Programme Information

The MSc in Occupational and Organisational Psychology has been running since 1995 and has been developing ever since. The aim of the programme is to enable you to develop as an evidence-based practitioner. That is, you will start using techniques to apply your knowledge base to a range of work and organisational problems through projects and dissertation work. On the course you will: 

• Develop sound knowledge of the core areas of occupational psychology and its application to work and organisations
• Develop the ability to diagnose and develop understanding of work-related problems using quantitative and qualitative methods

• Learn techniques for the effective design, implementation and evaluation of interventions to improve organisational effectiveness as well as individual well-being.

Our graduates have been employed in psychological consultancies, in private and public sector organisations, in academia and in work as self-employed consultants. Example organisations taking up our graduates include: ADC Ltd Consulting, Cap Gemini, YSC Consulting, Kaisen Consulting, Accenture, Oxford Psychologists Press, Pearn Kandola, QinetiQ, Human Factors International, and Ernst and Young.

Module Summary

You will complete eight modules, six of which cover theory and practice specific to occupational and organisational psychology and two of which cover research methods and professional skills required by all psychologists, and a dissertation.

• Organisational Behaviour

This module explores employee relations and motivation in organisations, and considers work-life balance in depth.

• Assessment and the Workplace

This module will examine the fundamentals of personnel selection and assessment, and the assessment components of career appraisal.

• Social Psychology of Organisations and Institutions

In this module, you will study organisational development and change. You will consider the term ‘organisation’ as any arena in which work is conducted, including the home (as in telework), the voluntary sector and ‘virtual organisations’.

• Training, Development and Workplace Counselling

This module explores the uses of career counselling and coaching, training and career development.

• Ergonomics and Human Factors

In this module, you will examine human–machine interaction and the design of safe and healthy work environments.

• Quantitative Research Methods

In this module, you will develop the skills to conduct and assess quantitative research effectively. Qualitative Research Methods This module will develop skills to conduct and assess qualitative research.

• Dissertation

The dissertation enables you to conduct a significant piece of applied research; following your development of a detailed research proposal. It will develop your skills in research, and allow you to explore a specific topic in depth.

Careers

Our graduates have an excellent employment record. The MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology is very well established and held in high esteem amongst employers, mainly because of our efforts to facilitate student employability. Previous students have taken up careers in leading consulting firms including Kaizen, Cap Gemini, Human Factors Ltd, SHL Ltd, Accenture, QinetiQ and Reed. Other graduates have gone into human resource posts involving some psychological input (for example, organisational development roles), training and development posts, assessment and development posts, management/training, vocational guidance, research, teaching, and others have set up their own consultancies.

Chartered Status

In order to work as a Chartered Psychologist you must initially complete Stage 1 of the chartership process, demonstrating knowledge of the eight areas of occupational psychology and psychological research. The MSc will provide this through projects which require application of your knowledge of the eight areas to practical problems.  Please contact the BPS for specific advice on the process for applying to become a Chartered Psychologist after graduation, or visit: www.bps.org.uk

Staff Perspective: Dr Almuth McDowall

Our programme is focused on developing our students as evidence-based practitioners. We all believe that there is nothing as practical as good theory! We cover the latest high quality research on work and organisations as well as the classic theories, but emphasize throughout the application of this research to the workplace. For example, my research on work-life balance has been used to bring about real change in working practices, and also highlighted the importance of the topic in the popular press. The occupational psychology lectures take place in small groups with an emphasis on discussion and group exercises. This helps build essential skills for practising as an occupational psychologist alongside the psychological insights. The assignments that we use are mostly projects which require the application of psychology to practical problems. For example, you will be asked to do undertake a coaching session and then analyse what you did in the light of psychological models. We believe that our approach not only enables deeper understanding of the topic, but also builds important skills for your future career. We limit student numbers to ensure high standards and to enable us to develop a good relationship with our students. The programme team are all experienced occupational psychologists with a diverse range of expertise. This ensures that we cover all of the many applications of occupational psychology. However we are all focused on delivering a programme with a solid psychological basis that enables our students to learn to apply this knowledge in the workplace.