Study plan for MAPS-PSYK Psychology, master, 2 years, fall 2024

ECTS Credits

The master's programme in Psychology is a two-year study programme (120 credits).

Language of Instruction

The teaching is mainly in Norwegian, but some lectures and supervision may be in English. Recommended literature is mainly in English.

This programme of study provides graduates with expert knowledge and relevant skills in the field of psychology, specialising in either "social and cognitive psychology" or "behaviour and neuroscience". Students will learn about relevant academic perspectives and challenges in psychological research, gain in-depth knowledge of scientific theory and research methods, and take various specialisation courses on modern research that are relevant for the two programme options. In the final year of the programme, students write a master's thesis within their specialisation that makes an independent contribution to the research literature.

Social and cognitive psychology:

This programme option provides you with in-depth competence in the processes and mechanisms that determine the behaviour of individuals and groups. You will gain expert knowledge of human experience and thought processes, cooperation and interaction, and influence from groups and culture. This kind of knowledge can be used to tackle some of the key challenges in society today. The topics covered include diversity in society and working life, integration and conflict, security, risk assessments, health and safety planning and emergency preparedness in work and leisure activities, errors and reliability, tourist experiences, climate change and sustainability, conscious and subconscious processes, how language and culture affect cognition, and the possibility for topics within neuroscience. Throughout the entire programme, you will be included in work in the research environment at the Faculty, and you will write a master¿s thesis where you will plan and conduct data collection. The programme includes the opportunity to go on an international exchange in the third semester. The programme enables you to understand social and cognitive phenomena, mechanisms and processes, to critically assess and contribute to research, and to apply knowledge from research in different areas of society.

Behaviour and neuroscience:

This programme option focuses on the relationship between the brain, behaviour and cognition. This specialisation focuses on the theoretical basis for basic research on the human brain and research related to psychiatric, neurological and other clinical conditions. Laboratory exercises and practical demonstrations provide expertise in research methods in neuroscience, including electrophysiology and brain imaging methods. Topics covered include: neurobiological, neuropsychological and theoretical approaches to emotion; different forms of cognition (such as memory and attention) and psychopathology; research methodologies and ethical issues in psychophysiology; and neuroscience for research on humans and animals. The programme option enables students to analyse behaviour and cognitive and emotional processes in a neuroscience perspective, to understand and use research methods within cognitive neuroscience, and to critically assess research.

Required Learning Outcomes

Knowledge:

On completion of the degree, graduates will:

have in-depth knowledge of the topics, theory and perspectives in the field of psychology
have in-depth knowledge of the methods in the field of psychology
have in-depth knowledge of central topics, theories, methods and areas of work relevant to one of the two programme options "social and cognitive psychology" or "behaviour and neuroscience"

Skills:

On completion of the degree, graduates will be able to:

perform work assignments that require familiarity with complex subjects and solve problems related to human phenomena and interaction
use their knowledge and abilities to carry out and lead major projects
critically assess assertions and research related to psychological phenomena, mechanisms and processes
analyse academic issues and research questions based on the field of psychology, professional traditions, the inherent nature of the discipline and its place in society
work independently with theoretical, analytical and practical problem solving, based on existing theories, methodologies and interpretations within psychology
critically analyse different sources of information and use them in academic reasoning
undertake an independent research or development project under academic supervision and in line with current research ethical norms and rules

General competence:

On completion of the degree, graduates will be able to:

analyse academic, professional and research-ethical issues within psychology
apply qualitative and quantitative approaches to research
process large digital datasets
disseminate complex academic subjects in writing and orally
communicate academic issues, analyses and conclusions relating to the subject of psychology, both to other specialists and to the general public
contribute to new ideas and innovation processes in psychology

Admission Requirements

Admission to the master¿s programme in psychology requires a completed bachelor's degree:

You must have taken at least 90 credits that are within psychology or a related field of study, or that are relevant to the field of study for the programme option you are applying for. You can apply for admission based on credits taken as part of different degrees or from different academic institutions.
You must have an average grade of at least C on the credits you are using as a basis for admission (90 credits).
You must have written a bachelor's dissertation in psychology or an equivalent field of study. The dissertation must have a scope of at least 10 credits.
You must have taken 15 credits in research methodology (covering both qualitative and quantitative methods).

If you have taken a course with a name that is not clearly related to psychology, you can attach a note to your application for admission explaining how you believe the course is relevant/equivalent (including the title of your bachelor's dissertation).

For the programme option "behaviour and neuroscience", the following requirements for admission apply:

5 credits in biological psychology with a minimum grade of C. For applicants from UiB, biological psychology (5 credits) is part of PSYK114 or PSYK101.

Bachelor¿s degrees from UiB that qualify:

Bachelor in general psychology
Bachelor in work and organisational psychology

Other bachelor¿s degrees may qualify if you have 90 credits in psychology or equivalent. Where specialisation in the degree is not specified, all courses in the bachelor's degree are used in the calculation of credits. If you have taken a bachelor's degree with a name that is not clearly related to psychology, you can attach a note to your application for admission explaining why you believe the course is relevant. In this note, you should describe how you believe you meet the requirement for a bachelor's dissertation of at least 10 credits within the topic of psychology (preferably including the title of your bachelor's dissertation).

The language requirements for both Norwegian and English for this programme of study are met through higher education entrance qualification, either on the basis of Norwegian upper secondary school or in some other way.

Recommended previous knowledge

Compulsory units

The common courses MAPSYK301 and MAPSYK302 are compulsory for all students.

Students on the programme option "social and cognitive psychology" must also take 30 credits from the courses MAPSYK332, MAPSYK333, MAPSYK334, MAPSYK335, MAPSYK351A and MAPSYK351B (5 credits each). In addition, the students must take either MAPSYK360 or MAPSYK330 combined with 30 credits from an international exchange.

Students on the "behaviour and neuroscience" programme option must take the courses MAPSYK336, MAPSYK337 and MAPSYK360.

Common courses:

MAPSYK301 Perspectives in psychological science: This course provides an introduction to various scientific perspectives within the fields of psychology and research. The course explores how these perspectives shape our understanding of issues in psychology, with a main focus on relevant modern perspectives. The course provides training in academic writing and dissemination.
MAPSYK302 Research methods: This course presents a range of scientific research methods that are relevant to the field of psychology. Some parts of the teaching are common to all students, while in other parts the students can choose to focus on specific research methods. This course provides the students with the opportunity to work independently on methodological aspects of their own master¿s thesis.

Specialisation courses in the "social and cognitive psychology" programme option for students who started the master¿s programme before 2023:

MAPSYK303 Applied social and cognitive psychology: Human factors in critical situations and cultural diversity in society and work: This is the first specialisation course in the ¿social and cognitive psychology¿ (SOKO) programme option. The teaching addresses two different topics within applied psychology: "Human factors" focuses on the relevance of psychology in health and safety planning, security and emergency preparedness, while "cultural diversity" focuses on how encounters between different cultures can entail challenges in society and working life. The course includes practical research work, where the students gain experience of scientific work in one of the Faculty's research groups.
MAPSYK304 Research perspectives in social and cognitive psychology: Culture, sustainability and the tourist experience: This is the second specialisation course in the "social and cognitive psychology" (SOKO) programme option. The course includes practical research work, where the students gain experience of scientific work in one of the Faculty¿s research groups.

Specialisation courses in the "social and cognitive psychology" programme option from 2023:

MAPSYK332 Human factors in critical situations: This course focuses on the relevance of psychology in health and safety planning, security and emergency preparedness.
MAPSYK333 Cognitive diversity across culture, language and time: This course focuses on factors that affect human cognition and investigates the extent to which they are universal.
MAPSYK334 Risk perception and environmental behaviour: This course focuses on how self-perception, attitudes, motives, thoughts, emotions and context influence every-day choices.
MAPSYK335 Cultural diversity in society and working life: The teaching focuses on how the encounter between different cultures can create opportunities and challenges in society and working life.
MAPSYK351A Research practice 1: The students gain practical experience of scientific work in one of the Faculty's research groups.
MAPSYK351B Research practice 2: Same content as MAPSYK351A.

Specialisation courses in the "behaviour and neuroscience" programme option for students who started the master¿s programme before 2023:

MAPSYK319B Cognitive neuroscience: This course provides an introduction to brain imaging techniques for higher cognitive processes (fMRI, EEG, etc.) and the interaction between the nervous system and cognitive processes.
MAPSYK319A Behavioural neuroscience 1: Biological psychology: This course covers topics such as biochemical processes related to the nervous system, the immune system, stress, sleep, emotion, aggression, learning and sexual reproduction, as well as providing an introduction to methods, ethics and use of animals in research.

Specialisation courses in the "behaviour and neuroscience" programme option for students from 2023:

MAPSYK336 Cognitive neuroscience: This course provides an introduction to brain imaging techniques for higher cognitive processes (fMRI, EEG, etc.) and the interaction between the nervous system and cognitive processes.
MAPSYK337 Behaviour and neuroscience: Biological psychology: This course covers topics such as biochemical processes related to the nervous system, the immune system, stress, sleep, emotion, aggression, learning and sexual reproduction, as well as providing an introduction to methods, ethics and use of animals in research.

Master's thesis:

MAPSYK330 Master's thesis: In this module (which lasts one semester), the students undertake independent research work, which will be assessed according to standard academic requirements. This variant of the master's thesis is usually based on existing data sets and often tackles specific issues.
MAPSYK360 Master's thesis: In this module (which lasts two semesters), the students undertake independent research work, which will be assessed according to standard academic requirements. In this variant of the master's thesis, the students are usually involved in formulating research questions, designing the study and collecting data. Students taking MAPSYK360 can choose to write their thesis in thesis format or in article format.

Specialisation

You choose the specialization "social and cognitive psychology" or "behavior and neuroscience" for admission. See description above.

Recommended electives

Students on the "social and cognitive psychology" programme option who meet the admission requirements can also apply to take the course MAPSYK336 in their first or third semester.

Sequential Requirements, courses

For students who started the master's programme before 2023:

First year:

1st semester (autumn)

Common course: MAPSYK301 Perspectives in psychological science, 15 credits
Social and cognitive psychology: MAPSYK303 Applied social and cognitive psychology: Human factors in critical situations and cultural diversity in society and work, 15 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: MAPSYK319B Cognitive neuroscience, 15 credits

2nd semester (spring)

Social and cognitive psychology: MAPSYK304 Research perspectives in social and cognitive psychology: Culture, sustainability and the tourist experience, 15 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: MAPSYK319A Behavioural neuroscience 1: Biological psychology, 15 credits
Common course: MAPSYK302 Research methods, 15 credits

Second year: Students on the social and cognitive psychology programme option can write a master's thesis of either 30 or 60 credits.

3rd semester (autumn)

Social and cognitive psychology: International exchange/elective or the first half of MAPSYK360 Master's thesis, 60 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: First half of MAPSYK360 Master's thesis, 60 credits

4th semester (spring)

Social and cognitive psychology: MAPSYK330 Master¿s thesis, 30 credits, or second half of MAPSYK360 Master¿s thesis, 60 credits

Behaviour and neuroscience: Second half of MAPSYK360 Master¿s thesis, 60 credits

New plan from 2023:

As a general rule, the teaching in the various courses is divided into modules, resulting in examinations both in the middle and at the end of the semester. Research practice is continuous for the entire semester.

First year:

1st semester (autumn)

Common course: MAPSYK301 Perspectives in psychological science, 15 credits
Social and cognitive psychology:
- MAPSYK332 Human factors in critical situations, 5 credits
- MAPSYK333 Cognitive diversity across culture, language and time, 5 credits
- MAPSYK351A Research practice 1, 5 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: MAPSYK336 Cognitive neuroscience, 15 credits

2nd semester (spring)

Social and cognitive psychology:
- MAPSYK334 Risk perception and environmental behaviour, 5 credits
- MAPSYK335 Cultural diversity in society and working life, 5 credits
- MAPSYK351B Research practice 2, 5 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: MAPSYK337 Behaviour and neuroscience: Biological psychology, 15 credits
Common course: MAPSYK302 Research methods, 15 credits

Second year: Students on the social and cognitive psychology programme option can choose between writing a master¿s thesis of 60 credits or doing an international exchange and writing a master¿s thesis of 30 credits.

3rd semester (autumn)

Social and cognitive psychology: International exchange/elective or the first half of MAPSYK360 Master's thesis, 60 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: First half of MAPSYK360 Master's thesis, 60 credits

4th semester (spring)

Social and cognitive psychology: MAPSYK330 Master's thesis, 30 credits, or second half of MAPSYK360 Master's thesis, 60 credits
Behaviour and neuroscience: Second half of MAPSYK360 Master's thesis, 60 credits

Study period abroad

It is possible and recommended to go on an international exchange and take part of your education in a different country. Students on the ¿social and cognitive psychology¿ programme option can choose to write a 30-credit master¿s thesis and take 30 elective credits abroad. In some cases, exchanges can also be arranged for students who write a 60-credit master¿s thesis, for example in the form of an exchange to collect data in the third semester.

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching methods for individual courses included in the course section is discussed in the course description. They include lectures, seminars, group work, case work, discussion of research literature, lab work, writing and oral presentation, project work, company visits and cooperation with trade and industry, and public and private institutions.

Assessment methods

The form of assessment for individual courses included in the master's programme is discussed in more detail in the course descriptions.

Various forms of assessment are used, such as a school examination and a home examination.

Grading scale

The grading scale for the individual courses in the master's programme is explained in the course descriptions. The master's thesis is assessed using the grading scale from A to F.

Diploma and Diploma supplement

Diplomas are issued once the degree has been completed.

Access to further studies

Having completed a master's degree, you are qualified for admission to the PhD programme (doctorate).

Employability

Graduates from both options on the study programme will have research-based expertise and knowledge of psychological principles relating to biological, cognitive and social factors in individuals, groups and cultures, and their basis in biology. They will also have knowledge of and training in how these kinds of principles can be used in different sectors of society. Graduates will have a high level of up-to-date knowledge in the discipline and will be well suited to working as an expert in psychology in many different sectors. The programme provides practical analytical competencies that can be used in a variety of work tasks, such as independent planning and implementation of project work, research, analysis and documentation work, and information work.

The programme also develops a range of soft skills that are important in working life. Successful completion of a master's degree demonstrates the ability to learn, adapt, collaborate, explore in depth and manage a project. The programme of study qualifies graduates for various professions where academic knowledge, information skills, critical thinking, academic writing, dissemination and the ability to work both independently and in teams are highly sought after.

The master's degree qualifies and prepares graduates for further research. This could be in the form of a PhD position at a university or university college, with the possibility of continuing to a career in academia. Research can also be a part of other work tasks in a range of different professions, such as in health trusts, public offices and large organisations that conduct independent research for their own purposes.

The programme option "social and cognitive psychology" has a main focus on applied psychology. The specialisation courses and master's thesis in this programme option provide students with examples of how psychology can be used in different roles in the world of work and develop the students' skills and knowledge of methods. See the programme description for the programme option for more details.

The programme option "behaviour and neuroscience" has a main focus on preparing the students for research work, with training in theories and methods specific to neuroscience. See the programme description for the programme option for more details.

In order to qualify to teach at upper secondary level, the master's degree programme in psychology and 60 credits in subject areas other than psychology (such as social sciences, languages, natural sciences) can be combined with a one-year programme in educational theory and practice (PPU).

Study plan for MAPS-PSYK Psychology, master, 2 years, fall 2024

ECTS Credits

Full-time/Part-time

Language of Instruction

Semester

Objectives and content