Course description
We have been providing postgraduate education for service workers and supporters of people with intellectual disabilities for almost 20 years. The MSc Applied Psychology of Intellectual Disabilities is a revised and updated version of the part time course that was first offered in 1988. It has been taught as a distance learning course since 1998, making this successful course accessible to students throughout the world. It has now been revised and developed to be delivered online.
The course is concerned with enabling students to develop, reflect and use their theoretical and practical knowledge to design, deliver and evaluate appropriate support to enhance the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
The course is made up of 12 units, 7 core and 4 optional units and includes both academic study and courses to enhance professional skills. Students on the 2 year route will normally study 4 units (90 credits) each year. Students following this route begin to explore potential research ideas and research methodologies in Year 1 and in Year 2 submit a research proposal and carry out an independent research project relevant to people with Intellectual Disabilities.
Students on the 3 year route will normally study 60 credits in each year, with an introduction to research ideas and methodology in Year 2 and in Year 3 submit a research proposal and undertake a research project.
On successful completion of units with a total of 60 credits students are eligible for the award of Postgraduate Certificate. A further 60 credits (a total of 120 credits) leads to eligibility for the award of Postgraduate Diploma. Completion of a further 60 credits (a total of 180 credits) leads to the award of M.Sc.
Participatory and Enabling Practices (Core) 30 credits
A) Participatory and Enabling Practices – what do we mean?
B) Evidence-based practice in the support of people with intellectual disabilities: Using research to inform practice
C) A person-centred approach to planning, designing and evaluating enabling practices
Social Construction of Intellectual Disabilities (Core) 15 credits
A) Social constructionism, post-structuralism and disability
B) The social, political, historical and cultural context of intellectual disability
C) Professional and disciplinary discourses of intellectual disability and their consequences for people with learning difficulties
D) Models of disability and their problems
E) Conceptualising Intellectual Disability in the context of Quality of Life; language and change; Rights of disabled people
Researching Intellectual Disability (Core) 30 credits
A) The ideology of disability research
B) Research as partnership. Issues in researching intellectual disability: consent, ethics, confidentiality, ownership
C) Qualitative research in psychology and disability studies
Empowerment, Intellectual Disability and People with Learning Difficulties (Core) 15 credits
A) Community psychology and critical psychology and the origin of ‘empowerment’
B) Empowerment as process and outcomes in emancipatory practices
C) The rhetoric of empowerment in professional discourses and the reality of oppression
D) The social psychology or power, of helping and unhelpful help and the lives of dominated people
E) Friendships, relationships and alliances for power
Research Methods (Core) 15 credits
A) Methods of psychological investigation
B) Research design issues
C) Statistical techniques
D) Practical skills: statistical analysis and presentation of data using SPSS computer based software. Report writing and data presentation formats
1 option from:
a) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Intellectual Disabilities
(Option) 15 credits A) Counselling and psychological therapy
B) Principles of behaviour therapy
C) Practice and evaluation of cognitive therapy
D) The practice of cognitive behaviour therapy with people with learning disabilities
b) Intellectual Disabilities and Supporting Families (Option) 15 credits
A) Family psychology
B) Supporting families with a member with an intellectual disability
C) The role of professionals and services
D) Families in later life
E) Supporting parents with intellectual disabilities
c) New Perspectives on Developmental Psychology and Intellectual Disabilities (Option) 15 credits
A) The nature and study of development
B) Social and personality development
C) Development of language and communication
D) Cognitive development
E) Development and disability
d) Communication and Intellectual Disabilities (Option) 15 credits
A) Promoting communication for people with intellectual disabilities
B) The impact of disability on communication
C) Assessing communication
D) Strategies to promote effective communication
Research Proposal (Core) 15 credits
A) Structuring and planning a research proposal
B) Planning a research project
C) Ethical considerations in research
Research Project (Core) 45 credits
A) Students will plan, initiate, conduct and report upon the results of original research into an aspect of intellectual disability
