Course overview

Description

This course provides extensive training in the application of psychological theories and principles to workplace settings so as to improve organisational performance whilst also enhancing employee wellbeing.

The course offers training in the following areas: undertaking effective research in organisations; psychological assessment for enhanced personnel selection outcomes; employee training and skill development; implementing organisational change initiatives effectively; improving work design to enhance employee effectiveness, wellbeing, health and safety; applying the principles of human factors to optimise human-system interactions; team development and team work; and effective leadership behaviour.

The course also includes the option to participate in an organisational consultancy project, giving you the opportunity to apply the principles you have learned in organisations, in a small group with other students, under guidance of a supervisor.

Course title
Master of Business Psychology (coursework)
Award abbreviation
MBusPsych
Course code
73550
Course type
Master's degree by coursework only
Status
Current / 2024
Administered by
Psychological Science
CRICOS code
093572E

Course details

Intake periods
Beginning of year and mid-year
Attendance type
Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
Articulation
The Master of Business Psychology has the following exit awards: 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology (24 points) (24 points), 73390 Graduate Diploma in Business Psychology (48 points) (48 points)
Credit points required
96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Standard course duration
1.5 years (only when starting in semester 1) full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 points of taught units and 24 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the School
Maximum course duration
2 full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 96 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
Time limit
5 years
Delivery mode
Multi-mode
Locations offered
UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type
Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP; or postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
Available to international students
Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
Course Coordinator(s)
Dr Lisette Kanse
Fees
Visit the fees calculator.

Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2024 – may be available in 2025 or 2026
NS
non-standard teaching period

All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.

Take units from this group as determined on admission to the course based on previous education.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1PSYC4101Psychology Foundations: Mind and Brain
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
73550 Master of Business Psychology
Incompatibility
Unit(s) PSYC1101 Psychology: Mind and Brain
lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week
S2PSYC4102Psychology Foundations: Behaviour in Context
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
73550 Master of Business Psychology
Incompatibility
Unit(s) PSYC1102 Psychology: Behaviour in Context
lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week
S1, S2SCIE4401Data Use in Science
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72510 Master of Agricultural Science
or 72520 Master of Biological Science
or 72530 Master of Environmental Science
or 72550 Master of Geoscience
or 72540 Master of Hydrogeology
or 71520 Master of Biomedical Science
or 71580 Master of Biotechnology
or 71570 Master of Geographic Information Science
or 73530 Master of Agricultural Economics
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 70550 Master of Bioinformatics
or 71590 Master of Oceanography
or 74540 Master of Marine Biology
Incompatibility
STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or STAX1400 Statistics for Science
and
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
and SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
24 hours. The total workload for this unit is 150 hours.
S1, S2SCIE4403Ethical Conduct and Communication of Science
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
73660 Master of Medical Physics
Incompatibility
SCOM1101 Communicating Science (ID 1553)
or SCOX1101 Communicating Science
and SCOM2208 Science Writing (ID 1559)
Weekly face-to-face OR online workshops. This unit runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2, and can be taken in either semester.

Take all units (60 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2HRMT5502People Analytics
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
41660 Master of Human Resources and Employment Relations (ID 45)
or Course Enrolment 42270 Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics (ID 1458)
or Course Enrolment 42630 Master of Business Analytics (ID 1478)
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology (ID 1408)
lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
S1PSYC5514Assessment and Selection
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 41650 Master of Commerce (Advanced)
or 42610 Master of Professional Accounting (Advanced)
or 41680 Master of Commerce
or 41660 Master of Human Resources and Employment Relations
lectures/tutorials: 36 hours (12 x 3 hours). Attendance to lectures is compulsory.
S2PSYC5515Organisational Development and Change
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
41680 Master of Commerce
or 41660 Master of Human Resources and Employment Relations
or 43550 Master of Commerce (coursework) and Master of International Commercial Law (coursework)
or 52330 Graduate Diploma in Work Health and Safety
or 62540 Master of Ocean Leadership
or 53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology
up to 3 hours per week for 12 weeks, mix of lectures & activities
S1PSYC5518Team Work
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology
3 hours per week for 12 weeks, mix of lectures & activities
S1PSYC5544Professional Skills
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology
or 53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
2 hours per week for 12 weeks, mix of lectures & activities
S1PSYC5550Organisational Consultancy Case Study
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
73550 Master of Business Psychology
and Successful completion of
one Unit(s) PSYC5544 Professional Skills
or Unit(s) PSYC5515 Organisational Development and Change
Incompatibility
Unit(s) PSYC4440 Organisational Consultancy Project Part 1
and Unit(s) PSYC4441 Organisational Consultancy Project Part 2
3 x 7-hour workshops.
S2PSYC5556Work Design
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
41660 Master of Human Resources and Employment Relations
or 53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology
3 hours per week for 12 weeks, mix of lectures and activities
S1PSYC5559Psychology of Leadership and Coaching
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology
3 hours per week for 12 weeks, mix of lectures & activities
S1PSYC5573Psychology of Training
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
seminars: 3 hours per week
S2PSYC5830Human and Organisational Factors in Managing Work Health and Safety
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
53580 Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 01880/54580 Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology
Incompatibility
Unit(s) PSYC5730 Psychology-based Approaches in Managing Work Health and Safety
3 hours per week for 12 weeks, mix of lectures & activities

Take two units from this group, or replace one or both of these with elective units as approved on a case by case basis by the Course Coordinator or the Head of the School of Psychological Science.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1EMPL5412Employment RelationsNonelectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
S2EMPL5501Strategic Workplace Relations
Prerequisites
EMPL5412 Employment Relations
lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
NSHRMT5501Diversity and Inclusion
Prerequisites
HRMT5504 Introduction to Human Resource Management
Intensive mode up to 6 hours per week over 6 weeks, which will include 2 lectures and 2 workshops/tutorials per week and may include dedicated meeting time with the unit coordinator/tutors as well as self-directed learning, and the viewing of pre-recorded lecture videos and readings ahead of timetabled sessions each week.
S1, S2HRMT5504Introduction to Human Resource ManagementNoneseminars: up to 3 hours per week
S1HRMT5518Strategic Human Resource Management
Prerequisites
HRMT5504 Introduction to Human Resource Management
lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
S1INMT5504Business Process ManagementNonelectures/seminars: up to 3 hours per week
S1, S2MGMT5507Management and Organisations
Incompatibility
MGMT1136 Management and Organisations
lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week
S2MGMT5508Organisational Behaviour and LeadershipNoneseminars: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks
S1MGMT5660Applied Project Management
Incompatibility
MGMT5665 Project Management
lectures/seminars: up to 3 hours per week
S1MKTG5502Social Media MarketingNone1 hour lectures, 2 hour tutorials
S1MKTG5561Marketing Management
Incompatibility
MKTG5550 Marketing Principles
1 hour lectures, 2 hour tutorials
S1MKTG5578Business Relationship ManagementNone1 hour lectures, 2 hour tutorials
S1, S2SCIE5304Science Practicum
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
51580 Master of Science Communication
or 73530 Master of Agricultural Economics
or 72510 Master of Agricultural Science
or 71530 Master of Biological Arts
or 72520 Master of Biological Science
or 71520 Master of Biomedical Science
or 73550 Master of Business Psychology
or 72530 Master of Environmental Science
or 52510 Master of Exercise Science
or 71570 Master of Geographic Information Science
or 74540 Master of Marine Biology
or 71590 Master of Oceanography and approval of the unit coordinator
100 hours of work placement paired with learning content and assessment. Contact hours in Practicum placement (the majority of student time in the unit) as arranged with the unit coordinator and host/supervisor. Additional, minor, contact hours for initial and post-placement discussions with coordinator, and final presentation and review.
NS, S1, S2SVLG5001McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship
Prerequisites
All of the following LAWS4101 Foundations of Law and Lawyering
and LAWS4102 Criminal Law
and LAWS4103 Contract
and LAWS4104 Property
and LAWS4106 Torts
and LAWS4109 Legal Theory and Ethics for Juris Doctor students only
Incompatibility
for Juris Doctor students: LAWS5174 Legal Internship
Internship experience: approximately 100 hours; McCusker Centre attendance: approximately 8 hours
N/ASVLG5003Wicked Problems
Prerequisites
any bachelor's degree.
permission/approval is required to enrol
The unit is a 6 week intensive. Attendance at the service learning location is required every day for the first week. In the remaining weeks, students will work independently in project teams, with classroom time reduced to around 15-20 hours altogether.

See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.

Rules

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules

2.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).

(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the CARS module is not required to repeat the module.

(3) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

English Language competency requirements

3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.

Admission requirements

4.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;

and

(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 60 per cent; or

(2) completed a Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology at UWA with a weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

Articulations and exit awards

6.(1) This course has the following exit awards:

  • 73290 Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology (24 points)
  • 73390 Graduate Diploma in Business Psychology (48 points)

(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Business Psychology course before completing it, but after completing PSYC5556, and 3 out of the following 5 units:

PSYC5515, PSYC5830, PSYC5544, PSYC5518 and PSYC5559,, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology.

(3) A student who withdraws from the Master of Business Psychology course before completing it, but who has completed 8 units, other than conversion units, of which at least 7 core units,, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Business Psychology.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points (maximum value) which include conversion units to a value of 24 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

(3) Students who have completed a bachelor's degree in psychology, or an equivalent qualification as recognised by UWA are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.

Progress status

10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.

(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—

(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';

(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';

(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—

(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;

(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;

and

(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.

Deferrals

13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).