Psychosis and dementia are substantial health concerns in today’s global society and will remain at the forefront of contemporary ‘issues’ in the brain and behavioural sciences for the foreseeable future. Schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are ranked amongst the very highest in terms of global burden of mental disorders, with between 11 (for dementias) and 17 (for psychoses) million disability-adjusted life years (or ‘DALYs’) lost because of these debilitating conditions.
Considering dementia alone, more than 47 million people worldwide currently live with dementia according to the World Health Organisation. With over 7 million new cases yearly, the number is set to double by 2030 and triple by 2050. The scale of dementia is vast – there are more than three-quarters of a million people living with dementia in England alone, one in six people over the age of 80 has dementia, and one in three people are set to develop dementia in the future.
This module draws on biological, psychological and social sciences to investigate psychosis and dementia through guided readings (review articles, book chapters, research papers), commentaries, audiovisual recordings, interviews and seminars centred around diagnosis, causes and interventions. You will be guided in your online studies, week by week, via a study guide. You will also learn to apply critical appraisal skills to understand, analyse and present research on psychosis and dementia.
The material in each block will follow a common structural plan and coherent framework, with formative assessment. Block 1 focuses on dementia, and Block 2 on psychosis, with the emphasis on core readings and commentaries addressing diagnosis, causes, and interventions. Block 3 focuses on research methods and critical appraisal (with overviews of diagnostic systems, neuropsychological assessment, and clinical trials and examples based on sample papers on psychosis and dementia).
You will use critical appraisal techniques to evaluate clinical and scientific research papers, and have the opportunity to apply your learning and demonstrate your critical appraisal, communication, and digital and information literacy skills by presenting a target paper of your choice, as a slidecast, for evaluation by your fellow students (peer review), and as part of the formal assessment process.
The module website will be the key hub for all your study resources, including core and supplementary readings, the module’s audiovisual collection, forums, externally linked resources and RSS feeds to target journals available through the OU Library, representing research at the forefront of each discipline and allowing you to engage with the latest findings. Tutor group and module-wide forums and wikis will enable you to discuss aspects of dementia and psychosis, along with the latest developments in the field, with your fellow students as part of a postgraduate community. The core readings and commentaries address diagnosis, causes and interventions.
A targeted selection of ‘live’ sessions, recorded presentations and audiovisual materials, linked to assignments, will supplement and support learning outcomes for the module, providing an enhanced online learning experience. You will also undertake independent study to further understand the core topics and contemporary issues in mental health science by searching for, reading and evaluating materials (review articles, primary and secondary research papers) beyond those provided on the module.
The module is good preparation for further research in mental health science. It will develop skills and knowledge relevant to employment within the health sector, life sciences, medical, and related fields and will inform and strengthen professional practice.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.
You will be taking part in group activities using a variety of communication methods, including scheduled online forums, wikis and online tools for peer feedback. Some group work is linked to the assessment for this course and must be completed between certain dates.
All study materials, except two set books, are available online and provided through the module website. These include a week-by-week planner and study guide, a guide to the module, core and supplementary reading materials, commentaries, a range of audiovisual resources, live online sessions, online tutor support, online forums and access to scientific journals, ebooks and databases through The Open University Library.
Set books:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
SD816 is a compulsory module in our:
Sometimes you cannot count a module towards a qualification if you have already counted another module with similar content. To verify any excluded combinations with this module, check with an adviser before registering.
Core topics in mental health science: psychosis and dementia (SD816) starts once a year – in October.
It will next start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2028.
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.
You must complete Introduction to mental health science (S826) before progressing to this module.
Some online components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Where possible, alternative module materials formats will be available on the module website. Due to our use of external websites and third-party content, we cannot guarantee the accessibility of all module components.
This module has no printed study materials. It is delivered entirely online (i.e. content is displayed on a computer screen or on mobile devices, although there is the option to download some of the content as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files for printing). Consequently, time spent using a computer and the internet will be extensive. Parts of the module can be successfully studied using mobile devices, such as tablets.
The module extensively uses electronic library resources, real-time (synchronous), asynchronous online discussions, and an interactive whiteboard space. If you use assistive technology or have a hearing or speech impairment and have concerns about accessing this type of virtual environment and materials, you can visit the system provider's website for information and contact The Open University to discuss your options further, before registering. Written transcripts of audiovisual components will be made available where they exist (some external resources, such as videos on YouTube, may not have transcripts).
Adobe PDF versions of most journal articles are available through the OU library and HTML full text. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader, and scientific notation may be particularly difficult to read in this way. You will be required to access literature resources electronically. If you use a screen reader to access material on screen, you should check that it is compatible with The Open University Library's electronic databases and resources before you start the module.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.
| Start | End | Register by | England fee |
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| 03 Oct 2026 | 31 Jul 2027 | 17 Sep 2026 | Not yet available* |
| *This start date is open for pre-booking, which means you can reserve your place ahead of the fees being confirmed. We’ll publish updated 2026/27 fees and funding information on the 25th of March. |
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate tuition fee loans in Northern Ireland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Scotland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Wales.
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