PY0775 - Professional Skills

You will attend lectures, workshops and conference-style sessions, including coverage of specific topics on reflective logbooks, communication skills, employability, career planning and self-promotion, research planning and dissemination, liaising with external organizations and potential supervisors and the ethics process. You will also conduct self-directed learning alongside directed learning, guided by the module tutor.


This module will be based around a series of taught and practical sessions delivering background information and theoretical bases, with a focus on hands-on experience and practice of techniques and practical skills. Teaching will be lecture based accompanied by complementary seminars and workshops. There will also be a two-day conference style programme in the middle of the semester providing information and facilitating experiences in key skills applicable to Health, and Sport & Exercise Psychology.

You will be supported through the use of the e-learning University resources (Blackboard), which give access to lecture and workshops materials (PowerPoint slides, hand-outs, reading lists, guide books and templates). Examples of materials and web links to relevant sources will also be accessible via the Blackboard site. There will also be an online discussion board, to discuss points of interest amongst other students as well as tutors and engage in shared discussion of course materials and issues.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. Critique a variety of academic sources

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

2. Demonstrate career enhancement expertise through presentation and communication skills, media skills, career planning, and routes for further qualifications such as the BPS Stage 2 and HCPC-registration.

3. Engage in self-promotion using networking, research dissemination and IT presentation such as posters, blogs, vlogs, websites, podcasts or social media (i.e. LinkedIn).



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

4. Use reflective practice to record, evaluate and build on experiences.

There will be two assessments:

1) A reflective logbook, recording and evaluating experiences regarding topics covered in the module (60%)
(K&U1, IPSA2,PVA4)

2) A research dissemination activity presenting/disseminating research in a concise, informative way to the public (40%)
(K&U1, IPSA2, IPSA3)

The reflective log book has a 3,000 word limit. The research dissemination activity has a 1,000 word limit or equivalent depending on media used.

Formative assessment
A self-promotion activity conveying and promoting oneself to the public (IPVAMSA3, PVAM4).

N/A

N/A

The module is designed to provide you with a range of professional skills important for your academic and professional development in Health, and Sport & Exercise. It will also assist with preparation for your thesis. This will include bibliographic skills, communication skills, ethical issues, research management and team-working skills, employment-related skills, media skills, and personal and career development skills. The module consists of lecture, workshop and conference-style sessions and includes specific topics on reflective logbooks, communication skills, employability, career planning and self-promotion, research planning and dissemination, liaising with external organizations and potential supervisors and the ethics process.

As a student on this course you will develop and be assessed on self-reflective practice, evaluating and enhancing your professional standing in your chosen area of psychology. You will also be assessed on a research dissemination activity, enhancing your public engagement skills, and increasing your employability in the fields of Health Psychology, and Sports & Exercise Psychology.