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Welcome to the Department of Psychology at the University of Limerick. We are delighted that you are considering taking psychology courses at our department.
Below is a list of courses that are available to international students. If you need documentation that specifies course content for tutors at your home university, please access the UL Book of Modules and download the relevant documents.
There is also some general information about studying at UL as an International student on the UL Global website.
During your stay with us, you are invited to attend the psychology research colloquia series, which takes place a few times during term. These talks are delivered by invited national and international researchers, who provide a valuable addition to your education! You can also participate in our voluntary research internship scheme during your stay. If you would like to discuss furthering your studies by completing a postgraduate degree in our department, please contact either Dr Eric Igou (Course Director MA in Psychology) or Dr Jenny Roth (Course Director MSc in Psychological Science).
Contact details for the UL Global Office
Psychology Modules Offered to International Students
| Fall (September-December) | Spring (January-April) | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
| PS4031: Psychology and Everyday Life | PS4032: Psychology and Social Issues | |
| PS4021: Psychology Theory and Method I | PS4042: Psychology Theory and Method II | |
| Year 2/3 | Semester 3/5 [1] | Semester 4/6 |
| PS4035: Biological Basis of Human Behaviour | PS4037: Cognition I | |
| PS4022: Psychology of Personality | PS4012: Human Development and the Lifespan | |
| PS4011: Social Psychology I | ||
| Year 4 | Semester 7 | Semester 8 |
| PS4045: Advanced Research Methods | PS4047: Social Psychology II | |
| PS4027: Applied Psychology | PS4108: Approaches to Social Identity | |
| PS4138: Health Psychology |
[1] The students enrolled in the Psychology Degree at University of Limerick go on international exchange and cooperative placement (i.e. work experience, internship), during 2 semesters (4, 5 or 6) depending on the specialization.
FALL SEMESTER
PS4031 Psychology and Everyday Life (Autumn/1)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks/1st semester; 13L/13T; ECTS credits: 6
This module will introduce students to a range of fundamental theoretical perspectives and issues in general psychology through examining their relevance in everyday life. Through exploring everyday issues students will not only learn about theoretical perspectives but will also gain a basic knowledge of how psychology may be applied. In addition, through exploring some key studies in psychology, students will gain a basic understanding of the main investigative techniques used by psychologists. The range of topics will include - definitions of psychology attachment, attraction, aggression, emotion and motivation. Assessment consists of coursework (25%) and a final multiple-choice exam (75%).
Numbers are limited on PS4031. The module is subject to availability on arrival at the University of Limerick.
PS4021 Psychology: Theory and Method 1 (Autumn/1)
2 hours per week; 2 tutorial meetings; 13 weeks/2nd semester; 26L/4T; ECTS credits: 6
This is the first of two modules that provide a broad introduction to the discipline of psychology. The aim of this module is to provide students with a broad introduction to historical issues, debates, themes and theories in personality and biological psychology. The begins with an overview of classical approaches to personality: the trait approach, learning approaches, psychodynamic approaches, humanistic approaches, and sociocultural approaches. The second half of the module covers fundamental areas of biological psychology. Assessment includes a 2 hour final exam of 50 multiple choice questions (40% of final grade), research participation, (10% of final grade), and two pieces of coursework (each counting 15% of the final grade).
PS4035 Biological Basis of Human Behaviour (Autumn/2)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks; 3rd semester; 26L; ECTS credits: 6
Students will learn about the role of the brain and the central nervous system in human behaviour. This module addresses the structure and function of the mammalian nervous system with an emphasis on specialized topics, including the biological bases of the chemical senses, sleep and dreaming, learning and memory, emotions, sexual behaviour, stress, and psychiatric disorders. Coursework: You will be assessed with two writing assignments. For each paper select one of two topics offered, and write an essay on that topic between 2000 and 2500 words. Each essay is worth 50% of your grade: The average of both papers will be your final grade. Please note: this assessment may be subject to slight changes. Please check with module leader at the beginning of semester.
PS4022 Psychology of Personality (Autumn/2)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks/3rd semester; 26L; ECTS credits:6
Psychology of Personality (PS4022) provides an introduction to differential psychology that is accessible to all undergraduate students. The content of the module builds on the introduction to personality provided in Theory & Method I (PS4021). Deeper consideration is given to current research in the trait approach and to motives, goals, and self-regulation. New topics are introduced, such as individual differences in intelligence and psychopathology. The topic is also expanded to include the application of individual differences research to leadership, creativity, and vocational interests. Students complete 3 online quizzes (drop 1, keep 2, each counts 10% toward final grade), a 1500 word paper on a contemporary topic relevant to personality and individual differences (40%), and a two hour final exam which consists of a selection of 5 essay questions, from which students complete three. The exam comprises 40% of the final mark.
PS4011 Social Psychology I (Autumn/2)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks; 3rd semester; 26L; ECTS credits: 6
Social psychology is a field of psychology that considers the nature, causes, and consequences of human social behaviour. This module provides a broad introduction to the field of social psychology which will be built on in future modules. The lectures will provide a framework around a range of topics in social psychology including how we make attributions about ourselves and others, the formation, measurement, and function of attitudes and the relationship between attitudes and behaviour, social influence processes, intra and inter group processes, prejudice and discrimination, and aggression. Students will be required to undertake a piece of written work involving the analysis of a popular movie in relation to social psychological concepts and theories. This will be of 2000 words in length and constitute 40% of the final mark for the module. There will be a 2.5 hour exam at the end of the module which will include a multiple choice section and two essay questions. The exam will constitute 60% of the final mark for the course.
PS4045 Advanced Research Methods (Autumn/4)
3 hours per week; 13 weeks/7th semester; 39T; ECTS credits: 6
This module will build on the basic methods and design covered in Introduction to Research Methods (PS4033). Students will learn the principal statistical methods used to examine differences between groups (e.g. ANOVA) and relationships between variables (e.g. multiple regression). In addition students will be introduced to the principles of qualitative research design, data collection and analysis. Coursework: Assessment involves a mixture of assignments and final exam.
PS4027 Applied Psychology (Autumn/4)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks/7th semester; 26L; ECTS credits: 6
This module examines how major theories and core areas of psychology can be applied in professional practice. Students will be introduced to key area of psychological practice such as clinical psychology, occupational psychology, ergonomics, artificial intelligence and health psychology. For students to develop an understanding of the way psychology is applied in practice and to introduce students to the range of areas in which professional psychologists work and practice in community, educational, health care and business settings. The assessment for this module consists of 25% coursework and 75% a final exam. The coursework is a CV/cover letter assignment and the exam includes two essay questions.
SPRING SEMESTER
PS4032 Psychology and Social Issues (Spring/1)
3 hours per week; 13 weeks/2nd semester; 26L/13T; ECTS credits:
This module will explore a range of contemporary social issues bringing to bear upon them the methods and theoretical perspectives of psychology in an attempt to better understand their causes and consequences. Using the social issue as a focus, students will gain insight into the discipline of psychology and engage in debating and evaluating the theory and method of psychology. Through a psychological analysis of the causes and consequences of social issues students will gain insight into how these issues might be resolved. Issues covered will include; the media and human behaviour; social conflict; the use and abuse of power; sex and sexuality; society and mental health; social inclusion and exclusion; bullying at work; equality and advocacy; parenting and childcare; the environment. Coursework: Students will be required to write a 1000 word essay on career choice (50% of final mark). A final exam accounts for the other 50%.
PS4042 Psychology: Theory and Method 2 (Spring/1)
2 hours per week; 2 tutorial meetings; 13 weeks/2nd semester; 26L/4T; ECTS credits: 6
The aim of this module is to continue with a broad introduction to the historical evolution, issues, debates, themes and theories in psychology which started in Introduction to Psychology 1. Much of what is covered will be covered in more depth in later modules, and this module is designed to provide a broad foundation to the subject. The course will provide a good grounding in a range of theoretical perspectives in psychology. This module is the second of two modules which provide a broad introduction to the discipline of psychology. This module will cover the study of the disciplines of Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Psychology. Assessment includes a final exam (2 hours, 2 essay questions), accounting for 70% of the final grade, and 2 written reports reviewing a book or an article, accounting for 15% each.
PS4037 Cognition 1 (Spring/2 and 3)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks/6th semester; 26L; ECTS credits: 6
The module will cover the major topics of cognitive psychology. The lecture is designed to provide you with a broad overview of cognition research. Cognition deals with the basic psychological processes such as: encoding, storing, and retrieving information, forming judgments, and decision making. This course will consider to a large extent how the social situation interacts with human information processing in constructing social reality. You will learn about theories, and how these can be translated into research questions (hypotheses) that are tested (e.g., with experimental designs) and modified. You will also learn to critically evaluate merits and limits of scientific findings. Assessment on the module is via coursework and exams. The final exam will make up 50% of your grade. Two written assignments will accompany the module and contribute 25% each to the final grade for the module. More specifically, you are required to write a critical review on a published article and a report on empirical research undertaken in labs.
PS4012 Human Development and the Lifespan 1 (Spring/2 and 3)
2 hours per week; 13 weeks/6th semester; 26L; ECTS credits: 6
The specific focus of this module is the understanding of the course and causes of human development across the life span, in the physical, cognitive, social and emotional domains. Specific milestones of human development are outlined, from the perspective of classic and contemporary theories and research. We pay special attention to various contexts of development, such as the peers, school and particular cultures. Students are expected to integrate their experience and observations of human development with the content of the course, and apply their theoretical knowledge in various pieces of coursework. We discuss theories and research in developmental psychology by paying particular attention to the implications these have for parenting, education, and social policy-making. Assessment consists of a final exam (multiple choice questions) accounting for 40% of the final grade, and 2 pieces of coursework, accounting for 30% each. The first piece of coursework includes a written report matching toys with specific stages of cognitive and emotional development in children, and the second coursework is an essay analyzing a life-crisis based on a movie.
PS4047 Social Psychology II (Spring/2 and 4)
3 hours per week; 13 weeks/1st Semester; 26L/13Tut; ECTS credits: 6
Social psychology is a sub-speciality in the field of psychology that considers the nature and causes of human social behavior, with an emphasis on how people think about others, and how they relate to each other. As thinking is the axis around which social behaviour revolves, social psychology focusses on relationships between these individual mental processes and social behaviors. This module will critically examine the tenets of theory and applications of social psychology in the areas of prejudice and stereotyping, understanding conflict, gender relations, the influence of society on the individual, the influence of arts and cultural activities in development and maintenance of group identity.
Coursework: Students will be required to undertake a set essay involving the critical evaluation of social psychological theory and application. This will be of 2500 words in length and constitute 40% of the final mark for the module. Exam: There will be a 2.5 hour exam at the end of the module. The exam will constitute 60% of the final mark for the course.
PS4108 Approaches to Social Identity
2 hours per week; 12 weeks; ECTS credits: 6
Social psychology is the study of how we think, feel and behave in social settings; and how these both influence and are influenced by other people. The social identity approach originated as an interdisciplinary explanation of intergroup relations and specifically large-scale intergroup conflict, which could not be accounted for by traditional, individualistic models of how groups of people behave and why. This module places the social identity perspective in its historical context and introduces students to cognate theories and methods elsewhere in social psychology with a view to enriching their understanding of social psychology. Topics include: introduction to the social identity approach; social influence & social reality; leadership; helping/prosocial behaviour; collective action; and evil/tyranny. Evaluation consists of participation in a team debate, worth 20%, and a short individual summary paper related to the debate (up to 300 words) worth 10%; and a final exam (2 hours, with two essay questions representing the five topic areas covered). The exam will constitute 70% of the final mark for the course (35% for each essay).
PS4138 Health Psychology
2 hours per week; 12 weeks; ECTS credits: 6
This 4th year module aims to provide you with an introduction to the relatively new and exciting field of health psychology. It has been defined as the educational, scientific, and professional contributions of psychology to the promotion and maintenance of health, the prevention and treatment of illness, the identification of aetiologic correlates of health and illness, and the improvement of the health care system and health policy formation (Matarazzo, 1980). During the lecture you will have opportunities to ask questions and be required to participate in class discussions and weekly group presentations (which you are allocated early in the semester) that are relevant to Health Psychology. You may feel that lectures are supposed to be in the style of 'you write, I talk', however, I want to discourage this for a more informal, interactive style. We would like you to contribute to the discussions during the lectures (stress and immunity, models of behaviour change, psychosocial factors and cancer; heart disease etc) and give us your comments or ideas about anything you have read or heard. There will be also be a strong emphasis on interactions between psychological and biological factors so some knowledge of these topics will help with your learning. This will be assessed by group reading (6%) and an end of semester essay style exam (94%). For the exam, two essays from a choice of five is to be written