Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and mental process. Although Psychology has a relatively short history – approximately 125 years – it has become one of the most important and applicable disciplines. Psychology’s popularity is largely due to the discipline’s authority in unraveling one of the most frequently asked questions in our society ie Why do people do the things they do?

Psychology encompasses a broad spectrum of subjects including biology, physiology, sociology, anthropology and statistics, just to name a few. An individual trained in Psychology can contribute significantly in a variety of settings. For example, in a clinical environment, psychologists work with other medical personnel to study, manage and prevent physical and psychological disorders. In corporate organisations, psychologists are involved with the recruitment, counselling or training of employees. In the area of education, psychologists identify and manage individuals who need help with learning, such as those with learning disabilities. Regardless of the context in which psychologists work, all psychologists are trained as behavioural scientists who use principles of Psychology to observe, assess, analyse and provide appropriate interventions for the needs of our society.

Due to the versatility of the discipline, Psychology is fast becoming one of the most sought after subjects among University students in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States of America and Australia. A similar trend is being observed in Southeast Asia as the contributions of Psychology to the health, education and corporate sectors become more recognised. Undergraduate study in psychology therefore, provides a sound basis for later professional graduate training on the MSc or PhD level in psychology. The psychology programme at IMU also provides important intellectual tools for those considering careers in management, law, education, social work, public relations, and health-related professions.

Why choose this particular programme?
The BSc (Hons) Psychology Programme in IMU is designed to meet the aforementioned needs. This programme will play a pivotal role in training well-qualified personnel with skills in line with the healthcare needs of the nation. IMU’s psychology graduates will be competent in understanding health behaviour from a holistic and evidence-based perspective. Consequently, these graduates should contribute significantly to the promotion of health and prevention of diseases in Malaysia.

What is the structure of the programme?
In order to foster a better integration of theory and practice, students are provided with a challenging academic environment as well as opportunities to observe psychology being applied in real-life settings. Supervised practical attachments to various government and nongovernment organisations such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres and care-homes will enable students to further consolidate their understanding and application of Psychology.

In addition, these attachments will provide students with the invaluable experience of working with various communities.

Year	MODE OF DELIVERY
First year	Mainly Teacher-led
Second Year	Teacher-led + Student-led
Third year	Mainly Student-led

What are the aims and key features of the programme?
The programme aims to produce students who are capable of:

The following are several distinguished features of the Psychology programme:

FOCUS ON HEALTH
As noted previously, the programme focuses on preparing students to work in health-related fields or pursue postgraduate studies in Psychology, particularly clinical, health or counselling psychology.

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
Students will be rigorously trained to embrace an evidence-based practice. Throughout the programme, students will be challenged to critically evaluate existing theories, research methods and findings with the aim to foster decision making based on facts rather than mere intuition or personal opinions.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING
Having good communication skills ie both verbal and written is essential for all psychologists. IMU graduates will be competent in oral presentation, written communication and possess good interpersonal skills.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CULTURE
Recently, due to the changing needs in healthcare, there is a trend towards multidisciplinary management of health. As a medical institution that trains various medical personnel including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and other allied health professionals, IMU provides students with the environment to experience and appreciate the benefits of interdisciplinary practice. Students enrolled in the Psychology programme will be given ample opportunities to work with students from other disciplines.

What are the semester contents?

Semester 1 Introductory Psychology Infancy and Childhood Social Psychology Communication Intelligence LAN Subjects	Semester 2 Biopsychology Adolescence Motivation and Emotion Personality Research Methods LAN Subjects
Semester 3 Statistics I Memory Adulthood Sensation and Perception Learning Cognitive Psychology	Semester 4 Intro to Psychological Testing Abnormal Psychology Drugs and Behaviour Statistics II Health Psychology Optional Module 11
Semester 5 Behaviour Modication Introduction to Clinical Psychology Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy Optional Module 22 Thesis I LAN Subjects	Semester 6 Cross Cultural Psychology Assessment and Treatment of Psychological Disorder History and Trends in Psychology Professional and Ethical Issues in Psychology Optional Module 33 Thesis II

What are the teaching-learning approaches used?
Students are taught via lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, roleplays, debates, discussions and presentations

TEACHER LED ACTIVITIES	STUDENTS LED ACTIVITIES
Lectures, Seminars, Workshops, Tutorials and Labs	Role-play, Debates, Discussions, In-class presentations, Health campaigns, In-house conference and E-Lab

Who are the teaching staff?
Staff teaching this programme are specialised in these areas:

How will I be assessed?
Students will be assessed through:

What is the medium of instruction?
The medium of instruction is English. Students who come from a system of education in which the medium of instruction is not English are strongly recommended to improve their proficiency in English by making their own arrangements to attend additional English Language classes before entering the IMU.

Who will award the degree?
The Bachelor of Science (Hons) Psychology degree is awarded by IMU.