Department of Psychology

Programme

The Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Social Sciences offers a four-year programme leading to the bachelor degree of Social Sciences in PSYCHOLOGY. The BSS in Psychology is a dynamic programme that is nationally competitive and of international standard, and focuses on developing a good research base, critical knowledge application and flexible skills development.

→Study Plan for Students Admitted in or after 2017/2018 (SB7, SB8 & SB9)
→Course Catalog
→GE Model for students Admitted from 2017
→SSM’s Psychological Registration Requirements

Intended Programme Learning Outcomes

Psychology aims at understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms of human behavior and individual differences. Our Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology programme covers wide ranging psychology knowledge domains － from foundations such as memory and cognitions, learning, social cognition and group processes, neuropsychological processes, evolutionary and cultural foundations, sensation and perception, experimental psychology, psychological testing, psychological disorder, creativity and intelligence and personality theories to applied topics such as organizational psychology, consumer behaviors, health psychology, gambling disorder and substance abuse, human factors, and clinical psychology. On top of providing solid psychological knowledge foundations, our programme also trains students with method of scientific inquiry and critical thinking and communication skills relevant to students’ career and professional development.

Objectives

The BSS Psychology programme is designed to achieve the following objectives:

1. To provide high quality academic education and training opportunities in the field of psychology so that graduates will have an excellent background for careers in human resource management, management in tourism or other business, marketing, sales, public relations, financial management, counselling, social work, law enforcement and education.

2. To offer an international standard training in psychology that will enable graduates for postgraduate training locally, in China, or in other countries.

3. To disseminate research findings to academics, policy makers and concerned professionals or organizations and citizens.

Unique Features

One of our unique features is to maximize students’ flexibility of choice in psychology courses and courses in other relevant disciplines. To provide a broad exposure to different areas in psychology and other disciplines, our programme allows for:

– 66 credit units in psychology courses;
– 15 credit units in Languages and Skills;
– 3 credit units in Community and Peer Education;
– 24 credit units in General Education;
– 12 credit units of free elective courses.

The proposed programme of compulsory psychology courses is designed to establish a solid and sufficient knowledge in psychology among graduates who might either pursue their career in psychology or go on to further postgraduate training anywhere in the world. The programme offers compulsory courses such as: General Psychology, Psychology Statistics, Developmental Psychology, Sensation and Perception, Personality Psychology, Human Learning and Cognition, Social Psychology, as well as Abnormal Psychology, Physiological Psychology, Psychology of Testing, Clinical Psychology, and Research Project..

There are also several elective courses such as: Cultural Psychology, Psychology of Addiction, Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology of Leadership, Consumer Psychology, Psychology of Learning and Motivation, Cognitive Development, as well as Organizational Psychology, Great Ideas in Psychology, Evolution, Human Nature and Behaviour, Intelligence and Creativity, Social Cognition, etc.

Degree Structure

The BSS in Psychology is offered by the Department of Psychology Programme in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Students are required to complete all the 120 credits in four years. Courses specified in the programme are designated as: (A) Compulsory Courses; (B) Required Elective Courses; (C) General Education Courses; (D) Languages and Skills, (E) Community and Peer Education, and (F) Free Elective Courses.

The structure is divided into ten groups over four academic years:

*Languages and Skills (15 credits)

Students who test out of some or all of the Languages and Skills course(s) are required to make up the credits by taking additional Free Elective(s).

English language (0-9 credits)
EELC1001 / EELC110 Interactive English I (3 credits)
EELC1002 / EELC120 Interactive English II (3 credits)
EELC1003 / EELC130 Academic English (3 credits)

Chinese or Portuguese language (0-3 credits)
CHLL1000 / CHNB100 University Chinese (3 credits)
PORT1000 / PORT113 Portuguese Language I – Introductory Portuguese (3 credits)

Information technology (0-3 credits)
CISC1000 / CISB113 Information Technology Fundamentals and Practices (3 credits)

*Community and Peer Education (3 credits)

CPED1000 / CPED100 Residential College Experiential Learning (1 credit)
CPED1001 / CPED101 Physical Education I (0.5 credit)
CPED1002 / CPED102 Physical Education II (0.5 credit)
CPED2000 / CPED200 Communication Skills and Leadership (1 credit) (for year 2 or above students)

*2017/2018 GE Model (24 credits)

Additonal GE credits cannot be counted towards other course types.

4 GE areas:
– Global Awareness
Compulsory GE course: GEGA1000 / GEGA001 Macao and Chinese Civilization(offered by DHIST)

– Literature and Humanities
Compulsory GE course: GELH1000 / GELH001 Chinese Language and Culture (offered by DCH&PHIL)

– Science and Technology
Compulsory GE course: GEST1002 / GEST002 Quantitative Reasoning for Social Sciences (offered by FAH)

– Society and Behaviour
Compulsory GE course: Ethics, Values, Law and Society
1. GESB1001 / GESB001 – FBA-MMI – Applied Ethics (1 credit)
2. GESB1002 / GESB002 – FAH-PHIL – Foundations of Moral Values (1 credit)
3. GESB1003 / GESB003 – FLL – Law and Society (1 credit)

Admissions

Admissions to the psychology major programme are done in accordance with the University Admission Regulations. Applications through the Admission Examination will be required to excel in English and Mathematics in order to gain access to the programme.

Medium of Instruction

All psychology courses are taught in English.

Graduation

Complete a minimum of 120 credits; and pass all Compulsory courses/Required Elective courses with a minimum GPA of 2.0.