MSc Occupational Psychology

Course information

1 year full-time

Course overview

For 2020–21, we have made some changes to how the teaching and assessment of this programme are delivered. Find out more

Training as an Occupational Psychologist in the Institute of Management Studies will equip you with the scientific knowledge and practical skills to challenge the status quo and offer innovative solutions to workplace problems.

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society.

Occupational Psychology, both as a professional and academic field, seeks to address questions of critical importance in business and enterprise.

How can we select the best employees?
How can we enhance health and performance?
What does effective leadership look like?
What impact does coaching really have?

The MSc Occupational Psychology, run by the Institute of Management Studies, will equip you with the knowledge and skills to begin considering these questions. The programme has been designed in line with British Psychological Society (BPS) and Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP) requirements and has been accredited since 1995. We recently updated our programme content in line with the 2014 changes to the DOP Occupational Psychology curriculum and, as of September 2014, we are teaching in line with the new curriculum.

The MSc Occupational Psychology aims to equip you with a thorough grounding in the application of psychological theory to work settings, to provide you with the skills necessary to conduct cutting-edge research in applied research projects to a high level of competence, and to impart core practitioner techniques and awareness.

Excellent employment rates

The programme’s success is increasingly reflected in the excellent employment rates of our former MSc students in both public and private sectors. Some students also go on to carry out PhD level study with us to become academic Occupational Psychologists.

Develop a theoretical and empirical knowledge base

In the IMS we work to the academic-practitioner model. That is, our Occupational Psychology programme is specifically designed to equip you with a theoretical and empirical knowledge base that you can bring to your consultancy and practice. To that end, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in both cutting-edge research, as well as practical skills sessions. For your research dissertation you’ll have access to academics with expertise in areas such as occupational health and wellbeing, talent management and entrepreneurship.

Distinguished Speakers Series

In the IMS we have an invited speakers’ programme called the Distinguished Speakers Series. This series provides specialised talks by either academic or practising experts in various fields of business, enterprise and occupational psychology.

You can find out more about the programme on our Facebook page.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Rachael Skews.

What you'll study

Structure

The MSc programme runs for one year, starting in September. Most lectures and seminars are in the first two terms of the academic year, however the programme is structured in such a way that you are expected to pursue your studies beyond formal term times. Apart from the individual module-units listed in the syllabus, you will be required to attend other seminars and workshop series.

As far as is practicable, the majority of lectures and seminars will be timetabled for Mondays and Tuesdays.

	Module title	Credits
	Organisational Behaviour and Health Organisational Behaviour and Health 15 credits The module aims to provide an introduction to individual and organisational health and the ways in which organisational environments can be designed to facilitate this. The module begins with a discussion of the antecedents of individual and organisational health and wellbeing, and also discusses the likely symptoms of when health and wellbeing are poorly managed by organisations. The ways in which this process can be mitigated is then discussed in light of the impact of individual differences as well as the impact of health and safety management systems. After this, the module broadens out to discuss the organisational context for health, wellbeing and performance in more detail through the design of work, organisational structure and culture, and planned change for improving organisational effectiveness.	15 credits
	Training, Coaching and Counselling Training, Coaching and Counselling 15 credits The module aims to provide an introduction to the ways in which individuals learn and develop within organisations. The module begins with a discussion of how people learn, training design and delivery and the organisational context in which all of this occurs. Following this, a specific application of training, namely Stress Management Training (SMT), is explored in detail. Next, training is contrasted with a contemporary form of development activity known as coaching. Finally, these different forms of development are discussed within the context people’s careers, and the ways in which career counselling can be used to help people navigate their professional lives are examined.	15 credits
	Leadership and Talent Management Leadership and Talent Management 15 credits This module is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of leadership and talent in organisations. Moreover, students will learn about methods for assessing leadership potential and talent, along with approaches to enhancing leadership ability and talent. The module will also cover use of technology in leadership development and talent management. By using case material and practical examples, students are introduced to the importance of theory and research-based practice in these fields.	15 credits
	Assessment and Selection Assessment and Selection 15 credits The objective of this module is to provide an introductory overview to the theory and practice of personnel assessment and selection. A guiding principle of the module will be the scientist-practitioner perspective, with particular emphasis on the value of scientific, theory-driven research for understanding and addressing pragmatic problems. This module provides the knowledge requirement for the DOP core curriculum domain of ‘Psychological Assessment at Work’.	15 credits
	Research Design and Applied Statistics Research Design and Applied Statistics 15 credits This module covers skills required for effective research design and analysis of data in work environments to enable inferences about cause and effect relationships. You will also learn to critically evaluate the research appearing in academic and business literatures. Lecture topics include the following: Basic principles of research design, scientific method, role of theory Sample selection, data cleaning, data screening, descriptive statistics Association: correlation and covariance Design of experiments: one way and two way ANOVA, contrasts, repeated measures Regression: simple, multiple, logistic, time series, awareness of multi-level modelling Measurement: classical test theory, reliability, validity, factor analysis and item response theory, structural equation modelling	15 credits
	Professional and Applied Research Skills Professional and Applied Research Skills 30 credits Topics for this course will vary from year to year because the course comprises two series' of external speakers – the first is professionals working in industry (professional skills workshops) and the second is academics working in universities (distinguished speakers series). The topics are determined through discussion between the course co-ordinator and the presenters.	30 credits
	Option Option 15 credits You can choose one approved module that is worth 15 credits. The list of approved modules will include those relevant to the MSc Occupational Psychology programme and you will be notified of these prior to the beginning of term.	15 credits

Research Project (60 credits)

The research dissertation requires you to execute and document an original research investigation. The focus can be on any area related to occupational psychology, and can take place in either a laboratory or field setting, using a specific population (eg salespersons) or the general public. It is also possible to conduct a piece of archival research (eg meta-analysis), if your supervisor agrees that this is appropriate.

You normally begin the research dissertation in the second term (January), together with necessary literature reviews and research design, and the submission deadline is late August.

Occupational Test User Training

(Formerly known as Level A and B training)

During your MSc you will be provided with the opportunity to partake in training that will allow you to qualify for the BPS certificates in “Test User: Occupational, Ability” and “Test User: Occupational, Personality.” This qualification recognizes you as an expert in the administration, scoring and interpretation of ability tests and personality questionnaires. Your training will be delivered by Criterion Partnership, a world-recognised authority on objective assessment.

Assessment

Your performance will be assessed by formal examinations, essays, presentations, business reports and a research dissertation of not more than 10,000 words.

Download the programme specification. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

What our students say

Kaori

You can immerse yourself in your study in a relatively quiet atmosphere, at the same time enjoying the vibes of this fantastic metropolitan city!

"I worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan for more than 10 years. I worked as diplomat in Japanese Embassy in Nicaragua and in Ecuador. Since 2014 I worked independently as interpreter, translator, international project coordinator and lecturer at a University in Japan. From the working experience as a lecturer, I found my passion to help students to find their passion toward work. This self-discovery drove me to want to study deeply this topic to be able to help the more effective way. After the exhaustive research on my suitable course, I came to the conclusion that Occupational Psychology was the best option for me.

I decided to apply to MSc Occupational Psychology at Goldsmiths because first I really wanted to live in London from a long time ago and second I liked how I was attended by the people of the college from academic staffs to administration staffs. They were very approachable and kind. The college’s aims to conduct “cutting-edged research” attracted me as well.

I really like the College atmosphere! It is not in the centre of the city. You don’t have to struggle against the crowd to come to the college. But you still feel that you are in London! You can immerse yourself in your study in a relatively quiet atmosphere, at the same time enjoying the vibes of this fantastic metropolitan city! All the staffs are incredibly very supportive. The students are also very kind. We help us each other. I love the collaborative relationship with my classmates. Moreover, you can always find events inside the college. You never would get bored here!!

I would like to work as a lecturer specialized in career development, especially teaching how to find your true passion in Japan as well as in Europe after my graduation. I also would like to work as cross-cultural project consultant especially between Japan and Europe!"

Entry requirements

You should have an undergraduate degree in Psychology, or in a relevant subject (not necessarily Psychology), of at least upper second class standard. Relevant work experience will be an advantage.

Important information about career routes in occupational psychology

For those applicants who have a BSc or a BA in Psychology from a university that is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) (This is also known as having Graduate Basis for Chartership; GBC), the Goldsmiths’ MSc Occupational Psychology (if successfully completed) will allow you to progress to BPS Stage two training, and eventually attain professional chartership in occupational psychology (if Stage two BPS requirements are met).

For those applicants who have a BSc or a BA in Psychology from a university that is not accredited by the BPS, you will not be eligible for the BPS Stage two training at present, but will nevertheless be welcome to join the Goldsmiths’ MSc Occupational Psychology. Importantly, it may be possible for you to gain BPS recognition for your non-accredited BA or BSc in Psychology.

For those applicants who are unable to gain BPS recognition for their BSc or BA in Psychology, and those applicants who have a BSc or a BA in a discipline outside of psychology, you will not be eligible for the BPS Stage two training at present, but will nevertheless be welcome to join the Goldsmiths’ MSc Occupational Psychology. Applicants in this situation may consider completing a BPS accredited psychology postgraduate conversion course prior to undertaking the MSc Occupational Psychology. This will permit eventual progression to the BPS Stage two training, if the MSc Occupational Psychology is successfully attained.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

The fees for 2021 will be made available soon, but for reference these were the fees for 2020.

Home - full-time: £10450
EU - full-time: £10450
International - full-time: £19750

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time if you require a Tier 4 student visa, however this is currently being reviewed and will be confirmed in the new year. Please read our visa guidance in the interim for more information. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

How to apply

Apply now

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Before submitting your application you'll need to have:

Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online

Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

When to apply

We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.

If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified.

Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.

Selection process

Selection is by personal application, references and interview.

Find out more about applying.

Staff

MSc in Occupational Psychology staff

Academic staff in the Department who will be contributing to this programme include:

Find out more about staff in the Institute of Management Studies.

Careers

Skills

You'll develop technical skills related to occupational psychology including:

stress and safety risk assessment procedures
work re-design procedures
designing assessment strategies
training needs analysis

You’ll also develop the analytical skills that you will need as a professional psychologist.

Careers

Through the Professional Skills Workshops you will be able to interact closely with experts from the world's leading organisations and enhance your professional development.

The programme’s success is increasingly reflected in the excellent employment rates of our former MSc students in both public and private sectors. Some students also go on to carry out PhD level study with us to become academic Occupational Psychologists.

You may go on to work as an independent consultant, as an ‘in-house’ consultant for a private or public sector organisation, in a consultancy, or in academia.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.

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MSc Occupational Psychology

Course information

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