PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module will discuss core concepts of professionalism, academic and industry led discussions surrounding processes of graduate employment from psychological and interdisciplinary perspectives.  It will psychologically evaluate all elements of recruitment and selection process and apply psychological theories to these processes.  Direct as well as indirect career paths within Psychology and other related professional fields will be discussed and reflective skills will be developed. As a whole, this module provide multiple opportunities for students to develop their employability, by increasing awareness of career options, prerequisites for those options, as well as help students become effective communicators and reflective thinkers. 

Module provider

Psychology

Module Leader

WALLACE-WILLIAMS Hazel (Psychology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

The module will combine lectures, seminars, guest lectures and other forms of delivery appropriate for the course content, which will be based around such topics as:

• Introduction: relevant concepts and processes such as career, skills, professionalism and the role of the professional training year.


• Impression Management Theory and Occupational Psychology in Recruitment


• From Theory to Practice: Professionalism, Career, and Reflection.


• Workshop: CV and Cover Letters.


• Workshop: Interview Skills and Assessment Centre. 


• Meeting the expert: Forensic and Environmental Psychology. 


• Meeting the expert: Educational and Sport Psychology.


• Meeting the expert: Clinical and Health Psychology.


• Meeting the expert: Business/ Occupational and Counselling Psychology


• Summary and Poster Presentation Session

 

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Individual Poster Presentation (5 minutes + a poster, which may have been prepared as part of a group)

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

Critical evaluation skills, written skills, reflective skills, ability to apply theory to a case study and presentation skills

Key literacy skills, including the ability to critically engage with academic and professional literature and critically review this literature to assess candidates within a recruitment process

A core understanding of the range of applied areas of psychology, and the qualifications and experience required to enter into these areas of employment

Key employability skills, these are embedded throughout the module. The second assessment allows students the opportunity to become effective communicators - presenting, clear, concise and coherent information of different areas of applied psychology. This will build on previous presentation expections (e.g. global challenges) and experience of making a poster (e.g. biological psychology), to consider how to present more applied psychological information to an audience. 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Critical evaluation of the application material – 4+2 pages (addresses learning outcomes 4, 5 and 6) (50%)


• Group poster presentation (addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 &4) (50%)

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is conducted throughout the module during seminars and workshops where students have the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities and to receive both peer and tutor feedback, with the aim of allowing students to assess their progress week by week. In coursework tutorials, we will share critical evaluation techniques, with regard to application materials. In class quizzes, using polling software, provide an opportunity to understand and monitor your progress and level of understanding of module content.”

 

Feedback

In class in group/pair exercises, written on their 2 assignments, 1-1 in office hours

Module aims

• To acquire, develop and apply new skills appropriate to relevant professional settings informed by the study of Psychology
• To increase understanding of appropriate interpersonal skills and professional boundaries in the organisational setting
• To apply knowledge and skills acquired in the academic setting to the practical demands of employing organisations, by employing evidence based reasoning
• To become aware of the application process for placement or graduate employment from a psychological perspective
• To enhance students' employment prospects by developing relevant personal and professional skills.
• To apply psychological theories to practical environments, specifically the recruitment and application process
• To provide students with opportunities to develop communication and reflective skills, a key skill within professional psychology

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Support personal and professional development of students. 

Enablwe students to develop the knowledge, skills and critical thinking required to apply a variability of psychological theories across the field and use them in a case study of recruitment. 

Develop key employability skills, such as effective reflective and presentational practice. 

Provide students with the resourcefulness and digital literacy skills required to review and assess a diverse range of career paths

The learning and teaching methods include:

6 Lectures detailing content on employability, psychology of recruitment and recruitment materials and occupational psychology

8 guest lectures from applied psychologists

4 tutorials on developing critical arguments, applying psychological knowledge to real world settings and presentational skills.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PSY2019

Other information

The School of Psychology is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Employability: the purpose and structure of this module is designed to enhance your employability across many facets. We review professionalism, transferable skills and impression management on a conceptual, psychological level. Students are also assessed on their ability to apply this information in an applied setting, by assessing candidates for employment, and applying psychological theory to this evaluation exercise. Students are also encouraged to consider different career paths, and develop an understanding of how these paths can be pursued. Key employability skills are also introduced, such as delivering an effective presentation and considering how to engage in critical reflection for the purpose of individual improvement of professional practice. Meet the expert talks inform students on the skills and competencies required by applied psychologists and ask students to consider how they could apply their own knowledge and capabilities to pursuing these career paths. The assessment asks all students to develop a CV and to reflect on how they have acted upon the information learnt in the module and applied it in practice to improving the impression created by their CV on employers. 

Digital capabilities: as with all modules, students are expected to engage with online materials and resources via SurreyLearn and other digital platforms. Students are encouraged to communicate with one another and work together in groups, utilizing digital collaborative tools. Students are encouraged to use PowerPoint to develop a scientific poster as part of the assessment strategy. 

Global and Cultural capabilities: students will engage critically with research into equity, diversity and inclusion across the employment process, particularly considering the effects of sexual and racial discrimination in recruitment and in the workplace. Students are actively encouraged to consider how different perspectives can affect recruitment, impression management and team dynamics. 

Resourcefulness and resilience: the learning, teaching and assessment strategy for this module is designed to encourage active participation, peer support and reflective engagement. Students will work in small groups to complete a poster and presentation assignment, developing time management and organizational skills. Psychological research into group dynamics and team membership are reviewed to provide students with an opportunity to consider their own group-based practice and contribute towards a shared goal. Potential challenges in pursing different career paths are considered, displaying the non-linearity of career progression. Students will consider the challenges of public speaking, and review psychology research on arousal and anxiety to consider how to overcome these challenges. 

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.