2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC5914M Current Themes in Neuropsychology and Neuroscience

15 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Richard Allen
Email: R.Allen@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

At least an upper second-class honours degree in Psychology or a discipline containing a substantial amount of psychology and research

Module replaces

PSYC5905M Current Themes in Neuropsychology and Neuroscience

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module examines the study of neuropsychological disorders. A range of impairments will be considered from empirical, clinical, and applied perspectives, examining the cognitive and neural basis of each. The module will begin by providing students with an introduction to neuroanatomy and contemporary neuroscientific techniques. Thereafter, the module will cover a range of neuropsychological disorders, including: movement disorders, aphasia, alexia, agraphia, amnesia, prosopagnosia, executive impairment, and spatial neglect.

Objectives

This module aims to:

* Provide students with the skills to critically appraise the aetiological features of key neuropsychological disorders.

* Enable students to evaluate and appreciate the various methods used to study neuropsychological disorders.

* Provide students with the ability to critically evaluate the role of neuropsychological data in shaping theoretical models of normal processing.

* Provide students with the knowledge to offer a critical opinion of the relationship between neural structures and cognitive models.

* Core module material is delivered in lecture format, with support for further development through formative presentations, with feedback and workshop to develop skills of direct relevance to summative assessment.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. The ability to describe and evaluate a range of neuropsychological disorders, including their neural aetiology, cognitive profiles, and the key theoretical explanations proposed.
2. The ability to discuss how neuropsychological evidence has informed theoretical accounts of perception and cognition.
3. Will be able to demonstrate knowledge and critical evaluation of a range of neuropsychological assessment techniques.
4. Discuss and evaluate approaches to the support and/or rehabilitation of different patient groups.
5. The ability to show how empirical findings can be applied to different populations.


Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:

1. Application of relevant theoretical and empirical literature to solving real world problems
2. Ability to retrieve, analyse and synthesise information
3. High level of written communication skills, suitable for a range of audiences

Syllabus

A range of impairments will be considered from empirical, clinical, and applied perspectives, examining the cognitive and neural basis in each case, and considering methods of assessment, intervention and rehabilitation.

The module will cover current topics among the following:

Aphasia and other language disorders; Dementia; Impairments in perception and action; Frontal lobe damage and cognitive control; Degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (e.g. Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis); Amnesia; Affective disorders; Traumatic Brain Injury; Temporal lobe epilepsy; Mental disorders

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	11	2.00	22.00
seminars	2	1.00	2.00
Practicals	2	2.00	4.00
Private study hours			122.00
Total Contact hours			28.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

There will be a workshop to review writing the protocol, considering good and bad examples, unpacking the criteria and considering how best to address them, alongside a Q&A with module staff. Students will also prepare formative presentations (group) which address key topics in the discipline, receiving feedback from staff, during their preparation for the session in a dedicated session as feedback on their presentations to allow them to judge their understanding and application of this research, preparing them for the exam, alongside some practice SAQs.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Written Work	Development of clinical protocol 1,500 words)	60.00
Online Assessment	SAQ	40.00
Presentation	Presentations (Formative)	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

There is no compensation between summative components of assessment, all components must be passed. In the event of failure of one or more component(s), the module mark will be capped at 50 on successful resit of the failed component(s).

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 18/07/2024

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD