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2020/2021

Bachelor's Degree Final Project

Code: 102608 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2502443 Psychology OB 4 A
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Joel Feliu Samuel Lajeunesse
Email:
Joel.Feliu@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Alicia Peralta Serrano
Eva Penelo Werner
Estel Gelabert Arbiol

Prerequisites

This subject has no prerequisites, although its completion is recommended once the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bachelor's degree years have been passed, when the students enrol in the last 60 credits or less to finish the Degree.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The main goal is that students show that they have the capacity to establish relationships between different subjects of the degree. It has an eminently professional character. This implies that it must be an original work in which students develop their ability to address current psychological problems with the appropriate disciplinary methodologies.
The Bachelor’s Degree Final Project is carried out autonomously, based on a topic agreed with the teaching staff that will supervise its completion.

Competences

  • Actively participate in the formulation of social, professional and ethical rules in activities related to the profession.
  • Analyse scientific texts written in English.
  • Apply strategies and methods for direct intervention in contexts: construction of healthy scheme, etc.
  • Criticise the effects of personal practice on people, taking into account the complexity of human diversity.
  • Demonstrate a critical approach using constructive scepticism, creativity and an orientative attitude to research in professional activities.
  • Develop critical thought and reasoning and be able to communicate them effectively, both in your own language and second or third languages.
  • Diffuse knowledge derived from the results of the research and the products and services generated taking into account the social and personal repercussions that could derive from it.
  • Distinguish between the design of research, procedures and techniques to evaluate hypotheses, contrast them and interpret the results.
  • Generate innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  • Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
  • Make systematic reviews of the different documentary sources in psychology to collect, order and classify research data and materials.
  • Measure and obtain relevant data for evaluating interventions.
  • Prepare and write technical reports on the results of the evaluation, research or services requested.
  • Recognise and appreciate external assessment of personal actions.
  • Recognise personal limitations and limitations of the discipline in the different areas of professional practice.
  • Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
  • Recognise the epistemological foundations of the different research methods in psychology, their functions, characteristics and limitations.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Take decisions in a critical manner about the different research methods in psychology, their application and the interpretation of the results deriving from them.
  • Use adequate tools for communication.
  • Use computer programmes for data management and analysis.
  • Use different ICTs for different purposes.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Actively participate in the formulation of social, professional and ethical rules in activities related to the profession.
  2. Adequately reason the various phases involved in the application of the scientific method applied in the various fields of discipline.
  3. Analyse scientific texts written in English.
  4. Assess and contrast the models, theories, tools and best methods in each context of psychological intervention.
  5. Communicate one's own assessments in a critical and reasoned, respecting the rights of clients and recipients and conforming to the ethical rules of the profession of psychologist.
  6. Communicating psychological information (oral and written) in native language and in a foreign language.
  7. Conceptually plan a psychological discourse and transfer it to a written text with a technical and scientific format.
  8. Correctly interpret the results obtained as a result of using different strategies and research methods in psychology, generalize and link with other results available.
  9. Critically analyse the works of psychological research that are published.
  10. Critically analyse, organize and synthesize information from scientists and professionals from various fields of applied psychology, especially in clinical settings and health texts.
  11. Critically evaluate and argue the knowledge gained from the use of various scientific methodologies in psychology.
  12. Criticise the effects of personal practice on people, taking into account the complexity of human diversity.
  13. Demonstrate ability of persuasion, negotiation, empathy and assertiveness in communicating with other people, institutions, groups or organizations.
  14. Design and implement measuring instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies in any of the fields of application of psychology, especially in clinical and health settings.
  15. Design counselling programs for the implementation of community intervention policies.
  16. Design training programs for professionals in one of the areas applied discipline, especially in clinical settings and health.
  17. Develop critical thought and reasoning and be able to communicate them effectively, both in your own language and second or third languages.
  18. Evaluate and discuss both the work of others and your own, making properly argued judgments and critical assessments.
  19. Generate innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  20. Generate solutions to problems of interest in the different fields of psychology, especially in clinical and health settings, assessing the different theoretical and practical approaches that could be used for proper resolution and applying in each case the strategies that have accumulated the best scientific evidence.
  21. Identify and manage software management data common in psychology.
  22. Identify and properly handle fonts and more relevant data bases in psychology, using adequate access to information strategies.
  23. Identify key research designs applied in different areas of psychology as well as the procedures to formulate and test hypotheses, evaluating in each case the advantages and limitations of each method.
  24. Identify methodologies to establish and refute working hypotheses in the different fields of psychology, especially in clinical and health settings.
  25. Identify psychological problems, as well as on the main variables associated and context in which such behaviour/s or process/s take place, and show an interest in finding solving strategies.
  26. Implement strategies of psychological research, interpret the results obtained and contextualize them with the theoretical and conceptual framework.
  27. Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
  28. Make appropriate use of ICT as a tool for presenting and disseminating psychological knowledge.
  29. Plan and conduct systematic literature searches that will generate relevant documentary results.
  30. Plan and develop strategies for psychological and scientifically relevant results regarding the psychological hypotheses that arise.
  31. Plan and implement studies using different research methods and techniques for the accumulation of scientific evidence in psychology.
  32. Recognise and appreciate external assessment of personal actions.
  33. Recognise and assess the need for documental updating applied in various fields of discipline.
  34. Recognise personal limitations and limitations of the discipline in the different areas of professional practice.
  35. Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
  36. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  37. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  38. Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  39. Transfer and use psychological knowledge acquired.
  40. Understanding psychological texts written in a foreign language.
  41. Use adequate tools for communication.
  42. Use computer programmes for data management and analysis.
  43. Use different ICTs for different purposes.
  44. Use the concepts and scientific terminology of various theoretical and applied areas of psychology.
  45. Use the data obtained in the evaluation of interventions to draw conclusions to improve future interventions, especially in clinical and health settings.
  46. Use the theoretical knowledge and the most important developments of the forefront of the various fields of study of psychology to write, analyse and explain the behaviour (of individuals, groups, communities and organizations).
  47. Write scientific research reports in various fields applied to the discipline, especially in the clinical and health field, following the guidelines established by the professional standards committee for the international scientific community about what should be reported of an investigation, in which sequence and in what format.
  48. Write technical psychological reports for others (individuals, institutions, companies, services, etc.), assessing their relevance in terms of the final recipients and respecting the ethical commitment demanded by the diffusion of psychological knowledge.

Content

Generically, three types of Bachelor’s Degree Final Projects can be defined: (a) systematic review, (b) empirical research, (c) professional work or intervention project.
Theoretical work or systematic review: it is a work that provides an update on the state of the art around a topic in Psychology proposed by the teaching staff, following the guidelines of a systematic search.
Research: a work that arises from empirical research to answer some current and applied research questions in psychology proposed by the teaching staff.
Professional work or project of intervention: a work that advances a project to contribute to the improvement or enhancement of a given problem of any scope in psychology, based on the theoretical and empirical knowledge of the discipline.

Methodology

The Bachelor’s Degree Final Project course does not have direct teaching activities. That is why the virtual classroom is the space to exchange information between the coordination team and the student, in addition to being the space to submit the various different assessments that are set during the course. It is essential, therefore, that the student consults the virtual classroom periodically, as well as the email address associated with it, to guarantee that they receive all the necessary information to undertake an effective follow-up.

To undertake their Bachelor’s Degree Final Project, students will have to submit a request for their preferences in relation to the topics proposed by the faculty (which will supervise their work). The proposed topics represent the different optional subjects on the degree. After careful review, the faculty will assign the final bachelor's topic for each student.

The methodology of the undergraduate project is divided into monitored work, independent work, and evaluation activities.

The supervised activity consists of  two different formats: on the one hand, there are 6 hours of monitored sessions scheduled from the start (divided into 4 sessions), and which should be carried out by all students who are undertaking the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project; On the other hand, the student can apply for up to 6 hours more of follow up tutorials, which will be agreed upon between the student and the Supervising teachers. The supervisory sessions programmed are training in nature and in some cases will also be assessed, since they must serve to assess the competences corresponding to the task.
Three different stages can be distinguished in the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project in Psychology: an initiation stage during which the work is specified and  proposed (workload of approximately 25 hours of student work), a development stage of the work (workload of approximately 75 hours), and an end and closing stage culminating in the presentation of a report and the public defence of the final work (workload of approximately 50 hours).

The six attendance-based sessions will be divided into three stages. During the first compulsory session (S1, on the 2nd week of the first semester), the coordinating team of the course will present detailed information to all students about the specific Bachelor’s Degree Final Project procedures, as well as the schedule of the main milestones to provide the student with an overview of the course. The second compulsory session (S2, to be held approximately in weeks 5 and 7 of the first semester), corresponds to the supervising faculty, and should serve to establish the specific objective of the work, and the follow-up methodology. The third compulsory supervisory point (S3, approximately in weeks 11 and 13 of the first semester) will serve to evaluate the progression of the project, and will therefore have an assessment character as well being training. At the fourth compulsory supervisory point (S4, approximately between weeks 2 and 3 of the second semester), the progress/development of the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project will be evaluated in order to determine which state the project is in and help with the last stage to prepare the final assessment assignment to be submitted.

The final assessment will include a fifth compulsory session of final supervision of the work done (S5, approximately between weeks 10 and 11 of the second semester), the writing of an executive summary aimed at non-experts on the subject and a press release for dissemination, all of them compulsory assessments. Finally, in the sixth compulsory session, students must undertake an oral presentation of their Bachelor’s Degree Final Project in a joint session with other students who will have worked in related subjects (S6, during Week 15 of the second semester).

Each type of Bachelor’s Degree Final Project will require that the student develops and applies a series of specific and transversal competences, among all those that are part of this subject, which will be reflected in some 30 learning outcomes to be evaluated during their execution, and which will be communicated to the student at the start of the academic year.

N.B. The proposed teaching and assessment methodologies may experience some modifications as a result of the restrictions on face-to-face learning imposed by the health authorities. The teaching staff will use the Moodle classroom or the usual communication channel to specify whether the different formation and assessment activities are to be carried out on site or online, as instructed by the Faculty.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Supervised      
Non scheduled supervision 6 0.24 42, 27, 7, 47, 48, 44, 4
Presentation 1.4 0.06 37
Scheduled supervision 6 0.24 26, 18, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 25, 8, 31, 30, 2, 35, 32, 34, 44, 45
Type: Autonomous      
Autonomous work 134.1 5.36 3, 26, 5, 12, 13, 17, 14, 15, 16, 28, 46, 42, 9, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 8, 27, 1, 7, 31, 30, 38, 36, 2, 35, 34, 47, 48, 39, 44, 45, 43, 41, 11, 4

Assessment

Five assessments are programmed: the first three corresponding to the project stage and the last two to the diffusion of the work done. All assessment documents must be handed in through the virtual classroom.

Assessment 1a (Project) and S3: The students must submit a written assessment on the project they wish to undertake, answering questions from the supervisory faculty. Weight of 15% in overall assessment. QD1: weeks 11-13

Assessment 1b (development) and S4: The students must submit a written assessment on the introduction and methodology of their work, and answer the questions of the supervisory faculty in relation to the development of the work and the planning of the results. Weight of 20% in overall final assessment. QD2: weeks 2-3

Assessment 1c (final report) and S5: The students must submit a written assessment in the form of  the final report and answer questions from the supervisory faculty. Weight of 30% in overall final assessment. QD2: weeks 10-11

Assessments 2a and 2b (executive summary and press release): The students must submit the written assessment of the executive report and the press release that will be evaluated by a member of the faculty (who must not be in any case the person who has supervised the work). In general, these assessments have a weight in the final score of 15% (10% for the executive report, and 5% for the press release). QD2: week 13

Assessments 2c and 2d (S6: oral presentation and peer-assessment): Students will have to do a 5-15 minute oral presentation of their work (depending on the format), using audio-visual support, a poster or another format (in this last case, it should be approved by supervisory faculty and/or the coordinating team), the file must also be submitted via the virtual classroom. This assessment will be evaluated by the same person as assessments 2a and 2b, and will have a weight of 20% in the final grade. In this presentation, the student must also evaluate otherclassmates that present in the same session, following the same guidelines as the teaching staff evaluator. Peer assessment must be submitted via the virtual classroom after the session and although this 2nd assessment does not directly affect the final grade, failure to submit peer assessments will result in a half point penalty of the total grade. QD2: weeks 15-16

In order to pass the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project, students must:

a) Undertake the four follow-up sessions with the supervising faculty in person (except exchange students, who could do it virtually), one in each of the four stages programmed (S2, S3, S4 and S5).

b) Obtain at least 3.25 points (of the 6.5 possible) on the project (assessments 1a, 1b and 1c)

c) Undertake the presentation corresponding to assessment 2c (S6) and submit, by the set deadlines and via the virtual classroom, the documents corresponding to all mandatory assessments (1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b and 2c)

d) Obtain a final grade of 5.0 points or more in the total of all assessments

e) In the event of any breach of these requirements, the overall mark that will be stated will be a maximum of 4 points.

The assessment is designed to show whether the student proves certain competences at different times of the process, it is understood that it is important to determine the state of these competences at those specific moments when they are assessed. The final grade is obtained by the sum of the scores reached over time and it is representative of the achievements at each moment, it is understood that the moment to demonstrate each achievement is not indifferent, and that each one has its moment.

Re-assessment is continuous and is included within the development of the course. It is not contemplated at the end of the course.

Students who have submitted assessments with a weight equal to or greater than 4 points (40%) cannot be classified on file as "non-evaluable".

EV2a and Ev2b must be undertaken and submitted individually (I), regardless of whether the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project is undertaken in pairs (P). Not doing so implies a penalty in the grading for these assessments.

Ev2d must be undertaken and submitted individually, regardless of whether the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project is undertaken in pairs. Not doing so implies that it will be considered as not submitted, and the final mark will have a - 5% penalty.

Link to the guidelines of assessment of the Faculty of Psychology 2019-20 (approved in Permanent Board of 06.05.2019): https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Assessment 1a: Project 15% 0 0 3, 40, 19, 23, 22, 21, 24, 25, 27, 31, 30, 29, 38, 36, 33
Assessment 1b: Development 20% 0 0 26, 42, 9, 21, 8, 7, 31, 38, 36, 2, 35, 32, 44, 11
Assessment 1c: Final report 30% 0 0 10, 26, 18, 6, 12, 17, 14, 15, 16, 46, 9, 19, 20, 25, 8, 7, 38, 36, 32, 34, 47, 48, 44, 45, 11, 4
Assessments 2a and 2b: Written communication 15% 0 0 5, 17, 15, 16, 46, 1, 38, 37, 35, 48, 39, 41
Assessments 2c and 2d: Oral presentation 20% 2.5 0.1 18, 6, 5, 13, 17, 15, 28, 9, 38, 37, 32, 39, 44, 43, 41

Bibliography

Textbook:

Equip coordinador del TFG de la Facultat de Psicologia (2019). Manual del Treball de Fi de Grau (TFG) de la Facultat de Psicologia. Grau de Psicologia i de Logopèdia (UAB). Document accessible a l'aula virtual de l'assignatura i al web de la facultat. 

 

General readings:

APA (American Psychological Association). (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) [4ª reimpressió]. Washington, DC: Autor.

Bassi Follari, Javier Ernesto (2016). La escritura académica: 30 errores habituales y cómo abordarlos. Quaderns de Psicologia, 18(1), 119-142. http://dx.doi.org/10.5565/rev/qpsicologia.1342 

Bassi Follari, Javier Ernesto (2017). La escritura académica: 14 recomendaciones prácticas. Athenea Digital 17(2): 95-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.5565/rev/athenea.1986 

Clanchy, John i Ballard, Brigid (1992). Cómo se hace un trabajo académico. Guía práctica para estudiantes universitarios. Zaragoza: Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza.

Creme, Phyllis i Lea, Mary (2003). Writing at University: A Guide for Students. Maidenhead, Berks: Open University Press.

Dintel, Felipe (2003). Cómo se elabora un texto. Todos los pasos para expresarse por escrito con claridad y precisión. Barcelona: Alba Editorial, 2ª ed.

Ferrer, Virginia, Carmona, Moisés i Soria, Vanessa (Eds.) (2013). El Trabajo de Fin de Grado. Guía para estudiantes, docentes y agentes colaboradores. Madrid: McGraw Hill.

Golanó, Conxita i Flores-Guerrero, Rordrigo (2002). Aprender a redactar documentos empresariales. Barcelona: Paidos.

Román, Arquimedes (1992). Informes para tomar decisiones. Madrid: Deusto.

Sancho, Jordi (2014). Com escriure i presentar el millor treball acadèmic. Barcelona: Eumo.

Sarafini, María Teresa (2007). Cómo se escribe. Barcelona: Piadós.

Walker, Melissa (2000). Cómo escribir trabajos de investigación. Barcelona: Gedisa.

 

Links to develop linguistic, communicative and writing competences:

http://www.upc.edu/slt/comcomunicar/

http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/

http://comunicaciencia.unirioja.es/

http://www2.udg.edu/biblioteca/Comcitardocuments/tabid/23146/language/ca-ES/Default.aspx

http://www.uab.cat/doc/llenguatge