BSc (Honours) in Psychology (ODL)

Course Overview

Are you curious about why we think, feel and act the way we do? Does what influences a person’s daily decision-making intrigue you?

Today, with the increasing need to focus on mental health and wellbeing, psychology is a vital field that leads to vast career opportunities, scopes and specialisations.

The Veritas University College BSc (Hons) Psychology challenges your thinking and explores the way in which our minds function. 

Learning Outcomes

• Learn about the scientific and theoretical underpinnings of psychology

• Delve into several specialised areas such as adolescent, clinical, social and political psychology
•  Put your research and professional skills into practice, with internship opportunities in clinical, community, industry and research settings
•  Gain access to a range of rewarding careers where you can make a difference to someone’s life
•  Develop a range of transferable skills like critical thinking, interpersonal communication and problem-solving, which can be utilised in many roles

COURSE MODULES

Year 1

History and Philosophy of Psychology

This module provides you with a broad and eclectic view of the history and philosophy of psychology. It focuses on the philosophical and psychological issues and scientific explanations of the discipline. It surveys a selection of interesting and influential events, people, and ideas and uses these as a focus to critically examine issues that directly and indirectly shape the discipline as it is practiced today. 

Introduction to Psychology

This module provides an introduction to the concepts and theories of psychology and to their application to real life situations. Topics include history, research methods, sensation, perception, consciousness, stress and coping, learning, memory, motivation and emotions.

 Psychology of Adults and Old Age

This module is designed to get an overview of the physiological, social and cognitive developmental stages that are associated with adulthood and aging. You are provided an accurate overview of the psychological changes that people experience as they grow older. This includes identifying specific types of psychological changes and examining the dynamic forces that underlie and produce change.

Introduction to Clinical Psychology

This module will expose you to the science and practice of Clinical Psychology. You will learn about the clinical characteristics of many major classes of psychiatric disorders, and the scientifically validated treatments available for these conditions.

Professional Ethics

This module is intended to provide students with the ability to analyse ethical situations within a specific profession such as health care, business, and public administration. It introduces fundamental knowledge on the significance of ethics as applied in professional contexts. 

Organisational Behaviour

This module involves the study of how, why and what people think and do in organizations. Different aspects of an organization may have an impact on thinking and doing such as the level of the individual employee (e.g. personality, motivation, decision-making), the group level (e.g. types of groups, group processes, leadership), and the organization as a whole (e.g. structure, culture, procedures).

Introduction to Statistics

This introductory module in statistics is designed to provide you with the basic concepts of data analysis and statistical computing. Topics covered include basic descriptive measures, measures of association, probability theory, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. The main objective is to provide you with pragmatic tools for assessing statistical claims and conducting their own statistical analyses.  

Year 2

Social Deviance

This module is an examination of selected behaviours and beliefs that counter the culturally accepted norms and violate social expectations. The social construction of deviance from time, place and context will be analysed using various theoretical perspectives.  Topics discussed will include many that are currently controversial and at variance with some other cultures. 

Child Psychology

This module provides you with a greater knowledge of human development through the study of the growth, maturation, and behavior of children. Topics include prenatal development, infancy, language development, intelligence, emotional and moral development, self and gender development, and more. 

Cognitive Psychology

This module is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of topics related to the information-processing mechanisms of the mind, including consciousness, perception, attention, memory, conceptual knowledge, and emotions. Special emphasis will be placed on biases in judgment and economic decision-making. This course is an important beginning stage in the development of the students’ skills in Cognitive Psychology.  

Adolescent Psychology

This module focuses on the scientific study of the biological, psychological, cognitive, emotional, personality, and social changes that occur during adolescence; includes the effects of heredity and culture, major theories, moral development, gender role issues, sexuality, and family relationship issues.  

Abnormal Psychology

This module provides an examination of the various psychological disorders, as well as theoretical, clinical, and experimental perspectives of the study of psychopathology. Emphasis is placed on terminology, classification, aetiology, assessment, and treatment of the major disorders.

Psychology of Learning

This module examines major theories of learning with relevance to instrumental and classical (Pavlovian) conditioning, cognitive learning processes, motivation, affect, and memory. You will explore relevant research on traditional and contemporary issues in learning, with an emphasis on human learning from both behavioural and cognitive perspectives. 

Introduction to Health Psychology

This module is designed to introduce the basic concepts of Health Psychology. You will be introduced to different medical disorders and diseases and the implications for the psychological health and impact on psychological functioning of individuals with these disorders.  

Psychological Tests and Measurement

This module will cover the basic principles, research, and theories on testing and measurement of psychological constructs.  It is expected that you complete the course with knowledge of various techniques for psychological testing; a familiarity of several professionally developed tests; the ability to develop, administer, and interpret certain tests; and knowledge of measurement theory which includes reliability and validity. 

Social Psychology

This module provides fundamental knowledge of the science of social psychology. It introduces learners to the study of social interaction and influence. Concepts and assumptions underpinning theories of social phenomena are discussed and analysed. This course provides an introduction to the study of how people think, feel and behave in social contexts. The focus is on social behaviour and thought from the individual’s perspective, with the importance of social influence and situational factors being emphasized.

Research of Methodology in Psychology

This module is an important beginning stage in the development of the students’ knowledge in research in psychology. Mastery of the knowledge and skills are important for evidence- based decision making. 

Principles of Cognition and Behaviour Modification

This module focuses on the study of the principles of conditioning and learning as applied to practical approaches of behaviour management and change. Special attention will be given to behaviour change in institutional and personal settings. Self-regulation and cognitive-behavioural techniques will also be discussed. 

Political Psychology

The goal of political science is to explain why citizens engage in certain types of political behaviour, and how citizens think about politics. Psychology offers a way to explain how and why individuals behave the way they do.  Throughout the semester, you will learn about key concepts from psychology and we will apply these concepts to politics, and nvestigate how experimental methods can provide insight into what motivations political attitudes and behaviours. 

Year 3

Environmental Psychology

This module precisely focuses on the interaction between the environment and human beings, examining how the physical features of the environment impact our cognition, behaviour, and well-being, and how our actions in turn produce immediate and long-term consequences on the environment. This module will also provide an overview of several pressing environmental challenges (e.g., climate change), and explore how these issues impact individual human beings, and what we can do to promote sustainability. 

Cross Cultural Psychology

This module will examine a range of topics at the intersection of culture and psychology. Throughout the semester, we will explore, examine, and better understand how culture influences our lives and the lives of others across the world. 

Personality

This module will draw from major theories in personality psychology, as well as current empirical research on individual differences and personality development, including work in genetics, psychobiology, evolutionary psychology, emotions, traits, motivation, social learning theory, and attachment theory. This course is also designed to provide a general overview of the psychology of human personality, including theories about personality development, personality assessment, gender and personality, and cultural contributions to personality. 

Industrial Training

Industrial training is an essential component in the development of the practical skills required by a student prior to graduation. It is also an aspect of education that integrates knowledge with planned and supervised career-related work experience processes. This module will develop sand strengthen your knowledge and skills preparation.

Dynamics of Adjustment

Dynamics of Adjustment examines various psychological theories of human adjustment and their implications for effective learning, self-development, and social interaction. This module is a presentation of psychological principles which are fundamental to personal and social adjustment. 

Substance Abuse

This module analyses the development, intervention, and treatment of drug abuse, alcoholism, and co-dependency. Family dysfunction and its results are examined, as well as specialized techniques in counselling. Various intervention strategies are discussed. 

Introduction to Counselling

This module is designed to provide an opportunity for the development of counselling skills and improved interpersonal relationships through the exchange of ideas, feelings and attitudes. Through interaction and experiential learning activities, you will develop a working knowledge of counselling and interviewing skills, and procedures. 

Industrial and Organisational Psychology

This module will provide an Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology, a scientific discipline that studies human behaviour in the workplace. Organizational psychologists help institutions hire, manage, develop, support employees and align employee efforts with business needs. Their work contributes to outcomes such as better talent to achieve the strategic goals of the organization, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and improved employee engagement. 

Project Paper

This module helps you apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the various module attended in the program, in particular, approaches to literature review, content knowledge, and academic writing and research skills. This module also assists you in developing their project management skills and research writing skills.