Honour School of Experimental Psychology

Differences from 2018/19 to 2022/23

A

  • 1.  The subject of the Honour School of Experimental Psychology shall be the study of psychology as an experimental science.

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  • 2.  The examination in Experimental Psychology shall consist of two parts. In Part I candidates shall be examined in the subjects prescribed by the Medical Sciences Board. In Part II candidates shall be examined in the subjects prescribed by the Medical Sciences Board and shall also present, as part of the examination, a project report based on work carried out under supervision prescribed by the Board.

  • 3.  No candidate shall be admitted for the Part I examination in this school unless hethey or she hashave either passed or been exempted from the First Public Examination (FPE).

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  • 3. This Examination shall be under the supervision of the Medical Sciences Divisional Board.
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  • 4. The Examination shall consist of three parts (A, B and C) for the four-year course, and two parts (A and B) for the three-year course.
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  • 5. Part A takes place over the second year, Part B takes place over the third year and Part C takes place over the fourth year.
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  • 6. No candidate shall be admitted for the Part IIB examination in this school unless

    • (a) hethey or she hashave passed the Part IA examination for Experimental Psychology; and

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    • (b) hethey or she hashave satisfied the ModeratorsExaminers for the Preliminary Examination  in Psychology, Philosophy, and Linguistics in the subject Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics or hashave passed the Qualifying Examination in Statistics for this School.

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  • The Head of the Department of Experimental Psychology or deputy may dispense a candidate from the Qualifying Examination in Statistics in cases where it is clear that the candidate has reached an adequate standard in Statistics by virtue of previous study and qualification.

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  • 57. TheNo examinations in the schoolcandidate shall be under the supervision of the Medical Sciences Board, which shall make regulations concerning them, subject always to the preceding clauses of this sub-section.

    • B

    • 1. General

      Decree (7) of 3 June 1947 permits the number of candidates offering Psychology to be limited, if necessary.

    • 2. The subjects of the examination shall be those prescribed in Parts I and II below.

    • 3. The examination for Part I shall be taken during Week 0 and 1 of Trinity Term of the candidate's second year. The examination for Part II shall be taken during Trinity Term of the candidate's third year. The dates of submissionadmitted for the Part IC practicalexamination workin this school unless they have passed the Part A and PartB II project work and library dissertation are those prescribedexaminations in Partsthis I and II belowschool.

    • 4. Every candidate shall give notice of all papers being offered not later than Friday in the eighth week of Michaelmas Full Term preceding the examination.

    PART IA

    • 1. Four written papers will be set:

    • Paper I Biological Psychology.

      • Paper I: Multiple Choice Questions on each of the six components of Paper II and III below.

      • Paper II: Biological and Cognitive Psychology.
      • Components: (i) Behavioural Neuroscience, (ii) Perception; (iii) Cognition.

       

    • Paper II Human Experimental Psychology.

      • Components: (i) Cognition, (ii) Developmental Science.

    • Paper III: Social, Psychology,Developmental and Individual Differences and Clinical Psychology.

      • Components: (i) Social Psychology, (ii) Developmental Science, (iii) Individual Differences and Clinical Psychology.

       

    • In papers I-III candidates will be required to answer essay and short answer questions from each of the components.

    • Paper IV: Experimental Design and Methods.

    • Components: (i) Experimental Design and Methods paper, (ii) Core Practical Portfolio Submission (see below).
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    • 2. Candidates will be required to attend and undertake practical work, as specified byin the Headcourse of Department of Experimental Psychology or deputyhandbook, and this will constitute a part of the Paper IV examination. In exceptional circumstances, the Proctors may dispense a candidate from the specified requirements on the recommendation of the Head of Department, or deputy.

    • 3.  Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part IA and submitted for marking shall constitute a portfolio which shall be available to examiners as part of the examination. AllThe such assignmentsportfolio must be uploaded to the AssignmentsUniversity sectionapproved ofonline theassessment Degrees WebLearn siteplatform by the times and dates specifiedspecificed in the course handbook at the start of the practical course. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate's own work. Where the work submitted has been produced in collaboration the candidates shall indicate the extent of their own contributions. Reports of practical work previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted, but reports will not be accepted if they have already been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution.

    • 4. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the examiners by the end of Week 0 of the Trinity Term in which the Part IA examinationExam is to be heldBoard as to which candidates have (a) failed to satisfy the requirement to undertake practical work or (b) failed to submit a portfolio. Candidates in category (a) will be deemed to have failed Paper VIV. Candidates in category (b) will be deemed to have failed the entire Part IA examination. The Head of Department or deputy shall also make available toprovide the examinersExam Board with records showing the extent to which each candidate has adequately pursued a course of practical work. The examiners shall take this evidence into consideration along with evidence of unsatisfactory or distinguished performance in each portfolio of practical work.

      For all papers in Psychology and for the Qualifying Examination in Statistics but not for papers taken from the Honour School of Medical Sciences, the examiners will permit the use of any hand-held pocket calculators subject to the conditions set out under the heading Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations, Part 10.

    • 4. A candidate who fails the Part I examination may retake the examination once only, in the Trinity Term in the next academic year. The highest mark that can be awarded to a candidate retaking the examination is a Third.

    PART IIB

    For candidates registered for the BA (3-year programme)

    • 1. In Part IIB, candidates will consistbe ofassessed a research project and either threeby:
      • Three written papers eachand ofan 3Advanced hoursLab duration,Portfolio orsubmission; twoOR
      • Two written papers, eachan ofAdvanced 3Lab hoursPortfolio durationsubmission, and a Library Dissertation.

         OR Research Project; OR

        • The

      • One written paper, an Advanced Lab Portfolio submission, a Library Dissertation and a Research Project
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    • 2. In order to be deemed eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society, candidates must take either a research project and/or Advanced Labs with an experimental component (BPS accredited Advanced Labs).
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    • 3. Written papers willmust be selected from the list of atPsychology leastAdvanced 12Options optionspublished to students by the Department of Experimental Psychology.
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    • 4.  Applications for approval of Research Projects or Library Dissertations must be made according to instructions and deadlines given on the Virtual Learning Environment.
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    • 5. Candidates submitting a Research Project or a Library Dissertation must be supervised by a person approved by the Head of Department of Experimental Psychology or deputy.
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    • 6. The subject of the Research Project and the Library Dissertation should not overlap to the extent that they should not draw on substantially the same literature. Candidates are warned that they should avoid repetition in examination papers of material used in the research project or library dissertation and that substantial repetition may be penalised.
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    • 7. The Library Dissertation must be submitted by 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 9 of Hilary Term via upload to the University approved online assessment platform.
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    • 8. The Research Project must be submitted by 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 4 of Trinity Term via upload to the University approved online assessment platform.
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    • 9. Research Projects and Library Dissertations previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted. No Research Project or Library Dissertation will be accepted if it has already been submitted wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution.
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    • 10. Candidates may substitute one paper from the list below in place of one of the Psychology Advanced Options unless they are taking a Library Dissertation AND a Research Project, in this case they may not substitute any papers.
      • General Linguistics.
      • Phonetics and Phonology.
      • Paper 1 in the Honour School of Medical Sciences. Candidates must not answer questions from the Cognitive Neuroscience option.
      • One paper in Philosophy.
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    • 11. Candidates will be required to attend and undertake practical work, as specified in the course handbook.
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    • 12. Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part B and submitted for marking shall constitute a portfolio. The portfolio must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by the times and dates specified in the course handbook at the start of the practical course. Reports of practical work previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted.
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    • 13. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the Part B Exam Board as to which candidates have (a) failed to satisfy the requirement to attend and undertake practical work or (b) failed to submit a portfolio. Candidates in category (a) will be deemed to have failed the paper. Candidates in category (b) will be deemed to have failed the entire Part B examination. The Head of Department or deputy shall provide the Exam Board with records showing the extent to which each candidate has adequately pursued a course of practical work. 

    For candidates registered for the MSci (4 year programme)

    • 1. In Part B, candidates will be assessed by:
      • Three written papers and an Advanced Lab Portfolio submission; OR
      • Two written papers, an Advanced Lab Portfolio submission, and a Library Dissertation.
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    • 2. Written papers must be selected from the list of Psychology Advanced Options published by the Department of Experimental Psychology.
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    • 3.  AApplications listfor approval of optionsLibrary willDissertations must be postedmade inaccording to instructions and deadlines given on the Virtual Learning Environment.
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    • 4. Library Dissertation candidates must be supervised by a person approved by the Head of Department of Experimental Psychology notor laterdeputy.
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    • 5. thanCandidates are warned that they should avoid repetition in examination papers of material used in the library dissertation and that substantial repetition may be penalised.
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    • 6. The Library Dissertation must be submitted by 12 noon on FridayWednesday of theWeek fifth week9 of Hilary Term invia upload to the yearUniversity precedingapproved thatonline inassessment whichplatform.
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    • 7. Library Dissertations previously submitted for the examinationHonour isSchool takenof Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted.

       No library dissertation will be accepted if it has already been submitted wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution.

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    • 8. If a Library Dissertation is not chosen, candidates may substitute either one or two papers from the list below in place of one or two of the Psychology Advanced Options. If a Library Dissertation is chosen, candidates may substitute one paper from the list below in place of one of the Psychology Advanced Options:

      • General Linguistics

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      • Phonetics and Phonology

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      • Paper 1 in the Honour School of Medical Sciences. Candidates must not answer questions from the Cognitive Neuroscience option.

      • One or two papers in Philosophy.

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      1

    • 9. Research Project and Library Dissertation.

      Whether undertaking the research project, or the research project and the library dissertation, such work will normally be carried out in the Trinity Term and the following Michaelmas Term in the year preceding the Part II examinations.

      Candidates will be required to  attend and undertake suchpractical work, as specified in the course handbook.

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    • 10. Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part B and submitted for marking shall constitute a portfolio. The portfolio must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by the times and dates specified in the course handbook at the start of the practical course. Reports of practical work previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted.
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    • 11. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the Part B Exam Board as to which candidates have (a) failed to satisfy the requirement to attend and undertake practical work or (b) failed to submit a portfolio. Candidates in category (a) will be deemed to have failed the paper. Candidates in category (b) will be deemed to have failed the entire Part B examination. The Head of Department or deputy shall also provide the Exam Board with records showing the extent to which each candidate has adequately pursued a course of practical work.

    PART C

    • 1. Part C will be assessed by two submissions in the form of an Extended Research Project and Current Opinions Review.
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    • 2. Applications for approval of the Extended Research Project and Current Opinions Review must be made according to instructions and deadlines given on the Virtual Learning Environment.
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    • 3. The Current Opinions Review must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by the time and date specified in the Course Handbook.
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    • 4. Extended Research Projects must be undertaken under the supervision of one of the following:

      • (i) any member of the Faculty of Psychological Studies.

      • (ii) any othera person approved by the Divisional Board provided that such approval shall be applied for not later than FridayHead of fourth weekDepartment of MichaelmasExperimental FullPsychology Termor in the year preceding the Part II examinationsdeputy.

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      • The

    • 5. subjectExtended ofResearch theProjects library dissertation and the research project should not overlap to the extent that they should not draw substantially on substantially the same literature used in previous assessments for the degree. Candidates are warned that they should avoid repetition in examination papers of material used in the research project or library dissertation and that substantial repetition may be penalised.

      • All

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    • 6. proposedThe researchExtended projectsResearch or library dissertationsProject must be approved in advancesubmitted by the Head of the Department of Experimental Psychology or deputy. The procedures for obtaining this approval will be notified to students by the Head of Department of Experimental Psychology or deputy.

      One electronic copy of completed research projects and library dissertations must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Degrees WebLearn site, not later than12 noon on Wednesday of theWeek ninth week and Wednesday6 of the eleventh week of HilaryTrinity Term respectively,via inupload to the yearUniversity ofapproved theonline examinationassessment platform.

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    • 7. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate's own work and a statement of the number of words in the research project or library dissertation in respect of each research project and library dissertation.Extended Research projects and library dissertationsProjects previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted. No research project or library dissertation will be accepted if it has already been submitted wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution.

      • 2. Candidates will be required to undertake practical work, as specified by the Head of Department of Experimental Psychology or deputy, and this will constitute a part of the examination. In exceptional circumstances the Proctors may exempt a candidate from the specified requirements on the recommendation of the Head of Department or deputy.

      3. Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part II and submitted for marking shall constitute a portfolio which shall be available to examiners as part of the examination. All such assignments must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Degrees WebLearn site by the times and dates specified at the start of the practical course. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate's own work. Reports of practical work previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted but reports will not be accepted if they have been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the examiners by the end of Week 0 of the Trinity Term in which the Part II examination is to be held as to which candidates have failed to satisfy the requirement to undertake practical work. Failure to satisfy the requirement to undertake practical work will result in the candidate’s final degree classification being lowered by one class. Candidates who fail to submit a portfolio will be deemed to have failed the entire Part II examination. The Head of Department, or deputy, shall make available to the examiners records showing the extent to which candidates have adequately pursued a course of practical work. The examiners shall take this evidence into consideration along with evidence of unsatisfactory or distinguished performance in each portfolio of practical work.