Entry requirements

The student should be admitted to the Master's programme in Psychology. For admission to the course, at least 22.5 credits should be completed within the Psychologist programme's courses 1-4. Admission to the course is also granted to students that have received permission from the department's director of first-cycle studies to carry out supplementary studies to obtain a Swedish psychologist certificate.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to

- evaluate merits and shortcomings in both experimental and non-experimental research methods

- decide which research method has been used in a study and be able to critically evaluate its conclusions

- choose between different parametric and non-parametric methods for statistical testing and carry out a statistical test

- use statistical programs for basic statistical analyses

- use basic scientific theoretical concepts within the field of psychological knowledge

Content

The course contains three principal parts: methods, statistics, and scientific theory. During the course, the research methods of general psychology, as well as the use of statistical methods in research, are introduced. The course intends to give broad, basic knowledge of research and analytical methods within psychology, both quantitative and qualitative, however with more focus on experimental design and the statistics needed to analyse experimental/quasi-experimental data. In this part of the course, laboratory sessions and assisted problem solving are included. The course also gives a short presentation of the theory of knowledge, placing method and statistics in a scholarly, meaningful context.

Instruction

Teaching is given in the form of teaching sessions and supervision in connection with laboratory sessions/assisted problem solving. Strong emphasis is placed on laboratory sessions and practical exercises to give the student the possibility to integrate his knowledge and develop necessary skills for application of his/her knowledge.

Assessment

Assessment of the student's knowledge is done through written examination. Additionally, compulsory participation in laboratory sessions, assisted problem solving and home assignments in connection with these, and compulsory attendance at certain teaching sessions are required (evident from the schedule). Furthermore, to pass the course, participation in two psychological experiments/studies is required. For examination, the grades used are passed and failed. The contents of lectures can constitute a basis for examination even when the lectures are not compulsory.

Other directives

Other requirements, prerequisites and conditions for participation in and the fulfilment of the course, e.g. compulsory attendance, design of own work, etc., are evident from information given at the course introduction. A student who does not meet the mandatory requirements for a passing grade is usually given the opportunity to complete remaining parts the following term and/or is given complementary assignments by the course director.