MSc — 2025 entry Environmental Psychology

This module provides students with an advanced understanding of current theories and conceptualisations of social change and influence, including facilitators of and constraints on change. It offers a critical engagement with these theories and an application of them to a range of social issues that are a focus of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. The applied aspect includes a consideration of the value of psychological conceptualisations of social change and influence for policy making, public health, and equality. This core module will allow students to build knowledge and skills that will prepare students for the rest of the programme and the optional modules

This level 7 module introduces students to the principles and practices of qualitative research. It provides students with the requisite knowledge and skills to undertake, critically evaluate, and write up a small qualitative research project. Students will be introduced to a range of methods of qualitative data collection and analytic procedures and gain insight into the application of qualitative methods through practical group work. Students will be encouraged to participate actively and think critically about the principles, methods and procedures that we will discuss. In terms of the students’ learning journey, the module will equip them to undertake a qualitative project for their dissertation should they choose to do so. The module is designed to introduce students who have little or no experience of qualitative research to the principles and practices of this approach.  It also meets the needs of those who already have some experience in this area, by enabling these students to build on, refine, and extend their existing knowledge through the provision of advanced material on Surrey Learn in the form of captured content relating to additional methods of analysing qualitative data.  These students will also be encouraged to extend their practical knowledge and experience by selecting an analytic procedure that they have not previously used to analyse the data for their group project. Through conducting a small group project students will be given the opportunity to gain experience in conducting qualitative research and in applying the principles and practices covered in the lectures. The module provides students with an opportunity to learn about the interpersonal skills required to conduct a good research interview and those needed to successfully conduct and manage a group project. Students are also encouraged to develop their personal reflective skills to enhance their understanding of how their own cultural background, social identity, gender, previous experiences, and prior knowledge can shape data collection and analysis, as well as individual sense-making.

The module introduces students to some of the key questions which currently guide research and practice in environmental psychology. The module addresses issues around architectural psychology as well as global and local environmental problems facing our world today. It provides an insight into the psychology of environment-behaviour issues focusing on built (residential, work and public) and natural environments. The main focus of the module will be to provide an insight into the research and theory development to date and to familiarise students with the practical and multidisciplinary nature of the field. By the end of the module students should have an advanced understanding of the nature and scope of some of the principal theoretical and methodological developments in this area of research and an understanding of the application of psychological theory and concepts to an important area of everyday life.

This course is a lab-based/practical course intended to get students to use the freely available Jamovi software for data analysis and to understand what they are doing when they use it.

This module introduces students to psychological perspectives on understanding and addressing environmental and sustainability challenges. The module provides an overview of theoretical formulations and research evidence related to 1) people’s understandings and perceptions of environmental risks, 2) environmental and materialistic values, 3) environment and wellbeing, and 4) pro-environmental behaviour change. The module is based on the research-practitioner model and aims to enable students to develop an understanding of how psychological research can help tackle environmental challenges by drawing on empirical research evidence. By the end of the module students should have an advanced understanding of some of the principles and theoretical and methodological developments in the area, and understand the value of this knowledge for helping to tackle environmental challenges.

This module builds on the knowledge gained in semester 1 module PSYM137 by addressing further key topics and concepts in Environmental Psychology research. This time the concepts are grounded within architecture and planning, thus practical implications and the application of the research will also be discussed. This will extend your practical understanding of how people's cognitions, emotions, and planned behaviours influence how they interact with built environments and simultaneously why these responses may occur due to different architectural designs and urban planning systems. Students will have the opportunity to incorporate information learnt from semester 1 and 2 methodology modules to help evaluate built environments. Overall, through providing students with conceptual underpinnings that inform their research and practice approaches, the module enables students to apply their knowledge to assess and design better places for people and the planet, thereby enhancing their employability. Each week a different topic or concept is discussed (e.g. affordances, privacy) or specific behaviours in certain conditions or environments are examined (e.g. crime and the environment). Indeed theoretical concepts and behaviours are explored across a range of environments including residential environments, work environments, hospitals, and public spaces, with research and examples from across the globe to enhance cultural capabilities. In class activities and discussions, along with the workshop offer a practical component to examining the issues presented in class lectures and suggested reading.

The module introduces students to some of the key questions which currently guide research and practice in environmental psychology. The module addresses issues around architectural psychology as well as global and local environmental problems facing our world today. It provides an insight into the psychology of environment-behaviour issues focusing on built (residential, work and public) and natural environments. The main focus of the module will be to provide an insight into the research and theory development to date and to familiarise students with the practical and multidisciplinary nature of the field. By the end of the module students should have an advanced understanding of the nature and scope of some of the principal theoretical and methodological developments in this area of research and an understanding of the application of psychological theory and concepts to an important area of everyday life.

This course is a lab-based/practical course intended to get students to use the freely available Jamovi software for data analysis and to understand what they are doing when they use it.

This module builds on the knowledge gained in semester 1 module PSYM137 by addressing further key topics and concepts in Environmental Psychology research. This time the concepts are grounded within architecture and planning, thus practical implications and the application of the research will also be discussed. This will extend your practical understanding of how people's cognitions, emotions, and planned behaviours influence how they interact with built environments and simultaneously why these responses may occur due to different architectural designs and urban planning systems. Students will have the opportunity to incorporate information learnt from semester 1 and 2 methodology modules to help evaluate built environments. Overall, through providing students with conceptual underpinnings that inform their research and practice approaches, the module enables students to apply their knowledge to assess and design better places for people and the planet, thereby enhancing their employability. Each week a different topic or concept is discussed (e.g. affordances, privacy) or specific behaviours in certain conditions or environments are examined (e.g. crime and the environment). Indeed theoretical concepts and behaviours are explored across a range of environments including residential environments, work environments, hospitals, and public spaces, with research and examples from across the globe to enhance cultural capabilities. In class activities and discussions, along with the workshop offer a practical component to examining the issues presented in class lectures and suggested reading.

This module provides students with an advanced understanding of current theories and conceptualisations of social change and influence, including facilitators of and constraints on change. It offers a critical engagement with these theories and an application of them to a range of social issues that are a focus of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. The applied aspect includes a consideration of the value of psychological conceptualisations of social change and influence for policy making, public health, and equality. This core module will allow students to build knowledge and skills that will prepare students for the rest of the programme and the optional modules

This level 7 module introduces students to the principles and practices of qualitative research. It provides students with the requisite knowledge and skills to undertake, critically evaluate, and write up a small qualitative research project. Students will be introduced to a range of methods of qualitative data collection and analytic procedures and gain insight into the application of qualitative methods through practical group work. Students will be encouraged to participate actively and think critically about the principles, methods and procedures that we will discuss. In terms of the students’ learning journey, the module will equip them to undertake a qualitative project for their dissertation should they choose to do so. The module is designed to introduce students who have little or no experience of qualitative research to the principles and practices of this approach.  It also meets the needs of those who already have some experience in this area, by enabling these students to build on, refine, and extend their existing knowledge through the provision of advanced material on Surrey Learn in the form of captured content relating to additional methods of analysing qualitative data.  These students will also be encouraged to extend their practical knowledge and experience by selecting an analytic procedure that they have not previously used to analyse the data for their group project. Through conducting a small group project students will be given the opportunity to gain experience in conducting qualitative research and in applying the principles and practices covered in the lectures. The module provides students with an opportunity to learn about the interpersonal skills required to conduct a good research interview and those needed to successfully conduct and manage a group project. Students are also encouraged to develop their personal reflective skills to enhance their understanding of how their own cultural background, social identity, gender, previous experiences, and prior knowledge can shape data collection and analysis, as well as individual sense-making.

This module introduces students to psychological perspectives on understanding and addressing environmental and sustainability challenges. The module provides an overview of theoretical formulations and research evidence related to 1) people’s understandings and perceptions of environmental risks, 2) environmental and materialistic values, 3) environment and wellbeing, and 4) pro-environmental behaviour change. The module is based on the research-practitioner model and aims to enable students to develop an understanding of how psychological research can help tackle environmental challenges by drawing on empirical research evidence. By the end of the module students should have an advanced understanding of some of the principles and theoretical and methodological developments in the area, and understand the value of this knowledge for helping to tackle environmental challenges.