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Psychology projects

Be inspired by the projects of our final year students. Read their thesis titles and learn more about how all our psychology pathways offer the opportunity for creative assessments and what you can expect in the final stage of your degree with us.

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What is the final project?

All our undergraduate psychology students complete a research project during their final year. While our students receive guidance from a chosen member of staff, who have expertise in a wide range of psychology fields, the project is independently conceptualised and created by our fantastic final year undergraduates.

This project involves students conducting a literature review, then designing and conducting their own appropriate study to address their chosen research question. Then, students will collect, analyse and interpret their data, and present it in a written report.

The final project is a large part of the degree and for many students, the topics chosen are often close to their hearts. Be inspired by the ideas of our future psychology graduates from across all pathways and learn more about the types of topics you can study with us.

Please note, some of the thesis questions and statements contain references to violence, sexual violence, racial inequalities and other topics that some readers may find upsetting.

Project titles 2024

Here are a selection of the thesis project titles created by our final year students of 2024:

  • Does gender identity impact upon the acceptance of rape myths?, by Steven Black, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology
  • “It has shown me how much I am capable of”: A PhotoVoice study exploring autistic mothers’ experiences of autistic burnout in motherhood, by Ashton Ferguson, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology
  • "Orgasim isn't everything": A qualitative exploration of sexual pleasure in gender-nonconforming individuals, by Jessica Marshall, BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • The benefits of reading fantasy books gaining a greater understanding of oneself, by Lili Gladstone, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling
  • Exploring gender differences in perceptions of sex offenders, by Heather Field, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology
  • Repressed fear of death: A predisposition to psychopathology, by Carl Ebanks, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology
  • Examining the mental health experiences of mothers during and after pregnancy, and their perceptions of available support, by Shannon Hunter, BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • Public and professional perceptions of offenders living with mental illness, by Antonia Swift, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology
  • The effects of listening to metal music on mental health and considerations of metal music in a therapeutic setting, by Abby Sawyers, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling
  • The impact of academic stress on eating behaviours among university students: A comparison of UK home and international students, by Dawn Howe, BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • Religiousness, narcissism and gender norms: How do they contribute to perceptions of honour-based violence?, by Caitlin Latimer, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology
  • The relationship between altruism and narcissism, by Simon Wilson, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology
  • "Once again, the world has proven, anything you can do, I can do better!" The role of social media use in body satisfaction and self-esteem between genders, by Lucy Freeman, BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • Attractiveness and mate value indicators influence on male success in online dating, by Aarron Watson, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling
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Poster Presentation 2023

We value creativity, so we give our third-year students the opportunity to present their work at the annual poster conference, hosted in 2023 at the Fire Station, by transforming their findings into a visual form. The poster conference brings together all staff and students to celebrate their achievements and allow us to show how proud we are of our Psychology students.

Watch our video to find out more about the Poster Presentation 2023 and hear from our staff and students.

Project titles 2023

Here are a selection of the thesis project titles created by our final year students of 2023:

  • “I’m sure Dr Jekyll had misophonia”: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) examining lived experience patterns in misophonia and the usefulness of Reddit as an online support network, by Paris Ash, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Influence on Test Anxiety: Investigating Self-esteem, Continues Partial Attention, and Cognitive Control as Predictors of Test Anxiety, by Daisy Bradbury, BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • The relationship between adult attachment style and belonging in university students with and without a cared for background, by Dan English, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling
  • Public Perception of Offenders with Mental Illness, by Amy Cassap, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology
  • Help-seeking and barriers to treatment among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), by Robyn Jones, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling
  • Does Mobile Phone use in bed Impact Mental Health Outcomes? A study to identify the relationship between social media screentime and mental health outcomes between participants who use and do not use mobile phones in bed, by Robert Smith, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology.
  • What are the attitudes and understanding towards autistic young people in professionals within the education sector? By Katie-Louise Stone, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology

Project titles 2022

Here are a selection of the thesis project titles created by our final year students of 2022:

  • Do sex differences impact the relationships between eating behaviour and social media use? by Rafail N. Markodimitrakis, BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • Does gender and sexual orientation predict rape myth acceptance when using a gendered and genderless scale? by Phoebe Usher, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology. Find out more about Phoebe's journey as a Psychology student at Sunderland by reading her student story
  • Exploration of anxiety and depression awareness, in relation to the gender inequality of yearly suicide rates in England, a male perspective by Ryan Elliott, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling
  • Autism in the queer population – mental health outcomes of masking by Hannah McGregor, BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology
  • Public perception and understanding of the use of the insanity defence within jury appointed trials: the impact of mental disorder and pre-education by Lauren Arnison, BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology. Find out more about Lauren's journey as a Psychology student at Sunderland by reading her student story
  • Making meaning of outsider perspectives after disclosing domestic abuse, the experiences of survivors by Alex Mitchell, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Counselling. Find out more about Alex's journey as a Psychology student at Sunderland by reading her student story

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