Comments about MSc-PGDip in Environmental Psychology - At the institution - Guildford - Surrey
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Objectives
Environmental psychology investigates people's interactions with the environment, their perceptions, attitudes and actions. It investigates the psychological processes that enable us to understand the meaning which environmental situations have for people acting individually or in groups, and how people create and use places. The environment can be the city, the neighbourhood, the home, the office, the factory, the school, the hospital, the retail or recreational environment, or simply just the street. Environmental psychologists work in collaboration with cognitive, occupational and social psychologists, as well as other disciplines and professions such as architects, educationalists, environmental scientists, engineers, landscape architects and planners. The programme aims to provide you with an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of theory and practice in environmental psychology, as well as equipping you with a range of research skills that will provide a level of competence to undertake environmental psychology research in a professional setting.
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Entry requirements
Typical entry requirements Normally at least an Upper Second class honours degree in psychology from a UK university (or recognised equivalent overseas qualification)
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Academic title
MSc/PGDip in Environmental Psychology
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Course description
MSc/PGDip in Environmental Psychology Module overview
You will be required to complete two compulsory core-content modules and five compulsory research-oriented modules.
Research Methods and Data Analysis
This module focuses on different qualitative and quantitative research methods such as discourse analysis, multiple sorting tasks, factor analysis, multiple regression and multidimensional scaling.
People and Place
This module exposes students to the major theoretical formulations and models in the area of environmental psychology related to people and places, such as privacy, personal space, territoriality and place attachment.
Inquiry and Design
This module attempts to integrate research training with the theories and findings of environmental psychology. The module will be organised around a series of case studies based on research that has been undertaken in the Department in recent years for public and private sector organisations, such as: 'Assessing the visual impact of buildings', 'Crime and design', 'Conflict between different countryside user groups' and 'Learning in museums'.
Transport and the Environment: Analysis and Assessment
This module addresses a wide range of psychological and social aspects related to travel and transport. It addresses questions such as: Why do we travel? What modes do we use for different journeys and why? How do we experience our journeys? What are the social, environmental and psychological consequences of traffic and transport? Can people be persuaded to move away from unsustainable forms of transport such as the private car and aviation?
Research and Professional Skills
This module provides students with practice-based skills that will transfer into working environments to enable them to plan and manage a research project, such as survey and questionnaire design, interviewing techniques, presentation skills and basic statistical techniques.
Environmental Perception and Cognition
This module aims to familiarise students with existing environmental psychological theories and methods in the area of environmental stimulation, environmental preferences and environmental perception, such as behaviour mapping, cognitive mapping, environmental stress theory and environmental restoration.
Environmental Risk Management
This module aims to provide students with an advanced knowledge and understanding of methods, theory and practice of environment-behaviour research as related to sustainability and quality of life issues. It includes issues such as risk perception, environmental values and attitudes, risk management, attitude change and environmental education.
Optional Module
One module from the Department of Psychology MSc modular programme which offers a choice of over 30 modules.
You will also be required to present a dissertation comprising an original piece of empirical research within any area of applied psychology. This will be supervised by one of the Department's academic staff, and must be completed within the 12-month span of the Masters programme.
Programme length
12 months full-time, 24 months part-time
