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Honour School of Experimental Psychology

  • 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. No candidate shall be admitted for the examination in this school unless they have 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 B examination in this school unless
    • (a) they have passed the Part A examination; and
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    • (b) they have satisfied the Examiners for the Preliminary Examination in Psychology, Philosophy, and Linguistics in the subject Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics or have 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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  • 7. No candidate shall be admitted for the Part C examination in this school unless they have passed the Part A and B examinations in this school.

PART A

  • 1. Four written papers will be set:
    • 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 III: Social, Developmental and Individual Differences.
    • Components: (i) Social Psychology, (ii) Developmental Science, (iii) Individual Differences and Clinical Psychology. 
    • 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 in the course handbook, and this will constitute a part of the Paper IV examination.

  • 3. Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part A 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 specificed 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.

  • 4. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the Part A Exam Board 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 IV. Candidates in category (b) will be deemed to have failed the entire Part A 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.

PART B

For candidates registered for the BA (3-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 OR Research Project; OR
    • 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 must be selected from the list of Psychology Advanced Options published 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.  Applications for approval of Library Dissertations must be made according 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 or deputy.
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  • 5. Candidates 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 Wednesday of Week 9 of Hilary Term via upload to the University approved online assessment platform.
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  • 7. Library Dissertations previously submitted for the Honour School of 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.
    • Phonetics and Phonology.
    • 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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  • 9. Candidates will be required to attend and undertake practical 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 a person approved by the Head of Department of Experimental Psychology or deputy.
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  • 5. Extended Research Projects should not draw substantially on 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.
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  • 6. The Extended Research Project must be submitted by 12 noon on Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Term via upload to the University approved online assessment platform.
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  • 7. Extended Research Projects previously submitted for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology may be resubmitted.