Organisational Psychology Diploma

Module 1 - What is Organisational Psychology?
In this module students will be introduced to the historical evolution of Organisational Psychology from the Ancient Greeks to the modern day. They will also examine definitions of Organisational Psychology and explore the training and kinds of work undertaken by practitioners of the discipline. The module will form a basis for latter modules that examine both the physical and psychological aspects of the workplace. .

Module 2 - Personality and Individual Differences
Psychology has been involved in personnel selection for many years and various methods of selecting personnel have been developed. . Since the time of the Ancient Greeks it appears that attempts have been made to sort people by their personality and temperament and in the modern day this technique is also used in Business Psychology. Various psychometric measures have been utilised and several will be examined in this Module. Conclusions will be drawn about their effectiveness in predicting job success. The Chapter will conclude with alternative ways of examining job success in the present day.

Module 3 - Work motivation and satisfaction
In this module theories of motivation will be examined. Motivation is an important aspect of behavioural psychology because it provides insight into why people choose to work, why certain people work harder than others and how employers can increase motivation in the workforce. In this module several theories of motivation are examined all of which try to explain motivational behaviour in the workplace The complexity of trying to explain motivation or indeed lack of motivation is discussed and common-sense assumptions challenged.

Module 4 - Stress at work
Stress is a feature of modern life and the causes of stress are diverse. The sources of stress most commonly found in the workplace are examined, together with approaches to stress control and prevention. Stress is recognised globally as a condition that can affect all categories of workers, in all types of jobs living in all types of social environments. A certain level of stress can be motivating as it helps people motivate themselves to get the job done but stress is also recognised as a major contributor to behaviour change, psychological dysfunction and serious health problems. Stress, therefore, can have a major impact both on people's lives and the lives of people around them. The module examines the impact of modern stressors such as job impermanency, temporary contracts and technological changes.

Module 5 - Organisations and conflict
It is important for staff to work in Organisations where they feel safe and valued. It is sometimes problematic to accomplish positive working relationships but persistence in working on them pays dividends in turns of staff morale and turnover. Whilst competition is a necessary part of some jobs there are situations where competition can lead to breakdowns in communication between individuals and groups. The Module examines ways in which Managers can eliminate problems and increase co-operation in the workplace and in doing so increase the motivation and satisfaction of the workforce.

Module 6 - Group behaviour
We are interdependent on other people in the workplace because people tend not to work in isolation but as part of teams. Theoretical approaches to understanding group behaviour will be evaluated. Relationships with others can be a source of pleasure or a source of discontent and this module looks at group behaviour and also suggests useful strategies that Managers might use to assist them enhance social interaction in workplace settings. Interacting with other people can be a source of pleasure, indifference but also a source of tension and conflict. Reported incidences of bullying and violence in the workplace are on the increase and Organisational Psychology increasingly has to address such issues. This module will examine strategies of how to reduce tension and conflict in the work place by providing guidelines to successful team working.

Module 7 Leadership
This Chapter reviews and evaluates major theories of leadership and summarises findings from research on leadership. Since leadership involves the exercise of influence by one person over others, the quality of leadership exhibited by supervisors is a critical determinant of organisational success. The historical evolution of leadership research is presented so students can be more familiar with past and present models of leadership. An examination of the particular qualities associated with successful leadership is presented in the Module.

Module 8 - Managing Change in Organisations
During the 20th Century the world of work changed beyond recognition because of various social and economic challenges. . This has meant that increasingly Organisations with stable markets in the past are facing economic competition from new and different sources. This Module examines the reasons why Organisations will have to continue to change and adapt to meet the future challenges of the 21st century if they are to survive. The impact of change on the workforce is examined and insight provided into resistance to change and the challenges faced by Management when making changes.

Module 9 - Research Methods and Ethics
The rules of scientific enquiry govern the definition and search for knowledge in the field of applied Organisational Behaviour. This means that it is necessary for students to have an understanding of research methodology in order that they can understand the importance of critical evaluation of both the research process and also the theories presented in the Course. Students are introduced to ethical issues involved in carrying out research in an applied workplace setting. The difference between academic and applied research is examined.

Module 10 - Future of Work
In this Module the future of work will be discussed as will the changes and challenges that face both employees and employers in the 21st century. Organisations operate within a changing economic, social and political framework and jobs in the 21st century will be very different from previous centuries. The impact of globalisation and the importance of management and employee adaptation will be highlighted.