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 practicing occupational psychologist or go on to study for a professional doctorate.
The course holds a BPS accreditation, highlighting its adherence to good practices. It is commended for factors such as strong staff support, a blend of research-active and practitioner-focused teaching members, and the course's well-regarded combination of theoretical and practical components, valued 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).
This course is in Clearing
Our LLM course is a top choice
UEL’s LLM programme has been recognised as a top choice in the latest PTES survey, achieving 1st place rankings for satisfaction, teaching and more.
What makes this course different
Fit your studies around you
You can tailor your programme of study to suit your needs. Our programme is taught exclusively through immersive weekend workshops - the only course of its kind to do so.
Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)
The course's BPS accreditation stands as a testament to its excellence and commitment to high standards.
Business Psychology Lab
On top of our industry links and free life-long career support, you will have a chance to take part in our innovative Business Psychology Lab. This way you can start accumulating valuable relevant work experience before graduation and get the competitive advantage you need.
Business Psychology LabAccreditation
British Psychological Society
We have been accredited by the BPS since 1988 and have recently been accredited for a further 5 years until 2023.
Course modules
NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.
Download course specification
What we're researching
The Research Excellence Framework is a six-yearly review by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
It rated 92 per cent of UEL's overall research as world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised.
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.
As an experienced HR practitioner, the MSc course needed to focus on the reality of practising occupational psychology in the workforce. The lecturers provided real-world examples throughout the modules, constantly using the language of the profession. This has made my transition to evidence-based practice easier."
Charlotte Vaughan, MSc Occupational Psychology
Your future career
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 in 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.
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, Occupational and Business Psychology
What you'll learn
This occupational and organisational psychology 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.
How you'll learn
UEL's School of Childhood and Social Care 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, and 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 will 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 percent coursework based on real-life case studies and 50 percent 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
USS campus
University Square Stratford is one of London’s most modern and well-equipped campuses. It serves 3,400 students and is the base for our courses in law and criminology, dance and performing arts, and the Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Modern facilities include: performing arts spaces; three performance studios; the Harvard lecture theatre, with live lecture capture technology; the multimedia Weston Learning Centre; a dedicated MBA suite and teaching space; a 300-seat specialised tiered lecture; and a simulated courtroom for mooting experience.
The campus is close to new Stratford developments such as Westfield Stratford City, and next door to the Theatre Royal and Picturehouse cinema.
Stratford campus
Our historic Stratford campus is located one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford's thriving town centre, the 2012 Olympic Park, and just 15 minutes from London's West End.
Stratford's facilities include a state-of-the-art library and learning centre, the majestic great hall and specialist laboratories and computing services. The School of Education and Communities, and Centre for Clinical Education in Podiatry, Physiotherapy and Sports Science are housed in new buildings. There is also a campus restaurant and bookshop, and a Students' Union café-bar.
Westfield Stratford City - Europe's largest indoor shopping mall - is just one of Stratford's attractions, alongside many other shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There are two multiscreen cinemas, a theatre, an arts centre and much more.
Who teaches this course
This course is delivered by the School of Childhood and Social Care .
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.