2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC3545 Work Psychology: Applying Theory to Practice in the Workplace

15 creditsClass Size: 80

Module manager: Dr Jonathan Benn
Email: j.benn2@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of all pass for progression modules in Level 2 of: BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology or BSc Psychology with Education (and its International and Industrial variants)

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module provides an introduction to the applied field of Work Psychology (sometimes referred to as Occupational, Organisational or Industrial psychology). The module is structured around a number of fundamental workplace issues that commonly require psychological expertise, including: safety in complex systems, human factors, job design, team performance, organisational change, selection, assessment and development. The syllabus links to themes within the BPS framework for occupational psychology. For each topic, theoretical and research perspectives will be explored, along with practical approaches and methods used by work psychologists operating in applied settings. The module includes a substantial Problem-Based Learning (PBL) component. Students will have the opportunity to apply core module content to practical problems through group work tasks, self-directed research and group problem-solving. The module is assessed by coursework comprising a written “Project Plan” in response to a consultancy brief and participation in PBL groupwork followed by a group presentation.

Objectives

The primary objective of this module is to introduce students to core topics in the applied field of work and organisational psychology and to familiarise students with the ways in which psychological research, theory and methods are applied within an occupational setting. Through participation in the module, students will gain an understanding of professional roles and career paths in occupational/organisational psychology, along with an understanding of how psychologists can make contributions in parallel disciplines such as human factors engineering, human resource management, organisational development and risk management/safety. The teaching philosophy within the module will be problem-based, modelling professional multidisciplinary project teams in which work psychologists often fulfil a research or consultancy role. Multiple teaching methods will be employed, including pre-work to prepare students for the content sessions, faculty-led content, collaborative group work to consolidate learning and problem-based learning to develop depth of understanding through application of module content to real-world scenarios. The module content and learning design therefore aims to have high vocational relevance to applied practice in this area.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes:

1. Critically compare historic and contemporary theoretical perspectives on the design of human work and sociotechnical work systems
2. Analyse the human, organisational and systemic contributions to safety incidents and failures in complex work systems
3. Critically select practical methods and approaches from work psychology to achieve specific outcomes and justify their use in the context of applied problem scenarios
4. Contrast differing approaches to organisational change, development and intervention
5. Apply work psychology research and theory to common areas of professional practice for psychologists working in an organisational setting, such as human resource management, human factors, team working, work system design, organisational culture and change
6: Plan and execute strategies to apply work psychology to applied problem scenarios, including self-directed research, problem formulation and group problem-solving in response to a brief

Skills outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Communication skills
2. Collaborative problem-solving
3. Critical thinking
4. Application of knowledge to real-world scenarios

Syllabus

The module syllabus includes the following content/topic sessions:

• Defining work psychology
• Safety in complex systems
• Human factors in the workplace
• Job design
• Psychology of teamwork
• Organisational culture and change
• Selection, assessment and development
• Problem-based learning set

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	7	2.00	14.00
Seminars	3	2.00	6.00
Seminar	1	2.00	2.00
Independent online learning hours			12.00
Private study hours			116.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

Students private study and independent learning will comprise:
1: Reading the core and recommended course material, including further reading to consolidate knowledge (56 hours)
2: Self-directed research to support module assessment tasks, including research to support module essay and in preparing presentations for the PBL assessed feedback session (52 hours)
3: Meeting and/or communicating with PBL colleagues to plan and organise group work and coordinate outputs (8 hours)

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative feedback will be provided through structured and facilitated groupwork components in each taught session leading up to the assignment submission deadline and Problem Based Learning assessed component. The groupwork tasks are designed to support students in consolidating learning for each syllabus component and to apply the subject-matter knowledge to specific scenarios, in the same way as in the assessed components. Groupwork sessions therefore support problem-formulation and problem-solving skills, including an opportunity for group-based problem formulation (facilitated by the tutor, with feedback) for the scenarios used in both the written assignment and PBL assessed components. For the PBL component, groups will additionally have the opportunity to submit their formulated learning objectives to the tutor for formative feedback prior to completing the PBL groupwork and delivering their presentation.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay or Dissertation	1500 word Consultancy Brief Assignment (Project Plan)	75.00
Group Project	Problem Based Learning groupwork (Group Presentation)	25.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

There is no compensation between assessed components. In the event of failure of one or more coursework components, the module mark will be capped at 40 on successful resit.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:19:53

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