Business and Organisational Psychology MSc

Postgraduate

male student sitting in front of a shelf of books

Studied on campus or 100% online, this MSc course will help to understand and apply psychological and behavioural factors relating to individuals and organisations in the workplace.

Year of entry

2023-24 2024-25

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)
100% online study

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time

Duration

1 year full-time
2 years part-time

Course code

HLST272 (on campus)
HLST282 (online)

Start date

September 2024
January 2025
May 2025

How to apply

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Course overview

Through practical case studies, you will explore the individual, team and organisational factors that can affect workplace behaviours. These include decision-making, personnel selection, motivation and teamwork, as well as the techniques needed to manage such situations.

The course aims to provide you with a thorough grounding in the theory and practical skills required to apply psychological research, business tools and methods within a variety of organisational settings and corporate cultures.
You will explore learning business psychology-related techniques to promote individual workplace wellbeing and organisational success.
It aims to prepare you for business and organisational psychology roles in management or consultancy, in human resources and the many other occupational functions. These could include learning, training and development, recruitment, health and wellbeing.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects

Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 UK Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2024

Why you should study this course

Accredited¹ by the Association for Business Psychology (ABP).
Taught by academics, many of whom benefit from practitioner experience either as a Business Psychologist or through consultancy-based work (staff may be subject to change).
Dedicated consumer psychology module, which provides a critical understanding of consumer behaviour and applied marketing and advertising practice.
Opportunity to develop an evidence-based practice intervention plan as an outcome of a systematic literature review.
The opportunity to attend professional business conferences, which have previously included the National Work and Wellbeing Conference or the Workplace Sustainability Conference² (subject to availability and additional costs may apply).

Accreditation and professional recognition

This course is accredited¹ and recognised by the following professional bodies:

Association for Business Psychology

The course is accredited by the Association for Business Psychology (ABP) and aligns to their standards and codes of practice.

Chartered Management Institute

The course currently includes the  Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited module, Leading Strategic Change through Creativity and Innovation. Upon successful completion of the module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost. Further details can be found on the Professional Development module homepage.

What you'll study

The main study themes of this course are:

Work and Wellbeing: An introduction to employee wellbeing, based in applied theory and practice looking at workplace behaviours and issues, such as work life balance, stress and bullying, performance coaching and counselling including emotional triggers, mental and physical health symptoms related to the workplace, disorders and potential coping strategies and interventions. 
Psychological Assessment at Work: The principles, theories, methods and legal issues concerning recruitment, selection and assessment.
Learning, Training and Development: How to design, implement and evaluate training programmes according to the context and requirements. Consumer Psychology: Provides an overview of consumerism and buyer behaviour, marketing research linked to the psychological concepts of consumer decision-making. Considering how to reach consumers effectively, through an exploration of their behaviours and attitudes and effective advertising.
Leadership, Engagement and Motivation: The concepts of leadership, power and influence and their impact on employee engagement and motivation.
Consultancy/Management:  How to critically evaluate and develop solutions to complex, inter-related, multi-faceted issues that can be found in a variety of organisations and professional contexts.

Modules

Psychological Assessment at Work - 20 credits

The module provides the basis for critically evaluating and analysing the principles and methods of recruitment, selection and assessment. The module is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of issues surrounding the selection process in order that they can synthesise key information to make informed choices of methods when developing selection processes. This includes the critical evaluation of theories, approaches and methods. Further legal and ethical issues concerning selection and assessment will be discussed so that you can evaluate and apply theory to practice. Applied skills including evaluating different approaches to workplace psychometric assessment will form part of your learning and practical application.

Compulsory

Project Planning and Research Skills - 20 credits

This module aims to prepare you with the knowledge, skills and abilities required to undertake a literature review in business psychology. The module will introduce you to the core principles and strategies of the review, including the ways in which reviews can vary such as in, scope, research question, methodology and data synthesis. The module will encourage you to reflect upon and test out various review stages including formulating research questions, literature searching, critically appraising research studies, planning and designing a review and time management. The module will seek to enable you to appreciate the contexts in which literature reviews are conducted, how they are produced and used to gain a deeper insight into how literature reviews are reported and disseminated.

Compulsory

Work and Wellbeing - 20 credits

The module introduces you to Work and Wellbeing. The aim of the module is to provide an understanding of how work links with individuals’ personal and organisational well-being. The module will examine how work is structured (work and non-work), negative aspects of work including stress, workplace bullying and the role of emotions. Mental and physical health will be considered including symptoms and disorders as well as potential interventions to increase well-being.

This module examines factors related to employee wellbeing, including stress-related paradigms such as the demand and control model. These models will aid your understanding and help you to identify interventions that organisations can actively assist in the welfare of their employees, improving psychological well-being at work.

The module adopts a case study-based approach, which examines problems arising in the workplace and how strategies can be employed to ameliorate issues for employees, supervisors and organisations.

Compulsory

Leadership Engagement and Motivation - 20 credits

The module provides an overview of theories and empirical research of work motivation and its relationship to performance appraisal and performance management. The module covers the concepts of leadership, and motivation and their impact on employee engagement. Issues of positive and negative responses to work will be outlined (organisational citizenship and derailment). An overview of theories and research concerning group and teamwork will be explored as well as perceptions related to psychological contracts and organisational justice.

The wide-ranging debate on the variety of approaches to strategic management is investigated. You are encouraged to tackle complex issues, understand the interrelated aspects of organisational change, and develop solutions to multi-faceted problems. You are expected to explore the rich academic literature with a consistent view of the importance of applying theory in a number of different business contexts.

Compulsory

Learning, Training and Development - 20 credits

The module introduces training and development in the workplace. The aim of the module is to provide you with an understanding of theory and conceptual approaches to design, implementation, and evaluation of training programmes. You will gain an in-depth and applied understanding of the training cycle and how approaches to training can be applied according to the context and requirements. A detailed approach to how learning and skills are acquired by individuals will be provided and opportunities to test your learning styles will be given during the sessions. Knowledge of how training is applied to groups and teams and the related issues will be practiced during the sessions. An understanding of the technical approaches to training design will be developed through the application and development of a training plan. Knowledge of evaluation of training and feedback mechanisms will be developed and applied.

You will aim to develop skills in both understanding the theoretical basis to training and applying this to differing contexts. Skills of analysis, information gathering, and technical knowledge will be developed in this module.

Compulsory

Consumer Psychology - 20 credits

This module provides an introduction to understanding consumerism and the effects of marketing and market research methodologies. In addition, this module explores buyer behaviour linked to psychological concepts including consumer decision-making, emotions, cognition and attitudes. This will include advertising psychology, brand management and the selling process. It focuses on how to reach consumers effectively, through an exploration of behavioural and environmental influences.

This module is applicable to the consumer-driven world that has developed. Examination of consumer goal-directed behaviours, motivations and methods of persuasion are all factors that will be considered when evaluating consumer actions, attitudes and behaviour. You will have the opportunity to gain skills in communication and analysis as you engage in the investigation of the underlying factors of consumer behaviours. Individual differences and motivational theories will be considered, along with examining sustainability in consumerism. Strategies will be developed to consider effective actions when marketing and selling, culminating in analysing a popular or controversial product/brand and designing a research strategy and subsequent advertising plan.

Compulsory

Leading Strategic Change through Creativity and Innovation - 10 credits

Module run by the Chartered Institute of Management - CMI.

This module aims to provide you with a framework of knowledge and understanding of how to manage change using creativity and innovation whatever the master’s degree of specialisation you elect to follow, in different types of organisational scenarios.

You will critically assess strategies for change and change management and explore the leadership skills required to lead successfully. You will explore for example, the complexity of innovative strategic plans, implementation plans and how to apply analytical techniques, theories, models and creative problem-solving to manage change with confidence.

Ultimately, you will be given the opportunity to develop an innovative framework to deliver a change management strategy in a changing organisational context.

Finally, the module requires you to reflect critically on your personal learning and development needs and how you work with others, from an ethical and professional standpoint to encourage their continuing professional development.

Compulsory

Systematic Literature Review and Evidence-Based Practice - 50 credits

This module forms two parts.

The first part is to conduct a thorough and contemporary systematic literature review on a business psychology topic of your choice. You will be encouraged to work on a topic that is of interest to you from a business-related setting or an area of professional practice; this will have been encouraged through the Project Planning and Research Skills module, where you were asked to research a topic that was of psychological business interest. You will be expected to complete a critical and evaluative review of the relevant literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles to produce a systematic literature review in a format that would be suitable for publication in an appropriate review journal.

The second part of the module will be to introduce an intervention that is drawn from the conclusions of the systematic literature review. It will be the application of knowledge gained through the review and turned into an evidence-based intervention/workplace change or practice plan. You will seek to gain experience in translating scientific evidence into professional practice.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

This course can be taken either on campus or completely online and can be studied over three semesters in one year as a traditional full-time master’s programme or can be offered on a part-time basis.

The on campus version of the course shares the same learning platform as the online students and students are supported with workshops designed to apply the knowledge gained via applied and practical sessions. Online students benefit from the opportunity to attend synchronous online sessions.

The course takes a digitally rich teaching and learning approach and will consist of a mixture of the following methods:

Interactive lectures
Seminars
Workshops
Guest lecturers

Study on campus

Explore our campus

Study 100% online

How online learning works

This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about part-time study.

Teaching contact hours

In a typical teaching week you will have around six contact hours of teaching. Later in the course you will have 10 hours (total) of project supervision.

Teaching is typically organised as two-hour sessions for 20-credit modules and one-hour sessions for 10-credit modules, incorporating engagement on our digital platform with content material and applying learning in associated workshops.

In addition, you will be expected to undertake approximately a further 25-28 hours of self-directed study each week, for example, completing the recommended reading that accompanies your lectures, working on coursework assignments and taking part in group work.

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods include:

Essays
Consultancy reports
Practical reports
Systematic literature review
Evidence–based intervention plan

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

The criteria for entry are:

an honours degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Psychology, Business or Social Science)
2:1/2:2 or first class award.

Applicants who do not meet one or both of the two criteria above but have relevant experience will also be considered for entry on an individual basis.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Typical entry requirements

The criteria for entry are:

an honours degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Psychology, Business or Social Science)
2:1/2:2 or first class award.

Applicants who do not meet one or both of the two criteria above but have relevant experience will also be considered for entry on an individual basis.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no component lower than 5.5

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	£9,350	Request fee information
EU	£9,350 per year with EU Support Bursary £18,600 per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	£18,600	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees³and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

The on-campus course will take place at our Coventry University main campus.

Specialist teaching facilities⁴ include an observation suite, counselling rooms and specialist software, such as OpenSesame, Gorilla experiment builder, E-Prime, SPSS statistical analysis, Pinnacle Studio and NVIVO.

Careers and opportunities

A diverse and broad range of career opportunities have been the ‘next step’ for students completing the course. These have included CEOs who have gained the confidence to apply evidence-based practice to others who have careers as business consultants, leadership coaches, HR managers and training and development practitioners.

On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the theoretical principles of Business and Organisational Psychology as applied in a business (occupational) setting, together with relevant psychological business analysis techniques
Critically evaluative psychological literature and apply research findings to professional practice
Demonstrate the appropriate application of ethical and codes of conduct, analysing complex employee-related issues and selecting appropriate intervention techniques to produce creative and effective business solutions
Produce consultancy reports based on theoretical concepts and knowledge in line with professional reporting standards in psychology
Evidence a range of transferrable and professional skills, thereby enhancing employment and promotion opportunities. These could include presentation; problem-solving; aptitude in literacy, numeracy and IT; working independently and with others to complete tasks effectively; excellent verbal and written communication; report writing; and self-management strategies to organise time and workloads.

Where our graduates work

Many of our graduates have gone on to work as independent business consultants for companies like Kellogg's and Ricoh UK. Graduates have also found employment as business consultants, in sales, in HR, and as learning, training and development, and leadership training practitioners.

Graduate Immigration Route visa

Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.

How to apply

UK students

To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.

Full-time applications

Part-time applications

For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Chat with our admissions team

Complete our contact form.

International students

Full-time international students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degree view our International hub.

You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 2152

applications.io@coventry.ac.uk

Chat with our admissions team.

Complete our contact form.

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2023/2024 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2024/25 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.