Program Overview

Bachelor’s Thesis Clinical Developmental Psychology

Overview

The Bachelor's Thesis Clinical Developmental Psychology is a 12 EC course that is part of the Bachelor's Psychology program. The language of instruction is English, and the course is offered in both semesters.

Entry Requirements

• 60 EC from the first-year Psychology curriculum, including Research Participation
• Scientific and Statistical Reasoning (7202A701XY)
• Practical Training: Psychological Research (7202A704)
• ≥ 18 EC of the course package Clinical Development Psychology and the first part of Evidence-based Clinical Practice: Research Methods

Objectives

After completing the Bachelor's thesis, students will be able to:

• Assess the research literature on a psychological subject and select the most important publications
• Paraphrase the content of the selected publications
• Analyse the academic argumentation applied in the selected publications and evaluate it in broad outline
• Indicate the current state of affairs within a research area
• Indicate why the research question is important
• Set up and conduct an empirical study as part of a group and under supervision
• Evaluate academic argumentation in the selected publications in broad outline
• Analyse the data independently
• Reflect on the ethical aspects of the study
• Broadly evaluate the results within the research field
• Write and format an empirical research article in APA style
• Orally present the conducted research to peers

Contents

In groups, students will conduct an empirical study and individually write a report about it in the form of a research article. The research subject will be provided by a supervisor.

Activities

Activities that will be done individually are:

• Conducting a literature review
• Compiling an analysis plan
• Analysing, interpreting, and evaluating the data obtained
• Writing a research report
• Giving an oral presentation on the research conducted
• Providing feedback on fellow students' presentations

Activities that will be done in groups are:

• Designing, implementing, and conducting an empirical study under supervision

Teaching Method and Contact Hours

The course includes:

• Introductory lecture
• Group-based supervision and teaching in workshops
• Optional individual sessions with the supervisor
• Written and other assignments in preparation for the workshops
• Conducting an empirical study
• Writing a research report
• Presentations to fellow students
• Processing feedback

Study Materials

• Starreveld, P. A. (Ed.). (2022). Writing Psychology Research Reports. Boom.
• Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using SPSS (4th ed.). London: Sage. ISBN: (approx. € 58,-) or Field, A., van Doorn, J., & Wagenmakers, E.J. (2025). Discovering statistics using JASP. London: Sage.
• Student manual Bachelor’s Thesis (Canvas)

Assessment

Every student makes sub-products and two final products: an individually written research report and an individual oral presentation of their research. Supervisors and 2nd assessors assess the final products. The research report is assessed on scientific reasoning and use of language & style. During the process, the supervisor also assesses the student's professional conduct.

Remarks

• Subject Choice: After registration for the course, students will be able to express their preferences for the available thesis subjects announced on Canvas.
• Colloquium Points: During the Bachelor’s programme, students are required to obtain 5 colloquium points, which is linked to completing the BSc thesis in semester 1 of the third year of study.