COURSE HANDBOOK 2013/14
Certificate of Higher Education in
PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOLOGY
TO ALL STUDENTS
Welcome to the Department of Psychological Sciences at Birkbeck College. This booklet contains valuable information about the department and the content of the modules you may take with us, as well as details of assessment
arrangements, services offered by the department and the university and many other useful bits and pieces. Keep it close to hand!
You may have come to our department to take a single module that is of interest to you. Or you may have come to gain a certificate of higher education in order to enhance your career or expand your knowledge. Or you may have a long term goal of completing a degree. Whichever is the case, we hope you will find the experience both rewarding and enjoyable. All our modules are taught by
psychologists who are committed to providing a rich and rewarding environment that will help you to learn and to engage with the diverse subject matter and theories within psychology.
It can be difficult to juggle the pressures of work and home with the demands of studying at degree level. Our aim is to provide high-quality courses that will help you to fulfil your potential. Nonetheless, we know problems can arise which make this difficult. Birkbeck offers a wide range of support services which you should use to your advantage. Please do speak to your course tutors or to another member of staff if you have any problems which could impact your study.
Please remember that as a student, you too have some responsibilities on the course. We ask you to keep up with the course by attending classes, studying outside class and taking part in the assessment process. It is also your
responsibility to seek advice and help when you feel you need it.
At times you may find your course/s intensive and challenging, but we also hope they will be stimulating and - most importantly - that you enjoy your time in the Department of Psychological Sciences.
Jonathan Smith, Award Co-Ordinator Psychoanalytic Psychology Programme
CONTENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. PROGRAMME OF STUDY GENERAL INFORMATION TEACHING AND LEARNING ASSESSMENT
COMPLETION OF AWARD FEEDBACK
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES LEARNING RESOURCES
FURTHER STUDY
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES APPENDIX 1: MARKING CRITERIA 2013-14
4 6 7 9 21 22 23 28 29 30 31
1.PROGRAMME OF STUDY Who is the Certificate for?
The aim of this programme is to present a systematic introduction to the main branches of psychoanalytic theory and their application to a range of themes and issues.
Students may take any number of modules, according to their interest.
This award will be of interest to:
trainee or practising counsellors and therapists who would like further theoretical coverage of psychoanalytic ideas. Courses may count towards continuing professional development
students from other disciplines or professions who are interested in how psychoanalysis might inform their own subject areas or professional practice;
anyone wishing for a systematic introduction to the theories and concepts of psychoanalysis and its derivatives.
It should be noted, however, that the course does not constitute professional training.
Do I need any previous qualifications?
There are no formal entrance requirements and the Award is open to anyone who feels they may benefit. All students are supported in developing appropriate study skills. However, you should note that modules are taught and assessed at first year undergraduate level and an appropriate level of spoken and written English is required. Although we do not require proof that you are operating at this level, we will not be able to compensate for inadequate English skills when marking assessments.
If you feel that you may need additional support to reach this standard you should consider first taking appropriate modules from the English language, academic writing and study skills programme, details can be found at:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/support What modules are available?
To gain the Certificate of Higher Education, you must successfully complete modules worth a total of 120 credits. You must take the core module, Freudian Foundations of Psychoanalysis (worth 30 credits), and it is recommended that this module be taken first. The remaining 90 credits should be selected from the available option modules. These can be taken in any order and more than one may be taken at a time. The option modules offered explore particular areas within psychoanalytic psychology and topics vary each year. You may also
choose, as options, modules from the list of selected Psychology and Applied Psychology modules, up to a maximum of 30 credits.
Core Module:
Freudian Foundations of Psychoanalysis*
Option Modules: Psychoanalytic Psychology
An Introduction to Lacan
Jung and Analytical Psychology*
Melanie Klein and Object Relations*
Myths and Fairy Tales: Stories of Love and Hate
Exploring Our Creativity
Psychoanalysis and Art
Option Modules: Psychology/Applied Psychology (Maximum 30 Credits)
Critical Approaches to Attachment
Critical Approaches to Positive Psychology
Introduction to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
The Developing Child: A Psychological Perspective*
Understanding Human Personality
Psychology of Mental Health*
Full modules (30 credits) are marked with an asterisk (*). The remainder are half modules and worth 15 credits.
Further information is available via our online prospectus at:
www.bbk.ac.uk/study/ce/psychology How long does it take to complete?
You may take up to 4 years to complete the Certificate of Higher Education. The majority of students in full-time work tend to spread their studies over 2 or 3 years. If you wish to take more than the equivalent of two Modules in one year you are advised to consult the Administrator for advice.
2. GENERAL INFORMATION
How will the department contact me?
The department will normally contact students by e-mail, using the e-mail address that the College holds for you. It is therefore important that you provide an e-mail address that you are able to check regularly, and that you ensure that the contact details on your My Birkbeck profile are correct and up to date.
What if my class is cancelled?
If for any reason one of your classes is cancelled, you will be informed by e-mail. If a class is cancelled at very short notice, we will endeavour to contact students by telephone, where possible. Again, we can only use the information that we hold for you on our system, so please do ensure that you provide us with a mobile telephone number.
3. TEACHING AND LEARNING
Who teaches the modules and what type of teaching is used?
Modules are taught by lecturers with a wide range of psychological and/or psychoanalytic experience both practical and theoretical. Different lecturers have different teaching styles but classes normally take the form of lectures and discussion, and sometimes a variety of exercises and group work.
What are the attendance requirements?
A full module [30 credits] usually lasts for two terms. Each term is usually between 9 and 11 weeks long. You attend the module once a week, usually for either two or two and a half hours. The total amount of time you spend in class is 44 hours.
A half module [15 credits] lasts for one term. Again, you attend the module once a week, usually for two or two and a half hours. The total amount of time you spend in class is 22 hours.
Once enrolled on a course, it is strongly recommended that students attend as many classes as possible because of the cumulative nature of the learning over the weeks.
Most modules are held in the evenings, but some are run during the day. Modules may start in September, January or April.
How much work is involved?
A module worth 15 credits normally equates to a total of up to 150 hours of study. This includes time in class, time studying at home, time preparing assignments, time spent processing ideas and thinking about assignments – in fact any time you spend engaged in learning related to that module. The time students will need to set aside each week will vary between students depending on how much time they need to achieve the learning outcomes. Most expect to allow from 4-8 hours per week outside the classroom. Although this is only offered as a guide, it highlights the amount of time you should expect to plan for, given that this is an undergraduate level award and that learning will involve time within and outside of the classroom.
What academic and study skills support is available?
Students on our modules come from a range of backgrounds. Although some have recent experience of studying at college, some won’t have studied since they were 16 years old. This diversity is one aspect of our modules that students find stimulating and supportive.
We fully recognise that returning to study and completing coursework can be anxiety provoking but it is possible to learn the skills required and we see it as an integral part of our job to support students in acquiring these skills.
Most of the modules in this award are open to all students. Students should note however that modules are taught and assessed at first year undergraduate level and an appropriate level of spoken and written English is required.
All students are encouraged to discuss their study skills needs with the course lecturer. Whilst study skills are incorporated into most courses, students who need or want more support than the course lecturer can realistically provide, may want to consider enrolling on one of the following study skills courses run by the Psychology Team:
Study Skills for Psychology Students
Essay Writing for Psychology Students
For further details, and to enrol, please visit our website:
www.bbk.ac.uk/study/ce/psychology or contact the Administrator for
Psychology.
More general learning and study skills support is also available: please see Section 7 - Student Support Services for more information.
4. ASSESSMENT
COURSEWORK – GENERAL NOTES
Coursework may include essays, reports, reviews, oral presentations, case studies or other exercises appropriate to the subject.
For formal assessment on a 30 credit module students will normally be required to produce between 4000 and 6000 words, made up of either two longer (2000 – 3000 words) or four shorter (1000 – 1500 words) pieces of work, or a combination of these.
For 15 credit modules the requirement will be half that for a 30 module ie: 2000 – 3000 words overall, made of one long (2000- 3000) or two shorter (1000 – 1500 words) pieces.
This work is usually completed at home. Students will be penalised for submitting work that is significantly over or under theses word limits.
Word limits are important. Work which does not adhere to the specified word limits will be marked down. Coursework needs to be presented in either 1000-1500 word units (single unit) or 2000-3000 word (double) units. Work that is significantly longer or shorter than this (more than 50 words either way) will be subject to a penalty. This penalty should be applied as follows:
• Work which is up to 10% too short or too long will have 5 marks deducted (ie between 900-950 or 1550-1650 for single units, 1800-1999 or 3001-3300 double units)
• Work that is more than 10% too short or too long will have 10 marks deducted.
Typed or hand-written? While we do not insist you write your coursework using a word processor, we do strongly recommend it. Not only does it ensure your work is legible, but it also enables you to send it and edit it electronically, which you are likely eventually to find very useful and flexible in the course of your studies
The amount you learn will increase if you are interested in the topic, so we would strongly encourage you to discuss with your tutor if there are particular subjects that you would like to focus on in your assessment. Obviously the topic of your assessment has to be entirely relevant to the module but it may be possible to negotiate something of particular interest to you.
The work completed at home may take a variety of forms, depending on the module and on the tutor. So, if there is some form of assessment that you would find particularly useful or interesting (such as a case study, for example), again please discuss the possibilities with your tutor. We may not be able to accommodate every request but we do try to be flexible.
In your discussions with the tutor it may be useful to let them know what grade you are aiming for as some types of assessment increase the likelihood of a high mark. This may be relevant to students aiming to progress onto other courses. A tutor may offer to give you feedback on an essay plan but they are not required to do this.
Please note: Coursework requirements for Psychology and Applied Psychology option modules may include timed in-class assessments – please see the relevant module syllabus, or check with the course team, before enrolling.
COURSEWORK – DETAIL BY MODULE Freudian Foundations of Psychoanalysis
A review of the major concepts and historical development of psychoanalytic thinking as conceived originally by Freud. We will discuss and evaluate concepts such as unconscious motivation, psychosexual development, the structure of the personality and the various defence mechanisms.
An Introduction to Lacan
This module introduces you to the central themes of French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan’s important and influential work. No prior knowledge of Freud or Lacan will be assumed in this module, which explores Lacan’s ‘return to Freud’. It will be of interest not only to students of psychoanalysis, but also to those interested in literary theory, art or culture, where Lacan’s ideas have had a significant impact.
Exploring our Creativity
When we are creative we feel alive and energised. This module explores the origins of creativity, its connection with life, love, loss, aggression and reparation. Psychoanalytic theory will guide us on our journey. This module is largely theoretical, but there will also be an interactive, experiential component.
Jung and Analytical Psychology
An introduction to Jung's theories on the structure and dynamics of the psyche, psychopathology and psychotherapeutic technique. You will explore concepts of the collective unconscious, archetypes, individuation and the 'self', plus recent post-Jungian developments in theory and technique.
Melanie Klein and Object Relations
We will review and evaluate the contributions made by Melanie Klein and her successors – including the Object Relations School – to psychoanalysis. We will also consider Kleinian accounts of the place of rage, greed and envy, along with the views of authors such as Winnicott, on the nature and significance of the early infant–mother relationship.
Myths and Fairy Tales: Stories of Love and Hate
Myths and fairy tales tell stories about adventure, magic, good and evil, and also about the universal human emotions of love, fear, hate and sorrow. In this module, we take traditional stories and myths from around the world and, using psychoanalytic and Jungian concepts, consider their underlying structure, their psychological meaning, and the powerful images they contain to help us make sense of our lives and relationships.
Psychoanalysis and Art
We will explore the continuing development of psychoanalytic approaches to the visual arts and their relationship to competing aesthetic theories. Topics include: symbolism and imagery; the creative process; the viewer's response; and the impact of psychoanalytic ideas on the practices of artists themselves.
FEEDBACK
Aside from marking your work, your tutor will also give you feedback that will both explain the mark awarded and offer you advise on how to develop and improve your work next time. If you are not clear about the feedback please ask your lecturer to explain it and they will be happy to do so.
MARKING CRITERIA
Your work will be marked according to the published criteria for Psychoanalytic Psychology Certificate of Higher Education courses (please see Appendix 1).
COURSEWORK SUBMISSION DEADLINES
The regulations governing assessment conform to the Common Award Scheme,
details of which are available on the College website:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/reg/regs
Key points to note are:
How you submit your coursework;
the range of difficulties that are acceptable as mitigating circumstances;
and
the number of attempts that you can have at any one module;
Submission of Coursework
Deadlines for submission of coursework are set by your tutor in the first instance. It is important to adhere to these deadlines and undertake assessment at the appropriate point in the course. You will be able to have your work marked in good time and receive feedback that you can use to inform future submissions.
1. Where you find it impossible to meet the deadline set by your tutor you must negotiate with them a deadline that you can meet. The last date when it is possible to submit work without penalty is the last date of your course.
Work submitted by this date will be accepted without penalty.
Work submitted after the first submission date for your class (i.e. after the last session) will be capped at the 40% pass mark unless mitigating circumstances apply (please see overleaf).
2. The second submission date for the 2013/14 academic year will be as follows:
Modules ending in term 1: Friday 10 January 2014 Modules ending in term 2: Friday 25 April 2014 Modules ending in term 3: Friday 18 July 2014
Work submitted after the second published deadline will not be accepted and will be returned.
Students should note the importance of these deadlines and the implications of missing either one or both of them. Please note:
That posting of work does not constitute submission. It is your responsibility to ensure work has been received and to keep proof of postage and copies of your work. Work submitted after the first deadline should be submitted to your tutor as an electronic attachment by email. You should ensure that you request and have confirmation of receipt from your tutor as proof.
MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
If you feel that you have mitigating circumstances that affected your work and that you would like considered by the Sub-Board of Examiners, you should complete the appropriate form which can be downloaded from our website:
umstances.doc and submit it as soon as possible and before the second submission deadline.
Please note:
Not all mitigating circumstances may be considered valid. For a representative list of the kinds of mitigating circumstances that will be considered and those that won’t, please visit our website:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/reg/regs/mitcircspol. All valid mitigating circumstances
will need to be supported with appropriate documentary evidence.
If you are unable to submit one or more pieces of your coursework due to mitigating circumstances you may apply for a deferral of the outstanding elements of your assessment. The completed mitigating circumstances form and documentary evidence should be submitted before the second submission deadline.
You should note that mitigating circumstances will only be considered where there is clear evidence that the circumstances occurred in the short period leading to or at the time of the assessment.
Please note that marks awarded are normally never changed. In exceptional circumstances marks may be raised by up to 2% to secure a pass where a student has marginally failed a piece of work if there is evidence that their performance was adversely affected by the mitigating circumstances where normally their performance is of a higher standard.
Where a Sub-Board of Examiners judges that a student’s performance was affected by mitigating circumstances the student will be offered the option of repeating that element of the assessment. This reassessment if taken up does not count as an attempt. The dates for reassessment are as outlined below.
If you are unable to meet the first deadline and the second deadlines due to mitigating circumstances relating to those periods you will have until 18 July 2014 to submit your mitigating circumstances form to apply for a deferral.
FAILURE AND RE-ASSESSMENT OF A MODULE
To satisfactorily complete a module, students must achieve an overall mark of 40% or more.
If you fail to pass a module at your first attempt then you may be “re-assessed” or you may be required to “re-take”.
Re-assessment is where a student will re-attempt a failed element of a failed module without attending any further classes.
A re-take requires a student to re-enrol for the module, re-attend the course and re-take the full coursework requirements.
A decision on whether you will be permitted to be re-assessed in one or more elements of a module that has not been passed is at the discretion of the sub-board of examiners.
As a general guide, it is expected that students who fail a module with an overall mark of between 30-39% are likely to be offered re-assessment. Those with an overall mark of 29% or less are likely to be required to re-take the module.
A nominated committee will meet at the end of each term and decisions will be communicated to students shortly afterwards. Re-assessment submission dates are as follows:
Courses ending in term 1: Monday 3 March 2014 Courses ending in term 2: Monday 9 June 2014
Courses ending in term 3: Monday 1 September 2014
If you do not wish to take up the offer of re-assessment you must let us know in writing by responding to the offer by the specified deadline. Failure to do so will mean that you have to re-take the module.
Number of attempts
Students are permitted three attempts at passing a module (the original attempt plus two further attempts, of which only one may be a reassessment). An attempt constitutes:
A student who completes and submits all the coursework even if they fail the module overall (such cases will be resulted with the actual mark obtained). A student who fails a module with an overall mark of 30-39% and takes up
the opportunity given by the Sub-Board of Examiners to be reassessed in the failed element(s) of a module. (Students may only be reassessed once. If they subsequently fail they must retake the module)
A student who chooses not to submit all pieces of coursework required but has not formally withdrawn (in such cases the item(s) in question will be awarded a zero to arrive at the overall mark).
Implications for completion of a module are:
A student who does not complete the coursework requirements for a folder and has not formally withdrawn from assessment in writing before the first submission date will be deemed to have attempted the module. Unless mitigating circumstances are submitted and a deferral requested for the outstanding item(s) the student will be resulted by averaging the marks based on a mark of zero for the non-submitted items.
Students cannot retake a module to gain a higher mark.
A student failing to complete a module satisfactorily after three attempts will not be permitted to re-enrol for the module. Where the module is a core module such a student will be unable to meet the requirements for that award.
REFERENCING AND PLAGIARISM
It is essential that coursework is properly ‘referenced’. Referencing your written work means clearly identifying the source of your information. Referencing consists of giving the name and date of the people whose work you are drawing on within the body of your work and then including an organised list of those references at the end.
What is plagiarism?
You must use other people’s work as the basis of your coursework in order to demonstrate that you know about and understand theories within psychology. The problem arises if you seem to be suggesting that someone else’s ideas are your own. Using other people’s words or ideas in your work without naming the person and indicating where you read about their work is called ‘plagiarism’. It is regarded as a form of cheating or dishonesty.
According to College policy, plagiarism can take a variety of forms and can be categorised as follows:
copying a whole or substantial parts of a paper from a source text (e.g. a web site, journal article, book or encyclopaedia), without proper acknowledgement;
paraphrasing someone else’s work closely, with minor changes but with the essential meaning, form and/or progression of ideas maintained;
piecing together sections of the work of others into a new whole;
procuring a paper from a company or essay bank (including Internet sites);
submitting another student’s work, with or without that student’s knowledge
submitting a paper written by someone else (e.g. a peer or relative), and passing it off as one’s own
representing a piece of joint or group work as one’s own
Both committing plagiarism – and helping someone else to – are both potentially very serious.
Academic declaration form
When submitting coursework (e.g. essay or other coursework or dissertation), you will need to sign an academic declaration form, stating that you have read the sections of plagiarism in your Handbook and confirming that the work is your own, with the work of others fully acknowledged.
Consequences of Plagiarising
According to the College Policy on Assessment Offences (2008) there are two types of offences:
Minor Offences - “inappropriate paraphrasing, a relatively small amount of unattributed quotations, and up to several sentences of direct copying (without acknowledging sources), where these are first offences”.
Major Offences – “copying of paragraphs (without acknowledging sources), downloading essays from ‘cheat sites’ on the Internet, copying much/all of the work of a fellow student, allegations of plagiarism in multiple pieces of coursework submitted by a student and examination, collusion and other offences”.
You need to be aware that both types of offences could lead to serious penalties.
Details of this policy can be found on My Birkbeck at:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/rules/Assessment%20Offences.pdf
but it is simply much better to avoid plagiarism!
Avoiding Plagiarism
In essence, the most obvious way to avoid plagiarism is to close books and exit the web etc. before starting to write. This is also the best way to learn as it requires the student to internalise and then ‘verbalise’ the concepts they are studying. Obviously they can then rework what they have written and add references etc.
A similar strategy would be to imagine that their work is a letter to a friend: if they were to explain what they have learnt to a friend they would inevitably use
their own words. Again, when they have finished they can add an appropriate introduction and conclusion, and references.
More specific strategies include:
always including a reference to show whose work you are quoting or
where you got your information (in the body of the work and in the reference list)
always using inverted commas (“…”) when using a direct quote from a
book, the web etc.
Keeping direct quotes to a minimum
always rewriting what is taken from books etc in their own words
always giving the name/s and dates linked to the theories or studies
under discussion
Referencing your work
The general rule is that if the information came from a book, an article, a paper, a web site and it is neither general knowledge nor your own original idea, then you should provide a reference. This may mean that almost every paragraph in your written work may carry one or more references - this is perfectly normal. Some sentences may even have more than one reference. In fact you should be wary of paragraphs you write that do not contain a reference. It is always safer to err on the side of caution and include a reference rather than not.
Please remember that although fully referencing your work is an important aim in academic writing, it is also a skill that needs to be developed, don’t worry if it takes several attempts before you feel confident in its use.
How to reference:
In the body of your essay [or other written assignments] include the name of the person who wrote the book, article or paper you are drawing upon for the ideas in that particular sentence or paragraph. You only need to give their surname. You also need to include the year the book or article etc. was published. E.g.
o Smith [2011] demonstrated that referencing in the body of the
essay significantly increased students marks. or
o It has been demonstrated that referencing in the body of the essay
significantly increases students’ marks [Smith, 2011].
At the end of your essay give a ‘Reference List’. List in alphabetical order all the names you have included in your essay. Then add the full details of
the books or articles etc. so that anyone who would like to read them can find them:
o Smith, J. [2011]. How to Reference Your Essay. Milton Keynes:
Open University Press.
o In other words:
Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of book. Where it was Published:
Name of Publisher.
Notice the punctuation – where to use false stops, where to use commas, where to use italics etc. Copy this format exactly if possible.
If you are new to writing essays, just concentrate on getting these basics correct.
If you are comfortable with the basics, practice using the APA [American Psychological Association] or Harvard system of referencing.
o You can find further details about how to give references using APA
at: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/subguides/science/psychology/apa
Referencing information you found on the web
For web pages you should aim to include (where available) the author of the information (a person, group or organisation), date (most web pages have a date at the bottom of the page), title, URL [the web address at teh top of the page] and the date you used the web page. It is important to include the date when you last saw the information on the web as the information may change or disappear altogether. For example, the reference for a web page would appear in your Reference List as follows:
Germov, J. and Williams, L. (1998) Social Appetite Web [web page]
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/department/so/socialappetite.htm,
[date accessed: 1 January 2013].
If no author information is listed on the web page, you would simply write the reference as follows:
Get Great Information Fast, [web page] (1998),
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/department/so/socialappetite.htm, [date
accessed: 1 January 2013].
Reference list or bibliography - what's the difference?
A Reference List is a list of the references you have used in your essay or other written work. A Bibliography is a wider list of information sources related to
Further Information
Further information on referencing and plagiarism can be obtained from the Birkbeck Library website (including a number of tutorials and more detailed guides) at http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/learn/citing.
Your tutor will also be able to provide you with additional advice and guidance.
MODERATION
All coursework is subject to the moderation procedures of the College to ensure the equity and accuracy of marking of student assessments across all modules. You should be aware that all marks awarded by tutors are provisional until confirmed by the Sub-Board of Examiners and may change during the moderation process.
If your class is selected for moderation you must submit all of your marked assessments at the end of your module to your tutor. The work should be submitted in a flat folder (either an A4 plastic folder or envelope folder) and should include green coversheets. All coversheets must be appropriately completed and signed to confirm the work is your own.
If your class is NOT selected for moderation you must ensure you retain your coursework carefully in case of query until online notification of results in mid-August.
NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS AND RETURN OF COURSEWORK
The Sub-Board of Examiners normally meets in the last week of July to ratify results. However, a nominated committee of the Sub-Board of Examiners will meet during the year to consider mitigating circumstances and identify students eligible for reassessment in late Spring for courses ending in term 1, late summer for courses ending in term 2 and early September for courses ending in term 3.
Online notification of results for all modules will take place in mid August. You will be able to check your results via your My Birkbeck profile (see Student Support Services for more information).
Coursework is normally returned to students four-six weeks after the notification of results have been sent.APPEAL PROCEDURE
of Examiners in assessing the merits of assessment. The grounds on which appeals may be made are outlined in section 39 of the Common Awards Scheme
Regulations for Taught Programmes of Study (see
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/reg/regs/cas/assessment/representations for further
details).
STUDENT COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE (ACADEMIC ISSUES)
The aim of the College’s Student Complaints Procedure is to ensure that complaints from students relating to courses of study, the availability or quality of facilities and any issues relating to College staff are dealt with fairly and promptly.
Further details of the full procedure can be found at:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/reg/regs
APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION FROM INDIVIDUAL MODULES
If by virtue of your previous education experience, you feel that you have fully covered the content of an individual module in this award at another institution, you may apply for exemption from that module.
Applications must be made in writing (along with relevant documentation) to the Award Coordinator for the Certificate of Higher Education in Applied Psychology who, after assessing whether all of the learning outcomes for the module have been met, will notify you of their decision.
If successful, you will accrue the appropriate number of credits for the module which can be used as part of the 120 credits required for the award. You may apply for a maximum exemption of 60 credits.
5. COMPLETION OF AWARD
Requirements and Award Scheme
To complete the award of the Certificate of Higher Education in Psychoanalytic Psychology, you need to successfully complete eligible modules worth a total of 120 credits, including core module, Freudian Foundations of Psychoanalysis. Overall marks for the award are calculated as outlined in the College regulartions: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/reg/regs/cas/conferment/certhe
Students who achieve an overall mark of above 70% will receive a Distinction classification. All other marks between 40% and 70% are classified as a Pass.
Award Ceremony and Issuing of Certificate
Students who have successfully completed the Certificate of Higher Education will be invited to attend the Certificate and Diploma Holders’ Ceremony which normally takes place in February. The Certificates themselves are normally issued in April.
6. FEEDBACK
Providing feedback about your course
Students are invited to give informal, verbal feedback to the tutor at any point during the course. Such feedback can be incredibly useful in helping the tutor to tailor their methods and the contents of the course to the particular group. Tutors may also ask for feedback at various points during the course.
Students complete course evaluation forms at the end of the course. These are read by the tutor who will include a summary of the feedback in their end of course report. The forms and the tutors report are read by the Award Co-ordinator.
Should you wish to give feedback on a course directly to the Team Leader for the Psychoanalytic Psychology Certificate programmes, this can be done by phone, by email or by downloading a copy of the course evaluation form and returning to the team directly.
Staff-Student Exchange
Staff-Student exchange meetings are held each year to enable students to provide feedback about their experience of studying on our Certificate programmes and at Birkbeck in general. Students enrolled on a specific module each term are invited to come to a meeting before or after their normal class time.
7. STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES MY BIRKBECK HELPDESK
The My Birkbeck website (http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/) is your gateway to accessing all student support services at Birkbeck.
You may find the following links particularly useful:-
Obtaining your library/ID card:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/you/cards
Accessing IT Services:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/computing/username
Contacting our disability office:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/disability/disability-office
Financial support:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/studentfinance/
Study skills support:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/support/study-skills
You can also visit the helpdesk on the ground floor of the main Birkbeck building on Malet Street. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 12.00pm-7.00pm and 12.00pm-5.00pm on Saturday. You can also call the helpdesk on 020 7631 6316.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING SUPPORT
If you need help with your English language skills, or simply need to freshen up essay-writing or study skills, Birkbeck offers a range of support courses. These courses are designed to boost your self-confidence, fill in gaps in your knowledge, improve your language skills and help you get the most out of studying in an academic environment.
To benefit fully from your studies, you should be able to read, write and speak English fluently. If you feel that you need to improve your written or oral skills in English, or if English is not your first language, we recommend that you enrol on one of the English language or academic writing modules.
English Language, Essay-Writing and Study Skills Courses
These courses will help you to improve and extend your study skills in English and academic writing in order to participate more effectively in British higher education. The courses are designed for students of at least intermediate level of English and provide a stimulating and challenging learning experience for those looking to gain near-native proficiency in English and an introduction to British culture.
Birkbeck offers intensive pre-sessional courses that take place during August/September (before the academic year begins in October). Courses are also offered throughout the academic year on all aspects of academic English, including grammar, style, note-taking, essay-writing, presentation, pronunciation and British academic conventions.
For those needing more individual attention, Study Skills Support also provides advice, one to one tuition and support with grammar, maths and study techniques. A diagnostic English Language test is available for those students who need guidance or advice on their English Language skills.
For further information visit their website:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/support or contact them by
email: studyskills@bbk.ac.uk or phone: 020 7631 6683.
If you would like the opportunity to reflect on your English language skills either because you have been educated in a language other than English or because you have not studied at HE level before, you may wish to consider this FREE online course from the Open University:
“Am I ready to study in English” available on
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3638 Additional Resources – Study Guides
The following guides and websites may also be useful:
Cottrell, S. (2008), The Study Skills Handbook, Palgrave Macmillan
Heffernan, T.H. (2005), A Student's Guide to Studying Psychology, Psychology Press
Northedge, A. (2005), The Good Study Guide, Open University Worldwide
Additional Resources – Websites
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of websites on study skills. Not all are particularly good but the following are useful:
http://www.studyskills.soton.ac.uk/
The University of Southampton’s comprehensive website on a range of study skills and study issues; some parts restricted to Southampton students but a lot of useful tips and suggestions.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/learners-guide/learning-skills/index.htm
The Open University’s website with a range of detailed guidance on study skills issues; some parts restricted to OU students but a lot of useful tips and
suggestions.
http://www.classzone.com/books/research_guide/page_build.cfm?content=web _research&state=none
A very useful guide to doing research on the web.
http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutorial/psychologist
For specific guidance for psychologists and psychology students on getting the best out the internet.
https://connect.le.ac.uk/p50066682/ and press the ‘play’ button. For specific
guidance on how to avoid plagiarism in your course work.
DISABILITY SUPPORT
Birkbeck is committed to do everything it can to support you in your studies but to do so most effectively we need to know your needs. Specific recommendations can only be made once your needs have been assessed by our disability office and communicated to the department.
Disability Statement for the Department of Psychological Sciences
At Birkbeck there are students with a wide range of disabilities including dyslexia, visual or hearing impairments, mobility difficulties, mental health needs, medical conditions, respiratory conditions. Many of them have benefited from the advice and support provided by the College’s Disability Office.
The Disability Office
The College has a Disability Office located in room G12 on the ground floor of the Malet Street building. We have a Disability Service Manager, Mark Pimm, a Disability Administrator, John Muya, a Mental Health Advisor, Elizabeth Hughes and an SpLD Advisor, Dan Mouskis.
All enquiries should come to the Disability office, who will determine the appropriate referral to specialist staff. They can provide advice and support on travel and parking, physical access, the Disabled Students Allowance, special equipment, personal support, examination arrangements etc. If you have a disability or dyslexia, we recommend you come to our drop in session where we can discuss support and make follow up appointments as necessary. The drop-in sessions are between 4pm and 6pm Monday to Thursday.
The Disability Office can also complete an Individual Student Support Agreement form with you, confirming your support requirements and send this to your School and relevant Departments at the College so they are informed of your needs.
Access at Birkbeck
Birkbeck's main buildings have wheelchair access, accessible lifts and toilets, our reception desks have induction loops for people with hearing impairments and we have large print and tactile signage. Disabled parking, lockers, specialist seating in lectures and seminars and portable induction loops can all be arranged by the Disability Office.
The Disabled Students Allowance
UK and most EU students with disabilities on undergraduate and postgraduate courses are eligible to apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). The DSA usually provides thousands of pounds worth of support and all the evidence shows that students who receive it are more likely to complete their courses successfully. The Disability Office can provide further information on the DSA and can assist you in applying to Student Finance England for this support.
The Personal Assistance Scheme
Some students need a personal assistant to provide support on their course, for example a note-taker, sign language interpreter, reader, personal assistant, disability mentor or dyslexia support tutor. Birkbeck uses a specialist agency to recruit Personal Assistants and they can assist you with recruiting, training and paying your personal assistant. Please contact the Disability Office for information on this scheme.
Support in your Department
The provision which can be made for students with disabilities by Schools and Departments is set out in the Procedures for Students with Disabilities. This is available from the Disability Office and on the disability website (see below). As mentioned above your Department will receive a copy of your Individual Student Support Agreement from the Disability Office. This will make specific recommendations about the support you should receive from the Department. Whilst we anticipate that this support will be provided by the Programme Director, tutors and Administrator the Department of Psychological Sciences also has a Student Disability Liaison Officer. If you experience any difficulties or require additional support from the Department then they may also be able to assist you. They may be contacted through the Departmental Office or the Disability Office.
Support in IT Services and Library Services
There is a comprehensive range of specialist equipment for students with disabilities in IT Services. This includes software packages for dyslexic students (e.g. Claroread and Inspiration), screen reading and character enhancing software for students with visual impairments, specialist scanning software,
large monitors, ergonomic mice and keyboards, specialist orthopaedic chairs etc. For advice and assistance please contact Disability IT Support. There is also a range of specialist equipment in the Library including a CCTV reading machine for visually impaired students as well as specialist orthopaedic chairs and writing slopes. The Disability Office refers all students with disabilities to the Library Access Support service who provides a comprehensive range of services for students with disabilities.
Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)
Mature students who experienced problems at school are often unaware that these problems may result from their being dyslexic. Whilst dyslexia cannot be cured, you can learn strategies, which make studying significantly easier. If you think you may be dyslexic you should contact the Disability Office who can screen you and where appropriate refer you to an Educational Psychologist for a dyslexia assessment. These assessments cost £225. Some students can receive assistance in meeting this cost from their employer. In exceptional cases students may receive assistance from the Access to Learning Fund.
At Birkbeck there are students with a wide range of disabilities including dyslexia, visual or hearing impairments, mobility difficulties, mental health needs, HIV, M.E., respiratory conditions etc. Many of them have benefited from the advice and support provided by the College’s disability service.
The Disability Handbook
The Disability Handbook provides detailed information on the support available from the College. Copies are available from all main reception areas, the Disability Office and from the College disability web site at:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/disability
For further information or to make an appointment to see the Disability office, please call the Student Centre on 020 7631 6316 or email disability@bbk.ac.uk. Alternatively you can go to the Disability Office in room G12 between 4pm and 6pm Monday – Thursday for during their drop-in hours.
8. LEARNING RESOURCES Birkbeck Library
All students enrolled on an award bearing module may join Birkbeck library free of charge. To join the library you will need to obtain a Birkbeck ID card which also acts as your student card.
Joining the library will also give you access to electronic resources such as journals which can be accessed remotely. You may also be able to borrow books from other libraries in the SCONUL scheme.
The College has also made arrangements for students enrolled on this award to have access to the main university library housed in the Senate House. This library has an extensive collection of books on psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic themes.
If you wish to buy books your tutor will be able to advise you on which books to buy. Syllabi for individual modules can be downloaded from our web site, which will include introductory reading lists if you would like to prepare for the module.
Some modules identify preparatory reading which we recommend you undertake prior to the start of the module.
Birkbeck IT Services
Upon enrolment you will receive your IT Services (ITS) username and password, which you will need to access College PCs, electronic resources in the library, your My Birkbeck profile and Moodle (see below).
More information about computing services provided by ITS is available at:
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/computing Moodle
Moodle is the name of Birkbeck’s Virtual Learning Environment. Each module will have a homepage containing the syllabus and links to course materials.
Moodle is accessed via: http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk. You will need your ITS username and password.
9. FURTHER STUDY
One of the aims of this award is to prepare students for further study should they wish to continue. There are various ways in which students can continue with their studies following the completion of some or all of the Certificate of Higher Education:
Transferring Credit towards Degree Courses in the University of London and elsewhere
Students who have completed Modules for this award may sometimes find that they are able to claim exemptions from individual Modules and examinations for first degrees at other Colleges of the University of London and other institutions of higher education, including the Open University. There may be other tests for entry. Cases are assessed on a case by case basis and students should consult admissions officers of the institutions concerned.
10. DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES Location
The departmental office is located in Room 501 of the main Birkbeck building on Malet Street. Opening hours are 10am – 6pm, however please note that there may be occasions when no staff are in the office.
If you need to see a particular member of staff then you are advised to call and make an appointment.
Key contacts
If you have a query regarding your courses, please do contact a member of the team:
Jennifer Mackay, Administrator, Applied Psychology, Psychoanalytic Psychology and Interpersonal Communication Skills (Cert HE) courses
0203 073 8044
j.mackay@bbk.ac.uk
Rebecca Morris, Administrator, Psychology (Cert HE) and Study Skills courses 0207 631 6669
rebecca.morris@bbk.ac.uk
Richard Throup, Team Leader 0207 631 6206
APPENDIX 1
Birkbeck College, University of London Department of Psychological Sciences
MARKING CRITERIA FOR PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOLOGY COURSEWORK - Guidance for students
SEPTEMBER 2013
Please ensure that you:
have signed the green coursework coversheet (verifying that the work is your own and not plagiarised);
have written the title of the work in full;
indicated the number of words you have used Please note that:
All marks given are provisional until verified by the appropriate Board of Assessors.
In marking coursework, lecturers will be looking for particular evidence of:
STRUCTURE
How far does the essay have a coherent argument running through it?
Is there some form of introduction, main body and a concluding paragraph?
How far do the points follow logically from each other both between and within paragraphs?
CLARITY
How easy is the writing to read?
is it concise and economical but not dense?
is it straightforward but not simpleminded?
is there enough information but not lot of unnecessary detail?
is the reader left scratching their head wondering what is meant?
RELEVANCE
How far does the essay address its title throughout? Each paragraph should make some point which helps build the case the writer is making, or the point of view they wish to present.
USE OF THE LITERATURE
To what extent are books, theories, authors used in the essay?
Is the theory and evidence used primarily from psychology?
How wide has been the reading? Is it used well and appropriately?
Are references quote in the body of the essay?
CRITICAL / EVALUATIVE PERSPECTIVE
For higher marks, the writer will show a clear awareness of a critical standpoint. For example:
How for does the essay comment on weaknesses in theories, gaps in the evidence, or methodological problems? Does the student offer a relevant discussion of the development of ideas?
Can they compare and contrast different theories or viewpoints?
How far do they have a grasp of the pros and cons of different kinds of
method and evidence: (e.g., case history, survey; experiment) and can they use that awareness to evaluate the claims they make?
ORIGINALITY
Some form of originality will increase the likelihood of very high marks. At this level, this may be some original observations but it may also be sufficient for the student to offer their own synthesis of the material.
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MARKING CRITERIA AND MARK BANDS Please Note:
When deciding which mark range a piece of work belongs to, strong performance on one or more criteria may, at the discretion of the marker, compensate for a weaker showing on other criteria.
For example if there is clear and firm evidence of good understanding and relevant reading, an essay may be still be given 50 – 59% even if the references are poorly cited.
For higher marks above 70%, all the necessary criteria must be met in full however.
0-29% Fail: Inadequate work which:
Does not address the question or fundamentally fails to complete the task.
Is very poorly presented or illegible.
Is very poorly organised.
Presents no argument or presents an argument that is confused or contradictory.
Shows no relevant reading in the subject area.
Demonstrates no understanding of the relevant concepts, theories or
research findings (or demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of these).
Sources not cited.
30-39% Fail: A partial or superficial response to the task which:
Barely addresses the question or completes the task.
Is poorly presented.
May be overly repetitious or descriptive and may consist of a string of weak assertions that may not relate to one another or may not be supported by theory / evidence.
Demonstrates very little relevant reading in the subject area.
Shows very limited understanding of the key concepts and theoretical perspectives (or demonstrates significant misunderstanding).
Sources inadequately cited or not cited
40 - 49% - An adequate piece of work that:
Shows a basic understanding of the question or task but major areas may not have been addressed.
The planning, structuring and presentation are relatively weak and may include a significant amount of irrelevant material.
Shows evidence of some reading and attempts to address the question but is generally descriptive and/or not well supported by evidence or examples.
There is limited understanding of concepts or ideas and these may be poorly or awkwardly expressed.
There is a barely adequate use of sources, often over-dependent on material covered in class.
Sources may be inadequately cited.
50 - 59% - A satisfactory to good answer that:
Shows a clear understanding of the question or task.
Most of the essay is relevant to the question.
Has a clear if simple structure but may have some gaps in argument, planning or use of evidence.
The approach and content gives some evidence of reading.
Demonstrates an awareness of relevant debates but may be too descriptive or generalised or may need a clearer focus.
There is some evidence of engagement with and analysis of material presented in the module.
Appropriate sources adequately cited and referenced.
60 - 69% - A very good piece of work and complete examination of the task that:
organised and presented.
Shows wide reading/learning of relevant facts/theories and research.
Has no irrelevant passages; the whole answer is fully focussed on the title.
Gives clear evidence of understanding of concepts or ideas.
Offers critical analysis and a clear argument backed by appropriate examples/evidence.
Makes good use of sources with evidence correctly cited and referenced.
70 - 79% - An excellent or outstanding piece of work that includes all the elements of the previous plus also:
Makes well structured arguments that are theoretically informed, with very good use of relevant evidence.
Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of concepts and debates and an ability to think critically.
Gives clear evidence of awareness of current/relevant debates and study well beyond the scope of class material.
Offers clear evidence of an understanding of any relevant ethical considerations.
Offers a wide range of references, and is fully and correctly referenced throughout.
80% and above - An exceptional piece of work that includes all the elements of the previous plus also:
An excellent knowledge and understanding of concepts and debates and an exceptional ability to think critically.
Makes well structured arguments that demonstrate exceptional mastery of relevant theory and research evidence.
Includes some significant novel or original aspect, angle or perspective.
