Martyn is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and has been nominated for multiple teaching awards by both staff and students. He has designed and delivered a range of BPS-accredited psychology modules, and currently teaches across several programmes at Swansea University. His teaching emphasises evidence-based practice, student engagement, and the development of practical skills.
Martyn is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and is currently completing the Senior Fellowship in Higher Education.
He was nominated for a Teaching Oscar at the University of Nottingham and has received multiple nominations for Swansea University’s Excellence in Teaching Awards from students (2021–2025).
He was also recognised by peers with a staff-nominated Excellence in Teaching Award in 2022.
I have held a number of leadership and administrative roless spanning admissions, employability, programme leadership, and external academic service.
I'm currently Employability Lead for Psychology at Swansea University, where I oversee the School’s career and employability initiatives. This role involves supporting students’ professional development, strengthening links with industry and placement providers, and helping to embed employability-focused opportunities within the curriculum. I am also Programme Lead for the 4-Year BSc (Hons) Psychology with a Year in Industry pathway.
I've also served as Head of Admissions for Psychology at Swansea University. In this role, I oversaw undergraduate recruitment and admissions activities, including open days, applicant visit days, outreach initiatives, and Clearing. The Psychology events and taster sessions I led were consistently among the highest attended across the university and received very positive feedback from prospective students and their families.
I have also undertaken external examining and quality assurance activities, including serving as External Examiner for a doctoral viva at University College London (2026) and as an External Panel Member for programme validation at University of Portsmouth (2023).
This module provides an exploration of how behaviour is learned and reinforced according to the principles of learning theory and conditioning. The module use real-world issues to demonstrate these principles, for example, the development of anxiety disorders (e.g., phobias) and other psychopathologies (e.g., Schizophrenia). A key component of this module involves relating these principles to the development of gambling-related harm.
Approx. 300-400 students
This module examines (i) individual differences in personality and personality and (ii) clinical psychology. Theoretical accounts of the structure of personality (trait vs factor approaches) are examined along with the development of personality (learning vs psychoanalytic approaches) and personality assessment. The module also focuses on clinical psychology the module will examine how we define atypical behaviour, along with the explanations of such behaviour including learning theory, biology and genetics, and psychoanalytic explanations. The symptoms of some of the principle disorders of behaviour are delineated including schizophrenia, mood disorders and personality disorders.
In this module, students conduct research studies during weekly lab classes which they report in the form of scientific papers. In addition, through weekly sessions with their Personal Tutor, students begin to consider their professional development. In these sessions, students complete activities that will allow them to consider the career options and development.
This module introduces students to foundational concepts in statistics and research methods. Students are introduced to the British Psychological Society's ethical principles, and explore ethics in research through the study of historical case studies of problematic research. This module also covers experimental and observational research designs, and how we can measure psychological constructs such as traits, attitudes, and emotions. Students receive a solid grounding in statistical theory, and will learn to summarise, present, analyse, and interpret data. Additionally, through small group sessions led by their Personal Academic Mentor, students develop key academic skills, including literature searching, essay planning and writing, oral presentation skills, making use of feedback, and academic referencing.
Conceptual and historical issues in the philosophy of psychology
Engaging the public in psychology
Practical methods and analysis for psychology
Preparation for Work Placements
I have been actively involved in public engagement, outreach, and student recruitment. In my role as Admissions Lead, I played a central role in organising and delivering prospective student events, including open days, applicant visit days, and psychology taster sessions designed to introduce students to the discipline and to university study more broadly. These events were consistently among the highest attended across the university and received highly positive feedback from prospective students and their families.
I have also delivered psychology masterclasses and outreach lectures to cohorts of 100+ A-Level students, covering core psychological concepts, contemporary research, and the application of psychology to real-world issues. My outreach work has taken place across a range of contexts, including schools/colleges, university outreach programmes, widening participation initiatives, and prospective student events.
Across these activities, I aim to create engaging and accessible learning environments that encourage curiosity, discussion, and critical thinking. I am particularly interested in helping students connect psychological theory to contemporary debates and in supporting prospective students from diverse backgrounds to feel confident about higher education and studying psychology at university.
PhD Supervision
Martyn supervises PhD students, providing guidance on research design, advanced quantitative methods, and academic writing, with a focus on producing high-quality, publishable research.
Martyn is currently available for PhD and MSc by Research supervision at Swansea University, UK. When available, fully funded studentships will be advertised on LinkedIn and the Swansea University website. Prospective students who wish to self-fund or hold external scholarships are encouraged to get in touch to discuss potential projects.
BSc and MSc Project Superision
Martyn has supervised over 80 BSc and MSc research projects across a wide range of topics within psychology. His supervision emphasises the development of key research skills, critical thinking, and the ability to apply psychological theory to real-world questions. Students are supported through all stages of the research process, from project design and ethical approval to data analysis and dissertation write-up. Several student projects have contributed to conference presentations and research publications.