PSYCH 761 : Organisational Psychology

Science

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Focuses on attitudes and behaviours at work that reflect or impact on the relationship between employee and employer, with a particular emphasis on topics that are proposed to impact on employee well-being and productivity (e.g., job satisfaction, motivation, leadership). Students will be encouraged to adopt a scientist-practitioner perspective, through class discussions and assignments.

Course Overview

Organisational psychology is a sub-field of psychology concerned with the behaviour of individuals in organisations. This course provides a postgraduate-level overview of topics, research and theory within the field of organisational psychology. As you will become more familiar with organisational psychology going into the semester, this subfield includes a wide variety of topics that go well beyond what we are able to cover in one class. As such, instead of providing an exhaustive summary of the field, this course aims to serve as the “first stop” of your journey into organisational psychology.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop a good understanding of theories relating to employees’ individual differences, perceptions, attitudes and behaviours relating to themselves, co-workers, supervisors and their organisations. (Capability 1 and 3)
  2. Demonstrate critical thinking about organisational psychology topics (i.e., think like an organisational psychologist). (Capability 4 and 8)
  3. Present organisational psychology material in both oral and written communication formats. (Capability 3, 6 and 7)
  4. Develop good work ethics, including (1) work independently by showing personal self-discipline to plan and achieve your goals and, (2) work collaboratively and respectfully with others to achieve collective goals. (Capability 5, 7 and 8)
  5. Demonstrate the potential to translate your specialist knowledge into practice, by considering the scope of research knowledge and opportunities for change in organisational settings. (Capability 2, 3 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Class participation 5% Individual Coursework
Class discussion lead 15% Group Coursework
Discussion prompts 6% Individual Coursework
Reflection paper 15% Individual Coursework
Informational interview 20% Group Coursework
Presentation 9% Individual Coursework
Final paper 30% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Class participation
Class discussion lead
Discussion prompts
Reflection paper
Informational interview
Presentation
Final paper

Key Topics

  • What is organisational psychology?
  • Job performance
  • Job attitudes
  • Motivation at work
  • Individual characteristics
  • Leadership
  • Teams
Special module
  • Organisational psychology toolbox

Special Requirements

There is no special requirement for this course. 

Tuākana

This course is supported by the Tuākana in Science Programme, which facilitates the success and wellbeing of our Māori and Pacific students. The foundation of the Tuākana Programme is the Tuākana-Teina principle an integral relationship in which older or more expert Tuākana (traditionally brother, sister or cousin) guides a younger or less expert Teina (traditionally younger sibling or cousin). This is a reciprocal relationship which fosters safe learning and teaching environments. Read more here:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-and-pacific-at-the-faculty/tuakana-programme.html

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15-point course that they are enrolled in. For each week of this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, 4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

  • Attendance is required at the scheduled lecture sections to complete components of the course.
  • Lectures will be available as recordings. 
  • The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Recommended Texts:
  • Jex, S. M., & Britt, T. W. (2014). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approach. (3rd ed.) John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, New Jersey.
  • Cascio, W. F., & Aguinis, H. (2018). Applied psychology in human resource management (8th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

Overall students were quite positive about this course. Students reported in the SET that they find the feedback from the instructor directive and helpful, assignments clear, the lecture sections engaging, the topics and readings covered in the class interesting and that the variety of assignments help them engage more deeply with the material. Based on student feedback and grade distribution, no major assessment change will be implemented this year.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.