Key information
Heriot-Watt University's Masters degree in Business Psychology is the most established of its kind in Europe. In this programme, the MSc's core modules are blended with the expertise of our respected academics from the field of Human Resource Management.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September, January
Heriot-Watt University's master’s degree in business psychology is the most established of its kind in Europe.
This degree blends our world-class teaching in business psychology with our expertise in human resource management to create a specialist programme that will develop a range of skills which are highly desirable to employers. Our psychology graduates often build extremely rewarding careers in human resource management within a range of industries.
By viewing the workplace through a psychological perspective and by developing analytical, critical thinking and reflection skills, you’ll learn to recognise and improve seemingly intangible aspects of the workplace which, when appropriately managed, can directly improve performance, in areas such as:
- Job satisfaction
- Well-being
- Leadership
- Organisational commitment
- Organisational culture
- Performance and productivity
Throughout the Business Psychology with Human Resource Management programme, you’ll develop a critical understanding of the boundaries, terminology, concepts and conventions of business psychology and human resource management. Our degree programme provides sufficient coverage of business psychology to enable you to proceed to professional careers in private, public and third-sector organisations.
Recent developments in research inform this degree and you’ll gain professional, transferable skills and knowledge to succeed in a career after graduation. The range of courses, including a dissertation, provides you with the flexibility to pursue your interests either as a practitioner or researcher.
You’ll develop numeracy and ICT skills using statistics software packages and by conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis. You’ll also be able to develop communication skills through coursework and group discussions/presentations.
You’ll learn key skills that can be applied in the workplace through various wider roles such as management, consultancy and HR.
Your student experience
Our MSc Business Psychology with Human Resource Management degree is taught by experienced, leading academics who, in many cases, have published the research which shapes their disciplines and written the books which will guide your learning. Many academics balance teaching time with continued professional practice as translators, interpreters, practitioner psychologists, tax and finance specialists and management consultants. They bring real-world experience to the classroom.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- HR Strategy and Practice
Optional September
- The Legal Context of Work
- Organisational Behaviour
- Coaching Psychology
- Digital Human Resource Management
- Organisational Culture
- Social and Organisational Change
Mandatory January
- Research Methods
- Sustainable HRM
Optional January
- Psychology of Leadership
- Managing Diversity in Business
- Diversity
- Employment Trends
Mandatory May
- Independent Project in Psychology
January Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory January
- Sustainable HRM
- Research Methods
Optional January
- Employment Trends
- Diversity
- Psychology of Leadership
- Managing Diversity in Business
Mandatory September
- HR Strategy and Practice
Optional September
- Coaching Psychology
- Digital Human Resource Management
- The Legal Context of Work
- Organisational Culture
- Organisational Behaviour
- Social and Organisational Change
Mandatory Second January
- Independent Project in Psychology
Programme Video
Psychology at Heriot-Watt
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £10,528 | £5,264 |
| International | £21,192 | £10,596 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Additional information
Note: the fees indicated above will apply if you begin your studies in September. If you choose to join us in January instead, the fees below will apply.
January 2025 intake tuition fees
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £9,152 | £4,576 |
| International | £20,376 | £10,188 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
A minimum of honours degree at 2:2 or non-UK equivalent in a relevant subject. Whilst we can consider applicants from a wide range of academic backgrounds such as psychology, sociology, politics, business, linguistics, journalism, we hope to see demonstrable evidence of numeracy through statistics or maths.
We hope to see evidence of having undertaken an empirical research project or research design and analysis module. Applicants with work or project experience in a related HR role will be taken into consideration, please include your CV as part of your application.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Student life
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