Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 18,700 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* there is no application deadline for postgraduate courses
** International full-time study |£13,500: home full-time study. Additional fees may apply
Key Summary
Introduction
Develop the theoretical and practical understanding to become an 'evidence-based practitioner'.
Our Occupational and Business Psychology MSc is your gateway to becoming a recognised expert in the field. Accredited by both the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Association for Business Psychology (ABP), this course stands as a symbol of excellence. These prestigious accreditations reflect the depth and quality of our curriculum, ensuring you gain a comprehensive understanding of psychology in business.
You will have a wealth of opportunities outside the classroom to further your learning and gain hands-on experience in your chosen field. As well as being taught by Kingston Business School's expert team – many of whom continue their work in industry while teaching – you will be taught by guest speakers.
For example, to complement your core modules, you can take part in an ‘Expert Speakers' series and an ‘Engaging the Profession' series. These programmes will provide you with valuable opportunities to meet practitioners and academics.
This course also sits under The Department of Management, which offers a broad range of accredited undergraduate and postgraduate courses covering all areas of business. Whether your ambition is to start your own company or become a senior leader in a global organisation, our programmes are developed in consultation with industry practitioners to ensure your studies are future-facing.
Why choose this course
If you want to work in roles such as in-house and external consultancy, HR, organisational development and research, our Occupational and Business Psychology MSc course is ideal.
You will use psychological methods and specialist software, alongside the opportunity to undertake additional short courses covering psychometric testing. As a result, you will develop the theoretical and practical understanding to become an 'evidence-based practitioner'.
Your personal development is at the heart of this course. As well as building essential transferrable skills, such as communication and interpersonal ability, the programme places a strong focus on the competencies that employers value.
You will:
- Learn about the process of contracting with organisations as an occupational or business psychologist, and the consultancy cycle
- Analyse qualitative and quantitative data, and hone your presentation and report writing skills
- Develop skills and techniques, such as critical incident interviewing, job analysis and career coaching
- Learn to think creatively, to lead innovation and change in 21st-century organisations, and to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of those changes
- Understand the different psychological approaches to workplace issues, and how to apply them and synthesise them in practice
Accreditation
Kingston Business School Accreditation
Kingston Business School holds the prestigious international accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in recognition of the excellence of its business education. This accreditation has been earned by just 6% of the world's business schools and recognises the high quality and standard of our business degree offerings.
Course accreditations
The course has been accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
If you already hold an honours degree in a BPS-accredited psychology undergraduate course, this MSc upon graduation will satisfy the criteria for stage one of the BPS Chartership process. Those without a background in psychology and/or an accredited psychology undergraduate course can complete a conversion diploma in psychology after their MSc. Both routes will enable you to become a full Chartered and Registered Occupational Psychologist in the future.
This course is accredited by the Association for Business Psychology (ABP). Our ABP accreditation demonstrates the quality and rigour of our approach, and shows employers and clients that you have a thorough understanding of psychology in a business context. Graduates who complete this MSc are able to use the post nominal Certified Business Psychologist (CBP).
Eligible registrations
'Occupational Psychologist' is a protected title regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Students who hold BPS Graduate Basis for Chartership as well as this MSc and then continue to successfully complete their Stage 2 training in Occupational Psychology are eligible to apply to register with the HCPC. Please note, this course is not accredited by the HCPC.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Funding support for postgraduate students
If you are a UK student living in England and under 60, you can apply for a loan to study for a postgraduate degree on the government's website.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying Occupational and Business Psychology MSc at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support:
- Niloufar Ebrahim Scholarship
- Salutem Care and Education Scholarship
- Inspire the Future Scholarship
- International scholarships
- Progression Scholarship
- Discounts for Kingston University alumni
Curriculum
Course content
The course considers how other disciplines such as behavioural science and data analytics inform occupational and business psychology.
The modules for this course investigate various approaches to applying psychological principles in the workplace and how these ideas can increase organisational, team and individual performance. You will learn to critically evaluate the evidence base when making decisions.
You will apply theories and evidence to case studies, examples from the field and real-life practice. You will also learn about ethical considerations and your role as a psychologist in organisations, enhancing your professional skills. You will complement this by learning about ways of overcoming the barriers many occupational and business psychologists face when trying to implement their programmes in an organisation.
Other practice-based training will also be offered, including psychometric testing (offered as additional short courses at a fraction of the market price).
MSc
Core modules
- Behavioural Science and Data Analytics
- Empirical Research Project
- Healthy and Inclusive Workplaces
- Leadership, Creativity and Innovation for 21st Century Organisations
- Psychological Assessment for Selection and Retention
- Psychology of Coaching, Learning and Development
- Applied Psychology at Work
- Professional Skills and Development
Optional placement year
The professional placement year is optional. It takes place after the full-time year. It allows students to do a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The work placement is an assessed part of the course and is therefore covered by a Student Route visa.
Core modules
- Professional Placement
Teaching and assessment
Guided independent study (self-managed time)
When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.
Support for postgraduate students
As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services.
Your workload
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 180 credits across a year (typical for a postgraduate course) would equate to 1,800 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- 12% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
How you will be assessed
Assessment typically comprises practical tasks (e.g. presentations) and coursework (e.g. essays, reports, dissertation). The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows:
- Year 1: Coursework 86%; practical 14%
'Professional placement year: Coursework 100%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
Feedback summary
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
Class sizes
You will be part of an intimate cohort of students which supports dedicated academic guidance and advice and gives you the opportunity to build a life-long network of colleagues. Some modules are common across other postgraduate programmes therefore you will be taught alongside students who are on these courses within the School.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Boost your employability
This course will equip you for a range of career opportunities in organisations where psychology can and should be applied to positively impact the workplace and implement change for the better. For example, roles include:
- Developmental and strategic roles (e.g. people strategist, people and culture partner, developmental advisor, R&D, employee insight)
- Leadership and management roles
- More traditional roles (private/independent practice, consultancies, civil service, human resources, test publishing and research bodies)
- Graduates can also choose to continue working towards becoming Chartered and Registered Occupational Psychologists, following further training
Specialist careers support
You will take part in an Assessment Centre Experience, providing the opportunity to experience the pathway to employment with tailored feedback:
- Develop your understanding of the jobs market, including current trends and opportunities, different recruitment processes and how to identify relevant roles
- Receive personalised feedback reports to help you to improve and progress
- Access additional webinars on top tips, employer expectations and best practice