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LOCATION
University Square Stratford and Stratford Campus
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
Our business psychology course is a one-year course, or two years part-time. It combines applied psychology with a strong professional emphasis, and is highly attuned to the needs of working professionals, giving you a competitive edge as you pursue your career as a practising business psychologist.
In this course, we steer away from exams, and offer other assessment methods that are relevant to the real world and are based on real scenarios you will face as professionals. There is also valuable input from experts in the fields of positive psychology and coaching, and past students offering insights into different applications of business psychology in practice.
We have an active network of more than 300 alumni that studied on our MSc Business Psychology and Occupational and Organisational Psychology, who work in incredible careers for all types of companies. We organise events which bring our current and past students together to help you make that important connection to catapult your career.
If you are an International applicant, please note that you will be expected to attend two interviews (one with the school to determine your suitability for the course, and one for your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) with our international compliance team).

Business Psychology is one of the fastest growing disciplines in Applied Psychology. Being a Business Psychologist means bringing balance to the workplace and contributing to employee wellbeing and organisational success. Our MSc has been radically redesigned to meet the needs of working professionals who want to attain this valuable qualification."
Sonya Dineva,
Programme Leader, Business Psychology
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
This course has a strong emphasis on professional practice and evidence-based management principles.
You will become equipped to operate successfully in the profession by taking a series of core and subject specific modules.
The core modules are developing as a researcher, and health and wellbeing at work. The subject specific modules are assessing and developing people in the workplace, work design, organisational change and development, and leading, engaging and motivating people at work. You can choose to replace a subject specific module with an optional module, either coaching theory and practice or flourishing within organisational systems.
Instead of using exams for assessment, we have opted for a rich mix of techniques to measure your progress, including writing bids, position papers, poster presentations and live group projects.
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up to date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
COURSE SPECIFICATION MSc Business Psychology
pdf, 86.68 KB
Module specifications MSc Business Psychology
docx, 102.79 KB
Student Handbook MSc Business Psychology 2021-22
pdf, 2.08 MB
Timetable MSc Business Psychology 2021-22
pdf, 156.61 KB
MODULES
- Core Modules
Health and Wellbeing at Work (Mental Wealth) CloseHealth and Wellbeing at Work (Mental Wealth)
This module will ensure that you develop key determinants of mental wealth that help ensuring your employability in the face of the 4th Industrial revolution. In addition to gaining a critical understanding of the models, methods, and strategies for workplace health and wellbeing, you will have an opportunity to develop your own interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities that ensure resilience, cognitive and psychological flexibility, which are required in the ever-changing organisational environment. This module will equip you with the tools that help improve productivity in organisation, retain staff, and make organisation a desirable place for prospective employees. The content is delivered giving emphasis on evidence-based modules and interventions, applicable in dealing with contemporary issues within the workplaces.
Developing as a Researcher Part 1 CloseDeveloping as a Researcher Part 1
This module will introduce you to the intricacies of real-world research. You will develop skills in choosing the most appropriate method to answer your research question and collecting both qualitative and quantitive data and interpreting findings. You will gain the necessary skills to conceptualise and design an original piece of research relevant to occupational and organisational psychology. At the end of the module, you will be able to critically read research articles, develop an analytical review of the literature and present your research proposal to an audience of experts in occupational and business psychology.
Developing as a Researcher Part 2 CloseDeveloping as a Researcher Part 2
This module aims to develop your understanding, skills and critical awareness necessary for conducting original research at a postgraduate level and to enhance your knowledge in a range of research approaches appropriate to the study of occupational and business psychology. You will develop skills in managing and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data and interpreting findings. You will gain the necessary skills to execute and report an original piece of research relevant to occupational and business psychology. At the end of the module you will have contributed to the research relevant to occupational and business psychology.
Optional ModulesAssessing and Developing People in the Workplace CloseAssessing and Developing People in the Workplace
This module will help you to develop an appreciation and understanding of the importance of assessment and development for work organisations. It will examine the challenges around measuring human capabilities and characteristics, and look at the links between these factors and organisational success. It will evaluate what psychology has contributed to our understanding of how people learn, and analyse the impact that human resource development has on organisational success. Overall, this module will give you the tools and techniques to succeed in employee assessment and development roles, as well as nurturing a critical and analytical perspective about assessment and development in the workplace.
Work Design, Organisational Change and Development CloseWork Design, Organisational Change and Development
This module will equip you with practical skills and knowledge of the application of contemporary psychological theories and research to the world of business. It will help you find your way around work organisations as a professional psychologist by introducing you to various aspects and levels of organisational operation and development.
You will learn how to analyse numerous strategies and interventions based on occupational psychology, management practices and human factors psychology. Then, as part of the module, you will understand how to successfully apply this knowledge to help organisations to function more safely and effectively as well as adequately respond to changes in their environment.
As a result, you will be able to design safe and highly efficient workplaces and perform all the stages of organisational consulting - essential skills for your future career.
Leading, Engaging and Motivating People at Work CloseLeading, Engaging and Motivating People at Work
The module covers the core skills area of leadership, engagement and motivation that is necessary for accreditation by the British Psychological Society. It will enable you to develop a critical understanding of the nature, theories, style and measurement of leadership and their strengths and weaknesses. More specifically, the module will enable you to discern how and why leadership succeeds and fails and further appreciate why and when people engage with and remain motivated at work. Overall, the module will provide you with insights and techniques to become reflective and analytical leaders in your post-qualification experiences, enhancing your own standards and those of the people you lead.
Coaching Theory and Practice CloseCoaching Theory and Practice
Flourishing Within Organisations CloseFlourishing Within Organisations
This module will take you through the Positive Psychology theories and concepts that focus on the systemic and contextual aspects and dimensions of wellbeing. You will adopt a multidimensional approach, with a particular focus on systemic and socio-cultural dimensions in order to appreciate the range of existing and potential applications of Positive Psychology and Coaching to educational, organisational and public policy contexts. You will gain an understanding of the key historical, philosophical, social and political issues and you will consider key eudemonic topics relating to Positive Psychology and its applications.
HOW YOU'LL LEARN
UEL's School of Psychology is one of the largest providers of psychology education and training in the UK. This means you will benefit from a huge breadth of academic expertise, with teaching available in occupational psychology, coaching psychology and positive psychology. You will be taught by qualified academics, practitioners, researchers and industry experts as guest speakers (full details of the teaching team will be provided in the student handbook and module guides). Our modules are highly interactive with a special emphasis on the application of theoretical knowledge and contemporary research to practice. You will also have an opportunity to take advantage of the myriad of professional networks, which staff bring with them.
When not attending timetabled lectures, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve reading journal articles and books, watching videos, undertaking research, working on individual and group projects as well as preparing coursework assignments and presentations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and Moodle.
Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas, including but not limited to academic writing skills and learning and disability support. In addition, our teaching team will provide you with module-specific help to ensure the success of your studies.
When you arrive, we will introduce you to your personal tutor (usually your dissertation supervisor too). This is the member of staff, who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.
As a full-time student, you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities per year (part-time students can expect 150 hours of these per year). These may be lectures, workshops, seminars, facilitated discussions and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
Scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 1500 hours.
The course runs on Saturdays and Sundays, with an occasional extra Friday teaching session. You would be expected to attend between 12 and 15 of these weekend workshops throughout your time with us. Your individualised timetable is normally available within 48 hours of enrolment. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.
The weekend mode of study benefits the many students who are working, either in the profession or in related fields. These intensive teaching blocks also mean we can tackle areas in greater depth and give our students a more rigorous experiential study programme, where they can immerse themselves in the different areas of occupational psychology.
To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally attracts 50-60 students a year (this can vary by academic year). Lecture sizes are normally 40 plus students. However, in the classroom, you will do many of the experiential learning activities in small groups of up to five students, so you will have a chance to work closely with your peers, practice everything being learned and get feedback.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
For each module we assess you through a challenging and innovative assignment, which captures the kinds of professional work you will be undertaking as a business psychologist. You will be working in small groups to complete some of your assignments while others, including your dissertation, will be individual pieces of work.
Assessment tasks include writing and presenting a client proposal, delivering a group learning workshop, writing a briefing paper, designing and delivering a poster presentation, writing a press release, running a coaching session, writing a research proposal and writing a publication ready journal article.
Assessment will include 50% coursework based on real-life case studies and 50% practical exercises. There will be no exams.
You will always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

University Square Stratford and Stratford Campus, USS campus - University Square Stratford, Stratford Campus Water Lane
WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Related Courses
What we're researching
Our courses focus on the application of theory, principles and research from the fields of counselling, coaching, occupational and positive psychology and career guidance to address social issues and enhance quality of life.
We do this by using discipline-specific interventions that improve outcomes and enable individuals to flourish. The goal is to develop individuals and group communities so that they can function at their optimum.
The disciplines of positive psychology, coaching and counselling are evolving in the direction of complementing each other in terms of theory research and practitioner-oriented skills. Studying with us will place you at the forefront of these developments. You’ll gain the skills to know how to apply them practically.

The MSc at UEL has been a fantastic experience. The focus on real-world work scenarios as well as research has equipped me with the confidence and skills to apply the knowledge I have learnt on the course to my own work."
Brayley Pearce, MSc Business Psychology
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
The practical emphasis of this course, balanced with a focus on developing critical thinking, means many of our students have progressed to highly successful careers.
Over the past five years, our students have gained employment as business psychologists, coaching psychologists, sports and performance psychologists, leadership development specialists, and human factors experts for a wide range of companies and organisations.
These include Google, Amazon, Vodafone, Deloitte, Emirates Airlines, Siemens, Royal Bank of Scotland, RAF, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence and a number of occupational psychology practices including Saville Consulting, A&DC, Peoplewise and Genius Within.
The strong professional emphasis, combined with a comprehensive skills curriculum, will develop your transferable skills and equip you with a competitive edge for the world of work.
As our range of internships attests, we have profitable links across some of the key areas of the industry, which is good news for our graduates.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.