Master of Organisational Psychology Program Information

Master of Organisational Psychology

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Research and postgraduate training in I/O Psychology is carried out through the Centre for Organisational Psychology. Postgraduate students in I/O Psychology are affiliated with the Centre during their candidature.

The main objective of our postgraduate program in organisational psychology is to prepare students for professional work as psychologists in an organisational context by combining academic learning, practical experience, and a research orientation to problem-solving.

The program provides in-depth, theoretical knowledge and associated professional skill development for effective practice in organisational psychology. The program focus on issues that are confronting and changing the way work is managed, organised, and conducted today, and the theoretical and practical approaches that practising organisational psychologists can take to enhance quality of work life for employees and improve organisational effectiveness.

Our program trains students in the use of the scientist-practitioner model in their professional work. Within this model, theory, research, and practice are combined to develop professional skills within a broad range of strategic and functional areas including job analysis and design, personnel selection and assessment, training and development, and organisational development and change. This also helps to develop a critical mind and the ability to evaluate evidence, further underpinning the theoretical and empirical bases of organisational psychology.

The Masters of Organisational Psychology (MPsychOrg) program is suitable for candidates interested in pursuing a career in professional practice. The MPsychOrg has been accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and approved by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) College of Organisational Psychologists as a 2-year full-time training program leading to the completion of 6 years of training in psychology. The program includes core courses covering the major content areas of the discipline, electives enabling specialisation in sub-areas, and supervised work placements.

PhD Training

MPsychOrg students can also commence a concurrent PhD after the first year of study.

Alternatively, the research-only PhD (no coursework Masters component) is suitable for candidates who are interested in a research career, either in universities or in research institutes. The duration of the PhD is 3-4 years. During this period, candidates work through a structured set of milestones. In the first year, candidates work on their research proposal, and may start collecting data. Once candidature has been confirmed at the end of the first year, candidates then complete the majority of their data collection and may start writing papers in time for mid-candidature review. The final stage of the PhD involves finishing a series of papers and submitting them for publication. The PhD thesis typically consists of a series of manuscripts that have been submitted for publication, plus an introductory and concluding chapter.