What is organisational psychology?
Organisational psychology is an applied field of psychology. It deals with people's behaviour and people management processes in the workplace. Some universities’ departments are called industrial psychology or human resource management. At UCT, we use the term organisational psychology, and we are a section in the School of Management Studies.
What type of person would be interested in this field?
Successful organisational psychologists are interested in people and problem-solving, have strong analytical skills, think strategically and creatively, and seek to develop an in-depth understanding of situations. If you are fascinated by how people interact in the workplace and how to manage these interactions, this is a possible career for you.
The knowledge and skills you gain in organisational psychology will enable you to succeed in various roles.
What could you do with an organisational psychology degree?
Our graduates find employment as practitioners in a variety of areas ranging from change management, reward and recognition, talent management, diversity and inclusion, organisational strategy, employee relations, learning and development to human resources management - across diverse sectors: corporate business, government, NGOs, and management consultancies.
You can also work in organisational development; health, safety and well-being; and performance management. You can even contribute to policy development by working with government or large international institutions like the United Nations, and in this way, contribute to advancing society.
Students who continue and complete the Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology at UCT can register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). You can find out more on the Professional Registration page.
Degrees offered by Organisational Psychology
Undergraduate
Postgraduate