More opportunities are on the horizon as Faculty announces new degrees

As the current academic year draws to a close, the Faculty of Health and Society ushers in a raft of new degrees, post-graduate courses and announces existing programmes that have been reviewed, approved and appraised.

Spear-heading the changes are the University’s revalidated Psychology programme, following the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) first visit to the University’s new home at Waterside.

The BPS made particular note of the University’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in student recruitment, the programme team’s approach to providing students with work-based learning opportunities and the successful delivery of active blended learning.*

The outcome of their visit, in which the BPS toured the facilities available to psychology students and interviewed them and members of the psychology team, confirmed the ongoing accreditation of the undergraduate programmes here and accreditation of the new MSc Psychology (Conversion).

The BPS’ visit came ahead of successful reviews from other national accreditation bodies about a number of new courses offered across the faculty, which broaden out the current course offering for sport, life and social sciences:

• Advanced Clinical Practice, MSc/PG Dip/PGCert/Top-up
• Advancing Clinical Practice, MSc/PG Dip/PGCert/Top-up
• Biomedical Science, BSc
• Molecular Bioscience, MSc with named pathways in Molecular Medicine and Genetics and Genomics
• Public Sociology, MSc
• Sport Coaching, BSc
• Sport Rehabilitation and Conditioning, BSc
• Sport Sciences, MSc & MA with pathways in: Sport Science, Sport Management and Sport Media & Digital Marketing.

Student Akelia Moxam-Black is already excited about the new MSc in Public Sociology: “I would definitely consider studying the MSc here. The lecturers within the Sociology department are exceptional and you easily feel their love and passion for the subject.

“This particular master’s programme is interesting because it gives a much deeper understanding into a specific area of sociology, explored in greater detail during the undergraduate degree.”

Dr Peter Jones, Subject Lead for Sport and Exercise Life Sciences and Psychology, added: “It’s been a busy but fruitful year and we are pleased to officially make this announcement. To see the sterling work of the teams here in the Faculty reflected in such positive comments from respected, national organisations is very gratifying.

“Since I started as subject lead in 2017, I’ve wanted to increase the postgraduate offer in the faculty and open out the undergraduate provision to focus on more specialised and exciting areas in healthcare and science – for instance creating entirely new degrees in life and sport and exercise science – and fully utilise the new facilities at Waterside.

“With these new degrees we are in a great position to welcome many more future students and are looking forward to talking more about these programmes at our Open Days during the summer.”

*Active Blended Learning (ABL) programmes are taught through student-centred activities that support the development of subject knowledge and understanding, independent learning and digital fluency. Face-to-face teaching is facilitated in a practical and collaborative manner, clearly linked to learning activity outside the classroom. Opportunities are provided for students to develop autonomy, Changemaker attributes and employability skills.