Programme Specification: MSc Organisational and Social Psychology
1. Awarding Body
2. Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body
e.g. ESRC; BPS etc)
3. Name of final award
LSE
N/A
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the Course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements
8. Application Code
9. First written/Last amended
Organisational and Social Psychology
1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Social Psychology
N/A
MSc
L7U2
December 2007 / November 2012
10. The programme aims to:
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To provide a high-quality, research-led postgraduate education in organizational and
social psychology;
To prepare students for a career in organisational research, development and
consultancy;
To qualify students for PhD research in the social sciences;
To provide knowledge of normally two specialist fields of social psychology;
To analyse corporate and organisational related processes in their local and global
contexts;
To familiarise students with the process of organisational analysis and provide
opportunities for debate with practitioners.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
On successful completion of the programme students will be able to:
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Demonstrate a critical understanding of major alternative positions underlying organisational
theory and practice;
Understand the social psychology of organisations and social psychological processes within
organisations;
Apply knowledge from a wide range of social science domains to the study of organisations;
Design, conduct, analyse and interpret a significant research inquiry within an organizational
setting employing quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies;
Understand the strengths and weaknesses of a range of quantitative and qualitative methods
for empirical research on organizational issues;
Manage a research project during its design, implementation, analysis and report stages;
Transfer research and analytical skills to new problems and situations.
For further information relating to careers.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and
demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategy:
Core course: 1) PS404, Organizational Social Psychology (full unit). Lectures in the Michaelmas term
are followed by a Professional Seminar series in the Lent term. Then content addressed in the
lectures is assessed through a formative assignment and a summative 3hr exam (100%);. The
professional seminar series allows the students to try out the knowledge they have gained in debate
with professionals in the field.
2) Methods for Social Psychological Research (full unit) gives practical and analytic skills assessed
100% through course work and examination.
3) Two Option courses from a selection available.. these are taught in the Lent term, after students
have completed the lectures on the core course and selected the topic for their research projects. They
are aimed to provide students with training and knowledge in depth in field relevant to their chosen
research and intended career. They are assessed through a formative assignment consisting of an
essay plan and a summative 3,000 word essay (100%).
4) PS497 Dissertation(full unit): Individually tailored to students’ aims and chosen area of research.
Assessed through a 7,500 – 10,000 word dissertation.
Assessment strategy:
As described above the assessment strategy is a combination of formative assessment by way of a
book review and essay plan(s), and summative assessment using a combination of 100% examination
(core course) essay (PS option courses) and dissertation (100%).
The aim of this assessment strategy is to provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their
breath of knowledge by way of presentation, content and critical judgement.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels modules and awards.
See the MSc Organisational and Social Psychology programme regulations.
Additional Information
14.Criteria for admission to the programme
Applicants should normally have a good first degree and some basic knowledge of social psychology,
either from undergraduate studies or relevant work experience.
15.Indicators of quality
The QAA approved the quality of education in Psychology at LSE and awarded the following grades
for the listed aspects of provision in the Subject Review Report of November 1999:
Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation 4
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
3
Student Progression and Achievement
4
Student Support and Guidance
4
Learning Resources
4
Quality Management and Enhancement
4
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE graduates.
16.Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and learning
Departmental mechanisms:
Pre-Sessional departmental meeting (a) to review current courses and programmes and (b) to
discuss and agree proposals for new courses and programmes. Ongoing course review through the
year through the regular staff and staff-student meetings. Annual (May/June) Teaching Efficiency
meeting for all academic staff, includes a review of all course teaching, an evaluation of changes
introduced, views on further development/improvements, resource issues such as space etc., and a
discussion of any relevant new policies.
School mechanisms:
 regular staff appraisal and review;
 improvements in teaching technique are effected by the Teaching and Learning Centre through
observations, advice and further training;
 induction programme and mentoring scheme for new members of staff;
 support of Occasional Teachers by the lecturer responsible a particular module plus the
Occasional teacher Tutor;
 centrally administered questionnaires by the Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office;
 an efficient system for ensuring that External Examiner’s comments/recommendations are fed
through to Departments and acted upon;
 the Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of teaching quality;
 the School’s Graduate Studies Sub-Committee which oversees all graduate programmes and
ensures that significant changes to programmes and courses pass through a sequence of formal
stages to ensure that curricular changes are appropriate and compatible with other developments.