PY0660 - Research Internship

On the research-based placement, you will be working within Northumbria University and will be required to liaise with a research supervisor to set out your roles and responsibilities while on the placement. These may include literature reviewing, preparing documents for ethical scrutiny, participant recruitment, data collection, data entry and analysis, preparing work for dissemination and dissemination of findings. You may also be required to undertake other relevant administration and lab-based work as agreed upon beginning the placement
Training is provided at the beginning of the module to develop a professional approach and skilled behaviour needed while attending an internship. Taught workshops will be used to facilitate your learning and professional development, covering topics such as i) self-reflection, ii) setting expectations and goals, iii) presentation skills; and iv) models and definitions of employability.

The module tutor will support you by making a variety of resources linked to the taught and experiential elements available on the e-learning portal (e.g. PowerPoint slides, handouts, reading lists, directed assessment related-activities). Technology enabled learning will be implemented through the use of Panopto lecture recording.

In-class discussion and formative presentations with peer and tutor feedback are used to facilitate reflection and discussion of your individual experiences as well as ensuring appropriate standards are achieved and maintained.

Your internship supervisor will also provide clear expectations for the internship through the learning contract, meet with you regularly to discuss progress and specific tasks, and provide formative feedback mid-way through the module in line with goals and objectives outlined in the learning contract.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MK1: You should identify personal and professional development in relation to your experience within the workplace in line with theories of personal and professional development, expressing this in visual and textual format (webpage)
• MK2: You should show understanding of how the skills you learn elsewhere in the degree can be useful when applied to research work

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MIP1: You will develop awareness of methodological and ethical issues in psychological research
• MIP2: You will take charge of your own career development learning, through critical self-evaluation and reflection on the relevance of the module for career enhancement and future learning.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MPV1: You will need to become an effective and fluent communicator, who can convey information in the most appropriate format and media

Formative Assessment
Formative assessments will comprise regular supervision and structured mid-module feedback from supervisors, in-class practice of designing visual presentations of employability skills (e.g., a poster, webpage, or infographic), and formative presentations about their values, attributes, skills and experience with opportunities for peer and tutor feedback, as well as group discussion of in-class activities (MK1; MK2; MIP1; MIP2; MPV12)

Summative Assessment
The first assessment involves designing webpages, that outline your internship and express the relevant skills you have developed. This is worth 90% of the module (MK1; MIP1; MPV1)
The second assessment is a self-reflective account in which you will be asked to consider how this module has impacted on your employability and future career (MIP2; MK2). This will be worth 10% of the module mark.

Feedback
For class activities, including formative presentations, peer and tutor feedback is provided through discussion in taught session.
You will receive written feedback and a mark for your assignments via Blackboard. You will be encouraged to arrange a tutorial with your personal guidance tutor for formal feedback on your reflection.

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This module gives you an employment opportunity in which you will gain at least 70 hours of experience, working as a research intern (or equivalent) in a psychology (or psychology-related) research department. The research-based placements will involve working within Northumbria University and fulfilling roles commensurate with a research assistant. These placements will involve working within a research team or lab which may focus on one of a range of disciplines within psychology.

The work placement provides you with the opportunity to practice experiential learning through reflection, critical analysis and continuous improvement. At the start of the module, you will develop a learning contract with your internship supervisor to set collaborative goals, objectives and outline your roles and responsibilities for the internship. Supervisors will also give structured mid-module feedback on your performance, and discussion based on this will also give you the opportunity to discuss your experience of the internship, your progress in line with the learning contract, and your progress towards fulfilling the required 70 hours of placement. You will be encouraged to keep reflective logs to record your experiences and professional development. Regular feedback on your reflections, formative presentations, and in-class discussion will be used to facilitate reflection and discussion of your individual experiences as well as ensuring you are able to maximise your professional development.