Key facts

UNE unit code: PSYC403H

*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.

Start
  • Year Long Honours - Period 1 - On Campus
  • Year Long Honours - Period 1 - Online
Campus
  • Armidale Campus
24/7 online support
  • Yes
Intensive schools
  • Yes
Supervised exam
  • No
Credit points
  • 24

Unit information

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Expand your capacity for independent thought and critical analysis as you conduct an in-depth research project into a specific topic in psychology.

This unit comprises the research component of the Honours in Psychology: Neuroscience program and is worth 50% of your final Honours mark.

Under the supervision of an academic staff member, you will prepare a research proposal, literature review, data analysis and a thesis in neuroscience.

Most of your learning and supervision in this unit will be online, whichever study mode you choose, with lectures, seminars and activities contained in a mandatory intensive school.

Offerings

For further information about UNE's teaching periods, please go to Principal Dates.

Teaching period
Mode/location
Year Long Honours - Period 1On Campus, Armidale Campus
Year Long Honours - Period 1Online

*Offering is subject to availability

Intensive schools

StartFinishDurationAttendanceOfferingsNotes
TBATBA1 dayMandatory Intensive SchoolAll offeringsDate to be advised. A 1 day intensive school will be held online for poster presentations. A space will be available on campus for students who would prefer to present in person.
TBATBA3 daysMandatory Intensive SchoolAll offeringsA 3 day Intensive School will be held online in conjunction with PSYC402H. It is mandatory that online and on-campus students attend this Intensive School.

Enrolment rules

Co-requisites
PSYC421 and PSYC422 and PSYC423 and PSYC424
Restrictions
PSYC410 and PSYC402H

Notes

This unit comprises the research component of UNE's APAC-accredited Psychology Honours program and is worth 50% of the overall Honours grade. Only students who have received a letter of offer into Honours in Psychology may enrol in the unit. BPsych (Hons) students enrol in this unit when commencing their honours component. The difference between ON and OL enrolment is face-to-face access to your supervisor and on-campus resources.

Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.

Unit coordinator(s)

profile photo of Belinda Flannery
Belinda FlanneryLecturer in Psychology - Faculty of Medicine and Health; School of Psychology

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. apply appropriate levels of autonomy and judgement in the demonstration of skills and knowledge relating to the planning and execution of psychological research, including the formulation of research questions, the analysis of data to test the research question, the interpretation of the findings, and the writing of a research report in journal article format;
  2. demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge on a specialised topic in psychology, including depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts, using a scientific approach;
  3. demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in critically analysing, reflecting on and synthesising complex information, problems, concepts and theories within the topic area;
  4. demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in study design and research methodology, data analysis, and the interpretation and reporting of research findings;
  5. demonstrate effective communication by presenting the results of such work in a professional, scientific manner using APA style;
  6. demonstrate knowledge and skills applicable to a professional career in this field, including the ability to work collaboratively with academic staff; and
  7. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of ethics in conducting research.

Assessment information

Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

TitleMust CompleteWeightOfferingsAssessment Notes
Assessment 1Yes All offerings

The Research Proposal is assessed as satisfied/not satisfied requirements. Is is mandatory to satisfy this requirement in order to pass this unit.

No. Words: 1000

Assessment 2Yes All offerings

Ethics application/study registration is assessed as satisfied/not satisfied requirements. It is mandatory to satisfy this requirement in order to pass this unit.

No. Words: 1500-2000

Assessment 3Yes15%All offerings

Poster Presentation. It is mandatory to pass this assessment in order to pass this unit.

No. Words: 1000

Assessment 4 - Assurance TaskYes85%All offerings

The Research Thesis is to be submitted in the form of a research report in journal article format. It is mandatory to pass this assessment in order to pass this unit.

No. Words: 6000

Learning resources

Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

ISBN: 9781433832161

American Psychological Assocation, APA 7th ed. 2019

Note: An eBook is available through VitalSource in two formats (1 year or lifetime). eBook ISBN: 9781433832185, 1433832186.

Text refers to: All offerings

Note: Recommended material may be held in the University Library — purchase is optional.

See Note

Note: Students may require access to SPSS for their data analysis. Either the Statistics Standard Grad Pack or the Statistics Premium Grad Pack version of SPSS will be appropriate (i.e., do not purchase just the Base version). It is suggested that this purchase is made from Hearne Software.

Text refers to: All offerings

SPSS Statistics: A Practical Guide

ISBN: 9780170460163

Allen, P. and Bennett, K., and Heritage, B., , Cengage Learning 5th ed. 2023

Note: An eBook is also available (ISBN:9780170295093)

Text refers to: All offerings

Discovering Statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics

ISBN: 9781529630008

Field, A., Sage Publications 6th ed. 2024

Text refers to: All offerings

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