Lancaster University

Educational Aims

There are strong and long standing academic and professional links between Linguistics and Psychology. Language is the most distinctively human of all human cognitive faculties. The interdisciplinary sub-discipline of psycholinguistics which studies language acquisition and language processing brings together researchers in the two disciplines. This degree scheme not only gives students the opportunity of exploring the academic aspects of language and the mind but also prepares our graduates for careers such as Speech and Language Therapy and Cognitive Science which draw on the two disciplines.

Linguistics

The Department aims to provide all students with high quality teaching, drawing on its excellence in scholarship and research. Teaching and learning are based on a wide-ranging understanding of the discipline.

The overall teaching and learning aims of the Department of Linguistics relating to all its single major and combined major degree schemes in linguistics are:

• To develop student's subject specific, cognitive, and transferable skills through a variety of learning environments and modes of assessment;
• To offer high quality teaching, informed by staff research, which helps students realise their creative and academic potential, whether they are studying for personal development, further study, or employment in a broad range of areas;
• To enable students to engage not only with narrowly theoretical debates about linguistics but also with debates about language in the wider context of education, foreign language learning and teaching, literature, contemporary society, and so on.
• To encourage students in thinking critically and independently about theoretical as well as applied linguistic issues
• To equip students to engage with a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives within linguistics and to be able to apply their general understanding to real world examples;
• To generate a broad understanding of the range of linguistic areas of investigation by offering a wide range of substantive topics from which students can choose

  To develop a range of analytical skills appropriate for the study of different aspects of language

  To provide a general appreciation of the socially constituted and embedded nature of linguistic practices and institutions

  To develop a lasting fascination with the nature of language, its place in the mind, and its place in human society.

Psychology

A necessary aim of the Lancaster degree programme is to provide knowledge of psychology that goes beyond the depth and breadth of the Qualifying Examination (QE) of the British Psychological Society (BPS). The accreditation of psychology degrees by the BPS is based upon a comparison of the degree scheme with the Societys QE syllabus (see Regulations and Reading Lists for the QE 2002. BPS: Leicester). This syllabus outlines necessary knowledge and skills in core areas of psychology. Degrees are accredited as providing the Graduate Basis for Registration (GBR) as a Chartered Psychologist and any student wishing to continue training as a Chartered Psychologist requires GBR.

Further Educational Aims:

  to give students the opportunity to develop the necessary academic and practical skills to allow them to progress to postgraduate study in psychology.

  to encourage students to adopt a critical approach to the subject of psychology.

  to enable students to appreciate the wider context of their specialist knowledge and methodology and the potential applications of their knowledge and skills in their future employment.

  to encourage the development of transferable skills including the ability to learn independently, understand complex problems and communicate what has been learned to others.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The programme specifications and outcomes for the Linguistics degree and Psychology degree apply to the joint degree in Linguistics and Psychology.

The Linguistics elements of the combined degree contain extensive training in the empirical, analytical and critical techniques used for the study of all aspects of human language. The Psychology element of the degree inculcates a high level of argument, quantitative skills and rigorous analytical abilities within that subjects traditional frame of reference.

Linguistics

Knowledge and Understanding:

By the end of the course students should be able to demonstrate:

• an understanding of the central concepts in linguistic theory and analysis and their application to the description of the structures of the worlds languages
• an understanding of the major achievements of at least one area of applied language studies
• a good grasp of quantitative or qualitative research methods appropriate for carrying out investigations in at least one area of language study
• an ability to link theoretical and methodological issues with substantive areas of linguistic inquiry

Skills:

          independent critical thought

          general analytical competence

          an ability to summarise and compare conceptually based theoretical arguments

          knowledge about the status of empirical evidence and be able to demonstrate an understanding of different methodologies

          an ability to assimilate information from taught material with independent reading and produce written work that demonstrates a grasp of the main learning outcomes of particular courses

          an ability to communicate well ideas to others, make presentations based on prepared material and participate effectively in small group discussions

          effective use of library and IT resources in the preparation of written work

          general computer literacy, and where appropriate, specific computer skills relating to a sub-discipline such as phonetics or corpus linguistics

          demonstrate the ability to work independently and carry out independent research under supervision and guidance

          effective time management

Psychology

Knowledge and Understanding of:

• concepts and research methods in Cognitive Psychology.
• the theory, methods and key empirical findings of Physiological Psychology.
• an advanced understanding of some of the key topics in Clinical and Cognitive Neuropsychology.
• theory and research in a number of core areas of Social Psychology.
• current theoretical issues and research findings in Developmental Psychology.
• an awareness of key Conceptual issues in psychology and the history of psychology.
• basic techniques of psychological research methodology and the statistical analysis of data collected in psychological research.

Intellectual Skills able to:

• obtain, synthesise and critically evaluate information.
• interpret and evaluate psychological reports.
• analyse and interpret psychological data using a range of techniques.
• plan, conduct, analyse and report a substantial investigation.
• apply psychological principles and methodologies to seek the solution of problems.

Practical skills able to:

• use appropriate statistical packages to analyse data collected in psychological investigations.
• report investigations in conventional professional formats.
• use appropriate computer packages and other equipment for the control of psychological investigations.
• retrieve information from bibliographic sources.

Transferable skills able to:

          use information technology to present reports.

          use information technology to find relevant information.

          demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills

          design and prepare projects

          work independently or as part of a team developing skills of group participation.

          assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others.

          manage time effectively and work to deadlines.