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Undergraduate Third Year Courses

Pre-requisite courses: Psychology II (PSYC2020/2021). In order to major in Psychology or Organisational Psychology you need to complete Psychological Research Design and Analysis IIA (PSYC2005/2012), either in the second or third year of study.

Students are required to choose four of these modules, leading to either a Psychology or an Organisational Psychology Major(*), depending on the specific modules selected. The following modules are offered at third year level:

Abnormal Psychology III (PSYC3001/3024)
Child and Adolescent Psychology III (PSYC3018)
Cognitive Neuropsychology III (PSYC3013/3028)Cognitive Studies III (PSYC3014)
Community Psychology III (PSYC3016)
Critical Social Psychology III (PSYC3019)Employee Wellbeing III (PSYC3021/3030)
Employment Relations III (PSYC3022)
Health Psychology III (PSYC3015)Organisational Behaviour III (PSYC3020)
Organisational Effectiveness III (PSYC3023/3031)  
Psychotherapeutic Interventions III (PSYC3017) 

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY III (PSYC3001/3024)
This course introduces three main themes: the nature of abnormality and the criteria for identifying abnormal functioning according to the DSM-IV-TR (2014) and the DSM-V (2015 and beyond); historical and current approaches to abnormality; as well as specific forms of abnormality, their symptoms, causes and interventions for their treatment.

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY III (PART TIME - PSYC3024)
Abnormal Psychology III is also offered part-time through WitsPlus.

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY III (PSYC3018)
Child and adolescent psychology will provide students with a basic knowledge of: a) the key social, emotional and physical developmental trends during childhood and adolescence, b) the psychosocial challenges of childhood and adolescence in contemporary society, including family life and education, c) abnormality and pathology in children, and d) interventions appropriate to children and adolescents. All topics will be explored with special reference to the South African context.

COGNITIVE NEUROPSYCHOLOGY III (PSYC3013/3028)
This module deals with the relationship between brain and cognition, emotion and behaviour. This relationship will be considered from an interdisciplinary perspective. The course aims to provide an overview of the area of cognitive neuropsychology with an emphasis on structure, function and pathology. The course includes a revision and extension of neuroanatomy and neural development.  A brief overview of theory, the role of the neuropsychologist and the assessment process will be covered, including psychometric testing.  The emphasis will be on the neurocognitive consequences of brain disorders. Topics chosen have particular relevance for the Neuropsychologist in South Africa.

COGNITIVE NEUROPSYCHOLOGY III (PART TIME - PSYC3028)
Cognitive Neuropsychology III is also offered part-time through WitsPlus.

COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY III (PSYC3016)
This module provides a critical introduction to the concepts, methods and applications of Community Psychology. It explores the various theoretical frameworks used to understand the interdependence of human behaviour and the different contexts in which such behaviour occurs. The different paradigms and methods of research used in community settings are considered, and the different critical roles of the community psychologist in community development are examined with reference to both research and practice.

CRITICAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY III (PSYC3019)
The overriding aim of the Critical Social Psychology module is to introduce students to the more critical approaches to social psychology. Consequently, the general content of the course will include alternative approaches to the study of social psychological phenomena, including feminist, Foucauldian and postcolonial approaches. The course content will include issues generally not covered in mainstream psychology, such as space, discourse, ideology, media, racism, sexism, xenophobia, whiteness, masculinity, genocide, prejudice and discrimination.

EMPLOYEE WELLBEING III (PSYC3021/3030)* 
This module will cover key theories and approaches that address issues relating to employee well-being. The types of topics typically covered in the course include work stress and its impact on the individual and the organisation; job satisfaction; career development/individual development within the work context; workplace safety and health; and work-family conflict and balance.

EMPLOYEE WELLBEING III (PART TIME - PSYC3030)
Employee Wellbeing III is also offered part-time through WitsPlus. 

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY III (PSYC3015)
Health Psychology is a relatively new and fast growing field in Psychology. This module aims to give the students an introduction to the field of Health Psychology, to expose them to the debates surrounding the complex relationships between mind and body, and to expose them to areas in which Health Psychology has made a major contribution to the study and treatment of illness, the prevention, early intervention in, and management of chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDs, Diabetes, Stroke, Cancer, Chronic pain, Stress, and so on. Theories and intervention strategies will be examined, with a focus on the importance of changing behaviours, and the potential input of psychologists at a community, clinical and policy level.

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR III (PSYC3020)* 
This module considers some of the core concepts concerned with the behaviour of people in organisations including topics such as approaches to organisations, work motivation, leadership, organisational change and development and organisational culture. This module will also cover certain core psychological concepts concerned with the dynamics between people and organisations including employee needs, employee attitudes and employee values.

ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS III (PSYC3023/3031)*
This module looks at the human-organisation interactions important in understanding effective organisational functioning. This module will therefore look at the issues of work, defining the work environment and the organisational environment. The module will also look at important components of the person-environment fit (including job analysis, recruitment, selection, job design and the impact of alternative work schedules), human performance appraisal systems and their consequences (e.g. training and development), and human-machine interactions (including human-machine systems and the socio-technical environment).

ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS III (PART TIME - PSYC3031)
Organisational Effectiveness III is also offered part-time through WitsPlus. 

* All four of these modules constitute an Organisational Psychology Major

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