Last modified: 22 Jul 2026 13:42
The aim of the Psychology Dissertation course is to allow you to apply the research skills you have developed throughout your studies to conduct and write up your own research project, under the supervision of a member of staff.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 60 credits (30 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The aim of the Psychology Dissertation course is to allow you to apply the research skills you have developed throughout your studies to conduct and write up your own research project, under the supervision of a member of staff. It will also help you to develop your capacity for independent thought, creativity and originality, as well as allowing you the opportunity to extend your knowledge within a specific area of psychology that is of particular interest to you. Whilst completing your project, you should aim to demonstrate evidence of original and independent thought, methodological expertise, and the ability to interpret and report scientific findings in a clear and systematic fashion.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Recorded poster presentation based on the thesis topic. This should be no more than 10 slides summarising all aspects of the research project (introduction, methods, ethics, data analysis, discussion). Written feedback will be provided. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To be able to review and evaluate the literature in the field under investigation. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To be able to understand the ethical issues associated with psychological research and be able to collect data in an ethical manner. |
| Factual | Understand | To have an in depth understanding and skills to conduct psychological research. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to write a clear, comprehensive and professional research report of your research. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to apply appropriate statistical analyses to your data and interpret your findings. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 85 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
10,000-word dissertation. The dissertation is a research project on a topic agreed under the supervision of the student’s supervisor. The student will be responsible for conducting the research, analysing data, and writing of the dissertation project. There will be regular supervisor meetings to support the student throughout the whole course. This element of the course must be passed in order to complete the programme. Feedback will be provided throughout the supervisory process in meetings with the student’s supervisor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To be able to review and evaluate the literature in the field under investigation. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To be able to understand the ethical issues associated with psychological research and be able to collect data in an ethical manner. |
| Factual | Understand | To have an in depth understanding and skills to conduct psychological research. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to apply appropriate statistical analyses to your data and interpret your findings. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to write a clear, comprehensive and professional research report of your research. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
SONA awards credits for research participation. Students are expected to participate in current research to develop their understanding of psychological research being conducted in the school of psychology. Students mush earn 2 credits (approximately 3 hours of research participation). They may be collected at any point during their studies. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | To be able to understand the ethical issues associated with psychological research and be able to collect data in an ethical manner. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to apply appropriate statistical analyses to your data and interpret your findings. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
SONA awards credits for research participation. Students are expected to participate in current research to develop their understanding of psychological research being conducted in the school of psychology. Students mush earn 2 credits (approximately 3 hours of research participation). They may be collected at any point during their studies. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Recorded poster presentation based on the thesis topic. This should be no more than 10 slides summarising all aspects of the research project (introduction, methods, ethics, data analysis, discussion). Written feedback will be provided. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 85 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
10,000-word dissertation. The dissertation is a research project on a topic agreed under the supervision of the student’s supervisor. The student will be responsible for conducting the research, analysing data, and writing of the dissertation project. There will be regular supervisor meetings to support the student throughout the whole course. Feedback will be provided throughout the supervisory process in meetings with the student’s supervisor. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | To have an in depth understanding and skills to conduct psychological research. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To be able to review and evaluate the literature in the field under investigation. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To be able to understand the ethical issues associated with psychological research and be able to collect data in an ethical manner. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to apply appropriate statistical analyses to your data and interpret your findings. |
| Procedural | Apply | To be able to write a clear, comprehensive and professional research report of your research. |
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