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PSY40870

Academic Year 2026/2027

Multielement Behaviour Support (PSY40870)

Subject:
Psychology
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Psychology
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Alison Stapleton
Trimester:
Summer
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module introduces students to biological, psychological, social, and environmental approaches to understanding how disabled people and people experiencing disability navigate and respond to the world. Informed by a Human Rights-Based Approach, the Multi-Element Behaviour Support Framework will be covered. Learners will develop their competencies in working collaboratively with disabled people and people with disabilities to explore assessment, intervention, and support planning, along with implementation and evaluation techniques included in this Framework. Legality, ethics, risk, and decision-making are all explored in the context of relevant legislation and local, national, and international policies.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, students should be able to:
• Review and critique the contemporary theories and principles in behavioural change science.
• Critically appraise and evaluate various support models, including the Multi-Element Model.
• Identify and design systems that support the provision and evaluation of behavioural support services.
• Analyse and critique legislation, policy, research, media, and professional standards as they relate to supporting disabled people and people with disabilities.

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

30
Specified Learning Activities

80
Autonomous Student Learning

140
Total

250

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module uses the following teaching and learning strategies: Lectures, small group work, group discussion, critical thinking, reflective learning, collaborative enquiry, case studies, student presentations, and self-directed learning. In this module, artificial intelligence (AI) use is permitted for limited support. This means that students may use AI tools for limited support in this module (e.g., idea generation, practice questions, or as a study aid). However, students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their learning. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Where taken as part of MSc in Disability students are required to comply with module requirements for this programme.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Individual presentation to be detailed in class Week 5 Graded No
50
 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): Group Work - Develop a multi-element behaviour support plan for a case study
Written individual reflection component to be detailed in class		 Week 10 Graded No
50
 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Online automated feedback provided through Brightspace

Name Role
Ms Caroline Dench Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Hazel O'Boyle Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Summer Lecture Offering 51 Week(s) - 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 Tues 09:00 - 11:50
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