MSc Work & Organisational Psychology

This class engages with contemporary knowledge about the assessment and selection of people at work. As well as developing a core appreciation for the psychometric principles underpinning assessment techniques, it aims to provide you with a critical understanding of the wider context of selection by considering key stakeholders and the implementation of selection as part of wider human resource systems. Topics include:

• job analysis
• techniques in developing assessment methods, including awareness of reliability, validity and utility
• selection methods, such as employment interviews, assessment centres, situational judgment tests and digital methods
• criteria for choosing and designing assessment methods, for example, diversity, fairness and candidate perspective

This class will allow you to engage critically with key concepts related to understanding worker health and psychological wellbeing in contemporary working life. Topics covered include:

• the role of the wider societal context and changing work environments in shaping work-related health and wellbeing
• traditional and new work patterns, including remote work and impacts on work-life boundaries
• models of stress and work
• bullying, harassment and conflict management
• an appreciation of the employment lifecycle, from unemployment to retirement
• positive psychological perspectives and promoting resilience and wellbeing

This class will introduce you to strategic human resource development and the theoretical and practical applications of training and career development in the workplace and labour market. Content includes:

• theories of learning and skills development
• learner-centred instructional design
• training cycle: transferring learning to practice
• psychological theories of occupational choice and career management
• integrated approaches career development
• evaluation of learning in the workplace
• organisational and social factors in training and development
• employability and unemployment policy

This class will introduce theories of attitude and behaviour in the workplace, as well as performance management challenges including:

• motivation and leadership in the workplace
• engagement, commitment, values and organisational citizenship
• appraisal and management of performance and potential
• psychological contract and perceptions of justice
• derailment and counterproductive behaviours
• power, influence and negotiation in organisations
• psychology of groups, teams and teamwork

This class will cover theoretical and critical perspectives across the following content:

• organisational structure, design, culture and climate, including globalisation and international aspects
• models and methods of organisational and individual change and development
• wider context of change and implications for people management

This class adopts an applied approach to understanding the skills required to be an effective occupational psychologist or people management professional in practice. Topics include the foundational knowledge and skill required for professional practice:

• the scientist-practitioner model and implications for evidence-based practice
• ethical issues in working with individuals, teams and organisations
• practical skills including, for example: running focus groups, workplace data capture and analysis

10 credits

This class adopts an applied approach to understanding the skills required to be an effective occupational psychologist or people management professional in practice. Topics focus on the practical and psychosocial aspects of professional practice at work, including:

• self-management, project management and the consultancy cycle
• writing client reports and proposals, making presentations
• team development techniques

This class will develop students‘ understanding of research methods and data analyses in psychology. Students will develop an awareness of the ethical issues in research in humans, and the strengths, limitations, and applications of various research designs. Students will have the opportunity to study a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches.

This class will cover theoretical and critical perspectives across the following content:

• design of jobs and work environments considering the wider context of automation and digitalisation of work and employment
• human factors and ergonomics
• workplace safety, risk management, and error prevention
• organisational effectiveness, productivity, performance

10 credits

The aim of this module is to explore human resource management as both a strategic function and essential aspect of the management role, which creates value for both business organisations and stakeholders through the effective organisation of people and associated work systems. The module examines the business context and socio-economic drivers which shape corporate strategies and in turn, shape the strategic policies and practices of human resource management.

20 credits.

The aim of this class is to provide a critical understanding of current developments in employee relations in the UK. It aims to provide a conceptual and theoretical understanding of the dynamics and the contours of the employment relationship. Particular attention will be focused on exploring the resilience of the traditional institutions and modes of employment regulation, as well as exploring current attempts to recast the dynamics of employee relations.

10 credits

This module aims to explore causes and patterns of labour mobility in a global context. A key focus will be on the issue of diversity management within and between nation states in an era of more integrated markets and the practical implications these have for managers working in different political and economic contexts.

10 credits

The aim of the module is to build upon core theories and strategic practices of HRM by examining emerging developments in people management, within complex and volatile global business environments.

10 credits

In this module, you'll learn the importance of understanding different types of users, context and usage scenarios for health devices and systems.

You'll conduct practical exercises to gather real life business requirements from a variety of stakeholders including patients, consumers and clinicians and practitioners. You'll learn to design, prototype and evaluate systems that are usable and fit-for-purpose.

The module will review the different types of data that health and wellness systems collect and process to allow informed care decisions about individuals or populations. We'll also cover analytical tools as well as visualisation and multimodal output. Plus, we'll look at information structures and standards required for interoperability and decision support functionalities.