Occupational and Organisational Psychology MSc
2 Years │ Distance Learning │ Upcoming Intake: January 2025

This distance learning course is perfect if you are looking to gain a deeper understanding of workplace psychology. We welcome graduates from a number of backgrounds, with different goals in mind:  

Those with a psychology degree and Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) status* –  

If you have a psychology degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), either at undergraduate level or after a conversion course MSc (such as our online MSc), this specialist course has been accredited as Stage 1 training by the Society when accompanied with GBC status. This means, after graduation, you will be able to go on to complete your professional development, and become a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, through hands-on, practitioner Stage 2 training. 

Those without a background in psychology (or without a BPS accredited psychology degree and GBC) –  

If you do not have a background in psychology (or have a non-BPS accredited psychology degree) and do not meet the requirements for GBC membership currently* but you do have a 2:2 in another subject, this course could still be for you. It may be that you want to progress in your current career (for example in Marketing, Advertising, Management, HR, Recruitment, Coaching, Training, Consultancy, Customer Service or Social Work) where a better understanding of psychology will boost your potential in the business environment. Or maybe you are considering a switch in careers or have a genuine interest in psychology that you wish to explore further. 

No matter which group you fall into, by the time you finish the course, you’ll have gained invaluable practical and theoretical organisational psychology skills and knowledge. Plus, you’ll have developed a range of transferable skills such as critical evaluation, communication, statistical analysis, time management and the ability to consider and apply practical solutions around complex, ambiguous and sensitive issues. 

*It is possible to go on to study a BPS accredited degree and gain GBC after graduating from this specialist course. This would enable you to make the switch onto the Chartered training route. 

We’ve designed this Masters in partnership with online experts to make sure you get the most flexible and engaging experience possible. We understand all our students are different and lead busy lives. That’s why our focus is on self-paced, interactive learning that will allow you the freedom to study whenever and wherever it suits you. The recommended study time for the course is 15 hours a week. 

You will access all your learning materials through our eLearning portal (elp) Blackboard Ultra. You will study one module at a time. The form of your assessments will vary between modules – they could take the form of an essay or a multiple-choice exam – but all of them will be submitted online. There will be no need to come to campus throughout the duration of your course. 

Each of our modules has been carefully designed to ensure you gain the knowledge you need about that topic in the most effective, most engaging way. However, all of them will be split into multiple sessions and follow a three-stage structure: Learn, Explore and Apply. In each teaching week, you’ll have the chance to engage with interactive tools and media, ranging from text-based to video/audio (“Learn”), as well as complete online readings (“Explore”) in your own time. There will also be the chance to test yourself and receive formative feedback. 

You’ll join a supportive, lively online community. Throughout the course, you will participate in virtual discussion boards with your academics and fellow students, sharing your thoughts, knowledge and experience with them as you learn (“Apply”). In addition, you will be able to attend live webinars on key aspects of the module and its delivery/structure, such as assessments. These sessions will offer you the chance to engage with your tutors in real time and ask any questions you have about the course. If you are unable to attend these scheduled sessions, they will also be recorded so you can watch them at a time that works for you.   

As well as the support of your module tutors and fellow students, you’ll have access to our Student Success Team from day one through to graduation. Whether you need pastoral guidance, help with assessments or advice about fees, they will be with you at every step. Blackboard Ultra also offers 24/7 access to a range of advice and support services, such as Ask4Help, too. 

You will also be able to access over half a million books and e-books through our online University Library Services.

Our Psychology Department is a thriving community, with almost three-quarters of its research being judged to have outstanding reach and significance for its impact (REF 2014).  

Research-rich learning is at the heart of this degree. The course is delivered by a team of passionate, research-active academics, who will use their experience of contemporary research and practice techniques to ensure your learning is at the cutting edge of the discipline. From the outset, you’ll see how our knowledge of psychology is developed through research, and learn how to design and carry out research studies of your own using a range of methodologies. 

We’ll help you to develop advanced research skills and critical thinking, encouraging you to ask probing questions and reflect upon the process of investigation and knowledge creation. All of this will culminate in you researching and writing your own Masters-level thesis in the final stages of the programme. 

Our team is dedicated to the discovery of knowledge. As well as holding a reputation for research (the department has delivered more than £5 million of externally-funded research in the last five years), all our staff also have extensive industry experience – a perfect combination that will inform your learning. 

You will learn from academics who have worked across a range of private and public sector organisations, and whose research interests include employee talent management, workplace bullying, employability and careers in the workplace. Their mix of real-life experience and academic knowledge means they will be able to deliver the latest theoretical knowledge, backed up by real world examples of application.   

Get to know some of the tutors you may be learning from below or explore the rest of the department. 

If you currently meet the requirements for GBC, completing this BPS accredited course could take your career in a number of directions.  

For some, it could open the way to a career as a Chartered Occupational Psychologist. For this, you will first need to complete hands-on Stage 2 training – the final, professional development step you need to take to qualify as a Chartered practitioner in the UK. Once qualified, you could be looking at a career that is in high demand across both the private and public sectors, working as a consultant or in-house. There is also the opportunity to progress your expertise further through further specialist study through the Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology. 

Alternatively, you may decide to progress onto further study or take up a research position. 

For others, an MSc in Occupational and Organisational Psychology could help with careers in a range of sectors outside psychology. You’ll be able to combine the science of human behaviour with your experience of the working world, learning how to place the wellbeing of staff at the centre of your business model, recruit the best employees, or achieve greater performance and staff engagement.  

Whether you’re looking to start a new career or take a step up in your current role, opportunities in consultancy, organisational development, training, recruitment, management and beyond are all possibilities. 

As a Northumbria student, you’ll be able to tap into our Careers and Employment Service, which offers a range of resources and support online.