REGULATIONS FOR MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ORGANISATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY (MOIP)

Duration:                                                        2 years

Actual Credit Load:                               408

Minimum Credit Load:                        360

Maximum Credit Load:                       430

Maximum MBKs Credit Load:          288

ZNQF Level:                                               9

1.0   PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

• To produce versatile graduates who are innovative and can adjust to the ever-changing/dynamic workplace and its workforce.
• To impart knowledge and insights on understanding human behaviour in the workplace with the aim of improving the overall work environment, performance, communication, professional satisfaction and safety.
• To produce graduates who understand how workplace group dynamics operate and hence utilize them to boost work output.

•         To instil in students, the ability for critical thinking required to apply psychological theories and methods in addressing workplace challenges.
•         To capacitate students to apply psychological knowledge to a variety of workplace settings.
•         To equip students with skills to design tools, machines, work systems, and workplaces that psychologically fit employees.
•         To produce graduates who can apply appropriate principles to workplace processes and provide workplace solutions.
•         To groom students who will improve recruitment strategies, conduct efficient personnel selection and facilitate good work environments, which see employees having work-life balance.

2.0   ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Normal Entry: Minimum of an upper second class (2.1) in a BSc Honours Degree in Psychology/ BSc Organisational and Industrial Psychology Honours Degree

3.0   PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

•         Areas of study: Organisational and Industrial Psychology/Human Resources Management
•         Specialist focus: Employee wellness, Human Resource Management, the entire spectrum of employee wellbeing aspects at workplaces, selection and recruitment
•         Orientation: Scientific-Practitioner Paradigm
•         Distinctive features: The programme builds on the principle of workplace dynamics
•         Other: Practical in approach i.e. not too theoretical, and must be relevant on the ground

4.0   CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Careers:

•         Occupational Psychologists
•         Human Resources specialists
•         Probation Officers
•         Management/business consultants
•         Employee training Professionals,
•         Job analysers and evaluators
•         Employee selection and recruitment
•         Academics: Teaching and conducting/publishing research
•         Work performance development, appraisers, reviewers
•         Employee motivators
•         Workplace wellbeing, conflict, stress and work adjustment
•         Consumer behavior and marketing
•         Job analysis and enrichment
•         Careers development, coaching and advisers
•         Change management
•         Training and development
•         Attitude surveys and research on workplace issues

Further Studies: Doctoral studies in Organisational and Industrial Psychology, and Postgraduate studies in the area.

Level 1 Semester 1	Credits
MOIP 731: Workplace Psychology	18
MOIP 732: Advanced Ergonomics	18
MOIP 733: Workplace Psychological Adjustment	18
MOIP 734: Group Dynamics and Diversity	18
MOIP 735: Occupational Health and Wellness	18

Level 1 Semester 2	Credits
MOIP 736: Organisational Climate and Culture Management	18
MCP 737: Advanced Research Methods and Statistics	18
MOIP 737: Legal & Ethical Issues in Organisational & Industrial Psychology	18
MOIP 738: Intercultural Communication in Organizations	18
MOIP 739: Talent Management in the Workplace	18

Level 2 Semester 1	Credits
MOIP 831: Work Placement 1	24
MOIP 832: Consultation Psychology	18
MCP 833: Advanced Psychometrics	18
MOIP 833: Consumer Behaviour and Psychology	18
MOIP 834: Organisational Leadership	18

Level 2 Semester 2	Credits
MOIP 835: Work Placement 2	24
MOIP 836: Organisational Learning, Development and Change	18
MOIP 837: Dissertation	90

| Total Credits | 408 |

MODULE SYNOPSES

 

MOIP 731   Workplace Psychology

The module provides knowledge on workplace psychological problems and explanations, application of psychological solutions, management, and understanding of employees. Other topics covered include selection, recruitment, employee training and development, performance analysis, leadership principles, legal and ethical issues, and analysis of the workplace in the context of the physical environment.

        

MOIP 732   Advanced Ergonomics

The module provides knowledge on the theory and practical implications of human factors and ergonomics in workplace designs to improve employee productivity. Focus is on the application of human factors and ergonomics principles in planning and designing workstations, controls, displays and symbols; importance of workspace design and the impact of the environment on human error and performance; theories that explain the link between work design and well-being.                                   

MOIP 733 Workplace Psychological Adjustment  

The module provides knowledge on linking work and psychological well-being. Topics covered include psychological workplace (mal) adjustment; causes; assessment; types of work dysfunctions and other work placement-related adjustment problems; organisational strategies to manage and promote organisational and employee wellbeing; individual methods to promote psychological health in the workplace; the future of work and psychological health.

MOIP 734   Group Dynamics and Diversity                 

The module imparts knowledge on the theory and practical implications of workgroup dynamics and diversity in workplaces for purposes of improving workplace dynamics, employee productivity and organisational effectiveness; the need for managing diversity in the workplace; evaluation of paradigms used to promote positive group dynamics and diversity.

MOIP 735   Occupational Health and Wellness                                                

The module builds on and covers concepts on employees’ individual well-being, mental health, and personal responses to stress. It draws from various prominent models of human functioning and associated interventions that have been applied in workplace settings.

MOIP 736   Organisational Climate and Culture Management

The module provides knowledge on how organizational climate and culture influence employee motivation, job satisfaction and performance; the contribution of organizational culture to customer perceptions of service quality; enhancing organizational effectiveness, individual satisfaction and a sense of belonging to an organization.

MCP 737 Advanced Research Methods and Statistics

The module is a build-up of the undergraduate module. It equips students with advanced knowledge and skills in Triangulated research approaches; Technologically data gathering; and statistical data processing.

MOIP 737 Legal and Ethical Issues in Organisational and Industrial Psychology

The module covers standards for professional conduct as it applies to practice in the programme of study. It includes codes of conduct, ethical and legal decisions such as the scope of the profession, legal and ethical rights of clients, licensing laws, regulations and customs, and professional liability. Also covered are case examples, current regulations and standards for utilizing assessment data.

MOIP 738 Intercultural Communication in Organizations                    

The module prepares students for adaptation in the current dynamic and culturally diverse workplaces so as to avoid culture shock: With an increased globalization of workplace settings across most industries, today’s organisations need a more precise understanding of intercultural communication in an effective management strategy. Topics covered include the benefits of intercultural communication such as increased teamwork and productivity by employees from different cultural/ethnic backgrounds.

MOIP 739 Talent Management in The Workplace                                                                

The module equips students with psychological theories for talent management in the workplace. The focus is on Reviewing current knowledge on themes, core processes, methods, and theories of personnel selection, training strategies and development, and career success; psychological causes of performance and career potential, interventions to motivate and retain employees, and socioeconomic implications of selecting, developing and retaining talent.

MOIP 831 Work Placement 1

(Before students begin their Work Placement 1, it is a prerequisite that they register with the Allied Health Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe in their own individual capacities).

The module provides an opportunity for students to integrate theoretical knowledge with professional practice. The placement is for 15 hours per week for 15 weeks at an appropriate site approved by the Department. Students document all client contacts and cases dealt with and attend a practicum session once every fortnight across the semester. At the end of the semester, they submit a file on cases handled.

MOIP 832 Consultation Psychology                                                       

The module prepares students to: Apply consultation models; Implement and manage change in the consultation process; Analyse consulting models such as the Doctor-Patient Model, the Process Consultation Model, and the Purchase of Expertise Model; Construct and present an appropriate consulting model in an organisation.

MCP 833 Advanced Psychometrics

The module builds on and covers concepts introduced and taught in the Honours Degree Programme. However, the focus is now in the context of the specialised programme of study, with more comprehensive content being covered.         

MOIP 833 Consumer Behaviour and Psychology

This module prepares students to review current knowledge on themes, core processes, methods, and theories of Consumer Behaviour and Psychology. The focus is on psychological determinants of consumer implicit decision-making as well as examining the role of effect, and persuasion in academic and applied fields of consumer behaviour; examining practical implications of consumer behaviour, and how psychological theories/methods help predict and understand behavioural change.

MOIP 834   Organisational Leadership

The module aims to impart to students a knowledge base of the principles and theories of leader behaviour in organisational contexts for the purpose of evaluating and developing leader behaviour for improved organisational effectiveness.                      

MOIP 835 Work Placement 2

(Before students begin their Work Placement 2, it is a prerequisite that they register with the Allied Health Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe in their own individual capacities).

The placement is for 15 hours per week for 15 weeks at an appropriate site approved by the Department. The module integrates theoretical knowledge with professional practice. Students document all client contacts and cases dealt with at the placement. In addition, students will attend a practicum class once every fortnight across the semester. A file should be submitted to the Department at the end of the semester.

MOIP 836   Organisational Learning, Development and Change

The module imparts students’ knowledge, critical reasoning ability and applied competence in organisational development (OD) and change. Topics covered include the selection, application and evaluation of knowledge on behavioural practices in an OD practice to address problems; ethical change management through establishing appropriate OD relationships; engaging in accurate organisational diagnosis, designing, implementing and evaluating OD interventions.

MOIP 837   Dissertation

The module provides guidelines for students on the whole research process. Working under the supervision of a lecturer in the Department, students plan, design, and conduct research on a topic of their interest. The topic must address current issues and the research must be in line with current trends in the programme of study. The guidelines cover all the requisite aspects of how to conduct and document research.

MPHIL PROGRAMMES

• MPhil in Psychology

DPHIL PROGRAMMES

• DPhil in Psychology