MSc Business and Organisational Psychology
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Key information
- Mode of delivery
- Online
- Start date
- Open enrolment
- Duration
- Flexible
- Qualification
- MSc
Contact
Contact our enquiries team
Contact usOverview
The online MSc in Business and Organisational Psychology, from Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University, is designed to provide a critical understanding of human behaviour in the workplace. This programme helps you understand what makes individuals thrive at work, enhances organisational performance, and develops skills to create a healthier work environment.
Created by experts in our psychology department, the MSc in Business and Organisational Psychology offers an in-depth understanding of the psychological principles that drive positive workplace performance. Graduates gain comprehensive knowledge of psychological theory, evidence, and methods relevant to business practices. This degree equips you with the skills and personal qualities necessary to successfully apply your knowledge in a business career.
Degree duration
We understand that life can be unpredictable, and we want to ensure that our programme is as flexible as possible to accommodate your needs. Therefore, it is possible for you to study anytime, anywhere. We believe this flexibility will enable you to achieve your educational goals without compromising your other commitments.
On average it will take 200 hours to complete each course. You can enrol at any time, begin your studies when you are ready, and pick up courses as you go – meaning you can structure your studies in a way that fits around your schedule. It also means that you are in control of your schedule and decide whether you want to speed up, slow down, or take a break at any point in your studies. Throughout the programme, regardless of your schedule, you will be able to learn alongside a diverse and global community of students and professionals and interact with peers and tutors in forums.
Who should study this degree?
This degree has been tailored to meet the needs of those working towards a number of job roles, this includes a business psychology practitioner, human resource manager, organisational development manager, management consultant or leadership consultant.
This degree has been designed to equip graduates with the knowledge and understanding of psychological theory, evidence, and methods relevant to business practice.
Meet the Business and Organisational Psychology team
Dr Cakil Agnew
Dr Cakil Agnew is the Programme Director of the MSc in Business and Organisational Psychology. Dr Agnew was awarded her PhD in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen in 2010. Her doctoral research, supervised by Prof Rhona Flin and Dr Kathryn Mearns, examined how staff perceptions related to safety issues are linked to safety behaviours and to the consequences both for the workers and the patients in a healthcare domain.
Following her PhD, she worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Industrial Psychology Research Centre at the University of Aberdeen. Her work here focused on the leadership behaviours of senior charge nurses as team leaders in relation to safety-related outcomes.
Online learning delivery
Studying this programme will allow you to learn in a collaborative and social environment with your global cohort. With guidance from your experienced tutors, you will read and interrogate the underpinning theory and research and apply critical thinking to prepare you for weekly focused tasks. You will get hands-on and creative to find innovative solutions to real world problems, supported by audio and video designed to help you explore key concepts and enhance your learning. Your course activities and assessments will encourage you to step into the shoes of practitioners, giving you the skills to integrate business psychology into your current or future career.
Student support
Want to enhance your learning? You can choose to supplement your independent learning by enrolling in live online sessions led by experienced tutors. These sessions help you further contextualise your learning, prepare for your final assessment, and ensure your success on the programme.
Course content
Year 1
The MSc Business and Organisational Psychology aims to offer you an in-depth understanding of the psychological mechanisms that drive positive behaviours and performance in workplace behaviour and gain the managerial skills that will allow you to enhance and improve performance of teams and individuals.
The degree comprises of eight courses plus a Business Psychology project. Each course is assessed by coursework. Upon successful completion of all courses and the project, you will join our global network of alumni and business professionals.
Degree structure
- Culture in Organisations
- Leadership and Leadership Development
- Organisational Change and Development
- Workplace Design and Human Factors
- Coaching in the Workplace
- Leading and Managing Diversity
- Selection and Assessment in the Workplace
- Data Analysis for Psychology
- Business Psychology Project
This is a new programme and is being continually enhanced, therefore it may be subject to change.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
View fees for this course.
Additional fee information
The MSc degree comprises of eight courses and a Business Psychology project. You can study on a course-by-course basis and pay as you learn, or sign up for multiple courses at once.
Standard fee
Per course: £1,248
Full programme: £9,984
Emerging Economies fee
Per course: £848
Full programme: £6,784
All course fees include one assessment attempt. Each attempt after this point will be charged at £160.
If you want to enrol in live tuition for any or all of course courses, you can opt to at an additional charge. For more information, download the programme prospectus.
Additional information is available within our Frequently Asked Questions.
Emerging Economies Scholarship
Edinburgh Business School is committed to ensuring our courses and programmes remain accessible to students no matter where they live. Therefore, we offer an Emerging Economies Scholarship in certain areas. To check if you are eligible, visit the fees page.
Scholarships and bursaries
Each year Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University makes available a number of scholarships and discounts to help students to achieve one of our awards.
20% Fee Reduction
Students on our online Edinburgh Business School programmes benefit from a 20% fee reduction when purchasing all courses upfront for their programme of choice*.
Take advantage and enrol today.
* This does not apply to PG Cert, PG DIP or DBA programmes.
Alumni Discount
If you are a Heriot-Watt alumnus, you qualify for 20% off your programme fees. For more information on how to claim for your alumni discount contact hwonlineapps@hw.ac.uk
Please note that these discounts cannot be applied simultaneously.
Entry requirements
Typically, you will hold a recognised first or second-class honours degree, or equivalent professional qualification. Students whose native language is not English and who have not been educated previously in the English language must provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
Rewarding previous study
Edinburgh Business School recognises that some students entering our online MBA or MSc programmes will have completed prior academic study in subjects that align closely to certain EBS courses.
The qualification being presented for exemption consideration should have been gained within the last five years. Qualifications gained over five years ago may be considered if additional supporting evidence shows that you keep abreast of the current developments and trends in the subject area.
Exemptions are considered only on the basis of qualifications which have been gained through formal assessment. No consideration will be given for life/work experience.
Exemption from mandatory and optional courses may be granted based on master's/postgraduate level qualifications and professional qualifications only. Undergraduate level qualifications cannot be considered.
Exemptions will not be awarded on the basis of courses which have been used towards the award of another degree (of the same discipline) at master's Level, whether this was awarded by Heriot Watt or any other institution. For example, a student who has gained an MSc in Accounting will not be given an exemption in Accounting from Edinburgh Business School's MBA or MSc degree programmes.
If you would like to enquire about your eligibility, please complete an
Exemption Application Form.
English language requirements
If English is not the applicant's first language a minimum of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required with all elements passed at 6.0 or above.
Applicants who have previously successfully completed courses delivered in the medium of English language may be considered and will be required to provide documentary evidence of this. Examples would be secondary school education or undergraduate degree course. A minimum of at least one year of full time study (or equivalent) in the medium of English language will be required.
We offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement prior to starting your masters course:
- 20 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with no skill lower than 4.5)
- 14 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with minimum of 5.0 in writing and no skill lower than 4.5)
- 10 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.0)
- 6 weeks English (for IELTS 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.5)