Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Reflective Patchwork Assessment The assessment for this module is a patchwork portfolio, made up of short reflective pieces completed throughout the term. Each entry focuses on a different aspect of your personal, academic, or professional development, encouraging you to make connections between learning experiences. 1500 Words | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Presentation The assessment for this module includes a short group presentation reflecting on key skills and insights developed during the module. The presentation should be clear, structured, and demonstrate self-awareness and psychological insight. 15 Minutes | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Presentation The assessment for this module includes a short recorded presentation reflecting on key skills and insights developed during the module. The presentation should be clear, structured, and demonstrate self-awareness and psychological insight. 15 Minutes | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Reflective Patchwork Assessment The assessment for this module is a patchwork portfolio, made up of short reflective pieces completed throughout the term. Each entry focuses on a different aspect of your personal, academic, or professional development, encouraging you to make connections between learning experiences. 1500 Words | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Reflect on personal learning experiences to identify strengths, areas for development, and strategies for academic success and skills articulation.
Evaluate the importance of academic and scholarly practices, including critical reading, independent learning, and collaborative dialogue.
Demonstrate effective teamwork and communication skills through relationship building, collaborative tasks and group work.
Develop an action plan that outlines academic, personal, and career development goals, using evidence from reflective practice.
Identify and evaluate potential career pathways in psychology and related fields, aligning them with personal interests, strengths, and values.
Brief description
You will not only learn practical tools that are essential for psychology students and future professionals - like how to write in a psychological style, reference properly, create a CV, and build your digital skills - but will also engage in more self-orientated topics that will help you develop your resilience as a student and enable you to reflect on your personal interests, strengths, and values. Throughout the module, we place particular emphasis on developing self-awareness, working effectively with others, and building confidence through activities such as group work, goal setting, and reflection.
Aims
This module aims to support first-year psychology students in developing the personal, academic, and professional skills essential for success at university and career readiness. Through reflective practice, collaborative learning, and skills-based activities, students will build psychological literacy, ethical awareness, and career confidence from the outset of their studies.
Content
The module content will be delivered via lectures and practical workshops. The purpose of the lectures will be to deliver information-based content that prepare students for academic scholarship and deeper reflection around what it means to be a psychology student, such as how to reference, read academic articles, write a CV and find volunteering, how to manage workloads and procrastination, developing growth mindsets, strengths and values, building confidence etc. It is anticipated that the academic scholarship lectures will be delivered at the start of the module via a dedicated 'academic conference' that gives space to the self-orientated topics to allow for intensive learning and building of relationships. Practical workshops will be delivered across the module in fortnightly sessions; the format of the workshops will be determined by the topic but it is anticipated that each workshop will have preparation reading together with a short explanation recording.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Adaptability and resilience | Adaptability and resilience are developed through students reflecting on their own learning and growth while engaging with expert practitioners from academic and applied contexts. This novel exposure encourages them to examine their beliefs, adapt study strategies, manage uncertainty, and stay motivated. Practical techniques, such as time management, seeking support, and reframing setbacks, are introduced and applied to support long-term personal and academic development. |
| Co-ordinating with others | Collaboration skills are developed through shared tasks and group activities that encourage intentional and deep reflection with peers. Students explore their own roles within teams but also how others contribute differently, gaining insight into individual working styles and diversity. Through structured opportunities to practice communication, give and receive feedback, and engage in inclusive group processes, students develop appreciation for how collaboration can support their learning. |
| Creative Problem Solving | Creative problem solving (being enterprising) is developed as students apply psychological ideas to their learning, development, and future planning. Through activities like life planning and reflective writing, they learn to respond to challenges, recognise growth opportunities, and make informed decisions, supporting both career readiness and active, meaningful citizenship. |
| Critical and analytical thinking | Critical and analytical thinking (a questioning mindset) is supported through engagement with expert commentary, including perspectives from self-development and coaching. Students are supported to critically examine assumptions about success, learning, and personal growth, and thus encouraging context-sensitive approaches to career readiness and lifelong development. |
| Digital capability | Digital competency is strengthened by engaging with online tools to create CVs, manage digital identities, and communicate using accessible formats. Students learn to manage their digital footprint ethically and effectively. |
| Professional communication | Professional communication is developed through written reflections, presentations, and the creation of career materials. Students practise articulating their goals, values, and competencies in ways that are inclusive and tailored to diverse audiences, while also reflecting on and practising their own professional voice as a psychologist in training. This process supports confidence in expressing psychological ideas clearly, ethically, and with purpose. |
| Real world sense | Real world sense is fostered by exploring how psychological concepts apply to everyday life, future careers, and global challenges. Students begin to consider their own identities, experiences, and values in context, building their capacity as reflective, ethical individuals and starting to shape their career pathways with purpose. |
| Reflection | Reflection (self-awareness) is central to this module. Students are supported to understand the 'doing' of reflection by engaging with different models of reflective practice, each designed to achieve specific developmental aims. Through reflection and structured activities, they explore how their background, goals, and learning strategies shape their learning journey and evolving identity as a psychology student. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Subject-specific skills include engagement with psychological theories of the self, identity, motivation, and learning. Students learn to apply these concepts to their own development and to understand individual differences in educational and occupational contexts. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4