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[Until 1 October 2015: SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE HONOUR SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY

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Ref: 11-30av2_S_R_H_S_OF_PSYCHOLOGY_AND_PHILOSOPHY

[1] A

  1. [2] 1. All candidates shall be examined in Psychology and Philosophy.
  2. [3] 2. No candidate shall be admitted to the examination in this school unless
    1. [4] (a) he or she has either passed or been exempted from the First Public Examination; and
    2. [5] (b) he or she has satisfied the Moderators for the Preliminary Examination in Psychology and Philosophy in the subject Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics or has passed the Qualifying Examination in Statistics for this school.
    [6] The Head of the Department of Experimental Psychology may dispense a candidate from the Qualifying Examination in Statistics in cases where it is clear that the candidate has reached an adequate standard in Statistics by virtue of previous study and qualification.
  3. [7] 3. The examination shall consist of two parts. Part I shall consist of papers in Psychology. Part II shall consist of papers in Psychology and Philosophy.
  4. [8] 4. No candidate shall be admitted for the Part II examination in this school unless he or she has passed the Part I examination.
  5. [9] 5. The Examination Board shall comprise such of the Public Examiners in the Honour School of Experimental Psychology as may be required, and such examiners in Philosophy as are nominated by a committee of which the two elected members shall be appointed by the Board of the Faculty of Philosophy.
  6. [10] 6. The examinations in this school shall be under the joint supervision of the Medical Sciences Board and the Philosophy Faculty Board which shall make regulations concerning them subject always to the preceding clauses of this sub-section.

[11] B

[12] Candidates must take five papers for Part I and six papers for Part II. The five papers for Psychology Part I shall count as two papers for the Final Honour School.

[13] The examination for Psychology Part I shall be taken during Weeks 0 and 1 of Trinity Term of the candidate's second year. The examination for Psychology Part II and for Philosophy shall be held during Trinity Term of the candidate's third year. The dates of submission for assessed work are those prescribed in sections 1-2 below.

[14] The subjects in Psychology shall be those specified in 1. Psychology below; and in Philosophy those listed in the Special Regulations for Philosophy in all Honour Schools including Philosophy.

[15] Candidates may offer either a research project or a library dissertation in Psychology, or a thesis in Philosophy.

[16] There are further restrictions on the choice of subjects and requirements to be satisfied which are set out below.

[17] The highest honours can be obtained by excellence in either branch of the School, provided that the candidate has taken sufficient subjects in the branch and that adequate knowledge is shown in the other branch of examination.

[18] Every candidate shall give notice to the Registrar of all papers being offered not later than Friday in Week 8 of Michaelmas Full Term preceding the examination.

[19] 1. PSYCHOLOGY

[20] PART I

  1. [21] 1. The five written papers as specified for Part I of the Honour School of Experimental Psychology will be set:
    1. [22] Paper I Biological Bases of Behaviour
      1. [23] Component parts: (i) Cognitive Neuroscience, (ii) Behavioural Neuroscience.
    2. [24] Paper II Human Experimental Psychology 1
      1. [25] Component parts: (i) Perception, (ii) Memory, Attention, and Information Processing.
    3. [26] Paper III Human Experimental Psychology 2
      1. [27] Component parts: (i) Language and Cognition, (ii) Developmental Psychology.
    4. [28] Paper IV Social Psychology, and Personality, Individual Differences and Psychological Disorders.
      1. [29] Component parts: (i) Social Psychology, (ii) Personality, Individual Differences and Psychological Disorders.
    5. [30] Paper V Experimental Design and Statistics
  2. [31] Candidates will be required to answer essays and short answer questions in four of the eight components of Papers I-IV. All candidates are required to offer Paper V.
  3. [32] Candidates who wish to be deemed eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC)of Registration for the British Psychological Society (BPS) must ensure that the components they select provide coverage of all five of the areas defined in the GBC curriculum. In order to achieve this, candidates must offer one component from each of four areas, chosen from the five areas prescribed below:
    1. [33] 1. Cognitive Neuroscience or Behavioural Neuroscience from Paper I
    2. [34] 2. Perception; or Memory, Attention and Information Processing; or Language and Cognition from Papers II and III;
    3. [35] 3. Developmental Psychology from Paper III;
    4. [36] 4. Social Psychology from Paper IV;
    5. [37] 5. Personality, Individual Differences and Psychological Disorders from paper IV.

[38] In addition, candidates must sit additional short answer questions covering one component from the remaining fifth area.

[39] The other requirements for BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership are set out in Part II below.

[40] Qualifying Examination in Statistics

[41] Any candidate who has not satisfied the Moderators for the Preliminary Examination for Psychology and Philosophy in the subject Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics must pass a Qualifying Examination in Statistics before being admitted for examination in the Honour School. The Head of the Department of Experimental Psychology shall have the capacity to dispense a candidate from the examination in cases where it is clear that an individual has reached an adequate standard by virtue of previous study and qualification.

[42] The syllabus and paper set for the examination shall be that for the subject Introduction to Probability Theory and Statistics in the Preliminary Examination in Psychology and Philosophy.

[43] For all papers in Psychology and for the Qualifying Examination in Statistics, the examiners will permit the use of any hand-held pocket calculator subject to the conditions set out under the heading ‘Use of calculators in examinations’ in the Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations.

[44] Practical work

[45] Candidates will be required to undertake practical work, as specified by the Head of the Department of Experimental Psychology, and this will constitute a part of the examination. In exceptional circumstances the Proctors may dispense a candidate from the specified requirements on the recommendation of the Head of Department or deputy.

[46] Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part I and submitted for marking shall constitute a portfolio which shall be available to examiners as part of the examination. Every report submitted for marking must be accompanied by a statement indicating that the work submitted is the candidate's own work. Where the work submitted has been produced in collaboration the candidates shall indicate the extent of their own contributions. Reports of practical work previously submitted for the Honour School of Psychology and Philosophy, may be resubmitted, but reports will not be accepted if they have already been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the examiners by the end of Week 0 of the Trinity Term in which the Part I examination is to be held as to which candidates have (a) failed to satisfy the requirement to undertake practical work or (b) failed to submit a portfolio. Candidates in category (a) will be deemed to have failed Paper V. Candidates in category (b) will be deemed to have failed the entire Part I examination. The Head of Department or deputy shall also make available to the examiners records showing the extent to which each candidate has adequately pursued a course of practical work. The examiners shall take this evidence into consideration along with evidence of unsatisfactory or distinguished performance in each portfolio of practical work.

[47] A candidate who fails the Part I examination may retake the examination once only, in the Long Vacation of the same academic year as the original examination. The highest mark that can be awarded to a candidate retaking the examination is a Pass.

[48] PART II

[49] Candidates must offer six papers for Part II. At least one and at most three of the papers must be in Psychology, the others to be chosen from those available in Philosophy below. Candidates taking three papers in Psychology may offer a Research Project or a Library Dissertation in place of one of the three Psychology papers. Candidates may substitute one paper from the list below in place of one of the Psychology Advanced Options:

  1. [50] General Linguistics
  2. [51] Phonetics and phonology.

[52] In order to be deemed eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the BPS, candidates must take at least two subjects in Part II Psychology.

[53] Written papers, research project, and Library Dissertation:

[54] Each candidate will be examined in either one, two or three areas of Psychology by means of one, two or three written papers, each of three hours or two written papers, each of three hours, and either a research project or a Library Dissertation. The written papers will be selected from the list of at least 12 options approved by the Medical Sciences Division and published at the Department of Experimental Psychology. A list of options will be posted in the Department of Experimental Psychology not later than noon on Friday of Week 5 of Hilary Term in the year preceding that in which the examination is taken.

[55] Research Project

[56] As specified for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology.

[57] Library Dissertation

[58] As specified for the Honour School of Experimental Psychology.

[59] Reports of practical work completed during the course of study for Part II and submitted for marking shall constitute a portfolio which shall be available to examiners as part of the examination. Every report submitted for marking must be accompanied by a statement indicating that the work submitted is the candidate's own work. Reports of practical work previously submitted for the Honour School of Psychology and Philosophy may be resubmitted but reports will not be accepted if they have been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another Honour School or degree of this University, or for a degree of any other institution. The Head of Department or deputy shall inform the examiners by the end of Week 0 of the Trinity Term in which the Part II examination is to be held as to which candidates have failed to satisfy the requirement to undertake practical work. Failure to satisfy the requirement to undertake practical work will result in the candidate’s final degree classification being lowered by one class. Candidates who fail to submit a portfolio will be deemed to have failed the entire Part II examination. The Head of Department, or deputy, shall make available to the examiners records showing the extent to which candidates have adequately pursued a course of practical work. The examiners shall take this evidence into consideration along with evidence of unsatisfactory or distinguished performance in each portfolio of practical work.

[60] 2. PHILOSOPHY

[61] Candidates must satisfy both the General Regulations, and those relating specifically to Psychology and Philosophy in the Special Regulations for Philosophy in all Honour Schools including Philosophy.]