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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
This newly re-shaped course for psychology graduates is distinctive in its applied approach to psychology and benefits from a strong professional emphasis. It is highly attuned to the needs of working professionals, and will give you a competitive edge as you pursue a career as a practising occupational psychologist or go on to study for a professional doctorate.
The BPS re-accredited the course in 2018 for the next five years and commended it for several aspects of good practice, including the availability of and support by staff, the mix of research active and practitioner focused teaching staff, and the theoretical and practical nature of the course, which is highly regarded by students.
There is also invaluable 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 are serious about occupational psychology, which is why this programme is taught entirely by occupational psychologists and specialist experts, who are dedicated to this specific profession of psychology. This means you get a more focused and richer learning experience.
Before you apply
Before you apply for this course, please remember that to be eligible, your
If you are not able to provide evidence of GBC with the BPS, you can apply for our
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).
What makes this course different

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 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.
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
Student Handbook MSc Occupational Psychology 2022-23
pdf, 2.04 MB
Timetable MSc Occupational Psychology 2022-23
pdf, 143.18 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.
Assessing 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.
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
Each module is assessed by a challenging and innovative assignment, which captures the kinds of professional work you would be undertaking as an occupational 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.
We have produced an imaginative range of assessment tasks, which 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.
What we're researching
UEL's School of Psychology has been ranked equal first in the country in terms of the impact of its research, beating Oxford and Cambridge.
The Research Excellence Framework is a six-yearly review by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
It rated 43 per cent of our research as 'internationally excellent' and a further 25 per cent as 'world-leading' - the highest accolade. It added that UEL's School of Psychology was one of only four in the country whose research had a '100 per cent impact' at the highest level.
Dr Tim Lomas has explored the impact of meditation on men's wellbeing, using a mixed-methods design comprising narrative interviews, cognitive testing, and EEG measurement.
Dr Kate Hefferon's work was the first to link participation in physical activity with post-traumatic growth. She has conducted several evaluation studies on the role of physical activity during and following breast cancer.
Over the past few years, our Head of School, Dr Aneta Tunariu, has delivered psychological interventions in the UK and abroad working with disenfranchised young people to foster the development of positive identities, emotional resourcing and positive future perspectives.
Currently, Dr Tunariu is engaged in projects focusing on individual capacity for growth and resilience as a means of combating the risk of young people adopting radical belief systems.

As an experienced HR practitioner, it was important that the MSc course had a focus on the reality of practising occupational psychology in the workforce. All of the lecturing staff provided lots of real-world examples throughout all the modules, constantly using the language of the profession. This is something that has made my transition to evidence-based practice a lot easier."
Charlotte Vaughan, MSc Occupational Psychology
Accredited by

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 occupational 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.