Level 2 Psychology PS2015/2515 - 2012-2013

Level 2 handbook for PS2015 and PS2515

First half session (24th September to 14th December):

PS2015 ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY A: CONCEPTS AND THEORY

Second half session (28th January to 10th May):

PS2515 ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY B: CONCEPTS AND THEORY

PS2015 and PS2515 will build on the material that you learned in the 1 st-year courses (PS1009/PS1509), expanding on psychology’s concepts and theories. The prerequisite for both these courses is successful completion of PS1009 and PS1509.

If you are intending to do an Honours degree in Behavioural Studies or Psychology, as a single or joint Honours student, these courses are compulsory along with their sister courses, PS2016 ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY A: METHODS AND APPLICATIONS and PS2516 ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY B: METHODS AND APPLICATIONS.

The PS2015 and PS2515 convenor is Dr Paul Bishop, William Guild Building; tele: 01224-273217; email: p.bishop@abdn.ac.uk. If you have any queries not covered in the Handbook or if you want help or advice, do not hesitate to ask Dr Bishop, or your Adviser of Studies, or any other member of the academic, secretarial or technical staff of the School of Psychology School.

Accuracy and Currency of Information Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information provided in this Handbook, the School can only be bound by the Degree Regulations published in the University Calendar and by decisions made by the various Academic Standards Committees. In particular, staff changes and/or availability may necessitate alterations in courses and options. Thus details of courses running this year may not be the same for future years. Methods of assessment and examinations may also change.

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General Notes concerning PS2015 and PS2515

CONTENTS

1. Timetables 3

2. Lectures 3

3. Textbooks 4

4. Workshops 5

5. MyAberdeen 5

6. PS2015 Advanced Psychology A: Concepts and Theory 6

7. PS2515 Advanced Psychology B: Concepts and Theory 7

8. The Co-curriculum 8

9. Generic Transferable Skills in Psychology 8

10. Aberdeen Graduate Attributes 9

11. Personal Development Planning 9

12. Course Assessment 10

13. Medical Absences 11

14. Change of term-time address 12

15. Getting in touch with a member of staff 12

16. Class representatives 12

17. Admission to Honours 13

18. Grievances, advice and appeals 13

19. Unsatisfactory Progress 14

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1. TIMETABLE AND PLACE OF LECTURES

1st half session:COURSE PS2015

Weeks 1 - 12Tuesday

10:00 - 11:00

Organizational PsychologyFraser Noble FN1

Prof R. FlinDr A Irwin

Thursday

12:00 - 1:00

Behavioural NeuroscienceNew Kings NK6

Dr P. BensonFriday

12:00 - 1:00

Cognition and LanguageMacRobert Lecture Theatre Dr K. Allan & Dr S. Cleland

2nd half session:COURSE PS2515

Weeks 1 - 12Tuesday

12:00 - 1:00

PerceptionFraser Noble FN1

Dr J. Martinovic & Dr R. Allen

Thursday

12:00 - 1:00

Developmental PsychologyFraser Noble FN1

Dr P. BishopFriday

12:00 - 1:00

Clinical and Social PsychologyFraser Noble FN1

Dr C. Trevethan & Dr M. Brady Van den Bos.

2. LECTURESYou are expected to attend all the lectures . They are only intended to provide a framework for each topic area so it is essential that you go beyond your lecture notes by reading appropriate sections from textbooks and other sources recommended by the course lecturers.

It is essential that you arrive on time. Latecomers are disruptive to the lecturer and to other

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students.

Do not eat or drink in the University’s lecture theatres and classrooms.

Mobile phones must always be turned off during lectures.

If you are using a laptop during lectures, only use it to add to, and review, your Psychology lecture notes. “Multitasking” by reading emails or visiting external websites such as YouTube or Facebook during lectures is very distracting for people sitting around you. It is also disrespectful to the lecturer!

3. TEXTBOOKSStudents may wish to purchase one or more of the following textbooks; others are available for consultation in the Library:

PS2015

Organizational Psychology (Prof. R. Flin and Dr A. Irwin)Landy, F.J. & Conte, J.M. (2010 ). Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organisational Psychology. (3rd Ed) Blackwell.OrArnold et al. (2010) Work Psychology. Understanding Human Behaviour in the Workplace. (5th ed.) Prentice Hall.

Behavioural Neuroscience (Dr P. Benson)These textbooks are held in the library under Heavy Demand. No one of these is a definitive course text, and you are encouraged to sample the contents of each: Gazzaniga, M.S., Ivry, R.B. & Mangun, G.R. (2002). Cognitive Neuroscience. Norton. Kolb, B. & Whishaw, I.Q. (2005). An Introduction to Brain and Behavior. Worth. Martin, G.N. (2006). Human Neuropsychology. Prentice-Hall. Other sources:Della Sala, S. (1999). Mind Myths. Wiley. Bruce, V. (1996). Unsolved Mysteries of the Mind: Tutorial Essays in Cognition. Erlbaum (UK) Taylor & Francis.

Cognition and Language (Dr K. Allan & Dr S. Cleland)Reisberg, D. (1997). Cognition: Exploring the Science of the Mind. Norton & Co. (Available in library Heavy Demand)

PS2515

Perception (Dr J. Martinovic & Dr R. Allen)Eysenck, M.W. & Keane, M.T. (2005). Cognitive Psychology: A Student’s Handbook. Psychology Press. (Dr R. Allen)Styles, E.A. (2006). The Psychology of Attention. Psychology Press. (Dr R. Allen)

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Zanker, J. (2010). Sensation, Perception and Action: An Evolutionary Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan. (Dr J. Martinovic)

Clinical Psychology (Dr C. Trevethan)

Key text: Kring, A.M. Johnson, S.L. Davison, G.C. & Neale, J.M. (2013). Abnormal Psychology (International Student Version, 12th Edition). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Other recommended texts:Davey, G. (2008). Psychopathology: Research, Assessment and Treatment in Clinical Psychology. BPS Blackwell.

Bennett, P. (2003, 2006, 2011). Abnormal and Clinical Psychology: An Introductory Textbook. Oxford University Press.

Social Psychology (Dr M. Brady Van den Bos.)

(Brown, R. (2000). Group Processes: Dynamics within and between groups (2nd Ed). Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0631184961 Moskowitz, G. B. (2005) Social Cognition: Understanding self and others. NY: Guilford Press. ISBN 1593850859

Developmental Psychology (Dr Paul Bishop)

Miller, P. (2011). Theories of Developmental Psychology. Worth.

Slater, A. & Bremner, G. (2011). An Introduction to Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.

4. WORKSHOPSYou will need to attend, and participate in, two workshops per semester (these are worth 10% of your overall mark per semester). One will be during teaching weeks 3 and 4, the other during teaching weeks 9 and 10. There will be 16 alternative time slots for each workshop. Be sure you register in good time and choose times that do not clash with any of your other timetabling requirements (lectures, practicals, tutorials etc.).

In the first workshop, we will consider short-answer questions (SAQs), the main way you will be assessed during second year in both your on-line assessments and your end of course examination. As the name suggests, SAQs needs to be answered quickly (about 10 minutes each), which can make them very demanding. In addition, each SAQ is only worth 5 marks and so is looking for a few clear and specific points. “Waffling”, or writing page after page, can’t get you any more marks. Being brief and to the point is key.

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Towards the end of the first workshop we will also talk to you about the on-line SAQ assessments and the second workshop’s poster session.

The on-line assessments will consist of pairs of web-based SAQ questions to be “unlocked” at the beginning of weeks 7 and 9. These will be time limited to 20 minutes immediately upon access. Only one pair of questions will ever be live, so, for example, when week 9 questions become available, week 7 questions are “hidden”.

In preparation for the poster session, you will be split into small groups, provided with a topic question, the form of assessment and guidelines on good poster production.

At the second workshop, each group will show their poster. Group members will take it in turn to stay with the poster and answer questions about it and go and visit the other posters and pose questions for their representatives. Towards the end of the workshop everyone will rate (peer assess) the quality of other posters, together with how well they were defended, and also rate how much each of their own group members contributed to their poster.

PEER ASSESSMENTPeer discussions and assessment are useful for several reasons: they improve communication ability, encourage participation and group working skills (making a point, taking turns, evaluating comments of others), encourage preparation for the workshop (if you don’t do your homework, your contributions are less likely to be rated highly by your peers), and finally it rewards work (a good habit to get into at the start of your university career).

Guidance notes for preparing for the two workshops will be available via MyAberdeen .

5. MyAberdeenMyAberdeen replaces WebCT as students’ virtual learning environment. This is where you will find learning materials and resources associated with the courses you are studying.

MyAberdeen also provides direct access to TurnitinUK, the on-line originality checking service, through which you may be asked to submit completed assignments.

You can log in to MyAberdeen by going to www.abdn.ac.uk/myaberdeen and entering your University username and password (which you use to access the University network).

Further information on MyAberdeen, including Quick Guides and video tutorials, can be found at: www.abdn.ac.uk/students/myaberdeen.php.

TurnitinUKTurnitinUK is an online service which compares student assignments with online sources including web pages, databases of reference material, and content previously submitted by other users across the UK. The software makes no decision as to whether plagiarism has occurred, it is simply a tool which highlights sections of text that have been found in other sources thereby helping academic staff decide whether plagiarism has occurred.

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As of Academic Year 2011/12, TurnitinUK will be accessed directly through MyAberdeen. Advice about avoiding plagiarism, the University’s Definition of Plagiarism, a Checklist for Students, Referencing and Citing guidance, and instructions for TurnitinUK, can be found at: www.abdn.ac.uk/sls/plagiarism/.

6. PS2015 (15 CREDITS)Advanced Psychology A: concepts and theory

Aims The aims are to broaden the student’s appreciation of psychology. This is done by looking at knowledge gained from experiments and other scientific methods across a wide spectrum of the subject, examining some of the theoretical models derived from this knowledge, and discussing the methods used to obtain this knowledge.

Learning Outcomes Be able to discuss and reproduce key terms and concepts, and to answer short-answer questions (SAQs) from material presented in the lectures, practicals, and textbooks relating to the following areas:

Organizational PsychologyThese lectures provide an introduction to the application of psychology in the workplace. Topics covered include organizational culture, occupational stress, motivation, leadership and team work.

Behavioural NeuroscienceThe anatomical and physiological substrates of cognition and behaviour will be discussed. Lectures will also address the neuropsychological deficits associated with focal damage to the brain (e.g., stroke) and degenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease).

Cognition and LanguageThese lectures illustrate the way that cognitive psychologists attempt to model and explain 'higher' abilities of the human mind. The Cognition component will focus on our ability to mentally 'time-travel' and, in particular, how we retrieve and re-experience episodic memories; it will also address the phenomenon of ‘false memory’, and the relationship between episodic memory and the Self. The Language component provides an introduction to the psychology of language, with an emphasis on speech perception. It will also consider whether the nature of the language we speak can shape the way we think.

Staff Dr Paul Bishop (Course Convener); Drs K. Allan, P. Benson, Prof R Flin, Drs A Irwin S. Cleland (Lecture delivery) Various Workshop tutors

Assessment 1 two-hour written examination (12 SAQs) (70%); on-line SAQs (20%); Continuous assessment in the workshops (10%)

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Lectures and workshops.

7. PS2515 (15 CREDITS)Advanced Psychology B: concepts and theory

Aims The aims are to continue the process started in PS2015 of broadening the student’s appreciation of psychology. This, again, is done by looking at knowledge gained from experiments and other scientific methods across a wide spectrum of the subject, examining some of the theoretical models derived from this knowledge, and discussing the methods used to obtain this knowledge.

Learning Outcomes Be able to discuss and reproduce key terms and concepts, and to answer short answer questions (SAQ) from material presented in lectures, practicals, and the prescribed textbook relating to the following areas:

PerceptionLectures will cover topics in perception (Lectures 1-6: Dr Martinovic) and attention (Lectures 7-12: Dr Allen), focusing primarily on the visual system.

Developmental PsychologyLectures will focus on cognitive, social, and emotional development from infancy through to adolescence, with examples provided from both typical and atypical development. The focus will be on the influential methods and ideas of Piaget, but other theories will be considered including the information-processing account of cognitive development and theories that pay closer attention to the role of the social context.

Clinical PsychologyThese lectures will give an introduction to clinical psychology, focusing on anxiety and mood disorders. In addition to a brief historical overview and general theoretical perspectives, each disorder will be discussed in relation to its main symptoms, diagnosis, possible causes and commonly used treatments.

Social PsychologyHow do you become a member of a group? Do “born leaders” exist? Can you be a ‘different person’ based on what group you identify with? These intriguing questions will be addressed in the first 3 Social Psychology lectures on Group Dynamics. The last 3 lectures will focus on Social Cognition: Why you should never go in a roller coaster on a first date, why one word is enough to form an impression of someone, and why old professors are inspiring but high-flying fellow students are not

Staff Dr Paul Bishop (Course Convener); Drs R. Allen, J. Martinovic, (Lecture delivery)Various Workshop tutors

Assessment 1 two-hour written examination (12 SAQs) (70%); on-line SAQs (20%); Continuous assessment in the workshops (10%)

Teaching Methods

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Lectures and workshops.

8. THE CO-CURRICULUMThe co-curriculum enhances a student’s employability and provides opportunities to develop and achieve Aberdeen Graduate Attributes. Co-curricular activities complement a student’s degree programme and include: work placements, study abroad, enterprise and entrepreneurship activities, the BP Student Tutoring Scheme, career mentoring and the STAR (Students Taking Active Roles) Award initiative. Below are examples of credit-bearing co-curricular activities. It is anticipated that these types of activity will be included on an enhanced transcript for students graduating in, or after, 2012/13

ERASMUS is an exchange programme funded by the European Commission which enables students to study or work in another European country as part of their degree programme. Eligible students will receive a grant to help with extra costs while abroad and a number of our partner institutions teach through English. For more information, visit www.abdn.ac.uk/erasmus/. The University also has opportunities for students to study in a non-European country as part of their degree through the International Exchange Programme. International partners include universities and colleges in North America, Hong Kong and Japan (see www.abdn.ac.uk/undergraduate/international-exchange.php). The University aims to ensure full academic recognition for study periods abroad, therefore the credits gained from study abroad will count towards the Aberdeen degree programme for students participating in both ERASMUS and the International Exchange Programme.

Work placements can also form an integral part of a degree programme and attract academic credit. Placements are available locally, nationally and internationally, lasting from a few weeks to a full year and are generally paid. Visit the Careers Service website for further placement information and to find available work placements.

Further information about the co-curriculum is available at: www.abdn.ac.uk/careers

9. GENERIC TRANSFERABLE SKILLS IN PSYCHOLOGYThe Level 2 Psychology courses are geared towards providing students with theoretical and applied skills necessary to pursue a psychology or psychology-related career. However, less than one fifth of graduates ultimately follow a career as professional psychologists (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2000). The majority of psychology graduates go on to work in a wide variety of other careers, including teaching, industry, social services, the media, information technology, computing, marketing, and government agencies. Therefore, Level 2 psychology courses are also designed to teach more generic transferable skills that benefit personal and professional development; and that can be generalised to a variety of different careers other than psychology. Employers in particular value the following skills developed by Psychology graduates:

• Communication and analytical skills;• Problem-solving skills;• Interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact effectively with

other people, effective personal organisation and time management;• Technical and computing skills;

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• Independent work and learning.

Level 2 psychology courses therefore focus on developing the following generic transferable skills through-out the practical and lectures courses:

• Effective communication skills;• Comprehension and effective use of data;• Competence in the use of word processing, databases,

web resources and the SPSS statistical software package;• Effective retrieval and organisation of information;• Ability to handle primary source material critically;• Ability to problem solve and reason scientifically;• Ability to make critical judgements and evaluations;• Sensitivity to contextual and interpersonal factors;• Establishing an independent and pragmatic approach to learning.

10. ABERDEEN GRADUATE ATTRIBUTESGraduate Attributes are a wide-ranging set of qualities which students will develop during their time at Aberdeen in preparation for employment, further study and citizenship.

There are four main areas of the Graduate Attributes:

Academic excellence Critical thinking and communication Learning and personal development Active citizenship

Students have many opportunities to develop and achieve these attributes. These include learning experiences on credit-bearing courses and co-curricular activities such as work placements, study abroad and volunteering. In accordance with the University’s commitment to Equality and Diversity, students can request support with any aspect of the Graduate Attributes framework.

The ACHIEVE website offers resources that enable students to assess and reflect upon their present skills and development needs. The website also contains resources to help students to improve their skills and links to a range of university services such as the Careers Service and the Student Learning Service. Students can access ACHIEVE from their MyAberdeen site from the Organisations tab. More information about Aberdeen Graduate Attributes and ACHIEVE can be found at www.abdn.ac.uk/graduateattributes.

11. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNINGPersonal Development Planning (PDP) is defined as a structured and supported process, which will help you think about your own learning and achievement and plan for your personal, educational and career development. To find out more about your online PDP resource and associated ePortfolio go to MyAberdeen: Content Collection: Jump To . . . : Portfolios. The main purpose of PDP is to help you learn more effectively and understand yourself better, to make the most of your University time and plan for your future. At University you will be learning and gaining new experience throughout your degree but also through other

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activities such as sports, volunteering, work placements and part-time paid employment. Your PDP will help you to make the most of all these activities by reflecting on what you have learned and building up a picture of your individual experience and abilities at each stage of your degree.

What does PDP involve?PDP encourages you to record your academic, work experience and extracurricular achievements and to learn through reflection and goal-setting exercises. It is up to you to keep your personal development record up to date. You should do this as you go along.

What are some of the benefits of PDP?• Enhanced awareness of your strengths and weaknesses and increased

confidence and employability. This includes a greater self-awareness ofthe skills and attributes which you need to develop to achieve yourambitions;

• Logging your achievements and skills will also provide evidence and proof of your competencies to build your CV for employment or future study.

What do employers think of PDP?Accenture - "We require students who can demonstrate that they have, not only performed well throughout their academic career, but also developed their skill set outside of it and will stand out from their peers."

In addition to a good degree in your chosen subject area, employers are looking for personal attributes, e.g., initiative and flexibility and skills that are transferable to the work place, such as problem-solving, IT and teamwork. This is where your PDP comes in!

How do I participate in PDP?The Careers Service and the Centre for Learning & Teaching have developed the online PDP resource and are working with students and Academic Schools to introduce PDP. If you are a Level 2 student and wish to find out more about the online PDP resource, register to attend a PDP workshop at the start of term by e-mailing: orientation@abdn.ac.uk.

12. COURSE ASSESSMENTEach course (PS2015 and PS2515) is assessed by the following combination:1 two-hour written degree examination (12 SAQs) (70%); on-line SAQ assessments (20%); continuous assessment in the workshops (10%).

This weighting means that the Examination score (Common Assessment Scale - see details of the University's Common Assessment Scale in the School of Psychology’s Handbook) is multiplied by 0.70 and the on-line SAQ assessment score by 0.20 before adding the two scores, together with the Workshop score, for the final course assessment. Thus a good Workshop score can occasionally save someone with a poor examination score from failing the course. A final CAS score of 9 or more means that the course has been passed.

FEEDBACK ON ASSESSMENTSThe University recognises that the provision of timely and appropriate feedback on assessments plays a key part in students’ learning and teaching. The guiding principles for the provision of feedback within the University are detailed in the Institutional

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Framework for the Provision of Feedback on Assessment available at:

www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/quality/appendix7x8.pdf

Enhancing FeedbackThe University recognises both the importance of providing timely and appropriate feedback on assessments to students, and of enabling students to voice views on their learning experience through channels such as Student Course Evaluation Forms and Class Representatives. FAQs, guidance and resources about feedback can be found on the University’s ‘Enhancing Feedback’ website at: www.abdn.ac.uk/clt/feedback

CLASS CERTIFICATES & RESITSStudents who attend and complete the work required for a course are considered to have been awarded a ‘Class Certificate’. Being in possession of a valid Class Certificate for a course entitles a student to sit degree examinations for that course. Class certificates are valid for two years and permit a total of three attempts at the required assessment within that two year period i.e. the first attempt plus up to two resits.

Resit opportunities will be provided during the August diet of degree examinations for those failing either or both of the PS2015 and PS2515 course assessments.

MERIT AWARDSA First Class Merit award for a course will be recorded on your Academic Record if your overall course CAS assessment is 18 or more. The corresponding CAS scores for a Second Class Merit award are 15-17. Merit awards enhance your Curriculum Vitae when you leave University.

TRANSCRIPTS AT GRADUATIONIt is anticipated that students who commenced their studies in, or after, 2009/10, will receive a more detailed transcript of their studies on graduation. The increased details will include a record of all examination results attained. For students graduating in 2012/13 transcripts will show details of all CAS marks awarded, including marks which are fails. Where a resit has been required as a result of medical circumstances (MC) or other good cause (GC) this will not be shown, but all other circumstances (i.e. No Paper ‘NP’) will be included.

13. MEDICAL ABSENCESCandidates who wish to establish that their academic performance has been adversely affected by their health are required to secure medical certificates relating to the relevant periods of ill health (see General Regulation 17.3).

The University’s policy on requiring certification for absence on medical grounds or other good cause can be accessed at:

www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/quality/appendix7x5.pdf

You are strongly advised to make yourself fully aware of your responsibilities if you are absent due to illness or other good cause. In particular, you are asked to note that self-certification of absence for periods of absence up to and including eleven weekdays is permissible. However, where absence has prevented attendance at an examination or

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where it may have affected your performance in an element of assessment or where you have been unable to attend a specified teaching session, you are strongly advised to provide medical certification (see sections 3 & 5 of the Policy on Certification of Absence for Medical Reasons or Other Good Cause).

14. CHANGE OF TERM-TIME ADDRESSPlease notify the School and the Registry of any change in your term-time address. It is vital we have an up-to-date address in case we have to contact you in a hurry about anything.

15. GETTING IN TOUCH WITH A MEMBER OF STAFFYou can contact staff in the following ways:

• Speak to the staff member at the end of a lecture or practical (tutorial/workshop);• Send an e-mail message (e-mail names are listed on the School website);• Make an appointment by email or telephone; •Leave a message in the appropriate pigeonhole in the School Office (G1, WGB).

If you want to leave a message about non-attendance at a Workshop, phone Level 2 Secretary, Mrs Chambers, at 01224 - 272227.

16. CLASS REPRESENTATIVESThe students within each course, year, or programme elect representatives by the end of the fourth week of teaching within each half-session. In the School of Psychology we operate a system of year representatives. Any student registered within a year that wishes to represent a given group of students can stand for election as a class representative (see MyAberdeen). You will be informed when the elections for class representative will take place.

What will it involve?It will involve speaking to your fellow students about the year you represent. This can include any comments that they may have. You will attend a Staff-Student Liaison Committee meeting and you should represent the views and concerns of the students there. As a representative you will also be able to contribute to the agenda. You will then feedback to the students after this meeting with any actions that are being taken.

TrainingTraining for class representatives will be run by the Students Association. Training will take place in the fourth or fifth week of teaching each half-session. For more information about the Class representative system visit www.ausa.org.uk or email the VP Education & Employability vped@abdn.ac.uk. Class representatives are also eligible to undertake the STAR (Students Taking Active Roles) Award, further information about the co-curricular award is available at: www.abdn.ac.uk/careers.

It is important to know who your representative is in case you wish him/her to raise a suggestion or a matter of concern at the Year Committee Meeting. Their names and means of communicating with them (preferably their e-mail addresses) are displayed on the Level 2 notice-board.

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Matters of an individual or personal nature should be discussed with Dr Bishop or, if appropriate, the Head of School (Prof Macrae), or your Adviser of Studies rather than at a Year Committee Meeting.

17. ADMISSION TO HONOURSTo be guaranteed an offer of Honours entry in Psychology you will need to pass both PS2015 and PS2515, and achieve a total CAS mark of at least 24 for the two modules. In addition, you will also have to pass both PS2016 and PS2516, and achieve a total CAS mark of at least 24 for these two modules too. Honours selection happens after the May examination diet. Students must also satisfy all other degree requirements (e.g., have passed 240 credits) before they can be admitted to Level 3 (Junior Honours). Students not wishing to continue to Honours Psychology or who fail to reach the prescribed standard for admission to Honours can still continue with Psychology at Level 3 for a Designated degree, or a Behavioural Studies (Honours) degree (which also requires a fourth year of study) provided they have passed all four Level 2 courses.

18. GRIEVANCES, ADVICE and APPEALSIf you have a complaint about the course or want advice about it, you should in the first instance, approach the lecturer giving the course in which the problem occurs. If the matter is not resolved, it should then be taken to the course co-ordinator, Dr Bishop If the matter remains unresolved, it should be taken to the the Head of School (Prof. Macrae).

Appeals and Complaints ProcedureThe University’s appeals and complaints procedures provide students with a framework through which to formalise their concerns about aspects of their academic experience or to complain when they feel that standards of non-academic service have fallen short of that which they expected.

The process has been designed to make the appeals and complaints process as accessible and simple as possible and to provide a robust, fair mechanism through which to ensure that all appeals and complaints are considered in the appropriate way at the appropriate level.

A major feature of the process is the emphasis it places on early or informal resolution. All students should note that there is an expectation that they will take responsibility for seeking resolution of their academic or non-academic concerns by raising and discussing them at the earliest possible stage with the relevant individuals in an academic School or administrative Service.

Further details of the processes for making an appeal or complaint, including where to find further help and support in the process, is given at:

www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/appeals

A student who considers that she or he may have reason to pursue an appeal or complaint should begin by familiarizing themselves with the Appeals and Complaints Procedures (www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/documents/FullProcedures.pdf).The procedures outline:

the difference between an appeal (against an academic decision) and a complaint (about an aspect of non-academic service);

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the grounds upon which appeals and/or complaints can be pursued; the process to be followed in pursuing an appeal or complaint; who to talk to for additional information; what informal steps you should take before submitting a formal appeal or

complaint; how and when to submit an appeal or complaint; the likely timescale involved in conducting an appeal or complaint; the types of behaviour that are considered unacceptable in pursuing an appeal

or complaint.

I am unhappy with my marks. Can I appeal?

Academic appeals will only be considered on grounds where:

i) it is believed that the University’s procedures were not followed; or ii) it is believed that the person or body making the decision did not have the authority to do so; or iii) it is believed that the person or body making the decision did not act impartially; and iv) a student considers that they have suffered, or could suffer, material disadvantage as a result.

Those involved in considering academic appeals will not pursue an appeal that does nothing more than question the academic judgement exercised. For example, a student cannot appeal simply because they are unhappy or disagree with a CAS mark awarded. Academic judgement is a matter solely for the relevant School(s) and the Examiners.

If you feel that you need more feedback to understand why you were awarded a particular mark, we encourage you to contact your tutor directly and meet with him/her to discuss your work. If, following this, you wish to appeal your mark, you should follow the procedures described above, indicating in writing the grounds on which you are appealing.

19. UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESSStudents who fail to attend a workshop without good cause will be classified as "at risk" and will be required to see their Advisor of Studies. (Missing a workshop where peer assessment has taken place will require medical documentation explaining your absence before you will be eligible to submit an alternative piece of work). A student who fails to contact their Advisor thereafter will be "deemed to have withdrawn" from the course and will be withdrawn from the course by their Advisor.

NOTE: evidence of a student’s attendance at a Workshop is recorded by them signing their name on the Attendance Register. It is solely the student’s responsibility to ensure that they sign in.

Appeals procedureA student who wishes to appeal against the “at risk” classification must contact Psychology’s Head of School, in writing, within 7 days of receipt of the notification. If an appeal to the Head of School is unsuccessful, a student has the right to lodge an appeal with the Convener of the

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Undergraduate Programme Committee within the same fourteen day period. Once a student has lodged an appeal with the Head of School or the Convener, he or she may appear for assessment while the appeal is still under consideration.

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