Course content

The subject includes work and organisational psychology where the teaching will deal with issues in work life where psychological competence is important. This applies, for example, to areas such as management, decision-making, organisational change, sick leave, work environment, health and safety, health promotion and prevention in work life, work hours and sleep, recruitment, management and personnel development.

After completion of the course, the student will have knowledge of work and organisational psychological theories and will be able to apply these theories to practical issues.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The student

• has general knowledge of central theories and research within organisational psychology
• has broad knowledge of connections between work and health and how health can be strengthened or worsened through work.
• have knowledge of how psychological, social, societal and physical factors work together to inhibit or promote people's occupational health and work participation.
• has knowledge of principles for management, prioritisation, influence and decision-making in organisations and systems
• has more in-depth knowledge of the topic the student chooses to delve into within work and organisational psychology, such as psychosocial work environment, conflicts, organisational change, teamwork, management, people and technology, work and health or safety

Skills: The student

• can apply knowledge of management principles to exercise leadership in decision-making and cooperation with other professions and occupational groups
• can plan and implement measures that promote work participation and good occupational health for both individuals and groups in society.

General competence: The student

• can reflect on different leadership styles and own strengths and weaknesses in leader and participant roles in groups and teams
• has competence in carrying out professional presentations based on own research questions.
• can reflect on, discuss and present solutions to practical cases aimed at research questions in occupational and organizational psychology
• can write a theoretical term paper based on the APA guidelines and has knowledge of the APA standards.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, workshops and student presentations.

Compulsory assignments

• Oral group presentation
• Written group report

Further on evaluation

The assessment consists of a three-part portfolio evaluation/semester assignment which is done in a group of 3-4 people. Parts 1 and 2 and the Final part are written assignments that are delivered digitally at the end of the semester by the specified date. Part 3 is a compulsory oral presentation which must be completed approximately in the middle of the semester on the specified date. There is no other exam/semester assignment than this portfolio evaluation. The oral presentation must be approved before the rest of the portfolio can be submitted. The portfolio is assessed as approved/not approved.

Part 1 is a case assignment where the students must describe how they, as an organizational psychologist, clinical psychologist or manager of this person, would have gone about helping the person. They must describe both preventive measures, acute measures and long-term measures. They must link the practical advice to theory and empirical evidence.

Part 2 is an article assignment where the students must choose a topic within work and organizational psychology that they think requires more research and which they must describe with theory and empirical evidence akin to an introduction to a scientific article or an essay.

In part 3, the students must create an oral presentation, video or audio recording that explains why work and organizational psychology is important for a psychologist. They must explain briefly what they think is most important within two topics that have been reviewed in the lectures during the semester and draw lines between them. The presentation must be presented to the subject teacher and the rest of the class on the specified date approximately in the middle of the semester. Presentation and attendance is compulsory.

At the end, the students must briefly write how each of the group members has contributed to the three different projects. They themselves choose how the tasks are to be distributed, for example, it is possible that one student has the main responsibility for each part, but it is a requirement that everyone must have contributed to all parts of the work and approved the final product in line with requirements for scientific authorship. They must also explain why they have chosen to do all the tasks together, if they so have decided, or why one person has been given responsibility for a part based on the group's abilities, personality, capacity and wishes.

The written parts must be written in Times New Roman, font size 12, and references must be in APA style. Line spacing 2. All parts must be passed in order to pass the entire folder/term paper.

Compulsory activities from previous semesters may be approved by the department.

The exam in this course consists of a semester assignment that can be written either alone, in pairs, or up to three people together.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Students from Master in Psychology may attend this course

Credit reductions