Course description
This one-year taught MSc programme provides an exciting opportunity to gain intensive training in the psychology of individual differences. It can be taken either as a free-standing MSc or lead into a PhD programme. There are two key subdivisions in the study of human individual differences: personality and mental abilities. Psychology at Edinburgh has a uniquely large team of world-class researchers in both fields.
The programme provides advanced graduate-level study in the field of the psychology of individual differences and psychological research skills, and forms a strong basis for further (typically PhD) study.
The programme covers psychometric research methods, the foundations and correlates of human individual differences (including approaches involving information processing, brain-imaging, molecular genetics and biometric models), and the application of individual differences in personality to health. No prior experience of the psychology of individual differences is assumed.
Learning Outcomes
The programme is aimed primarily at students who are considering advanced research in the area. Students who follow this programme will gain:
* an in-depth understanding of current research issues, research and methodology in the psychology of individuals;
* the ability to formulate research questions and apply appropriate research methods to increase understanding of individual differences in human personality and human mental abilities;
* advanced understanding of seminal and recent scientific findings relating to the study of human individual differences and the ways in which individual differences are currently being studied or applied;
* skills in research management, including managing data and disseminating research in ways consistent with professional practice in the field of individual differences and the normal principles of research ethics;
* advanced knowledge of the basic principles of multivariate statistical data analysis techniques (including multiple regression, factor analysis and structural equation modelling) and epidemiological techniques (including logistic regression and survival analyses), and the ability to carry out data analysis on different data sets using appropriate statistical packages;
* a firm basis for subsequent advanced specialised research within the psychology of individual differences;
* a broad understanding and awareness of issues and findings in the psychology of individual differences through application to other disciplines such as human cognitive neuropsychology, molecular genetics, evolutionary psychology, epidemiology and health psychology.
How You Will Be Taught
The taught component of the MSc consists of a number of seminar- and tutorial-based modules which are assessed by essay or exam. In addition to the taught courses, students complete a dissertation on a substantive issue in the psychology of individual differences, normally involving empirical work. The dissertation work takes place under the supervision of a member of staff with similar research interests.
Students take 120 credit-points worth of courses, including 10 compulsory core courses worth 100 credit points (10 credit points each course). The remaining 20 credits are obtained by selecting courses from a variety of option courses.
In addition to the taught courses, students complete a dissertation on a substantive issue in the psychology of individual differences, normally involving empirical work. The majority of dissertation work (worth an additional 60 credit points) takes place over the summer.
Course Components
There are three components to the courses in the Individual Differences M.Sc.: Specific training in individual differences research, complementary training in research methods, and optional elements you can choose to match your own interests.
1.
Core Courses in Individual Differences (40 Credits)
2.
Core Courses in Psychological Research Methods (60 Credits)
3.
Optional Courses (20 credits)
Core Courses in the Psychology of Individual Differences (40 Credits)
Intelligence Issues and Cognitive Ageing Research
This course explores the relationships between intelligence and its social and individual consequences. The course provides an examination of the different measures of intelligence, the biological and genetic bases of individual differences in intelligence, and the paths by which individual differences impact on work, health and ageing. Methodological and practical issues are also considered. Specific topics include: the biological bases of intelligence; the evolution of intelligence; the relationships between intelligence and health; and cognitive ageing across the lifespan.
Personality, Coping and Health Research
This course will provide students with an understanding of research on the relationships between individual differences in personality and coping, and health-related outcomes. The different types of contribution that individual differences in personality and coping may make to understanding and/or altering health in groups of individuals will be considered. Specific topics include: the epidemiology of health; psychoneuroimmunology; psychological determinants of health behaviours and health outcomes; the relationships between stress, coping and health; individual differences in coping with illness; and the various applications of personality, coping and health research.
Psychometrics
This course aims to provide an understanding of theoretical and measurement issues in the psychology of individual differences. It draws on psychometric techniques which are used to explore the foundations and correlates of individual differences. By the end of the course students will have an understanding of the main methodologies used for psychological test development, the ability to assess published tests critically, an understanding of key theoretical concepts and problematic aspects of psychometrics, and a high level understanding of the individual differences research literature.
Genetics for Individual Differences
This course aims to provide an advanced understanding of the tools for understanding the relationships of genes, the environment and behavioural phenotypes. Students will learn about different research designs and related statistical methods. This will include the shortcomings of traditional research designs and how twin and family studies can help to inform this type of research. The methods used to identify specific genes will also be covered. The teaching of this course is grounded in practical examples from prior research on the genetic bases of behavioural phenotypes such as language, general intelligence, personality, psychological disorders and attitudes.
Core Courses in Psychological Research Methods (60 Credits)
Psychological Research Concepts and Design
This lecture based course examines issues relating to the formulation and execution of research ideas in psychology. The course aims to provide students with an understanding of the way psychology fits within the tradition of scientific research and considers such topics as understanding the importance of sample selection, generalisability, and ethical principles.
Professional and Generic Psychological Research Skills
The course involves a series of seminars which are aimed at providing students with training in a range of professional presentation, writing and publishing skills including critical appraisal, oral and written presentation, preparation of drafts of manuscripts for publication, the ability to find and manage references and search databases, and preparation of research proposals for external funding.
Current Topics in Psychological Research
This course gives students exposure to a variety of areas of Psychology in which our local research community excels. The series of research based lectures has two aims: to show how choice and use of methodology is influenced by the particular subject matter and to give students the opportunity to discuss current research from the point of view of topic and methods chosen by experts in the field.
Methods of Data Collection
This course provides an introduction to the range of data collection methods used in contemporary psychological research. The course aims to provide students with an understanding of how the research question affects the data collection method employed. The course also aims to provide students with the ability to describe and manage different data collection techniques.
Methods of Data Analysis
This course includes lectures and practical exercises, and aims to give a thorough grounding in regression, ANOVA and its variants, and factor analysis, as well as teach the requisite SPSS skills. Throughout the course the emphasis is on choosing appropriate analyses for different datasets.
Advanced Statistical Methods for Psychology
This course is aimed at providing students with an understanding of the basic statistical methods and research methodologies used in quantitative and qualitative psychological research. It aims to explore specialist statistical techniques and show how and when they can be applied to the exploration of psychological (and related) questions.
Optional Courses (20 credits)
Students will also be able to choose additional option courses from a list which includes (but is not limited to):
1. Human Genetics
2. Evolutionary Psychology
3. Clinical Neuropsychology
4. Brain Imaging
5. MAS and QTL Detection
6. Bioinformatics
7. Advanced Statistical Methods for Categorical and Survival Data
