This Certificate will be of interest both to those who wish to pursue careers in psychology, and to those who are motivated by an interest in the area. It provides prerequisites for all modules of year 1 of the Higher Diploma in Psychology (although completion of the Certificate course does not guarantee entry to the H Dip). The course will provide students with a general introduction to the discipline of psychology. Students will be introduced to key domains of academic psychology, along with having exposure to research and analytic techniques. Students completing the Certificate course should have a good basic understanding of the fundamentals of academic psychology. 

 

This Certificate is suited to anyone who is interested in the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to all of the key topics within the discipline of psychology.  Students will be introduced to key domains of academic psychology, along with having exposure to research and analytic techniques. Students will develop a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of the field psychology and the work of professional psychologists.  

 

The areas addressed include

• Social Psychology: How the presence of others influences our thoughts and behaviours, and how we interact socially. Prejudice, discrimination, helping behaviour, obedience etc.
• Developmental Psychology: Particularly child development. How we develop from dependent infants through the various social and intellectual stages to becoming an adult.
• Biological Psychology: The physiological underpinnings of experience and behaviour. Describing the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and endocrine systems (e.g. the brain, neurons, neurotransmitters), and how they influence behaviours such as sleep, eating, and stress.
• Cognitive Psychology: How we think, perceive, learn, and remember.  Understanding the structure and function of brain regions and how they relate to sensation, perception and memory. Describing attention and memory theories.
• History of Psychology: How the discipline began and developed. Introductions to such seminal thinkers as Freud and Skinner.
• Practice of Psychology: The different strands of professional psychology, and how different types of psychologist work.
• Research and data analysis: An introduction to how we expand and develop knowledge in the field.