Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology (BSc PSY)

Psychology is an academic subject which encompasses a wide range of sub-areas such as health management, normal and pathological behavior, emotion, well-being, cognition, neurosciences, social interactions and motivation. It considers the interplay between physical, psychological, cultural, religious and social influences in order to understand why people behave the way that they do. At the IOU, we aim at offering students a broad education in the different sub-disciplines of psychology, including courses of Islamic studies, applied clinical training, and complementary subjects for the psychological professional, such as guidance and counselling, computers and I.T., English language and professional development.

The Bachelor’s of Science degree program aims to train students through a systematic and scientific study of human behaviors and experiences, and to develop their ability to evaluate critical theories and evidence in the psychological and human sciences. In addition, the program aims to develop the students’ practical skills to enable them for further training in academic psychology and research or pursue careers in a number of areas of employment, from social to clinical, from learning to workplace.

The practice of our online learning and teaching is based on Outcomes-Based Education.

Both the product and process curriculum models were used in the design and development of the course program. The program adopts an embedded integrated approach to curriculum development and is informed and underpinned by principles of understanding psychology from a holistic perspective, including social, psychological, physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of human behaviors and experiences. 

The degree program focuses on the theories and approaches to the understanding of human behavior across different core areas of Psychology, without limiting study to any specific area. The undergraduate students will gain a range of literacy and numeracy skills, critical reading, report writing, survey research, experimentation and the ability to use statistical methods to assess research findings. Our BSc Psychology will also prepare potential students to progress to the department’s postgraduate courses. The Bachelor’s program has been developed and taught by leading experts from a range of specialist psychological fields.

Our flexible degree programs enable students to apply to take a Clinical Placement Year, which can be spent in psychological, counselling or health-related services. To recognize the importance of this additional skills development and university experience, the Clinical Placement Year will be formally recognized and will contribute to the overall result of the degree. 

Psychology graduates from International Open University are of transferable skills that make the IOU graduates to be highly attractive to potential employers for excellent employability prospects in a range of fields. Psychology graduates for example, can move into careers in Management, Finance, Social Work, Probation, Prison Services, Health Promotion, Neuroscience, Advertising, Counselling, Education, Health Professions, Human Resources.  They also have the option to progress in professional areas of psychology, such as Forensic Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Sports Psychology and Health Psychology.

Upon completion of the program, the student will be awarded the Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES 

Upon completion of the program, students should be able to

The principal learning outcomes (PLOs) are embedded and matched to each module of the BSc Psychology program.

PLO1  Demonstrate knowledge of theories and approaches to the understanding of human behavior across different core areas of psychology.

PLO2  Demonstrate knowledge and skills in the application of the psychology of human behavior in real life scenarios.

PLO3  Develop transferable skills in literacy and numeracy skills, critical reading, report writing, survey research, experimentation and the ability to use statistical methods to assess research findings.

PLO4  Develop skills in the selection, use and report of appropriate psychological methods and research techniques.

PLO5  Gain practical experience through an integrated 60-hour placement, linking theory to practice.

PLO6  Able to adopt the correct attitude and ethical principles and practices in dealing with human behaviors.

PROGRAM ALIGNMENT WITH IOU’s VISION & MISSION

The BSc Psychology program aligns with the vision and mission of IOU by:

• Promoting the Islamic values of peace, harmony and tolerance, embedded in the curriculum, pedagogical practices and teaching approaches of this program.
• Providing facilitated access to quality higher education to all students on a global scale particularly in the field of psychology.
• Providing an enriched learning environment with a commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate psychological studies. 
• Strengthen the theory and practice of psychological sciences at international levels through our innovative curriculum, scholarly contributions, and rigorous preparation of reflective and critical thinkers, and practitioners.
• Providing a foundation for the scientific understanding of behavior and human experiences by collaborative learning and scholarship among its undergraduates and faculty, guided by the core values of our University. 
• Committing to creating diverse, scholarly communities, where students are encouraged to engage in intellectual rigor, high ethical standards and critical evaluation.

For Associate Degree in Psychology

In order to be admitted to our accredited online Associate Degree in Psychology, the candidate must have completed high school. 

High School Diploma/Certificate: Proof of your high school completion or the last year of school education in your country (higher secondary /senior secondary).  Many countries know this as their year 12 or 13 certificate which you are required to pass with a certain number of credits in order to enter into an accredited bachelor’s degree program at the university level.

Those who have completed further studies and have degrees beyond high school may submit those certificates if they no longer have their high school certificate with them.

The Method

IOU provides a unique learning experience for all of our students. The university also recognizes that many students may not have studied online before; it is quite different from traditional classroom-based learning. For this reason, IOU has provided demos and organized a user-friendly learning environment for those new to online education. It is vital that all IOU students be fully prepared for online learning and have the required level of English to enable them to effectively and successfully study in this environment.

IOU is comprised of students from around the globe. Our students learn through watching and listening to video and audio lectures as well as reading texts (PDF Format). Within the online study community, students may share resources, exchange ideas, discuss weekly topics, submit assignments, and take exams.

IOU is thankful to Allah for having enabled us to launch multiple online courses for students to choose from. We are dedicated to spreading authentic Islamic knowledge with a proper understanding of Allah’s true religion. Both students and professors represent a diverse group coming from both under-developed and developed countries.

Teaching and Learning

Lectures and tutorials will be delivered either via pre-recorded content or in real-time, synchronously and asynchronously. Presentations in real-time will be conducted in the university’s virtual learning environments.  

Assessments will all be conducted/submitted online. All assessments will have to be submitted on the learning management system. 

Examinations will be completed at approved examination centres globally, unless decided otherwise by the Senate. 

Academic faculty and students will engage via discussion forums and email asynchronously, and in real-time (synchronously) in virtual rooms.

Demo Course

IOU presents a demonstration course from the BAIS program to show people interested in IOU how the courses look and operate and give a real-time example of what it is like to study with IOU.

Please click here to download the BAIS Demo Course Guide to learn more.

Please click the button given below to access the demo course directly, (you may need to create and account and enrol in the course if you haven’t done so already)Demo Course

For further details and help with registration and enrollment in the BAIS or BMAIS, contact the info deks at: info@iou.edu.gm

Student Support

Students at IOU enjoy the support of dedicated full-time qualified faculty members, who are responsible for answering any questions students may have about the course.

Additionally, guest lecturers from the various fields offered by IOU and beyond will be invited from time to time, to enrich the program by providing an avenue for students to experience, firsthand, the cutting edge of academic research and professional expertise. Students will be informed of the timings and will be given ample opportunity to participate. The sessions will also be recorded and kept in the IOU archive for later viewing by those unable to watch the sessions live.

Faculty

There is a faculty for each course. The ​faculty may or may not be the actual instructor of the course. The ​faculty member, however, is able to handle all issues related to the course they are assigned to. They provide academic support and facilitate learning by:

1. Providing further clarification of materials studied in the recorded lectures.
2. Facilitating access to resources such as online libraries and additional learning materials.
3. Monitoring usage of module videos
4. Grading assignments
5. Supervising forums to ensure that they are properly utilized.

The faculty will work together with the Coordinator, Registrar and the Dean to ensure that all students receive the support they need to succeed in their studies

Student Responsibilities

Students are expected to devote at least four hours of study per week per subject. Students should read course materials, listen to the lecture, take the module test, and complete the course assignment.

1. Students should behave respectfully at all times. If a student is disrespectful to the faculty, to another student, or to the staff at the test center, he or she will be removed from the class and may be dismissed from the university, depending on the severity of the disruption.
2. All students should fully participate in the online forums.
3. All assignments should be handed in on time. They should be handed in before or at the time of exams. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, students cannot turn in an assignment on time, they need to get permission from the faculty for late submission. If a student misses an exam without informing the administration before exam week, he/she will receive a ‘failure’. It is the student’s responsibility, not the instructor’s or the faculty member’s, to attempt to make up and complete the exam within the late mid-term period.
4. Students of the Islamic Online University should pledge that all tests taken by them and that all work turned in by them are original and are solely the result of their own efforts. Any form of academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, will be recorded in the student’s permanent file. Breaches of academic integrity will be dealt with severely, as per the Islamic Online University’s policy. After the first instance of a breach of academic integrity, the student will receive a failing grade IN ALL CLASSES FOR WHICH HE/SHE IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED. After the second instance, the student will be expelled permanently from the university.
5. Note: Cheating is defined as using others’ planning or drafting to generate an essay, copying any part of another person’s homework, or collaborating on assignments that are meant to be individual efforts. Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments should be completed individually.

HOW IT WORKS OLD

THE IOU WAY OF E-LEARNING

• Both students and professors represent a diverse group coming from both under-developed and developed countries.
• The basic text(s) used for teaching the course will be provided as downloadable, printable PDF files.

THE COURSE MATERIAL CONSISTS OF:

1. Course text (PDF). The basic text(s) used for teaching the course will be provided as downloadable, printable PDF files. Supplementary reading texts will also be recommended, which students can get on their own. In the future, we plan to have an exclusive library of PDF books for our students to use as supplementary reading.
2. Recorded supplementary session conducted by the faculty members for each of the modules.

STUDY PATH OF EACH COURSE

Having thoroughly studied Module 1, the student then takes the Module 1 test. The test consists of multiple choice questions.

Each course consists of 20-30 recorded sessions. Video and audio recordings are available for the students.

The student first listens to the audio or video recording and reads the text that corresponds to Module 1.