Organizational Psychology

• MSc: You study 8 modules, plus a research project.
• PGDip: You study 8 modules.

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• Download the Programme Specification
• View Programme Regulations

This programme has three intake dates per year: January, April, October. 

The programme is available online and is fully supported by a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), as well as study materials and help from academic staff. It allows you to study anywhere in the world and fit your studies around your other commitments.

The degree offers the flexibility to complete in one year, or up to five years depending on your desired study pace.

Study materials

You will be able to access study materials developed by academics at Birkbeck including course handbooks, textbooks and recorded lectures or dedicated audio recordings, and you will have an extensive online library.

You will be able to discuss your work with fellow students and tutors using a conferencing system. You will discuss topics in tutor groups of normally around 30 students.

All study materials (articles and/or set texts) are included in the programme fee, with the exception of materials required to carry out the Dissertation.

Online support

The programme uses tutor supported computer conferencing as the main mode of communication between staff and students. Tutors oversee all modules; they respond to queries, monitor discussions and provide general guidance. When you register, we will give you access to your Student Portal. You can then access your University of London email account and other key resources:

• The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) enables access to course materials, resources, and activities.
• The Online Library provides access to over 100 million academic electronic items comprising E-books, E-journals, conference proceedings, etc. In addition, students can request items which are not held in the library via the library's Inter-Library loans service with the British Library.
• Senate House Library provides free reference access for all registered distance and flexible learning students.

Student Support

We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience for all of our students. You will have access to support through:

• The Student Advice Centre – provides support for application and Student Portal queries.
• TalkCampus – a peer support service that offers a safe and confidential way to talk about whatever is on your mind at any time of day or night.

Time commitment

Modules are offered across three terms of eleven weeks from Oct to Dec (Term 1), Jan to March (Term 2) and April to July (Term 3). This 11-week period includes 9 weeks of guided study followed by a personal study week. The assessment period for each module is in the final week of each term.

You can study at your own pace (provided you complete your qualification within five years). The MSc is made up of 180 credits and you should expect each credit to take up around 10 hours of study.

Assessment

Each module is summatively assessed by a final assessment (worth 90% of the overall mark), with the exception of the Research Project modules (Research Proposal and Dissertation). The final assessment is typically a two-hour unseen written examination or 3,000-word written report/essay.

For each module (except for the Research Project modules), satisfaction of the minimum tutor supported computer conferencing requirements is worth 10% of the overall mark.

The Research Proposal module is assessed by a 3,000 word research proposal.

The Dissertation module is assessed by an 8,000-10,000 word dissertation.

Assessment is usually held in December, March and July (at the end of each term). Written exams are held at approved centres around the world (mainly Ministries of Education or the British Council). Each centre charges a fee for hosting exams.

What qualifications do you need?

You will need either a bachelor degree which is considered at least comparable to a UK second class honours degree from an institution acceptable to the University or relevant education and work experience that comprises suitable training for the programme.

If you have an unconventional career path with diverse work experience and have completed The Manager's Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Managing People at Work MOOC, we will consider your application on its own merits.

English Language requirements

If your first degree was not taught in English, you will need to provide evidence of language ability as tested by the British Council or another registered body. This is equivalent to:

• A score of 7.0 overall in the IELTS test, or 7.0 in both reading and writing.
• (TOEFL) iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language with an overall score of 95 or above, including a minimum of 24 attained on the reading and writing skills sub-tests and a minimum of 25 attained on the speaking sub-test and 22 attained on the listening sub-test.
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English.
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (at grade C or above).
• Duolingo: must achieve an overall score of at least 130.

Computer requirements

We set minimum basic computer requirements because your study resources are accessed via the Student Portal and it is vital that you can access this regularly. Certain courses may have additional requirements, such as software to manage spreadsheets and run macros.

See more about computer requirements.

The fees below apply if you begin during the 2022-2023 session. They may increase by up to 5% per year.

Disclaimer: Currency conversion tool.

More about programme fees.

Additional Costs

You will also need to budget for exam centre fees, which are paid directly to the venues where you sit your exams.

How to pay your fees.

Please note: all student fees shown are net of any local VAT, Goods and Services Tax (GST) or any other sales tax payable by the student in their country of residence. Where the University is required to add VAT, GST or any other sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the fees shown during the payment process. For students resident in the UK, our fees are exempt from VAT.

Further information on Sales Tax.

Your payment provider may apply additional transaction fees (if in doubt, please check with them before making a payment).

Further information about fee payment options can be found in the “How to pay your fees” link above.

Graduates of this course go on to become training professionals, motivators, careers advisers, managers and consultants within large multinational companies, government departments, or in any company where advanced knowledge of organisational psychology may be useful.

BPS Accreditation

The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK and is responsible for the promotion of excellence and ethical practice in the science, education, and practical applications of the discipline.

Our MSc has been accredited as part of the Stage 1 set of requirements if you want to train to become a registered practitioner psychologist with the Health Care and Professions Council and become eligible for Chartered Status with the Society.

Alongside this MSc, the BPS requires students to become Graduate Members of the Society. To achieve this, the BPS requires you to have an accredited undergraduate degree (UG) in Psychology that provides eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, (GBC). This is required for entrance to the various postgraduate courses and training programmes to become a fully Chartered Psychologist.

To join as a Graduate Member, you'll need a 2:2 in an UG Psychology degree accredited by the Society, or you have completed a BPS accredited conversion course if not. Both the GBC and the completed MSc allow for successful completion of Stage 1.

You can then proceed to Stage 2 of accreditation which leads, on successful completion, to Chartered status. Stage 2 study is undertaken directly with the BPS.

Details of how this accreditation fits within the overall BPS Chartered Qualification Framework route of Stages 1 and 2, is on the BPS website.

Contact BPS directly if you are unsure of your own eligibility or routes that are available from the BPS with your current UG degree, eligibility for the GBC membership or the requirements to fulfil Stage 2 to gain Chartered status.

What do employers think of our graduates?

In some countries, qualifications earned by distance and flexible learning may not be recognised by certain authorities or regulators for the purposes of public sector employment or further study. We advise you to explore the local recognition status before you register, even if you plan to receive support from a local teaching institution.

Birkbeck was founded in 1823 as the London Mechanics' Institute. It is unique in its special mission to enable mature students to gain higher education qualifications via part-time study. Consequently, staff are experienced in ensuring a flexible learning environment.

Its Department of Organizational Psychology is the oldest and largest department of its kind in the UK and makes a major contribution to research in the field of behaviour at work. It is one of the principal providers of academic and professional training in occupational psychology within the UK.

Programme Director

Mr Mark Stringer has spent the last 35 years in a variety of posts within business and academia in the UK. He has worked internationally as a Director of HR and gained his MSc in Organizational Behaviour at Birkbeck. Currently completing his PhD at Birkbeck, his teaching and research covers many areas within OP and HRM, with a specific focus on areas with the use of psychoanalysis in interpreting organisational phenomena. He has had papers published at EGOS, OPUS, EURAM. He is Chartered MCIPD, an Associate Fellow of the HEA and a Member of the Association of Business Psychologists.

Programme Team

Dr Keely Jo Frasca joined the OPHRM programme in 2018 and currently convenes the Selection and Assessment, Employee Relations and Motivation, and Learning and Development modules. In addition, Keely leads the quantitative conferences of the Research Methods module.

Katerina Penna joined the OPHRM programme in 2014 and has since convened several modules on both the Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management programmes of study. For the last three years, she has been responsible for the Comparative Employment Relations, International Human Resource Management and Professional Development and Learning modules. She is currently also in charge of the qualitative forums of the Research Methods module.

Jack Dybczak joined the OPHRM programme team in 2017 and is currently responsible for teaching Understanding Organisation and Change, Leadership and Performance Management, Human Resource Strategies and the foundation part of Research Methods.

Without the cost of moving to London, studying for your University of London degree anywhere in the world represents excellent value for money. However, there are additional sources of support depending on where you live and how you choose to study.

More on funding your study.