Option 3 - Work and organisational psychology (WOP)

By choosing this option, students can deepen their understanding in the field of work and organisational psychology. In addition, for a broad coverage of applied and research-related areas (e.g. personnel development, work analysis), this option offers the possibility to focus on the areas of Occupational Health Psychology and Human Factors. The skills taught in this option correspond to the requirements of jobs in industry and public administration (e.g. in relation to occupational safety).

The main teaching language of the in-depth study program for this option is German. The teaching language for the module “Basics” is English. The teaching language for the specialisation program depends on the choice of module.

Structure

In-depth study program (major)

• Basics module15 ECTS

  The goal of the module is to provide students with a fundamental and current understanding of the main areas of psychology and the central themes of the department's research teams. The module includes the research colloquium linked to the Master thesis (3 ECTS credits) as well as teaching on the most recent advances in the fundamental fields of psychological sciences. The teaching includes topics ranging from basic psychological processes or functions to broad areas of applied psychology and related fields.

  The module is composed of a research colloquium related to the Master thesis (3 ECTS credits), a teaching unit in statistics (3 ECTS credits), a teaching unit in psychotherapy research (3 ECTS credits) and 2 elective teaching units (at 3 ECTS credits). Among the elective teaching units is the "Mentoring" teaching unit. The latter includes the acquisition of various experiences in the field of reinforcement and transmission of knowledge in the university context under supervision. The specific offers for this course are published before the beginning of the semester on the department's website. The teaching units are offered in English. The assessment procedures are announced in the description of the course and are specified until the end of the registration period for the course.

• Work psychology and human factors15 ECTS

  This module provides students with theoretical, methodological and practical skills in the field of work psychology and human factors and covers a range of core topics related to this field. This may include, for example, teaching in the areas of human-machine interaction, automation, usability and user experience, work stress, group work, work design, and work schedules and health. Skills developed may include conducting a work analysis in an organisation or conducting a usability test to evaluate a technical device.

  The module consists of 5 elective teaching units of 3 ECTS credits. The teaching units are offered in English or German. The assessment procedures are announced in the description of the teaching unit and are specified until the end of the registration period for the teaching unit.

• Occupational Health Psychology15 ECTS

  In this module, students acquire the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills necessary to solve practical problems in organisations with a focus on employee health and well-being and to carry out research projects. The module covers a number of topics such as work-family balance, organisational justice, workplace health promotion, conflict and well-being at work, staff/organisational development, social interaction and leadership, work design and staff selection. The competences developed may include the implementation of workplace health promotion measures.

  The module consists of 5 elective teaching units of 3 ECTS credits. The teaching units can be taught in German or English. The assessment procedures are announced in the description of the teaching unit and are specified until the end of the registration period for the teaching unit.

• Practical experience15 ECTS

  The aim of the practical experience is to mobilise the students' basic skills, to extend their expertise specific to their option and more broadly to build their professional network. The practical experience is carried out in a clinical, industrial or research environment related to psychology. It can also be carried out on a part-time basis or split between several institutions and research laboratories (called "Lab rotations"). All information and procedures relating to the practical experience are recorded here (FR).

  Validation conditions for the module

  • The practical experience must be equivalent to eight weeks of 100% work.
  • It must be carried out under the supervision of a psychologist and must be related to the Master option chosen by the student.
  • The activities carried out by the students as well as the knowledge and skills developed during each practical experience or "Lab rotations" are described and evaluated on the basis of a written report. This report is evaluated (without a grade) by the departmental internship coordinator. If the written report is judged insufficient, it is returned to the student for correction and resubmission. A second unsatisfactory evaluation of the internship report leads to a definitive failure.

  Students who have completed or carried out a large part of their internship participate in a two-hour meeting that allows them to share their experiences.

• Master exam30 ECTS

  The Master exam consists of

  1. a written project and
  2. its defence.

  The research project is developed and implemented by the students within the framework of the chosen option. Although guided by expert supervision throughout the process, students are responsible for preparing the project, recruiting participants, conducting the study, preparing and analysing statistical data. Students then write a thesis, normally in the form of a long research paper. This paper may be written in English, German or French.

  Validation conditions for this module

  • Acceptance of the written Master thesis
  • Successful defence of the Master thesis

  Conditions for starting the master thesis

  • Students who have been admitted to the Master program with a complementary study program must have fully completed this program. In exceptional cases, a waiver may be requested by writing to the head of the studies program.

Specialisation program (minor)

2 elective modules chosen from:2 x 15 ECTS

• Methods and Applications in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Family Psychology

  This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of the individual, interpersonal and systemic processes that are involved in the development of psychological disorders or psychological and relational problems. This specialisation module contains teaching units on the methodological foundations of clinical psychology as well as on the aetiology, assessment and conceptualisation of psychopathological states. Additional teaching units provide training in interventions in different contexts (individual, couple, family).

  The module is composed of 5 elective teaching units of 3 ECTS credits. The teaching units are offered in French, German or English. The assessment methods are announced in the description of the teaching unit and specified until the end of the registration period for the said teaching unit.

• Methods and Applications in Clinical and Health Psychology

  This module provides students with a sound knowledge of the processes involved in physical and psychological health and illness. This specialisation module contains teaching units on the methodological foundations of clinical psychology as well as on selected topics in clinical and health psychology, including their applications.

  The module consists of 5 elective teaching units of 3 ECTS credits. The teaching units are offered in French or English. The modalities of assessment are announced in the description of the teaching unit and specified until the end of the registration period for the teaching unit.

  This module is one of the elective modules in the specialisation programme for options 2, 3 and 4.

• Topics in cognitive neuroscience

  The aim of this module is to deepen and broaden students' understanding of cognitive neuroscience. The module offers teaching units in which students learn about the most recent research in different areas of neuroscience.

  The module consists of 5 elective units of 3 ECTS credits. The teaching units are offered in English (some may be given in French or German). The assessment procedures are announced in the description of the teaching unit and specified until the end of the registration period for the teaching unit.

• Methods in cognitive neuroscience

  The aim of this module is to enable students to acquire all the necessary skills to conduct individual experimental research investigating human cognitive processes and their underlying neural mechanisms. The teaching units offered in this module provide a detailed and in-depth view of different experimental methods, such as behavioural methods, brain stimulation techniques and functional imaging. In this module, students have the opportunity to try out different techniques in practical exercises and procedures. Of course, students also learn to master complex and challenging data analysis techniques for processing behavioural data and neuroimaging findings. Students also become familiar with different programming software, to give them many possibilities to build creative experiments.

  The module consists of 5 elective teaching units of 3 ECTS credits. The teaching units are offered in French, German or English. The assessment methods are announced in the description of the teaching unit and specified until the end of the registration period for the teaching unit.

• Developmental psychology

  The aim of this module is to deepen and broaden students' knowledge of developmental psychology.

  Through the teaching units provided in this module, students acquire fundamental knowledge of typical and atypical child development. Both current theories of general development and specific learning and its mechanisms are addressed through the different teaching units that make up this module.

  The module is composed of 5 elective teaching units. The teaching units are mainly given in French (some may be given in English). The assessment methods are announced in the description of the teaching unit and specified until the end of the registration period for the teaching unit.