Psychology  (PCS1)

The purpose of a degree in Psychology in UCD is to foster an evidence-based appreciation and scientific understanding of mind, brain, lived experiences, social context, and behaviour, and the nature and outcomes of their complex interactions. Students will learn the importance of psychological approaches to problems in modelling the full richness of mental life, as well as the role of empirical research in shaping, influencing and sculpting theory. The programme stresses the importance of critical thinking, informed awareness of the multiplicity of levels of understanding psychological phenomena, the significance of building research skills, and of ethics in research and practice.

Knowledge is developed through teaching core areas at a number of stages; beginning at an introductory level, supported by tutorials and team-teaching, but becoming steadily more advanced, complemented with increased individual choice and selection of options. Learning is based on active participation, and culminates through demonstrating an ability to undertake an independent piece of research, from hunches and hypotheses, through to execution, data collection, analysis and write-up. A range of assessment methods is used including traditional, innovative and group-based, with detailed feedback to the student an essential component.

1 - Thinking Broad: An ability to think critically and reason scientifically. Specific: An ability to appreciate the multiplicity of psychological approaches, and be aware of their theoretical, practical, methodological and ethical implications.
2 - Knowing Broad: An understanding of the scientific process of building knowledge. Specific: A thorough knowledge of core domains of psychology - biological, cognitive, social and developmental psychology, individual differences & research methods.
3 - Planning and Implementing Broad: An ability to generate hypotheses and research questions. Specific: An ability to generate a hypothesis around why humans or animals act the way they do, and design a research process to test this hypothesis.
4 - Communicating Broad: An ability to communicate and present ideas in a clear and incisive way. Specific: An ability to communicate and present psychological data in a professional and sophisticated manner, in both written and oral form.
5 - Integrating Broad: Comprehend, organise and use data in an effective manner, and apply psychological knowledge to real-world issues. Specific: Use a wide range of psychological tools, equipment, computer software and psychological tests.
6 - Managing Broad: Demonstrate effective planning, time-management and project-administration skills. Specific: Carry out an independent research project, from the formulation of a research question, ethical approval, data analysis and write-up.

Psychology is a very broad discipline and the undergraduate degree in Psychology in UCD will introduce you to its major theories and research methods.

The degree is recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland and as such provides the foundation for further postgraduate training in any field of psychology.

However, Psychology graduates also go into a variety of other career paths including education, business and health. If you have a questioning attitude and good reasoning skills you will really enjoy the world opened up by Psychology.

In your first year (called Stage 1) you take 12 modules over 2 semesters. You must study core modules in Psychology and typically two or three other subjects including up to two modules from outside the BA Programme area.

Stage 2 students progress with a major in Psychology. Students also take four elective modules from within or outside their main subject area at Stages 2 of their degree programme.

In Stage 1 you will be introduced to four key areas within Psychology: Human Development; Brain and Behaviour; Perception; and Cognition (thinking and reasoning). You also have the option to take modules on general and applied psychology.

In Stage 2 you will continue with the key areas introduced at Stage 1 but you will also begin to learn about doing psychological research by taking two modules of laboratory practicals as well as modules on research methods and statistics.

You will have the opportunity to make many more specialist choices from a very wide range of modules (for example, on behavioural neuroscience, the visual arts and sport psychology) and will undertake a research dissertation on a topic that you have chosen.

The year abroad takes place when you have accumulated at least 110 credits and satisfied any subject prerequisites, adding a fourth year to the BA programme and turning it into a BA International.

The School of Psychology has exchange agreements with:

• Université Catholique de l'Ouest, France
• Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid, Spain
• Free University, Berlin, Germany
• Georgetown University, Washington, USA
• University of Groningen, the Netherlands

The degree is recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland and, as such, provides the foundation for further graduate training in any field of psychology as well as for a wide variety of careers, including:

Clinical psychology

Educational psychology

Organisational psychology

Forensic psychology

Counselling psychology

Health psychology.

There are also career opportunities in research projects alongside other human scientists, such as economists and sociologists.