Industrial/Organisational and Business Psychology deals with human capital issues and is instrumental in helping businesses become more effective and profitable, as well as improving employees' wellbeing and performance. This brand new MSc will prepare students for academic research and professional practice in this field.
Our students will be exposed to the latest psychological tools and interventions currently used in business and other applied fields. Some of the key areas that we will be covering are: talent management, consultancy skills, and business seminars. In the latter, students will follow a series of talks from professionals in the area, which provide a great opportunity to explore the latest techniques as well as network with like-minded professionals in the area.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of six core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Students choose two of the following:
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a substantial dissertation.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, presentations, case studies, practical experiments and statistical and computational work. Assessment is through examinations, essays, group projects, dissertation and oral examination.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Industrial/Organisational and Business Psychology MSc
After the successful completion of the programme our students are eligible to apply for a number of consultancy roles. One of the most popular routes has been management consulting, where graduates are currently enjoying successful careers. In addition, a number of our applicants have found positions as HR professionals within established as well as boutique firms in the UK and internationally. Finally, given the diverse and well-rounded training, some graduates have entered the word of marketing and communications where they apply the theories they have learnt to communicate with other companies and consumers more effectively.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
UCL's Industrial Organisational and Business Psychology group includes luminaries from the talent management and consumer psychology industries, as well as illustrious academics. In addition, our programme features speakers from Google, RBS, Havas Worldwide, Dunnhumby, Sainsbury's, Quantcast and many more.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
One of the key principles that govern this programme is our focus on preparing practitioners utilising the latest theories in the area of organisational and business psychology. This unique focus drives our teaching methodology (applied workshops and training courses) and pedagogical focus (experiential learning).
Our cohort of students comes from a very diverse background and we make sure that we create an environment in which everyone can learn from one another. The modules, created by experts in their fields, have been designed to deepen students' understanding as well as prepare them for successful careers in the area of industrial organisation and business psychology.
A number of the tutors hosting our business seminars are among the leading professionals in the area of business psychology. This is an excellent opportunity for our students to be exposed to the latest thinking, and to network and develop projects.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Division of Psychology & Language Sciences
83% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The MSc in Occupational and Organizational Psychology is designed to develop the next generation of evidence-based leaders and practitioners who can make tangible contributions to the rapidly changing world of work.
Our programme covers the standards of the BPS for Occupational Psychology, and prominently reflects the core strengths and interests of the course team including:
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The MSc in Occupational and Organizational Psychology is designed to develop the next generation of evidence-based leaders and practitioners in the field of work and organisational psychology. Students learn about the foundation knowledge, research and theory in the field, alongside practical, technical and professional content designed to permit development as future practitioners.
The programme is intentionally delivered in an interdisciplinary environment, from faculty who are Work, Organizational and Occupational Psychologists, Human Resource Specialists, and world-leading experts in Organizational Behaviour.
Learning and development is facilitated through innovative, high-quality teaching incorporating (for example) case studies, team-working, skills development, guest speakers, and an applied research project, alongside class lectures and academic assignments and assessment.
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
Critical, evidence based and theoretical understanding of the core knowledge areas of occupational and organizational psychology:
Intellectual / cognitive skills
Professional practical skills
Key / transferable skills
A range of generic skills relevant to practice of occupational and organisational psychology. These include effective oral and written communication, team working, planning and organizing, problem-solving, critical reasoning, data gathering and analysis (qualitative and quantitative), and use of specialist IT (e.g. SPSS).
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
Learn more about opportunities that might be available for this particular programme by using our student exchanges search tool.
Surrey Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
Our MSc Organisational Psychology course provides you with the necessary skills and knowledge to apply psychological principles, theories and methods to work organisations. The course develops your understanding of psychology as well as equipping you with practical skills for working as a psychologist within organisations.
The course at Alliance Manchester Business School:
The course runs over one year (two years for part-time students) and comprises two taught semesters plus a research dissertation. The taught modules use a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, group work, case studies and practical exercises, and are assessed using a range of techniques, including examinations, essays, applied coursework and presentations.
MSc Organisational Psychology course was re-accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for a further six years, with no conditions. We are only one of 20 schools in the UK to be accredited by the BPS to offer the Masters course that allows students to become a Chartered Occupational Psychologist.
Read Sheena Davidson's article discussing older workers in the workplace.
Assessment across the course units varies, and includes a combination of examinations, report, course work, practical assessments and presentations. A dissertation of around 15,000 words is normally undertaken.
The course provides psychology graduates who are intending to become Chartered Occupational Psychologists with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required by the Division of Occupational Psychology of the British Psychological Society (BPS), in the following seven required areas:
During the course you will be taking 180 credits in all. The eight taught modules during semester one and two total 120 credits which can be viewed in the list below.
Over the summer period, you will carry out your Research Dissertation, worth 60 credits. Examples of recent dissertation project topics include:
Please contact us for more information on the part-time two-year route.
The majority of graduates pursue the practical experience required to become Chartered Occupational Psychologists. This is usually carried out within consultancy firms or within specialist sections of large organisations. Graduates are employed as internal consultants in large commercial and industrial organisations, in HR departments, in the Police, the NHS and as management consultants. Recent recruiters include: Saville Consulting, Occupational Psychology Group, Civil Service and ORC International.
More details on our Careers Service.
Latest information on visa changes and opportunities in the UK for international students.
MSc Organisational Psychology course was re-accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for a further six years, with no conditions. We are only one of 20 schools in the UK to be accredited by the BPS to offer the Masters course that allows students to become a Chartered Occupational Psychologist.
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New Master's Scholarships available. Find out more and apply.
Our Organisational Psychiatry & Psychology course is unique in the UK and Europe. It draws on contemporary psychological, psychiatric and organisational theory to examine the causes, effects and consequences of mental ill health in the workplace and considers strategies and interventions to improve organisational and individual mental health. It leads to careers in HR, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity, health and safety and consultancy.
Our Organisational Psychiatry & Psychology course is one of the first of its kind in the UK and Europe and is designed for people who wish to gain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of psychology and psychiatry as applied to the workplace. Students include HR managers, organisational consultants, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, occupational health professionals and psychology graduates wishing to enter these occupations.
Our course has achieved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) approval from the British Psychological Society (BPS). It has also achieved accreditation from the Association for Business Psychology (ABP). It draws on psychological, psychiatric and organisational theory and evidence to examine the causes, effects and consequences of mental ill health in the workplace.
You will be taught through a mix of lectures, seminars and tutorials.
You are assessed through a combination of coursework and examinations and may typically expect assessment by:
Year 1 | Examination (30%) | Coursework (50%) | Practical (20%)
Year 2 |Examination (30%) | Coursework (50%) | Practical (20%)
Regulating body
King’s College is regulated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England
Our graduates pursue various careers in the management of mental health policy and services in the workplace, either within HR departments or as organisational consultants offering a range of services from policy development to intervention delivery.
Our MSc Social and Organisational Psychology is one of only a few Masters programmes in the UK which is provided by researchers working at the cutting edge of both social psychology and organisational psychology. The programme is taught by a successful and dynamic group of researchers who, individually and collectively, enjoy a world-class reputation. You will benefit not only from the friendly and supportive atmosphere, but also from high quality teaching and supervision, an exciting and international seminar series, and a wide variety of stimulating extracurricular activities and workshops.
The Masters programme will equip you with an array of skills which will enable you to function as an effective PhD student or as a professional researcher or practitioner in social psychology and organisational psychology. The programme forms part of the Economic and Social Research Council South West Doctoral Training Centre - a hub of world-class social science research.
A distinguishing feature of the programme is its research apprenticeship, which will help you develop your research skills by allowing you to work alongside experienced researchers and/or practitioners and write up your findings in the form of a dissertation. Although teaming up with a researcher within the department is generally advised, it is occasionally possible to engage in apprenticeships with organisations or people outside of the University, provided suitable co-supervision is established. Some of our past/current research partners include Microsoft, IBM, Rentokil, the MoD, the NHS, the Met Office, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, and Lane4 consultancy.
The research apprenticeship is an important feature of the programme. It will help you develop your research skills by working alongside experienced researchers and/or practitioners and writing up the research in the form of a dissertation. Although teaming up with a researcher within the department is generally advised, it is occasionally possible to engage in research apprenticeships with organizations or people outside of the University provided suitable co-supervision is established. Some of our past/current research partners include Microsoft, IBM, Rentokil, the MoD, the NHS, the Met Office, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and Lane4 consultancy.
The programme is made up of five compulsory modules. The list of modules may include the following;
The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
This course is for students who want to improve the working lives of employees. It is for those who want to understand how to improve organisational life.
We welcome applicants with a degree in Psychology, from a UK or international institution. We will also consider those with other degrees and a keen interest in improving people’s working lives. You will be expected to conduct some statistical analysis as part of the course so some experience working with data would be beneficial.
From understanding how to select the best employee, training them to reach their potential and investigating the politics of power on corporate boards, City’s MSc in Organisational Psychology gives you the opportunity to explore your own area of interest and conduct research within an organisation of your choice.
The programme has been designed to give you the theoretical and practical knowledge you will need to work as an organisational psychologist. Developed to reflect the Department’s unique research strengths, you will have access to specialist topics such as mindfulness within the workplace and the use of innovative selection methods.
At City we interrogate the discipline from a holistic perspective, considering the individual, the organisation and the socio-political framework in which both operate; taking a scientist-practitioner approach ensuring that everything we teach can be applied in practice.
Taught by academic experts who are also involved in consulting, this accredited Masters will give you the tools to understand human behaviour within the workplace.
These are some of the questions that the course poses:
The MSc in Organisational Psychology is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). This means as a graduate from this course you can use the MSc as the first step towards becoming a Chartered Occupational Psychologist. City's MSc programme has been designed to cover the five new knowledge areas as defined by the BPS division of occupational psychology.
Placements are not a formal requirement of the course. However, this MSc generates interest from employers seeking talented students and graduates for voluntary work placements, evaluations, internships, and short-term work experience. Whilst on the course, previous students have secured excellent internships with London-based consultancies.
You have the opportunity to conduct your final dissertation within an organisation and there are also opportunities to get involved in the research being conducted by members of staff while you study.
As part of the University of London you can become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.
You will learn through a substantial amount of group work and discussions around the core content from the first term onwards. One of the benefits of this programme is the blend of diverse perspectives you will experience collaborating with peers from a broad skillset and age range.
When it comes to assessment, you will find a substantial amount of the assignments are practitioner focused rather than being purely essay and exam based. For example, you might be asked to write a pitch for a company, where we would expect you to write about the theoretical underpinning of what you are proposing and then present it to the client as a practitioner.
One of the benefits of this varied assessment style is that you learn to write from an academic and practitioner perspective and understand different client needs.
The MSc Organisational Psychology consists of eight taught modules, plus an applied research dissertation, which normally takes five months to complete and forms the final part of the programme.
There is a substantial amount of theoretical work in all of the modules, but you will have the opportunity to apply your learning through practical exercises, group role plays and case studies.
Full-time students complete all eight modules and the dissertation in one calendar year (from September to September). Part-time students complete the course over two years.
Our graduates go on to apply their learning in a range of professional settings across the public and private sector, including organisations such as Aviva, Accenture, the Ministry of Defence and the BBC.
Our MSc Organisational and Social Psychology focuses on understanding the interaction between organisations, and the people who lead and work within them.
We draw on the best social science research to build and teach new insights for diagnosing organisational problems, explaining activity, and improving organisational capabilities.
The programme is informed by a rigorous approach to psychology theory and methodology, and contextualises organisational issues within relevant public debates and societal trends. It addresses, at its core, the interface between social psychological processes and organisational systems, and how these shape the performance and well-being of individuals and institutions.
The programme is of benefit to both recent graduates who wish to specialise in an applied area of psychology, and those with experience of working in organisations and organisational consultancy.
The MSc can lead into careers within the following areas: management consultancy, human resource management, organisational development and change, behavioural insights research, training and skills development, and risk management.
Recent graduates have gained employment worldwide in consultancy, international enterprises and firms, banks, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or have gone on to obtain PhDs and pursue an academic career.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
MSc Work Psychology & Business emphasises the study of practical, real-world organisational and business issues, combined with the academic and scientific rigour of occupational psychology as an applied science. Our graduates go on to work at known brands such as Jaguar Land Rover, NHS and NPower.
MSc Work Psychology & Business is suitable if you hold a good first degree in psychology and wish to pursue a career as work or occupational psychologist. Work psychology is a topic at the core of our understanding of healthy and effective organisations and employees. It gives psychologists a unique opportunity to study business alongside specialist work psychology modules and will enable you to operate within a global workplace.
This course emphasises the study of practical, real-world organisational and business issues, combined with the academic and scientific rigour of occupational psychology as an applied science. The business school context provides an excellent perspective on the application of occupational psychology in organisations, and gives the course an applied and relevant focus.
Core Modules
Optional Modules (Choose one):
The course then concludes with a dissertation project.
The Professional Development Programme (PDP) is an integrated module which runs throughout the course and focuses on your professional development and employability, giving you the opportunity to identify, develop and apply the key skills you gain throughout the year. You'll have the opportunity to develop your academic skills, build a portfolio of professional business skills, or study abroad at one of our international partners, undertake an internship placement in the UK, or overseas, or get involved in a global business challenge simulation.
Gain the strategic knowledge and expertise to promote wellbeing and success in organisations all across the globe. Study alongside your job while you interact with other professionals in a dynamic online environment. Move ahead on your career or doctoral goals with an MSc from the University of Liverpool, part of the prestigious Russell Group of research-led UK universities.
“The online MSc in Psychology was fun, enlightening and worthwhile.”
Bee Garrs (UK living in South Africa) MSc in Psychology graduate
Bring out the best in yourself and others with this 100% online MSc that allows you to:
Study online and graduate directly from the University of Liverpool, in the top 1% of universities worldwide. Enjoy distinct advantages:
Meet the growing demand for professionals with the strategic insight and expert knowledge to strengthen wellbeing and performance in organisations around the globe. This MSc equips you for a wide range of roles, including:
This professionally-recognised course will provide you with the skills and commercial awareness to apply psychological principles to the challenges faced by organisations.
You’ll build your knowledge of the psychological science base while gaining an appreciation of business management, learning from expert practitioners within organizational psychology.
You’ll examine individual, group and organisational effectiveness by exploring issues such as selection and assessment, and consider the latest topics including managing innovation, change management and designing complex socio-technical systems.
The course has a practical focus and thanks to our connections with firms such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Marks and Spencer, you’ll test your professional skills in real business scenarios. During the course you’ll have the opportunity to gain certification in Occupational Test User: Ability and Personality at no additional cost, which is a valuable tool for selection and development.
This masters is an ideal qualification if you want to work as a practitioner organizational psychologist or academic researcher.
Academic excellence
You’ll learn from an influential group of organizational psychologists, introducing you to the latest thinking from our research centres, the Socio-Technical Centre (STC) and the Workplace Behaviour Research Centre. They undertake research at the cutting edge of organizational psychology and behaviour. The centres combine expertise in psychology, management, engineering, environmental science and geography to form a thriving research community.
Students also benefit from our strong corporate connections, as well as links with several leading organizational psychology consulting firms. Recent project partners have included Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Arup, the National Health Service, Network Rail and Marks and Spencer.
The course covers the full range of topics required for professional recognition by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. To read more about the benefits of undertaking an accredited programme, please see the BPS website.
Graduation from this course fulfils stage one of the requirements for Chartered Membership of BPS and full membership of the Division of Occupational Psychology. Please see the BPS website for details.
In each semester you’ll study a range of modules that develop your knowledge of key aspects of organizational psychology.
You’ll be introduced to the individual, team and organisational factors that affect workplace behaviours such as decision-making and teamwork. You’ll explore the selection and training methods use by organisations to recruit, develop and retain talent and the design of complex human-technical systems.
From there you’ll study contemporary business priorities such as organisational development and change, as well as approaches to career development and performance management. A further module will put you in real-life business situations to help you develop your commercial awareness and professional skills.
Throughout the year you’ll develop your understanding of research design and analysis in psychology and social sciences, especially behavioural research. This will develop your skills to prepare you for your dissertation – the independent research project on your choice of topic that you’ll submit by the end of the year. Read about a recent student dissertation project with Bentley.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take nine compulsory modules including your dissertation.
For more information on typical modules, read Organizational Psychology MSc Full Time in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials.
Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including exams, group projects, written assignments and essays, in-course assessment, group and individual presentations and reports.
As a graduate of this course you will be business savvy, with a broad appreciation of the financial, strategic and operational workings of contemporary organisations. Our graduates are strongly positioned to enter careers in the public or private sectors, equally adept as dedicated consulting organizational psychologists or human resource specialists.
Recent graduates have gone on to pursue successful careers in a range of organisations and consultancies around the world, including Google, Kiddy and Partners, Capp, and Human Factors International. Roles include Consulting Psychologist, Operations Analyst, Trainee Occupational Psychologist, Management Consultant, Recruitment Consultant and Crowd Management Consultant.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support as part of the course. You benefit from our professional development tutor, who will help you to develop the important professional skills that employers value. This means you will develop the academic skills to successfully progress through the course, and also the professional skills you will need to start a successful career.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
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