Chart your own path in our fully option-based final year

Counselling is the apparently simple act of helping through listening. But there are many varied and sometimes complex approaches to counselling, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Gestalt therapy, Transactional Analysis and others. We will unpack some of these models, examine the techniques they use and look at broader issues of what happens in the counsellor-client relationship.

Prejudice may be the most pervasive and enduring social issue the human family has ever faced. But what really is prejudice, what causes it, how can we reduce it, and when and how is it ethical to do so? Join me as we employ different epistemological, ecological, and ethical lenses to take a fresh look at an old subject.

Dr Jaysan Charlesford

This option will focus on how we interact with the natural world. Specifically, it will examine areas within Environmental Psychology that look at how spending time in nature impacts our health and wellbeing, but also how we impact the natural world through our behaviours.

Dr Kayleigh Wyles

This module explores social cognition in real-world contexts, beginning with social inference, heuristics, and the media’s influence on attitudes and stereotypes. It then examines embodied cognition, movement’s role in social interactions, and the relationship between autism and theory of mind. We will explore the connection between autism and tabletop gaming, highlighting its potential for social engagement and alternative interventions.

Dr Liam Cross

This option explores how theories of memory and false memory apply to real-world cases, focusing on recovered trauma memories in adults and false memory allegations in child witnesses. Through case studies and discussions, you will examine the ethical and controversial aspects of applying lab-based memory research to abuse and trauma cases.

Dr Michael Verde

We will examine the fascinating topic of animal psychology and its implications for human psychology. We will explore different approaches to studying animal behaviour, and cover recent developments in the application of psychology in animal husbandry and welfare. Most years we go on a field trip to see animal psychology in action at a local zoo.

Dr Phil Gee and Dr Joanna Newbolt

Where does language come from? This option explores how language blooms in babies and toddlers, to determine whether we are born with specific language learning abilities or learn through unique cognitive skills.

Professor Caroline Floccia

Magic relies on deception and misdirection to create experiences that defy our understanding of reality, offering insights into human cognition and perception. This option examines why we enjoy being fooled, how magical thinking influences everyday beliefs, and how techniques like mentalism and hypnosis reveal the extent to which our thoughts and behaviours can be manipulated.

Dr Gustav Kuhn

This option explores whether memories can affect our behaviour outside of our awareness. We will cover major theories of unconscious memory, methods of demonstrating it, and evidence from both clinical amnesia and the newly proposed phenomenon of everyday amnesia.

Dr Christopher Berry

This module explores neurodevelopmental conditions, focusing on diagnostic complexities and different disability models. We will critically examine how societal perceptions shape these frameworks and engage with contemporary research on lived experiences. Emphasizing inclusion and evidence-based practices, the option encourages discussions on supporting individuals with developmental differences in society.

Dr Gray Atherton

This option explores the role of clinical psychology in supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities, covering historical and contemporary perspectives on terminology, classification, and associated conditions. We will examine the evolution of clinical interventions, from early approaches to modern practices. The option also considers the broader social context and the importance of incorporating the voices of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Dr Deanna Gallichan

Other people are possibly the most important aspect of our lives, and interacting with them successfully is crucial for our well-being and survival. These option will look at how evolution has shaped our brains to enable us to engage with other people; the brain networks involved in understanding other people; the social difficulties experienced by those with autism or schizophrenia, and how loneliness and isolation affect our physical and mental health.

Dr Matthew Hudson

This option explores how disruptions in the brain’s complex neural network contribute to neurological and psychiatric disorders. We examine anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological factors, including how treatments and drugs influence neural function and disease progression. By the end, you will understand their impact on symptoms, treatment effectiveness, and patient quality of life.

Professor Stephen Hall

Social group memberships significantly impact health and well-being, from protecting against illness to aiding in treatment and behavior change. Research suggest that belonging to groups can improve physical and mental health outcomes. This option explores the theoretical and empirical basis of this idea, questioning whether a “social cure” truly exists.

Professor Mark Tarrant

Mental imagery is a powerful component of the human imagination that allows us to experience emotional events in the past and future. This option will introduce the latest research on mental imagery and examine its links to psychopathology to reveal new insights on how to harness its power for mental wellbeing.

Dr Julie Ji

We are all born into an intricate network of social relations. From the first years of life, our livelihood depends on recognizing and navigating such bonds appropriately. But how do we overcome this challenge? In this option we will explore the cognitive competences that enable infants and young children to represent the social world in terms of the relations and structures it is composed of, their evolutionary precursors, and their critical role in scaffolding sociomoral development.

Dr Denis Tatone

Body image represents a person's subjective view of their body; their feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and beliefs about their body that impact how they behave toward it. We will explore selected topics on body image, including its links with health (for example psychopathology, medical conditions and health behaviours). There will be a focus on body shame, and we will consider the role of self-compassion in mitigating the effects of body image and body shame (so-called “body compassion”) as well as approaches to improve this.

Dr Nicholas Troop

Mental health problems affect millions of people, but what is the best way to help? This option provides a solid foundation in clinical psychology, exploring both directive (CBT) and non-directive (counselling) interventions, while also introducing fresh perspectives from critical psychology that challenge mainstream approaches to understanding and improving mental health.

Dr Sophie Homer

In this option we will examine three approaches to understanding the role that cravings play in addiction: Learning/Conditioning accounts (focussing on Tiffany's 'Cognitive' account); a neurological view (Robinson & Berridge's Incentive Salience model), and a cognitive-affective account (Kavanagh, Andrade & May's Elaborated Intrusion Theory). We will examine the relationships between the approaches and their implications for treating substance use disorders.

Professor Jon May

How do we improve health using group-based rehabilitation? This option will give you an insight into what it’s like to be a social psychologist attempting to tackle some of societies significant health problems. There will be a practical focus on utilising current theory and evidence from social identity-based interventions for health and an exploration of best practice in the design and evaluation of them.

People spend much of their time, not in the present moment, but reflecting on the past and imagining what might happen in the future. This option will explore what causes our minds to wander, what we are likely to think about and the consequences of these thoughts for our mood and judgements.

Dr Clare Walsh

There exists an astonishing variety of cultural beliefs and practices worldwide, yet culture often receives little attention in psychology. This option explores examples of cultural diversity and similarities in human behaviour and thinking and why culture matters for us and society at large.

Dr Patricia Kanngiesser

We make many decisions in our lives that have consequences for ourselves and others. This option investigates human decision making looking at decision processes (e.g., heuristics), contexts (e.g., organizations), moral implications, and elements that make some decisions hard for us.

Dr Jan K. Woike

This option explores the science of motivation, from ancient philosophy to modern research, examining how to enhance internal drive. It covers applied psychology in areas like positive psychology, sports psychology, and behaviour change, offering practical tools for personal growth and helping others. Through interactive discussions and activities, you will critically analyse evidence and discover effective strategies for fostering motivation and meaningful change.

Mr Karol Nedza

This option examines the dynamic interplay between emotion, thought, and behaviour. We propose that emotional experiences are not simply reactions to external events but rather are actively constructed through cognitive processes that integrate perceptions of those events with internal bodily sensations and memories of past experiences, resulting in distinct thought patterns.

Dr Nerissa Ho

Real-world judgements such as ‘Is the suspect guilty?’ or ‘Is this fake news?’ involve distinguishing truth or signal from falsehood or noise. Signal detection theory separates the ability to distinguish signal from noise (sensitivity), from the preference to respond a certain way (bias). We will explore the applications of detection theory to placebo effects, forensic judgements, and susceptibility to misinformation, including hands-on exercises and discussions of empirical studies.

Dr Zahra Hussain

This option offers a deep dive into the one of our most exquisite sensory systems: the auditory system. How does brain accomplish the feat of identifying objects and people from tiny air vibrations, allowing us to navigate the world and communicate with our conspecifics? This option will not only cover what is currently known about the auditory system based on psychophysical and animal studies, but also how modern neuroimaging techniques can be used to study the human auditory system.

Dr Julien Besle