• Dissertation and Proposal modules: MSc Health Psychology, MSc Forensic Psychology and MRes Programmes
• Contemporary Issues in Psychology 2
• Culture, Identity and Development
• Social Psychology 2
• Research and Statistics 2

• Dissertation and Dissertation Proposal Modules for MSc Health Psychology, MSc Forensic Psychology and MRes Programmes
• MSc Research Methods and Design
• Contemporary Issues in Psychology 2
• Culture, Identity and Development
• Social Psychology 2
• Research and Statistics 2

• BSc Psychology: Social Psychology, Educational Psychology, Health Psychology, Qualitative Psychology

• Jenny typically supervise qualitative projects utilising interpretative phenomenological analysis, thematic analysis or grounded theory across the MSc Health Psychology, MSc Forensic Psychology and MRes Programmes

• PhD: Clare Elmi-Glennan: Influences of past and present relational processes when entering higher education post 30 years: experiential accounts of foundation and year one students.
• PhD: Cordelia Green Jervis: Young Men as Fathers: A Qualitative Study Exploring Social and Cultural Constructions
• PhD: Rose O Driscoll: Women who choose not to have children.
• MPhil: Lorraine Brown: Exploring The Development Of Positive Possible Selves For 11-17 Year Olds Through A Care Farming Intervention

• PhD: Honor Young: Teenagers’ attitudes towards unprotected sex and pregnancy
• PhD: Nicola Bowes: The Role Of Case Formulation In Violence Risk Management With Adult Male Offenders
• PhD: Abdul Seckam: Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs in using topical antimicrobial interventions in wounds

• MPhil: 2012 - Fflur Rees “It’s good to hear it from somebody that’s got the experience”; the experiences and outcomes of young people supported by a homeless organisation.

• Mercer,J. & Clayton, D. (2012) Social Psychology Pearson Education

• Hawkins, J.L., Mercer, J., Thirlaway, K.J. & Clayton, D. (in press) ‘Doing’ Gardening and ‘Being’ at the Allotment Site: Exploring the benefits of allotment gardening for stress reduction and healthy ageing. Ecopsychology.
• Street,R., & Mercer, J. (In Press) Coping with Relationship Change: A Phenomenological Study of Relatives of People with Dementia. Health Psychology Update.
• Mercer,J. , Sander, P., Williams,S. & Jones,T. (2013) Emotions or Science? Pre-tertiary males’ accounts of psychology as a subject choice. Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 19 (1) 9-20
• Hawkins, J.L., Thirlaway, K.J., Mercer, J., Backx, K., Milbourne, P & Clayton, D.A. (2012) Evaluating the impact of allotment and community gardening for older people's health and well-being. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 20, S101.
• Demery, R., Thirlaway, K.J. & Mercer, J. (2012) The experiences of university students with a mood disorder. Disability and Society, Vol 27(4) 519–533
• Hilgart,J., Thirlaway, K.J & Mercer, J. (2012) Individuals’ experiences of, and responses to, a negative genetic test for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia. Journal of Health Psychology. DOI: 10.1177/1359105312443403, published online 19 April 2012
• Mercer,J (2012) Reflecting on the use of focus groups for interpretative phenomenological analysis, BPS, Qualitative Methods in Psychology Bulletin 14,53-59
• Mercer, J., Green-Jervis,C. & Brannigan,C. (2012) The legacy of a self-reported negative birth experience. British Journal of Midwifery, Vol 20 (10) 717-722
• Mercer, J. & Heggs,D (2011)“…it’s difficult to study psychology in a different way”: reflections of Polish ERASMUS students on a year of a psychology degree in the UK. Polish Journal of Applied Psychology Vol 9 (2) p7-26
• Heggs,D.A., Mercer,J. & Durniat,K. (2011) ERASMUS partners in conversation: Psychology at the University of Wroclaw and University of Wales Institute, Cardiff. Psychology Teaching Review, Special Edition on Internalisation Vol.17 (2)p 38-46
• Mercer,J (2011) Experiencing ERASMUS: Reflections on integrating Polish psychology students onto a year of a degree in the UK. Psychology Teaching Review Vol. 17 (1) p13-22
• Mercer, J (2010) Exploring the process of self-development encountered by adult returners to higher education: A lifespan psychology perspective. Psychology Teaching Review, 16 (1) p24-36
• Sanders, L, Sander, P. & Mercer, J. (2009) Rogue Males? Approaches to Study and Academic Performance of Male Psychology Students. Psychology Teaching Review 15(1)p3-17
• Mercer, J. & Feeney,J. (2009) Re-presenting Death in Psychology: hospice nurses’ lived experiences. Mortality 14(3) p245-264
• Mercer,J. (2008) ‘I feel that I’ve grown as a person’: exploring the wider impact of returning to education amongst a population of mature students Changing Landscapes Community University of Valleys Partnership (ebook ISBN is 978-1-9000346-95-5)
• Mercer, J. (2007) Re-negotiating the self through educational development: mature students’ experiences. Research in Post-Compulsory Education 12(1) p19-32
• Sander, P, Sanders, L & Mercer, J. (2007) Blending Research & Teaching in the Classroom: Teaching Research Methodology Using Staff Research Examples. Higher Education Academy - http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/html/linking_teaching_and_research.asp

• Hawkins, J.L., Thirlaway, K.J., Mercer, J., Backx, K., Milbourne, P & Clayton, D.A. (2012) Gardening as a leisure activity for healthy ageing. 12th World Leisure Congress: 30, September 2012.
• Hawkins, J.L., Thirlaway, K.J., Mercer, J., Backx, K., Milbourne, P & Clayton, D.A. (2012) Green exercise: Gardening and healthy ageing. Getting to the Grassroots, 8th Annual Symposium of HEPA Europe: 26, September 2012.
• Hawkins, J.L., Thirlaway, K.J., Mercer, J., Backx, K., Milbourne, P & Clayton, D.A. (2012) The benefits of allotment and community gardening for healthy ageing. International People Plant Symposium: 6, September 2012.
• Campbell, B. Sellen, J.L. & Mercer, J. (2012) Experiences of Offenders on a New Family Intervention Unit. British Psychological Society, Division of Forensic Psychology. Cardiff, UK. June.
• Rees, F., Sellen, J.L., Mercer, J. & Boswell, C. (2012). Predictors of Negative Outcomes for Young Offenders within a Homeless Organisation. British Psychological Society, Division of Forensic Psychology. Cardiff, UK. June.
• John-Evans, H., Sellen, J.L. & Mercer, J. (2012). Understanding the functions of self-harm in male, mentally disorders offenders: A qualitative study. British Psychological Society, Division of Forensic Psychology. Cardiff, UK. June.
• Mercer,J. & Williams,S. (2012) Exploring Male (dis)Engagement in Psychology. The British Psychological Society Annual Conference 2012, 18-20 April 2012, Grand Connaught Rooms, London
• Glennan,C & Mercer,J. (2012) The Photograph Speaks Volumes: exploring the use of auto driven photo elicitation as a tool to enable communication between researcher and participant.The British Psychological Society Annual Conference 2012, 18-20 April 2012, Grand Connaught Rooms, London
• John-Evans, H., Sellen, J.L. & Mercer, J. (2012). Understanding the functions of self-harm in male, mentally disorders offenders: A qualitative study. International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services Conference, Miami. April.
• Clayton, D., Hawkins, J.L., Thirlaway, K.J., Mercer, J., Backx, K., Milbourne, P (2011) Growing a Healthy Older Population in Wales, 1st International Well-being Conference, Birmingham 18-19 July 2011.
• Hawkins, J.L., Thirlaway, K.J., Mercer, J., Backx, K., Milbourne, P & Clayton, D.A. (2011) Healthy ageing and outdoor lifestyle activities. OPENSpace Research Network Conference: Open Space, People Space: 3, June 2011.
• Mercer, J. & Heggs,D. (2011) What have we learned from ERASMUS exchange programmes with Poland? Invited symposium on Internationalisation in Psychology, EUROPLAT at The European Congress of Psychology:Istanbul Convention & Exhibiiton Centre, Istanbul, July 4th-8th
• Clayton,D. & Mercer,J. (2011) Care Farms Work – but how do we know? The importance of evidence based research. 1st All Wales Care Farm Conference, Copthorne Hotel, Cardiff, 19th May, 2011
• Clayton,D. & Mercer,J. (2011) Collaborating with researchers and applying for funding. 1st All Wales Care Farm Conference, Copthorne Hotel, Cardiff, 19th May, 2011
• Mercer,J. (2010) Does a Psychology degree in Poland work like it does here? The experiences of Polish ERASMUS exchange students on the final year of a UK Psychology course. The British Psychologcial Society's Annual Conference, Holiday Inn, Stratford Upon Avon, 14th – 16th April 2010
• Mercer,J. (2009) Focus Groups and IPA: an exploration of their use in Health Psychology. National IPA Conference Belfast: Queens University 3rd-4th September 2009
• Mercer,J. (2009) Using Psychological Perspectives to Facilitate an Understanding of Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds, The British Psychological Society's Annual Conference, Holiday Inn, Brighton, 1st-3rd April 2009
• Mercer,J. & Feeney,J. (2008) Focus Groups and IPA: a match made in heaven or hell? Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Conference Brighton: Sussex University September 18th-19th 2008
• Sanders, L. Sander, P. & Mercer, J. (2008) Rogue Male Learners: Gender Differences in Academic Confidence and Performance of Psychology Students, ‘Transforming the Student Experience’ The Higher Education Academy Annual Conference, Harrogate International Centre 1-3rd July 2008 (paperavailableat:http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/events/conference/Ann_conf_200 8_Lalage_Sanders)
• Sander, P. Sanders, L. & Mercer, J. (2008) Rogue males amongst our first years? Gender differences in expectations of studying ‘Doing University’ Student Transitions and Skills in Higher Education, Wednesday 19 March 2008, University of Huddersfield
• Mercer, J. (2005) Transition and change: exploring the role of the self, ‘Selves and Groups’ The 52nd British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, The University of Edinburgh, 30th August-1st September 2005
• Mercer, J. (2005) “I feel that I’ve grown as a person”: exploring the wider impact of returning to education amongst a population of mature students, ‘Changing Landscapes’ The Community University of the Valleys Partnership International Conference, University of Wales, Swansea 11th – 12th April, 2005

• 2012 Waterloo Foundation grant for research project: “The Functions and Benefits of Volunteering in a Care Farm Setting” . £18,900 (Mercer,J. & Clayton,D.)
• 2011 NISCHR award “Growing a Health Population in Wales”. £150,000 (Clayton D, Thirlaway KJ,Backx K, Mercer J, Hawkins J & Middleton P).
• 2011 Strategic Insight Programme Award with the Amelia Trust Farm £2,500 (Mercer, J)
• 2010 Beacons for Wales funded Public Engagement Project. Our Place in the Future: What ‘works’ in a care farm environment with excluded young people? £7,000, (Bowes, N. Mercer,J, & Clayton, D. (UWIC) and Brown,L (Amelia Trust Farm)
• 2010 Higher, Education Academy Mini Project Exploring the roots of male (dis)engagment in Psychology £5,000 (Sander,P & Mercer,J (UWIC) Williamson, S. (Newman College) & Jones, T (University of Worcester)

Dr Jenny Mercer is a Senior Lecturer within the Department of Applied Psychology. Her main teaching responsibilities are in areas related to social psychology and qualitative research methods. She is the dissertation co-ordinator for the masters courses within the department and also the Erasmus co-ordinator. Research supervision roles span undergraduate to doctoral level students.

Jenny is a chartered psychologist and fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is a member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Researchers and Teachers in Psychology and the Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section, both of which also reflect her research interests. She is co-author of a book for the Psychology Express series on Social Psychology.

Previous research in the education field has focussed on adult returners’ transitions into and across higher education, reasons for males’ disengagement in psychology and the experiences of ERASMUS students studying psychology .Within the area of health/lifestyle psychology her research relates to outdoor activities and green care: for example a NISCHR funded project about the role of gardening and health, completion of a public engagement project exploring care farming for excluded young people, and is currently working on a study exploring the benefits and functions of volunteering at a care farm. Jenny has also supervised qualitative research projects conducted by trainee psychologists in forensic settings.

The core theme throughout all this research has been qualitative approaches to psychology, an area in which she has a keen interest. Her publications to date have utilised thematic analysis, grounded theory and interpretative phenomenological analysis, full details of which can be viewed on this webpage under publications.