‘Wolfpack’ and make a difference in your future career.
Dr Richard Medcalf, SFHEA MCIMSPA Director, Institute of Human Sciences
04 | Why Psychology at Wolverhampton?
Why Psychology at Wolverhampton? Psychology consists of two broad approaches, with many interesting specialisms: • The experimental side of psychology, where psychologists are interested in studying behaviour by testing and controlling variables. • The applied side of psychology, which addresses practical problems by using the results of those studies. Our expert team of researchers and clinicians bring strengths in both approaches, and weave them together into a unique learning experience. Our students thrive because we offer a breadth of opportunity to feed their interests and career ambitions. This is true whether it’s learning how to be a clinical, counselling, forensic, or occupational psychologist; whether you are interested in developing your skills and knowledge in the ways that our psychological and biological processes shape our learning; how we grow and develop across our life span; or how we differ as individuals or behave in groups, the University of Wolverhampton has something for you. Quality of Learning We provide an inspiring and immersive learning environment with a strong community spirit, where students and staff create opportunities to share ideas and collaborate, experiment with cutting-edge methodologies, and experience and co-create research with real-world impact. We cultivate strong links between teaching, learning, and research through partnerships and employer relationships. We work collaboratively with our partners in the creation of effective learning environments that enable students
to explore a range of careers, to make informed decisions about those careers and obtain relevant work experience. Our students gain a comprehensive understanding of the skills and competencies they develop through their course and how those attributes and knowledge add value to society.
90%
of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation.* *Graduate Outcomes results, 2020
Our graduates consistently say that one of the things they enjoyed most about their time at the University was the sense of belonging within the department. We regularly invite expert guest speakers in to talk about their research in psychology, and we encourage students to get involved in networks such as our psychology society, which prepares them well for the world of work.
Careers in Psychology Types of employment where you can use your Psychology degree outside of becoming a registered psychologist include: • commercial companies (analyst, statistician, public relations) • charities (engagement worker, fundraiser, project leader, grant writer, PR) • advertising, press and media • financial organisations (insurance, banking, statistician) • human resources (recruitment company, HR manager, careers consultant, coach) • local and national government • the legal sector (e.g. legal researcher) • the NHS (creative therapies, mental health support work, speech and language therapy, management training programmes) • security services (intelligence officer with MI5, customs officer, police forces • National Probation Service and prisons etc • schools, sixth form colleges and colleges of further education • social services.
The British Psychological Society provides comprehensive information on the career paths that Psychology graduates can pursue. Careers include a range of specialist areas of practise. • Counselling psychologists work in the field of mental health, weaving psychotherapy training together with evidence-based practise to address issues such as depression, trauma, and eating disorders. • Clinical psychologists work with cases of anxiety and depression but also with serious and enduring mental illness, neurological and developmental disorders, addictive behaviours, childhood behaviours, and family relationships. • Educational psychologists work with the local education authorities, schools, special education units, colleges and nurseries, and work with children who are experiencing social, emotional, or learning difficulties by providing assessments, counselling, and other interventions. • Occupational psychologists focus on human behaviour in the workplace (physical and virtual) in order to increase aspects such as productivity, job satisfaction and organisational effectiveness. • Practitioners of health psychology, often known as health psychologists. Many factors can impact directly on our wellbeing, health psychologists use their knowledge and skills to further understand wellbeing and to promote healthier lifestyles. • Forensic psychologists typically work with law enforcement agencies, rehabilitation centres, law firms, and other government agencies. They typically carry out psychological assessments of prisoners, explore evidence for psychological disorders, and evaluate the mental health of defendants. These routes require postgraduate study and supervised practice to reach Chartered status with the British Psychological Society, and/or registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. For further information please visit: careers.bps.org.uk
Undergraduate degrees in Psychology Full-time over three years, or part-time from four to six years. All of our programmes are accredited by the British Psychological Society. In your first and second year, you’ll cover the core Psychology curriculum. In your final year, you get to choose modules related to your interests, with a particular focus on various fields of applied psychology, such as forensic, clinical, and cyberpsychology. During your final year you will also complete an independent research project, representing the opportunity to conduct original research in an area that interests you, supported by a member of staff who shares your interests.
BSc (Hons) Psychology You will gain knowledge and job-relevant skills as you explore areas such as social psychology, cognitive psychology, personality and individual differences, and developmental and biological psychology. The programme of study will help you to take your first steps along the road to a career focused on human behaviour, whether this is as a psychologist, a mental health practitioner within the healthcare sector, or within a related field such as teaching or business. Psychology graduates are also equipped to perform well in other career paths such as journalism, business management, research, policing, the media and politics.
BSc (Hons) Psychology & Counselling
BSc (Hons) Psychology (Criminal Behaviour)
This course provides a fully accredited BSc in Psychology with an emphasis on how psychology is applied in the field of counselling. It will equip you with an understanding of what practitioners of counselling psychology do and how they can help people with a range of mental health issues. In addition to the core areas required for a Psychology degree accredited by the British Psychological Society, you will study modules and complete assignments tailored towards the field of counselling psychology, giving you a grounding in how therapy is used. You will also develop practical skills in research, and the potential to continue toward postgraduate study to become a therapist or counselling psychologist.
This course focuses on the psychology of those within the criminal justice system, from the perspective of both offenders and victims. You will learn about all aspects of psychology, but particular attention will be paid to understanding the psychological principles behind crime, to understand why people offend and the psychological impact of crime on victims. This course will prepare you for a career in the prison service, the police force, or careers focusing on the rehabilitation of offenders.
Postgraduate degrees in Psychology Full-time over one year, or part-time over two years. As part of our postgraduate portfolio, we offer wellestablished professional training courses, leading to recognised qualifications in Psychology specialisms. Our expert team of researchers and clinicians bring strengths in a variety of areas, and weave them together into a unique learning experience. Our students thrive because we offer a breadth of opportunity to feed your interests and career ambitions.
Cyberpsychology MSc Here you will learn about how the internet and digital technologies impact on human behaviour and experiences. This Master’s covers a wide array of topics from online dating and social networking, to video gaming, virtual reality, and cybercrime. It also covers a wide variety of psychological applications related to living in a digital age, such as digital health interventions, improving online communication, and digital education methods. Our students are also provided with the training to critically evaluate
published research and media reports, as well as the skills to design, carry out, and analyse their own original research. We have a well-equipped cyberlab used for teaching and research, with video-gaming and virtual reality technology, eye-tracking equipment, a driving simulator, and much more. We also provide access to online experiment and survey software and have experienced technicians to support you.
Careers: A growing array of career paths benefit from applying psychological principles to understanding human interaction with the internet and digital technologies; for example, in roles spanning human factors and usability, testing, development and research (e.g. gaming, online consumer behaviour, healthcare technologies, etc.), academia, digital marketing, and defence and security analysis.
Postgraduate degrees in Psychology | 09
Forensic and Investigative Psychology MSc The course provides a research-oriented introduction to the field of investigative psychology. It combines contemporary and traditional approaches to psychology, law, and criminal behaviours. This includes topics of particular relevance to the 21st century and beyond, such as cybercrime and deviance, human trafficking and modern-day slavery, decision-making, and the use and collection of ‘big data’ and surveillance
information. Our students are introduced to a range of contemporary psychological theories and empirical research relevant to forensic and investigative psychology including ethics, applied memory and cognition, decision-making, investigative practice, cybercrime, theories of crime, and deception. It forms an ideal foundation for those wishing to pursue a PhD or further research.
Careers: Working in a wide range of settings, such as law enforcement agencies, rehabilitation centres, law firms, and other government agencies.
Occupational Psychology MSc Occupational Psychology at Wolverhampton is an applied programme, which means that we use scientific methods and results to solve practical problems of human behaviour in the workplace. We integrate theory and research, skill development and practice to address workplace issues by developing the necessary subject matter expertise in our students so that they can tactically improve organisational performance and increase the effectiveness, satisfaction, and wellbeing of teams and individuals at work. Our programme provides students with the knowledge base required for stage one of the British Psychological Society Professional Training in Occupational Psychology as well as training in practitioner skills.
Our programme received a triple commendation from the British Psychological Society during 2019, for excellence in three areas: • The variety of assessment methodologies available in every module, which are applied to real-world working practice. • Our delivery of psychological research training. • The delivery of training on the consultancy cycle approach. In particular, the link between theory and practice is well-established in our teaching and assessments.
Careers: Psychologists who focus on how people behave at work have a range of job titles but most typically they are described in the United Kingdom as occupational or business psychologists.
Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology Our Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology is a fully accredited practitioner training course leading to Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration and Chartered status with the British Psychological Society (BPS). It is a programme of personal and professional development designed to develop competencies in the assessment and psychotherapeutic treatment of complex mental health issues. The vitality of the course comes from an experienced and supportive course team, passionate about empowerment in mental health.
A foundation in humanist values, with emphasis on an empathic therapist-client relationship as central to mental health work, allows an integrative framework for the development of a range of clinical, research, and reflective skills. Through the integration of theoretical training, research processes, critical approaches to psychopathology and reflective working, you will learn to develop an integrative method of professional practice incorporating the latest developments in evidencebased practice at the forefront of mental healthcare.
Careers: Applying theory and research in helping to resolve clients with a range of life issues such as relationship difficulties, bereavement, sexual abuse and trauma, counselling psychologists bring extensive training in psychotherapy and a grounding in evidence-based research to alleviate distress and improve personal functioning. Counselling psychologists work in the NHS, prisons, trauma services, private practise, and as expert witnesses.
Online MSc Programmes: Study from anywhere, any time Distance learning delivered entirely online. Learn online from anywhere in the world. The flexible course design enables you to fit your studies around your other life commitments, including work and family. You can continue to earn and progress in your current role without needing to put your life on hold. MBA Psychology MSc Psychology MSc Organisational and Business Psychology MSc Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing Find out more at: online.wlv.ac.uk
Academic excellence | 11
Academic excellence Our department is founded on drivers for innovation, education, and economic growth; values which complement our University’s ambition to transform lives through research. Through our research and special interest groups, we promote and advance the discipline of psychology by conducting world-leading research in areas that align with the improvement of wellbeing and people’s lives within society. As such we have received substantial investment over the past couple of years from the University to develop our facilities which enables our Centre for Psychological Research to support growth in focused, impactful research. This has resulted in psychology having a central role in the research activity across the faculty.
Our cyberpsychology team have published an internationally influential textbook and founded a dedicated section in the British Psychological Society. We run a nationally respected doctorate in counselling psychology, with a dedicated clinic to support students with mental health needs and provided opportunities for clinical placements. Our health and wellbeing team works closely with prison and police services across the UK, addressing significant questions relating to mental health and suicide prevention. Our commended occupational psychology teamwork with organisations such as the Royal Airforce addresses complex challenges in leadership and team development.
12 | Academic excellence
We pride ourselves on evidence-based practice, which means all our teaching is based on what research says works. We are creative, innovative and diverse in our teaching practices. Academic staff in Psychology regularly engage in Higher Education Research to understand and enhance the student experience. This means that you will receive high quality and current teaching and support throughout your time with us. We focus on applying theoretical principles of psychology to modern-day real-world issues. The undergraduate course scaffolds your subject knowledge and personal skills development throughout. Whereas postgraduate studies continue to build your personal skills whilst concentrating on a specific area of interest in depth. Course content is delivered using a blended strategy to enable development of self-regulated learning and independence. This means that teaching will be in a variety of formats including pre-recorded bitesize pieces of information, live interactive lectures, small group sessions for in-depth discussion, online discussions and debates, and one-to-one tutorials. Teaching is designed to be engaging, making extensive use of technology to enhance student participation in the learning experience. We use a wide variety of assessment strategies and have been commended for our creativity and diversity. Our assignments are designed to be applied in nature: either to psychology or in the development of core skills required in the workplace. All our psychology staff are accredited by, or members of, professional bodies, including Advance HE which specifically quality-assures teaching in higher education. You will be learning from practitioners in forensic and counselling psychology as well as published experts in the field from cyber psychology, health psychology, occupational psychology and cognitive neuropsychology. In the academic year of 2019, Dave Ormerod (senior lecturer and Psychology with Foundation Year course leader) won the Vice Chancellor award for Enriching the Learning Experience.
The Centre for Psychological Research – study alongside experts The Centre for Psychological Research focuses on advancing psychological theory and practice through high quality and impactful research. We are committed to evolving the discipline in unique ways to reflect changes within society (e.g. the development of the new field of cyberpsychology), working across the university with local, national and international external collaborators and communities to benefit society, as well as incorporating Open Data and Science practices. The research centre, and all research clusters objectives, are to provide collegial support, mentorship, knowledge exchange. We welcome and encourage undergraduate and postgraduate engagement with the research centre, as a space for conversation and becoming involved within the research culture at Wolverhampton. We have a Research Opportunities Network that provides students with the chance to work closely with an academic member of staff on their research projects. Some of our undergraduate students have also been successful in publishing their work as co-authors with the staff. The centre is divided into four research clusters that reflect and are aligned with the research strengths within the department. Applied Cognition and Individual Differences (ACID) research cluster focuses on cognitive research that seeks to inform policy making, education and to address societal challenges. We have strengths in developing research in learning, memory, language, cognitive biases, neuroscience, and forensic practice. Cyberpsychology Research at the University of Wolverhampton (CRUW) seeks to provide a forum to promote the academic and applied socio-psychological study of the impact of the internet and emerging technologies (e.g. social media, smartphones, virtual reality, video gaming) on our everyday lives. Members of CRUW have been fundamental in the development of the new British Psychological Society (BPS) Cyberpsychology section.
Academic excellence | 13
The Social and Community Psychology research cluster conducts research using psychological principles and theories to explore various applied areas of social and community psychology. These include education and pedagogy, criminal behaviour and the law, intellectual and developmental disability, relationships, and aspects of organisations. Social and community psychology includes the cross-faculty special interest group, the Wolverhampton Intellectual Disability Network. Wellbeing and Psychological Health researches at the intersection of physical and psychological health. Working closely with service users and their community networks, services and the NHS to engage in meaningful applied research considering all stakeholder perspectives. It is home to three special interest research groups: the Mental Health, Suicide Research and Prevention Group; the Eating Behaviours Special Interest Research Group; and the Pain Research Group.
The Psychology Community Research Clinic is a research-oriented psychological therapies clinic, providing support to undergraduate students, and clinical placements for postgraduate students. Our mission is to contribute to the university student support services, and offer talking therapies to those who need longer term support. The staff leading the PCRC are BPS-chartered and HCPC Registered Psychologists, experienced in helping those in need. Some of our team are in training to become psychologists, undertaking part of their clinical doctorate training with us. Our team are supervised in providing therapies for a wide variety of psychological concerns, including: confidence building, public speaking, stress management, improving mood, depression, anxiety, bereavement, panic attacks, and relationship worries. We aim to support everyone who comes to us through a custom-designed form of support, unique for the needs of each individual. All of our activities are governed by the BPS Code of Ethics, with the principles of Respect, Competence, Integrity and Responsibility, and all sessions are strictly confidential to each therapist and their supervisor. We are also a diverse group of people, working affirmatively and respectfully with people of any ethnicity, culture, religion or sexual orientation.
14 | Alumni success stories
Alumni success stories Megan Gallagher During my time studying on the MSc Cyberpsychology course, I was successful in securing an internship with the Regional Cyber Crime Unit for West Midlands Police. In my current role, I work both alongside the RCCU as a Business Support Assistant and the West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre as their client relationship manager, in which I work to help support and protect businesses in the region against cybercrime. Personally, the best part of my time on the MSc Cyberpsychology course was the
massive amounts of support I received from my tutors, particularly Joanne Lloyd, Chris Fullwood and Joanne Meredith. There’s no denying that a Master’s degree is challenging, but the tutors on the course really are with you every step of the way and give plenty of feedback to your progress. This I believe, alongside the interesting and engaging content that the course provides, allowed me to reach my full potential and secure a job in an area that I’m passionate about. I hope to return to the University of Wolverhampton next year to begin my PhD journey!
Laura Rhoden Laura graduated from the University of Wolverhampton in 2017 with a first-class honours degree in Psychology (Criminal Behaviour). She then continued her education, completing a Master’s degree in Forensic and Investigative Psychology, graduating with a distinction. She began her PhD at Wolverhampton in October 2018, exploring the methodologies used to garner perceptions of child sexual offenders. Besides her academic study, she has also undertaken various paid work roles at the University since graduation from her undergraduate degree. She became a research assistant to Dr David Boyda in 2017 and worked on a project focussing on attitudes to suicide
amongst first responders (i.e. the police, ambulance and fire service crews). She is currently a research assistant to Dr Chelsea Slater, researching whether certain online groups pose a significant threat to public wellbeing, and also works as a research administrator for Dr Jo Lloyd on an externally funded project exploring gambling and gambling awareness. She has had her work published in well-respected academic journals. Her teaching roles include being a psychology demonstrator. She also has a visiting lecturer (VL) contract that involves supervising student groups as they undertake research projects.
Alumni success stories | 15
Kelly Warwicker Kelly graduated with a first-class honour’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wolverhampton in September 2017. She was accepted onto MSc Occupational Psychology starting in October 2017, completing this in September 2018 with a distinction. She enrolled on her PhD in Psychology in October 2018. Since graduating from her undergraduate degree, she has been invited to present her research at several distinguished academic conferences and has been interviewed about her work by BBC West Midlands.
Kelly contributes to the Psychology Department on various modules in a visiting lecturer (VL) capacity, and this has led to a more permanent position as, for the last four months, she has been working as a demonstrator in the Department of Psychology. In this role, she marks student assignments, conducts workshops, and offers online support to students from foundation level through to Master’s level. She also mentors students at Master’s level.
Xenia A Since graduating from a BSc Psychology, I have worked in roles which include being a specialist advocate, supporting those who have been deemed to lack legal capacity in managing their personal needs, such as people needing to understand medical treatment. I then worked at the University, undertaking a graduate teaching assistant role, where I completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), and developed skills as a teacher. I also undertook a psychology assistant role with the Psychology Community Research Clinic where I used research analysis skills and helped plan and deliver therapy sessions for clients with anxiety. I now work as a specialist case manager supporting BAME people. I carry out behaviour-change work with perpetrators, and can see the impact of my work on people’s wellbeing, helping to break the cycle of domestic abuse. I plan on going on to complete a doctorate in Counselling. All my experiences have instilled a sense of my own capabilities, and have enhanced
my understanding of people in really important ways. I have learnt that I can achieve anything I set my mind to, and if I really want it, I can be successful. The experiences I have had at the University have had the biggest influence on my career direction. I learnt to have faith in myself in going into things. I never imagined I would be in front of a large group of students, able to stand up and speak confidently, but now I can because I know my stuff. I do not think I would be where I am now without the experiences I have had as part of my time at the University. I have met some amazing people, students and staff. If you are thinking of starting a BSc in Psychology I would say: have faith in where you are going. You can do it if you put your mind to it. If you’re struggling, make sure you put your hand up and seek support. Remember, there are lots of opportunities there if you step up and say yes!
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