Understanding Emotions

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Whether you're seeking professional development or personal enrichment, this course will help you navigate the complexity of our emotional world and make sense of the intricate tapestry of human experiences.

Course objectives

1. Gain a comprehensive understanding of emotions and their profound impact on our lives. Explore the definition, components, and evolution of emotions, and uncover how they shape our thoughts, perceptions, and behaviours.

2. Delve into the world of neuroscience and appreciate how our brain processes emotional responses. Examine the ongoing debate of whether emotions are innate or socially constructed, and explore the interplay between biology, culture, and socialization.

3. Discover the universal foundation of emotions and their role in shaping our relationships, values, motivation, and societal norms. Explore practical strategies for fostering mental well-being, understand the connection between emotions and decision-making, and gain insights into the influence of emotions in behavioural economics and marketing.

Using a virtual learning environment (Canvas), background notes will be provided shortly before each session so that you can read up on the week's theme in advance if you wish. I try to make sessions interactive and dynamic - you won't find me hiding behind a lectern.  Classroom activities will be varied, involve a range of discussions and creative tasks, in both the full group and small groups. 

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

(1) appreciate the nature and significance of emotions in contexts from the individual to society and beyond

(2) reflect on the impact of emotions on their own life

(3) assess the nature of emotional well-being and effective ways of enhancing it

The assessment will consist of a piece of reflective writing (1500 words +/- 10%) on ways in which emotions have affected you directly in your life and that you were previously relatively unaware of.  You will be asked to make a brief presentation on the focus of your assignment around week 7 or 8.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.