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Living psychology: from the everyday to the extraordinary

This module draws on classic and contemporary theories and research in psychology and applies them to a broad range of contexts. You'll learn how psychologists have studied both practical and theoretical issues, such as nationalism or sexuality, with a particular emphasis on understanding and solving problems that directly affect people’s lives. You'll explore core academic areas of psychology as set out by the British Psychological Society (e.g. social, cognitive, developmental) and applied aspects of professional practice (e.g. clinical, forensic, counselling). You'll also develop your understanding of psychological research methods, along with other useful academic and employability skills.

Please note that the real-world contexts explored in this module may involve issues that are sensitive to you personally at the time of studying. We recommend that you look through the topics covered before registering for this module.

Modules count towards OU qualifications

OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

Browse qualifications in related subjects

Module

Module code

DD210

Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
60

Study level

Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU module levels correspond to these frameworks.
Level of Study
OU SCQF FHEQ
2 8 5

Study method

Module cost

Entry requirements

Student Reviews

A very interesting and enjoyable course, which provided an insight into the reasons for the way ourselves and others think...
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Thoroughly interesting and enjoyable range of topics in this module that you could relate to from a real world perspective....
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What you will study

This module approaches psychology as a fundamentally applied discipline, firmly grounded in the real world.

Each study week takes a specific real-world topic and leads you through some of the ways that psychologists have explored it, outlining key theories, findings, practical issues, and research methods. Some of the real-world contexts explored in this module may involve issues that are sensitive to you personally. The issues to be covered will be outlined before the topic is presented, together with suggested ways in which you might engage with it if it is personally relevant to you.

The module is structured into five blocks, with four topics in each.

Block 1 explores the theme of ‘understanding minds’. In this block, you'll learn how people are able to understand each other’s thoughts and feelings, whether this ability is shared by other animals, what happens when people have difficulty understanding each other, and whether it might be possible to build an artificial ‘mind’ that would think and feel like a human mind.

Block 2 moves on from the individual focus of the first block to consider how people relate to others as social beings. In this block, you'll learn about the importance of self-esteem and the effect that other people can have on it, how issues of nationality and migration can affect people’s identities, how conflict, aggression and violence can be explained and understood using the example of terrorism, and finally how wellbeing can be shaped by people’s sense of and shared experience of community.

Block 3 shifts the focus from the social worlds people inhabit to covering topics of sex and relationships. you'll learn about how psychologists study the role people’s experience of sex in their lives. You'll also study the occurrence of conflict in close relationships and how people relate to each other digitally using the internet as the platform for social relationships. Finally, you'll learn about the topic of sexual harassment through a psychological lens.

Block 4 considers how people make sense of the world around them. You'll learn how people develop an understanding of the information provided by their physical senses and how that understanding can be both highly efficient and often wrong. You'll also learn why many people believe in things that seem extraordinary, such as astrological predictions, psychic readings and conspiracy theories.

Block 5 focuses on interaction and collaboration using four important, and contemporary, issues that psychologists have explored and the problems that they have tried to help solve. You'll learn about people’s interaction with nature, interactions between humans and technology, including in high-risk working environments, working collaboratively with others in creative pursuits and interactions in the context of judgement and decision-making within the legal context of the jury process.

Throughout the module, you'll learn about a wide variety of research methods that have been used by psychologists to explore these issues. The methods covered include surveys, interviews, experiments, clinical assessments, and case studies.

The module is built around a two-volume textbook, Living Psychology: From the Everyday to the Extraordinary, and an extensive module website built around an online study guide. The website contains further teaching to support the chapters in the textbook, as well as additional topics taught entirely online. The teaching on the website includes video and audio interviews with key psychologists featured in the material, behind-the-scenes insights into the research process, and a variety of interactive activities to help develop and consolidate your knowledge. You'll also spend some of your study time using online resources from The Open University library.

You will learn

You will learn about:

  • academic and applied areas of psychology, including aspects of cognitive, developmental, social, clinical, counselling and forensic psychology
  • the interaction between real-world issues and psychological theories and research.

You will develop skills in:

  • accessing, interpreting and critically evaluating information from a variety of sources
  • presenting information and arguments in response to academic and applied questions.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.

They’ll help by:

  • marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
  • providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content
  • guiding you to additional learning resources
  • facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Online tutorials run throughout the module. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate.

Assessment

The assessment for this module can be found in the facts box.

Future availability

Living psychology: from the everyday to the extraordinary starts once a year – in October. This page describes the module that will start in October 2025 when we expect it to start for the last time.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Course work includes:

5 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
End-of-module assessment


Entry requirements

This is an OU level 2 module, and you need to have the study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, obtained either through OU level 1 study or by doing equivalent work at another university. You are not expected to have any special knowledge of psychology.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Register

Start End England fee Register
04 Oct 2025 Jun 2026 £3892.00

Registration closes 11/09/25 (places subject to availability)

Register
October 2025 is the final start date for this course. For more information, see Future availability.

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In the meantime, explore our overview of Fees and funding.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

  1. be resident in England
  2. have a household income of not more than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
  3. have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you've started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069, or you can request a call back.

Not eligible to study for free?

Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

  • monthly payments through OUSBA
  • part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

What's included

You’ll be supplied with module textbooks and have access to a module website, which includes:

  • a week-by-week study planner
  • module materials
  • audio and video content
  • assessment guide
  • online tutorial and forums access.

Computing requirements

  • Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
  • Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
  • Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
  • Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
  • Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
  • Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying DD210 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.