Applying psychology
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| 1 Tutor-marked assignment (TMA) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
Applying psychological knowledge to real-world problems has driven theory and research throughout the history of psychology. This course explores how psychological theories and methods are used to address such problems, and how they provide a basis for interventions in practice. You will be introduced to the role psychology plays in clinical, health, occupational and forensic fields – with the opportunity to specialise, depending on your personal and professional interests. DSE232 is particularly suitable for study after Exploring psychology (DSE212), though this is not a requirement.
Course content
The different psychological approaches that can be brought to bear on ’real life’ issues are covered in the course text book Applying Psychology, and also as part of the teaching and learning support you’ll receive. You will consider explanations, examples and illustrations throughout as well as critical discussion of contemporary issues in the four applied areas. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop skills in applying your knowledge to the situations described in case study material.
The course book was written for The Open University by experts in their fields. It’s written in a readily accessible style that does not require you to have any special knowledge of psychology, though you may find it useful to have studied Exploring psychology (DSE212).
The course is delivered online, with teaching and learning materials supplied via the internet. As the course progresses, you’ll also be provided with a number of learning activities that involve working independently allowing you to develop your knowledge. You’ll be given plenty of guidance throughout the course on managing your study, which parts of the text to read, and when to undertake the various learning activities. A series of online quizzes allow you to check your progress and test your knowledge for each chapter.
Communication is one of the most important aspects of applied psychology, since ‘doing’ psychology involves people and their networks. You’ll learn the conventions of presenting psychological information in a format appropriate to the intended audience. At the end of the course you’ll be required to write a professional-style report choosing one from a number of psychological scenarios. This will develop your skills in professional-level writing (also referred to as transactional writing). It will also provide you with the conceptual knowledge and skill required for solving problems. The choice of scenarios will allow you to focus on the area of applied psychology that best suits your personal or professional interests.
Entry
As this is a Level 2 course, a certain level of study skills is required, such as the ability to follow an argument; to relate information from tables and graphs to text discussions; and to formulate a reasoned case in discussion and written work. Although it is not a requirement, you may find it very useful to have studied DSE212 before studying DSE232. (We recommend you study DSE232 in September after you have completed DSE212 – you should not study both at the same time). You’re expected to have basic knowledge of how to use a computer, so that you can, for instance, use the mouse or keyboard to open a document or program, navigate around a standard screen and windows on a PC, browse the internet, print a document and use a word processor.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
When you register for the course, you will receive preparatory information prior to the course start.
Qualifications
DSE232 is an optional course in our
- Diploma of Higher Education in Social Sciences (E50)
- Foundation Degree in Counselling (G14)
- BA/BSc (Honours) Social Sciences (B06)
If you are aiming for a BSc (Honours) Psychology (B07), DSE232 is highly recommended though not essential. It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Large print versions of the course material can be provided on request. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, DVD, and DVD-ROM, course website.
You will need
The ability to view DVDs.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you cannot use an Apple Mac or Linux computer unless it is running windows Boot Camp or similar.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You can contact your tutor through email and the online forum. Your tutor will mark and comment on your assignments. If you are new to the OU, you will find that your tutor is particularly concerned to help you with your study methods.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignment (TMA) and end-of-course assessment (ECA).
For the TMA you’ll produce short answers on a series of short scenarios, in preparation for a more substantial report in the ECA. Assessment is an essential part of the teaching, so you are expected to complete it all. However, arrangements will be in place to support you, should you unavoidably miss or do badly in an assignment. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May and September 2010. We expect it to be available twice per year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Psychology and Science.
Study explained
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