The development of thinking skills is fundamental to learning. Students will learn how to develop higher order thinking skills, especially through an appreciation of different philosophic and logic systems and an understanding of important research results from the analysis of human thought processes. In addition, students will learn to reason ethically and morally through readings, discussion of moral dilemmas, and other suitable exercises. They will also learn principled and conceptual thinking and reasoning skills.

This module is an introduction to the field of Psychology. It will start with considering what psychology is, what the different influences on human behaviour are. The historical development of Psychology as a scientific discipline will be detailed and major schools of thoughts contrasted. The different areas within psychology will be briefly outlined. Some of the major themes and research questions within psychology will be considered. This will include looking at research studies conducted by psychologists in order to investigate some of the possible influences on human behaviour.

This module introduces the connection between biology and psychology, the link between neural and hormonal systems with mental states and behaviour. The fundamental biological processes of homeostasis, circadian rhythms and sleep will be discussed. The organisation and function of the human endocrine system will be outlined as well as its influence on human behaviour. The structure of neurons and the interaction between action potentials, synapses and neurotransmission will be explored. Finally, the range of techniques used to investigate the structure and function of the nervous system will be compared.

This module is an introduction to the basic concepts and procedures used in psychological research. It introduces the use of scientific methods in the investigation and analysis of psychological phenomena. The module emphasises the process of designing, conducting, analysing and interpreting research methods.

This course starts with a review of the main concepts, process and theories of Developmental Psychology. Then, assuming a lifespan perspective and a chronological organization of the information, it will provide a wide understanding of the first 3 periods of human development – infancy (birth to 3 years of age), early childhood (3 to 6 years) and childhood (6 to 12 years), in 4 main domains:
1. Ecological dimensions and important life events
2. Physical, perceptual and motor development
3. Cognitive development
4. Social and emotional development

This course will provide a practical introduction to using statistics to describe and analyse data from psychological research. The module will begin with a consideration of what data is, as well as the different types of data (or levels of measurement) in psychological research. Students will learn how to generate a range of measures of central tendancy, dispersion, correlation and simple linear regression for datasets. They will also learn the principles of inferential statistics required by all psychologists to analyze and interpret data from psychological studies, in particular how to compare scores in order to infer significant differences.

This course is an introduction to the scientific study of human perception. The course will begin by exploring some of the basic concepts of perception, especially the idea of perception as an active, knowledge-driven process with which we create meaning from the sensory ‘input’ we receive about the world around us. The anatomy and characteristics of sensory organs will be described, especially those of the visual system. In particular, the relationship between the visual stimulus, neurophysiological findings and visual perception. Finally, visual information processing in the brain will be explored, especially how information about form, depth and motion are processed in different cortical areas.

This course introduces the basic concepts of social psychology, which is the scientific study of the relationship between the individual and the social world. It aims to understand people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour in social situations, as well as how they are influenced by others around them.

The major theories of learning focused on are behavioral, (classical conditioning, operant conditioning and observational learning), cognitive and neurophysiological. In each of these areas, study progresses from basic research to applications. Historically influential theorists, such as Thorndike, Hull, and Skinner are discussed briefly, together with critiques of such approaches.

This module aims to contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between individuals and the larger society in which they are immersed. In learning the interactions among social institutions, communities, groups and individuals, students will understand how people’s life is both shaped by social forces and reshaped through individual agency. The module will draw on the work of major figures and ideas underlying the discipline of sociology.

Integrated learning activities involving all skill areas help students practice and apply the fundamentals of English in a more varied setting and develop more accuracy and control of their spoken and written English. Reading activities promote vocabulary expansion and model accurate structure. Students participate in discussion forums and are introduced to presentation skills for groups and individuals. Logical thinking in both oral and written formats is guided. As well, students are introduced to the five-paragraph essay format and practice writing summative, descriptive and comparative compositions.

Students will concentrate on gaining grammatical control of their communication (subject and verb agreement, modal auxiliaries, singular and plural nouns, pronouns, articles, sentence structure, statements, questions, simple and compound sentences, prepositions, gerunds and infinitives, adverbs and adjectives, punctuation, and some complex sentence patterns). At the end of the module, students should be able to write a paragraph without making major grammatical errors. Development of the five-paragraph essay format will continue and students will practice writing compositions that are opinion-based, persuasive and begin to compare literature from different sources. Development will continue in regard to presentation skills and discussion forums.

This module provides practice integrating those reading skills necessary for academic success at university. These skills include reading for detail, inferring vocabulary in context, finding main ideas, critical reading, understanding sequence, summarizing, recognizing organization, and outlining. In addition, it emphasizes academic vocabulary. Students are introduced to language skills for research and are expected to apply previously taught presentation skills to give more analytical presentations. In this course students are also introduced to basic components of the research paper: abstract, data analysis and interpretation.

This module teaches advanced grammar necessary for academic writing. It includes a review of basic grammar and a detailed study of noun, adjective, and adverb clauses, as well as prepositional, participial, gerund, and infinitive phrases. It will also provide written composition practice. Students will be introduced to the argumentative essay structure including the refutation of counter arguments. Students will engage in more complex discussion forums, debates and participate in organizing public presentations.

Issues of life and science permeate our days. We are constantly challenged by questions about the nature and meaning of life, as well as by the complex implications of scientific advances in areas such as cloning, stem cell research, quantum mechanics, or fractals. Through readings, discussions, reflection and theorizing students will explore these and similar issues and will try to come to a fuller understanding of this interdependence of life and science.

Gender is a cultural construct that shapes individual’s lives, in the sense that it influences personal experiences and beliefs. The study of gender interests both psychology and sociology for it is located at the crossroads of these two disciplines. Therefore, both perspectives, psychological and sociological, will be consistently considered.
Students will be exposed to several theoretical approaches on gender differences and gender development, covering biological grounded views, social learning views and cognitive developmental views, among others. Consequences of gender bias and stereotyping in culture, work organizations and media will be discussed. The course intends to (1) contribute to a better understanding of socialization, cultures and policies from a gendered perspective and to (2) encourage students to think critically regarding widely accepted gender roles.

This module will introduce the scientific study of motivation and emotion. In the first part of the module, the forms and systems of motivation and the motivational processes will be reviewed, in particular, how motivation effects well-being, optimal functioning and the intergroup and interpersonal relations. In the second part of this module, the students will learn the classification of emotions, their biological bases and the cognitive processes connected to emotions. The role of emotions in every day life will be addressed, namely in human relations, art, economic behaviour and achievement. The concepts of emotional intelligence and competence will be outlined and how to assess and foster them.

Assuming a lifespan perspective and a chronological organisation of the information, this module will provide a broad understanding of the last 3 periods of human development – adolescence, adulthood and old age, in 4 main domains:
1. Ecological dimensions and important life events;
2. Physical, perceptual and motor development;
3. Cognitive development
4. Social and emotional development

This module covers the major theories of personality. The module begins by considering different definitions of personality and the extent to which personality is an inherited set of traits and what role the environment has in shaping personality. Then the module organises the numerous ideas and theories which attempt to explain human personality into broad areas or perspectives (e.g. the psychodynamic perspective, the trait/learning perspective and the humanistic perspective). Students will learn how these different theoretical perspectives can be applied to explain the behavioral traits of different individuals. Finally, the challenges in accurately measuring human personality will be considered together with the range of different instruments psychologists have developed to test human personality.

This module further explores the biological basis of mental processes and behaviour. Students will further their understanding of the cortical localisation of function and explore how damage or dysregulation in the levels of neurotransmitters, can lead to neurological and behavioural disorders. The physiological and neurobiological processes that underlie mental functions and behaviours such as learning, memory, perception, language and cognition will also be explored.

This module introduces the basic concepts and procedures of psychological testing and assessment. In particular how to develop a psychological test and conduct assessment, in the areas of research psychology and applied psychology. The module will include a critical evaluation of the different forms and usages of psychological tests and assessment as well as providing students with experience of completing psychological tests.

This module covers more advanced topics in research methods including complex design of studies such as cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. It emphasises applying the concepts of research methods to actual studies in psychological research as well as learning the skills and techniques for writing reports about psychological research.

This course will explore further topics in the statistical analysis of numerical data derived from psychological research. Students will learn the principles and practical skills needed for the analysis of data using factorial analysis of variance, including data derived from different designs (between-subject, within-subject and mixed designs). Students will learn the principles and methods of multiple linear regression, including heirarchical linear models. Finally, students will learn how to conduct a (Pearson’s) chi-squared test of nominal data to compare frequencies observed in various categories.

This module begins with a review of the different paradigms and models in psychopatahology and abnormal psychology. Then, the details of the scientific study of abnormal behaviour will be covered, including - descriptive aspects (classification, clinical description and diagnosis) and etiological aspects (causal factors and etiological models). Students will learn how to use major manuals of classification - the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD10) and the APA’s Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental disorders (DSM-5). The module will then review of the impact of mental disorders on the life of individuals, their families and communities and how support services are organised in different cultures.

Students will learn and apply a variety of public presentation techniques useful for both individual presentations as well as participation in group discussions. An important aspect of the module is that it uses an active learning process whereby students learn a new skill and put it into practice. By the end of the module students will possess a number of public speaking strategies that will help them to prepare any range of public presentations, including proposals, as well as have the opportunity to participate in seminar organization and implementation.

The primary aim of this module is to assist students in preparing themselves for the type of writing required for themes, essay examinations, term papers, and lengthy reports. The principles of rhetorical organization and development are thoroughly presented within the context of each student's language and cultural background. Students will engage in problem solving and idea development through the combination of independent investigation, and consultation with peers.

Students will practice the process, purposes, and strategies of persuasive and explanatory writing. Students read and discuss works by both professional and student writers and explore techniques of argument and persuasion in writing a series of 5-6 essays. The module stresses revision, relies on frequent workshops of student writing, and aims finally to sharpen the student's ability to use evidence in a reasonable, convincing way.

This is an advanced interdisciplinary writing course module emphasizing critical reading and thinking, argumentative writing, library research, and documentation of sources in an academic setting. Practice and study of selected rhetorics of inquiry (for example, historical, cultural, empirical, and ethnographic) employed in academic disciplines, preparing students for different systems of writing in their academic lives. Throughout this course, students will: significantly improve their academic writing; develop an understanding of how members of a particular discipline conceive of and engage in the rhetorical practices of that discipline; demonstrate understanding of the key conversations, the forms, and the conventions of writing in a particular discipline; gain experience in the construction of knowledge within a discipline and practice using its discourse; read critically and analyze rhetorically writings from a particular discipline and use those lenses to frame their own discourses; write in the different forms and styles of a particular discipline; and develop techniques for conducting research on the Internet and with other electronic databases.

Students will study and explore the history, the social, cultural, artistic, architectural and urban development of Macau, through lectures, field work, projects of oral history, and readings of local writers and of others who have written about Macau and its peoples. Special emphasis will be placed on relations with surrounding regions, the reach and influence of the Padroado of Macau, as well as the rises and falls of its fortunes given its strategic location at the mouth of the Pearl River.

This course focuses on the interrelationships between culture and psychological processes. Students will explore the ways in which culture, and related concepts, such as ethnicity, affect the thinking and behavior of individuals as well as how individual thought and behavior define and reflect aspects of culture. They will look at the development of cross-cultural psychology as a distinctive area of psychology and at the recent attempts by cross-cultural psychologists to devise theories that reflect the cultural, social and developmental, perspectives on behavior. A range of research methodologies used by cross-cultural psychologists will also be explored. The course focuses on the topics of research issues, culture and thinking, culture and self, social behavior, communication across cultures, and mental health.

This module provides a sound understanding of experimental techniques in psychological research. Students will gain an appreciation of the importance of experimental methods in psychological research. The distinction between ‘true’ and ‘quasi’ experiments will be explained as well as the different types of experimental studies used in psycholgical research. The fundamentals of experimentation will be explored and the different experimental designs that can be used are described. The various threats to the validity of experiments will be considered, especially threats to internal validity. Finally, the ethical considerations that relate to experimentation in psychology will be considered.

This module will introduce students to the main concepts of the psychology of language focusing on three main aspects - language, communication and cognition. The fundamentals of the production, perception and comprehension of speech will be explored as well as the process of language acquisition. The development of reading and writing skills will be investigated. Finally, disorders related to language will be considered as well as intervention strategies to address these disorders.

This module focuses on the analysis of human work behaviour at the individual, group and organizational levels. It emphasises the psychological aspects of interactions in organisational settings. Topics such as attitudes, job satisfaction, commitment, engagement, personality and values, perception and decision making, motivation, group behaviour, communication, leadership, conflict, political behaviour, and organisational culture will be discussed.

The foundations of clinical psychology will be adressed in this module, in particular, what are its historical development, fields of action and main research methods. The principles of the major perspectives of psychotherapy in clinical psychology will be reviewed, including the psychodynamic, the phenomenological/humanist-existential, the behavioural and cognitive behavioural approach. A brief overview of the main features of group therapy, family therapy and couples therapy wil also be included.

This module will explore the contributions of psychological science to education and the school environment. Concepts such as intelligence, cognition, motivation, learning and behaviour will be reviewed and their applications to educational settings discussed. Special attention will be given to communication in educational settings between different individuals and groups including administrative staff, teachers, students, families and communities.

This course adopts a non-medical perspective, in which, rather than finding treatments to mental disorders, it looks for an understanding of behavioural differences and how to apply factors that help individuals and communities to thrive and flourish. Students will review research related to the scientific study of developing character strengths and virtues and will learn how to implement interventions in order to prevent disorders and promote positive development.

Building on the foundations of perceptual psychology, this module will extend students’ understanding of the information processing that underlies human behaviour and experience. Different models of human memory will be evaluated and various approaches to the representation of knowledge in memory will be discussed. Human problem-solving, reasoning and decision-making will be considered as well as how creativity can be understood within an information processing framework. This module will emphasis the relationship between empirical findings from experimental studies of human cognitive processes and the development of models of mental processes.

The principles of behavioural analysis and modification will be covered. Firstly, the basic processes of conditioning (learning), which have been studied extensively in laboratory studies, will be reviewed. This includes the processes of reinforcement, extinction and punishment. Antecedents of behaviour are described and procedures to modify behavioural antecedents are evaluated (with an outline of behavioural skills training and the functional assessment of behaviour). How learning processes can be incorporated into procedures to increase desirable behaviour and to decrease undesirable behaviour will be described. Students will also consider how the processes of behaviour modification can be applied to self-management.

Introduction to basic Portuguese with stress on oral drill and pronunciation. This course will focus on personal information.

Continuation of Portuguese I, introduction to basic Portuguese in context, and will focus on people and objects.

This course is the continuation of Portuguese II and will focus on public services and immediate needs, such as ordering food in a restaurant or complaining to the doctor

This course will be a continuation of Portuguese III and an introduction to level A2 of CEFR with the introduction to the past forms.

This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to utilize previous language background to lay a solid foundation for further Chinese language study.
本課程為母語為粵語或具有較高漢語水平的人士開設，旨在通過對學習者普通話听、説、讀、寫的訓練，提高語言水平，瞭解普通話的基本知識，為更高層次的普通話學習打下基礎。

This accelerated course module is designed for students of Chinese heritage and advanced beginners with good speaking and listening skills. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with continuing improvement of oral communication skills. The purpose of instruction is to consolidate the foundation which students have built in their first level Chinese courses, to expand their vocabulary, and to introduce them to more complex grammatical structures.
本课程为母语是粵語或具有较高汉语水平的人士开设。在进一步提高学习者听、说能力，改善交际技巧的同时，重点对学习者进行阅读、写作和语法的训练。

Students read and discuss material from such sources as newspapers, journals, contemporary literature, media broadcasts and films. Students complete assignments in areas which focus on a practical application of Mandarin including in business, trade, tourism, education or linguistics.
本課程在學生完成普通話I、普通話II課程的基礎上，通過報紙、期刊、廣播、電影等大量現實語料的學習，幫助進一步讓學生進行提高語言水平，並能在商務、貿易等日程生活實際中正確運用。

This module covers a variety of modern Chinese literary genres including essays, short stories, biographies, and criticisms. Emphasis will be on reading comprehension and expansion of vocabulary. Class discussions are on some substantive issues related to the readings.
普通話IV的講授主要包括三個內容：一是將繼續幫助學生提昇普通話水平，主要選用一些中國現代文學作品，包括散文、故事、人物傳記、評論等，作為補充材料，幫助學生理解、擴展詞彙的同時，瞭解中國社會及文化，並對一些相關問題進行討論，從而讓學生達到普通話的高級水平；二是普通話水平測試介紹及應試訓練；三是講授普通話教學法，幫助學生在教与學兩方面，於更高層次上瞭解和掌握普通話。

Students are expected to be conversant with some of the most pertinent literature of and for our times. Even though we disavow the relative merits of fixed lists of works considered classics, we do affirm the intrinsic value of communal reading and theorizing. Reading lists will be defined and evolve through proposals from faculty and students.

Building upon the students’ knowledge of research methods and the analaysis of data from research studies in psychology, this module will require students to conduct their own research project proposal to explore a research question selected from a range of different topics derived from the psychology literature. Students will be organised into groups under the leadership of a member of faculty who will guide them through the process of developing, conducting and reporting on their own research project. Students will need to submit a written project report and also to make an oral presentation of their project and answer questions related to their project.

This module has the basic premise that the process of psychological assessment is one of the phases in the process of clinical intervention. Students will acquire skills to understand and implement a process of psychological assessment by: selecting the most acurate methodologies and tools for each case; using those methodologies and tools in a proper way; integrating data and conceptualising the results in order to make a clinical formulation; prepare an assessment report, and giving recommendations for appropriate clinical interventions. In this module learning will include contact with materials, role playing activities and discussion of case studies.

This module gives students an applied perspective on how to conduct interventions in clinical psychology. Based on the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it will review the psychological treatments that have been demonstrated to be effective in various groups of disorders. It will give special attention to empirically validated interventions and evidence-based treatments in the areas of depression, anxiety and personality disorders.

The aim of this module is to provide a context to learn and practice the counselling skills essential to the practice of clinical psychology. It will give special attention to the various aspects of the therapeutic setting (person, time and space) and the process of interviewing clients. Using role playing tecnhiques, students will have the opportunity to practice the micro-skills of counselling including attending behaviour, questioning, paraphrasing, summarizing and reflection of behaviour, thoughts and feelings.

Starting with a discussion of the concept of “normality”, this module will cover the important developmental disorders of childhood and adolescence, including intelectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, physical disabilities and sensorial dissabilities. For each of these disorders, the causes, assessment and diagnosis will be evaluated and their developmental course as well as the most important principles and strategies for interventions will be discussed. Special attention to functionality and health will be given and how to promote an inclusive life for every child.

This module will provide students with experience of supervised professional practice in a clinical setting in a host organisation in Macau. In the host institution, students will experience real-life situations, with staff at the host institution functioning as a model and supporting the student’s increasing autonomy. In the faculty, the academic supervisor will help the student to conceptualise interventions and to integrate their experience with their academic learning. At the end of their internship, students will submit a report describing, explaining and reflecting on their experiences.

In this module students will acquire knowledge about the education of children with special needs, culminating in the contemporary principles of inclusive education. After a review of the principles of inclusive education, the students will learn about the important contribution of the psychologist, as a member of a multidisplinary team, in the process of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of an individualized educational plan. Special attention will be given to the role of the family and the community in the education of children with special needs, in particular how to access their needs and resources in the process of their transition to adulthood.

This module addresses the role of the psychologist in educational settings as a contribution to the education process and school functioning. Themes will include: assessment and referral; consultancy and advice for teacher´s and the school administration; workshops and other interventions with the family; development group activities with students (e.g. in social skills, motivation, study skills and emotional competence) and implementing psychological interventions in a school context to address the most important child and adolescent disorders.

This module introduces students to a developmental, ecological and constructivist perspective of vocational orientation and career development. Students will acquire skills for the development, implementation and evaluation of vocational intervention projects. They will learn how to select, adapt or develop strategically articulated instruments and activities according to the identified vocational problems and needs, taking into account their advantages, limitations and differential effectiveness.

This module will provide students with experience of supervised professional psychology practice in an educational setting in Macau. In the host institution, students will experience real-life situations, with staff at the host institution functioning as a model and supporting the student’s increasing autonomy. In the faculty, the academic supervisor will help the student to conceptualize interventions and to integrate their experience with their academic learning. At the end of their internship, students will submit a report describing explaining and reflecting on their experiences.

This module introduces the various assessment tools which can be used in organisational settings to evaluate human attributes and performance. Factors such as personality, motivation, socialisation, job satisfaction, commitment and work engagement will be considered and the interview skills and techniques necessary for effective assessment of work skills will be covered. In addition, application of measurement and assessment in research on organisational psychology will be discussed.

This module explores the relationship between social psychology and human behaviour in organisational settings. This interaction between these two disciplines of psychology will be discussed and the relevance of topics such as motivation, teamwork and leadership will be explored and how various interventions can be implemented in the workplace to support organisational aims. The module will also consider how technological influences individual and group behaviour in the workplace and how career planning and personal goals can influence organisational behaviour.

This interdisciplinary module discusses the consumer as the focus of the marketing system and stresses the use of knowledge about consumer behaviour in marketing decisions. It examines the contributions of anthropology, sociology, psychology and economics to the understanding of consumer buying behaviour. The modules examines how both individual variables (needs, motives, perceptions, attitudes, personality and learning) and wider influences (family, social groups, culture and business) influence consumer decision-making.

This module will provide students with experience of supervised professional practice in an organisational setting in Macau. In the host organisation, students will experience real-life situations, with staff at the host organisation functioning as a model and supporting the student’s increasing autonomy. In the faculty, the academic supervisor will help the student to conceptualise activities and interventions and support the integrate of their experiences with their academic learning. At the end of their internship, student’s will submit a report describing explaining and reflecting on their experiences.