Overview

The MSc Business Psychology programme at Heriot-Watt University is the most established master’s degree of its kind in Europe, as it has a well-earned reputation for producing graduates who can improve the performance and behaviour of individuals and teams.  

During this master’s degree, you’ll deepen your knowledge of the psychological mechanisms that drive positive behaviours and performances in the workplace. Our MSc Business Psychology programme will equip you with an effective blend of knowledge drawn from the specialist fields of psychology, management and leadership. You’ll develop commercial awareness and an understanding of global organisations which will allow you to recognise the impact of the economy, technological advances, globalisation and the changing labour market on the psychology of a workplace and the performance of individuals and teams.  

You’ll learn key skills that will help you thrive in several job roles including business psychology practitioner, human resources manager, organisational development manager, coaching consultant, management consultant or leadership consultant.   

You’ll study the areas of psychology that directly apply to business settings and will explore some of the key psychological research methods that can be practised in the workplace. By viewing the workplace through a psychological perspective and by developing your analytical, critical thinking and reflection skills, you’ll learn to recognise and improve seemingly intangible aspects of the workplace which, when appropriately managed, can directly improve business performance in terms of job satisfaction, wellbeing, leadership, organisational commitment, organisational culture, performance and productivity.  

Expertise  

The MSc Business Psychology degree is taught by experienced, leading academics who, in many cases, have published the research which shapes their disciplines and written the books and journal papers which will guide your learning. Many academics balance teaching time with continued professional practice as coaches, practitioner psychologists, and management consultants. They bring their real-world experience and expertise to the classroom.  

Your learning environment   

The Business Psychology programme at Heriot-Watt University has excellent research facilities such as eye trackers, driving simulators and consistent environment labs which will support your independent research projects.    

This degree is taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars involving multiple modes of learning including case studies, workshops, research papers and electronic formats. You’ll also take part in specifically designed group tasks and presentations which will allow you to develop your interpersonal and communication skills, giving you the platform to implement your expertise and directly improve the performance of diverse groups of individuals and teams at any level within an organisation.  

You’ll be assessed through a mix of formative and summative assessments. You’ll receive support and feedback throughout the programme.  

Customise your learning   

You’ll learn from eight courses on the syllabus and take part in an independent project. Every course focuses on enhancing your subject-specific knowledge and will allow you to develop your research skills which can be applied to coursework and your postgraduate project.   

Through your independent project, you’ll critically evaluate relevant literature and psychological theories to support a rationale for a selected independent project in psychology. You’ll have the opportunity to learn and demonstrate a critical ability to use a range of techniques and research methods to produce this project. You’ll present your findings of the research in an appropriate academic form.   

In addition to pure business psychology, we offer three specialist business psychology pathways at our Edinburgh campus: MSc Business Psychology with Coaching, MSc Business Psychology with Human Resource Management and MSc Business Psychology with Intercultural Communication. The development of these specialisms will put you in the perfect position to make a positive impact on the performance, communication and culture of global organisations.  

You can choose whether to study the programme full-time or part-time, with a September or a January start. This flexibility allows you to fit your postgraduate studies around your lifestyle.    

You may have the opportunity to Go Global on our Inter-Campus Transfer. Opportunities for postgraduate study abroad are assessed on a case-by-case basis and if you are interested in studying at our Dubai campus or Malaysia campus for a semester or longer, you should contact the Go Global Team.   

Industry  

We work closely with the industry to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. You’ll gain the right blend of knowledge, practical skills and soft skills to set you up for life after graduation.   

Accreditation 

This programme is accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) as Continuing Coach Education (CCE). Therefore, several hours from the MSc courses can be used to apply for the personal credentialing process should the student wish to pursue accredited Coach status with the ICF. A certificate will be issued on completion of these hours.