Programme Specification for Bsc Psychology with Ergonomics

Department of Human Sciences

Programme Specification for BSc Psychology with Ergonomics

Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module can be found in Module Specifications and other programme documentation and online at

The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed by the University and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

Awarding body/institution: / Loughborough University
Teaching institution (if different):
Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body: / British Psychological Society, for Graduate Membership of the Society (GM) and Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR)
Ergonomics Society
Name of the final award: / BSc (Honours) (3 year)
BSc (Honours) DPS (4 year)
Programme title: / Psychology with Ergonomics/ Psychology with Ergonomics with Diploma in Professional Studies
UCAS code: / C8J9 (3year)
C8JX (4 year)
Subject Benchmark Statement: / Psychology
Date at which the programme specification was written or revised: / September 2004

Aims of the programme:

to enable students to gain a theoretically and empirically well-grounded understanding of the development and organisation of psychological functioning and ergonomics and their interrelationships;

to enable students to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of particular aspects of psychology and ergonomics;
to introduce students to multiple perspectives in a way that fosters critical evaluation of psychological and ergonomic theory and research, both academically and in its application to the everyday world;
to develop students’ understanding of the role of empirical evidence in the creation and testing of theory; to enable them to appreciate the way theory guides the collection and interpretation of empirical data; and to develop an appreciation of the philosophical debates and issues underpinning competing psychological theories;
to enable students to acquire a range of quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods for investigating experience and behaviour;
to develop the ability of students to conduct independent enquiry in the field of psychology and ergonomics, using appropriate methodologies;
to provide a high quality honours programme in psychology with ergonomics, which maximises students’ opportunities to graduate with a good degree and enhance their employability;
to provide quality teaching and learning programmes in Psychology with Ergonomics approved by the University, moderated under external examination, and accredited British Psychological Society, for Graduate Membership of the Society (GM) and Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) and accredited by the Ergonomics Society;
to provide research-based teaching at advanced levels.;
to involve, where appropriate, industry, the public sector, and the professions in the teaching;
to promote and provide a multi-disciplinary educational experience for students;
to develop and use information technology in support of teaching, research, communication and administration, and encourage innovation in the use of multi-media and IT.

Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

the Benchmark Statement for Psychology;
the National Qualifications Framework;
requirements of the British Psychological Society which undertakes regular two-yearly ongoing monitoring and a full Review once every five years;
requirements of the Ergonomics Society which undertakes annual monitoring, and performs a full review once every five years;
requirements of the International Ergonomics Association;
University Learning and Teaching Strategy;
Departmental teaching and learning policies;
the research interests and specialisms of the teaching staff and their professional involvement in the discipline.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding:

In keeping with the British Psychological Society requirements for GBR and the Ergonomics Society, students will have opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of psychological topics and their ethical implications and the links between theoretical and practical research in these areas:

1)Biological psychology: core topics for example in biological bases of behaviour, hormones and behaviour, circadian rhythms, and neuropsychology;

2)Cognitive psychology: core topics in, for example, perception, memory, thinking, language, consciousness, individual differences;

3)Work psychology with ergonomics: topics including organisational, occupational, and system ergonomics, the body at work, psychological testing;

4)Environmental Ergonomics: the thermal environment, lighting, vision, noise and vibration, air quality;

5)Integrative and Systems Ergonomics: systems ergonomics, ergonomics and design, includng theoretical and practical aspects of design for human use;

6)Health Psychology: including topics in ageing, abnormal and normal mental health, health and well being, gender;

7)Research methods in psychology and ergonomics, ie research design, the nature and appropriate statistical analysis of data, psychometrics and measurement techniques, and quantitative and qualitative methods.

Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated:

Core knowledge and understanding of areas 1 to 5 is acquired by lectures, seminars, and guided independent study. The more practically-oriented knowledge in 6 is imparted through practical classes and supervised independent study.

Areas 1-6 are assessed by examination and coursework, including a substantial independent project.

Skills and other attributes:

a)Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

demonstrate evidence based reasoning and make critical judgements about arguments in psychology and ergonomics;
adopt multiple perspectives and systematically analyse the relationships between them;
detect meaningful patterns in psychological and ergonomic functioning and evaluate their significance;
demonstrate substantial competence in research skills through practical activities;
analyse and present with confidence quantitative and qualitative evidence;
initiate, design, conduct and report an empirically-based research project under appropriate supervision, recognising its theoretical, practical and methodological implications and limitations;
understand the ethical context of psychology and ergonomics as a discipline and demonstrate this in relation to their own empirical work.

Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated:

Cognitive skills are promoted by lectures, practicals, seminars, small group supervision of advanced work in the final year, and by guided independent study of scholarly material.

Cognitive skills are assessed by coursework and examinations. Examinations show how well the student can demonstrate their mastery of an area of scholarly knowledge by selecting appropriate material from memory and applying it to an unseen question in a limited time-period. Coursework allows the student to demonstrate wider academic skills of focused scholarly research, drafting, editing and polished writing. In the final year, the student demonstrates their ability independently to design and execute a substantial empirical investigation and present its findings in a written report in the format of an academic paper.

b)Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

observe, record accurately and give an objective account of human action in both laboratory and other settings;.
design an experiment which compares behaviour or experience under at least two conditions of at least one experimental variable;
collect and organise quantitative data for statistical analysis.
collect and interpret qualitative data rigorously;
communicate ideas in a range of styles and for different audiences: long and short essays, practical and project reports; to peers and teachers; in writing and orally.
act professionally and in accordance with ethical propriety.

Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated:

Practical skills are promoted through practical work in the laboratory and in the field. In Parts A and B students are taught in practical classes and undertake increasingly more demanding empirical projects in small groups as part of module activity throughout the curriculum. In the final year (Part C) the student undertakes a major independent research project under the supervision of a member of staff. Self-learning including seeking out sources of information, planning time and making the best use of resources in the light of deadlines is promoted in the modules on Communication and Study Skills and Review skills, in each of these students monitor and critically reflect upon their progression using diaries and weekly tutorial meetings.

Assessment is via coursework (including class tests), ranging from small-scale practical reports through to the major write-up of the student’s independent final year project.

c)Key/transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

1)Information technology: use instructional material (eg, experimental demonstrations) and research tools (eg, statistical packages) on computers, and search for relevant material on the internet;

2)Numeracy: collect data in numerical form, present it in tables and graphs, and analyse it with a range of statistical tools;

3)Problem solving: clarify questions, consider alternative solutions and evaluate outcomes;

4)Teamwork: share responsibility for a task with others; agree common goals and methods to achieve them; co-ordinate the use of common resources;

5)Communication skills: write or speak clearly to topic; to draft, edit and polish presentations; to contribute actively to group discussion;

6)Manage self-learning: seek out sources of information, plan time to make the best use of resources and review priorities in the light of deadlines.

Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated:

Key skills 1-4 are promoted by the requirement in practical classes and in the final year project that students use computers, become proficient at statistics, research design and implementation, and work in teams. Key skill 5 is embedded in the teaching methods used in tutorials and practical classes and in the assessment system, which is based on written and (to a lesser extent) oral reporting. Key skill 6 is fostered by guidance given in Handbooks and in personal consultations with students.

Assessment of key skills is embedded in module assessment, and is explicit in end-of-module student evaluations.

Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards:

Students are required to take modules amounting to 120 credits in each of the three years of the programme.

Content Part A - Introductory Modules

Semester 1

COMPULSORY MODULES (modular weight 50)

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUA101 / Ergonomics and Design / 10
HUA105 / Introduction to Ergonomics / 10
HUA353 / Psychology Practicals / 20
HUA401 / Communication and Study Skills / 10

Semester 2

COMPULSORY MODULES (modular weight 70)

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUA102 / Ergonomics in Design of Everyday Artefacts / 20
HUA104 / Introduction to Environmental Ergonomics / 10
HUA308 / Basic Biological Psychology / 10
HUA310 / Basic Developmental and Experimental Psychology / 20
HUA314 / Psychology: Shaping the Discipline / 10

Content Part B - Degree Modules

Semester 1

COMPULSORY MODULES (modular weight 60)

Note: HUB353 and HUB355 (modular weight 20) are divided equally between Semesters 1 and 2.

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUB314 / Organisational Behaviour / 10
HUB351 / Psychology Practicals B / 10
HUB353 / Human Memory and Cognition (part 1) / 10 (of 20)
HUB355 / Cognitive & Social Development (part 1) / 10 (of 20)
HUB403 / Experiment Design and Analysis B1 / 10
Degree module from the University Undergraduate Module Catalogue (subject to approval by Programme Director) / 10

Semester 2

COMPULSORY MODULES (modular weight 50)

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUB316 / Qualitative Design and Analysis for Psychology / 10
HUB318 / Biological Bases of Behaviour / 20
HUB353 / Human Memory and Cognition (part 2) / 10 (of 20)
HUB355 / Cognitive & Social Development (part 2) / 10 (of 20)
HUB404 / Experiment Design and Analysis B2 / 10

Content Part C - Degree Modules

COMPULSORY PROJECT (modular weight 40)

The Compulsory Project Module is divided between Semesters 1 and 2 in the ratio 10:30 modular weight.

Semester 1

COMPULSORY MODULES (modular weight 50)

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUC300 / Project (part 1) / 10 (of 40)
HUC109 / Systems Ergonomics / 20
HUC315 / Perspectives on Health & Wellbeing / 20

OPTIONAL MODULES

Further Degree Modules may be selected from the following modules, to bring the total modular weight for the Semester to 50, 60 or 70.

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUB103 / Vision / 10
HUC103 / Transport Ergonomics / 10
HUC114 / Ergonomics of Disability and Ageing / 10
HUC219 / Performance at Environmental Extremes / 20
HUC309 / Sleep and Biological Rhythms / 20

Semester 2

COMPULSORY MODULES (modular weight 30)

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUC300 / Project (part 2) / 30 (of 40)

OPTIONAL MODULES

Further module(s) may be selected from the following as necessary to bring the total modular weight for Part C to 120.

Code / Title / Modular Weight
HUB102 / Thermal Environment / 10
HUB121 / Human Response to Noise and Vibration / 10
HUB213 / Growth & Development / 10
HUB214 / Human Ageing / 20
HUC106 / Applied Vision / 10
HUC110 / Occupational Health and Safety / 20
HUC112 / Ergonomics in Practice / 10
HUC117 / Product Design and Human Factors / 10
HUC203 / Applied Human Genetics / 10
HUC314 / Social Remembering / 20

Criteria for admission to the programme:

A typical offer would be:

A Level qualifications: 320 points from from two subjects at A level plus

either a third subject at A level or two subjects at AS level (excluding

General studies and key skills).

Vocational A level (VAL) qualifications: vocational A levels are acceptable

in combination with traditional academic A levels (see above).

Information about assessment regulations:

Most modules are assessed by a mixture of written examination and coursework, although there are exceptions where some modules are assessed entirely by coursework and others entirely by examination. First year assessment is for progression to the second year. Second year and third year results are weighted at 40% and 60% each in calculating final degree classifications.

Criteria for progression and degree award:

(i) In order to progress from Part A to B and from Part B to C, candidates must, in addition to satisfying the requirements of the University's General Regulations for Undergraduate Awards (GRUA), achieve the following: obtain not less than 30% in all modules for the respective Part.

AND

(ii) In order to be eligible for the award of the degree, candidates must, in addition to satisfying the requirements of GRUA, achieve the following: obtain not less than 30% in all modules in Part C.

(iii) All candidates who fail to satisfy the requirements of (i) or (ii) above will have the option of reassessment in the Special Assessment Period, subject to any limitations embodied in individual module specifications, except as stated in (iv) below.

(iv) Where a candidate has obtained fewer than 40 credits in a Part of the Programme, reassessment will not be available in the Special Assessment Period.

Indicators of quality:

The programme is the responsibility of the Department of Human Sciences, which received 24 out of 24 in the External Subject Review of all its programmes in 1998.

Particular support for learning:

a) Careers Service:

The Careers Service provides support and advice for students seeking careers guidance and help with job-searching techniques, together with a library of careers resources, careers fairs, employer presentations, management and skills courses and a comprehensive website containing vacancies and information. In the UK Graduate Careers survey, sponsored by the Times Newspaper, Loughborough University Careers Service was rated as one of the most impressive with over 80% of students rating it as good or excellent. The service has also been identified by employers as the amongst the top ten Higher Education careers services in the 2003 Association of graduate Recruiters/Barkers survey.

b) Library:

The University Library provides advanced support for student learning in a purpose-built building and electronically via the web. It is open for upwards of 80 hours per week during semester and holds a stock of more than half a million volumes and an extensive serials collection. Numerous PC workstations (100+), networked printing facilities and self-service photocopiers are also available. The Library is designated EDC (European Documentation Centre). The Library catalogue is available on-line, as are electronic versions of reading lists. Over 180 subject-specific electronic databases can be accessed by users both on campus and elsewhere. The Library organises induction sessions for first year students and librarians can provide flexible training for students and researchers throughout their time at Loughborough. User support is also available from the Library information desks, via printed and online guides and through a series of ‘Lunchtime in the Library’ and other training sessions. There are a variety of study environments in the Library, including individual and group study desks, private carrels and group study rooms.

c) Computing Services:

Computing Services provides the University IT facilities and infrastructure. General purpose computer resources across campus are open 24 hours and more specialist computer laboratories are provided I partnership with departments. Students in halls of residence are supported in connecting their computers to the high speed network. The University’s virtual learning environment “LEARN” provides on and off campus access to web-based teaching materials provided by lecturing staff.

d) Professional Development:

Professional Development (PD) provides continuing professional development and support in teaching and a wide range of other areas.

New lecturers attend a personalised programme of PD courses and, in the final year of probation, PD assesses their teaching through direct observation and a portfolio. Accreditation for this process has been awarded by the Higher Education Academy (HEA).

PD works directly with staff who wish to develop more effective teaching and learning methods – including the area of learning technologies – and provides resources to support the learning skills development of students.

Other development opportunities are provided in institutional strategic priority
areas and in response to discussions with departments in the context of their
needs.

e) Counselling Service and English Language Study Unit:

The Counselling Service and English Language Study Unit are able to support individual students in resolving problems and in improving communication skills for international students.

f) Mathematics Learning Support Centre:

The Centre, which is based in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, provides a range of services designed to support any undergraduate student in the University in their learning of mathematics. In particular it aims to help students in the earlier stages of their studies who might benefit from resources and tuition over and above that normally provided as part of their course.