M.Sc. in Work and Organisational Psychology/Behaviour

Course details

The MSc in Work and Organisational Psychology/Behaviour at DCU Business School is the longest running programme delivering organisational psychology education in Ireland. The accreditation of this programme by Psychological Society of Ireland establishes it as the essential first step towards a professional career as a Registered Organisational Psychologist.

The new parallel MSc in Work and Organisational Behaviour programme is designed for graduates who in disciplines other than Psychology for entry to the Masters in Work and Organisational Psychology. Students on this stream are taught alongside and receive almost all of the same modules as the Organisational Psychology students.

Among the main areas covered in the programme are:

• The psychology of work and organisational life;
• Organisational selection and motivation;
• Satisfaction at work;
• Leadership;
• Managing organisational change and development;
• Organisational diagnosis and consulting;
• Applied organisational research methods.

A key feature of this Masters programme is educational philosophy, which is built firmly on the 'Adult Learning Module'. This emphasises collaborative and participative team learning, and draws heavily on the experiences and insights of participants ratherr than on the lecturer as expert.

This postgraduate programme is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which is the leading professional body in HRM. Graduates who successfully complete the programme qualify for graduate membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD)

Aims and Objectives:

The programme aims to produce professionally qualified Organisational Psychologists and Organisational Behaviour specialists who shall:

• develop the ability to objectively analyse specific and related aspects of the structure of an organisation and the tasks it performs;
  have a complete understanding of both the measurement and influence of individual differences such as personality, motivation, leadership style and attitudes on organisational performance and efficiency;
• be cognisant of the available methods of employee testing, appraisal and development, appropriate to organisational rationale;
• be capable of analysing organisational staffing needs and prescribing job analysis, recruitment and selection techniques for that organisation;
  develop distinctive psychological skills for the diagnosis of specific aspects of organisational behaviour and functioning such as training, decision-making, restructuring, problem-solving and job design;
• develop the ability to aid organisations embrace teamworking, multi-cultural workplace integration and innovative management techniques.

Programme Structure:

Classes take place on one day per week, usually Wednesday, from 3.00pm to 8.00pm. This part-time delivery mode is designed to suit the time commitments of working professionals.

Assessment of the programme is by semester papers, group work, performance assessment and by research project with formal examinations being the exception rather than the rule.

There is an intake onto this programme every two years (i.e. 2015, 2017, etc.).

Why DCU:

DCU is Ireland's University of Enterprise with an industry engagement strategy which benefits our students in many ways including:

• Learn from leading experts in the field of Work & Organisational Psychology and Organisational Behaviour, who reflect leading thinking and latest practices through their teaching, drawing on their continuing research and insights gained from their work with leading organisations in Ireland and overseas
• Exposure to leading international experts and thought leaders during the programme, along with additional workshops and seminars relevant to Work & Organisational Psychology and Organisational Behaviour
• Heavy emphasis on applied and skills based learning providing graduates with the foundation for a career in the field of organisational behaviour
• Recognised and fully accredited by the leading professional body in the field of HRM, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) and the Psychological Society of Ireland

Career Prospects:

Graduates of this programme are equipped for employment in a wide range of Irish and international organisations, in both the public and private sectors. Graduates typically take positions managing change, diagnosing organisational problems, and planning and managing interventions. The variety of positions undertaken reflects the diverse strengths of the programme.

Entry Requirements:

Candidates for the MSc in Work & Organisational Psychology should have an honours degree in Psychology (at Upper Second Class Honours level, or above).

Candidates for the MSc in Work & Organisational Behaviour should have an honours degree in a business, social sciences, or organisation-related discipline (at Upper Second Class Honours level, or above).

Graduates are likely to be involved in the following work fields:

• Change management in larger organisations
• Management of training and development
• Policy studies in research centres
• Organisational advice and management consulting
• Personnel selection and development
• Academic research and training