PSY4401B – Project development: Master thesis in work and organizational psychology
Course description
Course content
This course introduces students to the world of research in organisational psychology and prepares them for writing their master`s thesis. To do so, the students will learn about the general structure of their master`s thesis, how to find (good) research questions and develop hypotheses based on a theoretical framework, how to find the right study design to test their research questions and hypotheses, and how to present their data. They will also learn about ethical considerations and Open Science practices as part of this course.
Thereby, the students develop theoretical knowledge on recent developments in the field of work and organisational psychological research and enhance their skills in analysing research as well as in writing. The course focuses on a selection of current topics in work and organisational psychology, such as leadership, teams, social exchange, or employee attitudes and behaviour. Only some of these topics will be covered in this course each year.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
You will be able to:
- Identify a research question
- Find relevant literature
- Reflect on current research streams
- Identify contributions and limitations of your planned project
Skills
You will be able to:
- select a suitable research design
- plan your methodological approach
- assess ethical issues in your planned research
- document your research plan
General competence
You will be able to:
- Plan a scientific project
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
This course is mandatory for students accepted to the Work and Organisational Psychology track of the master`s programme in psychology at UiO.
Erasmus students and students from other master’s programmes at the University of Oslo may be admitted into this course by individual application to the department. The application has to include a confirmation from your department that the course can be a part of your degree
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The prerequisites are the same as the admission criteria for the Work & Organisational Psychology track of the master`s programme in psychology at UiO.
This course builds on the knowledge acquired in the first semester of the master’s programme.
Recommended previous knowledge
The following textbooks can be helpful as background knowledge (but are not mandatory):
- Arnold, J. et al. (2016): Work Psychology. Understanding human behaviour in the workplace (6th ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson
- Greenberg, J., & Baron, R. A. (2008). Behavior in Organizations (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Overlapping courses
- 5 credits overlap with PSY4401 – Research Approaches in Work and Organizational Psychology (discontinued).
Teaching
This course consists of combined lectures and seminars.
Mandatory activities:
All tasks are fully carried out and are fully documented.
- Each participant gives an individual presentation on their thesis topic.
- Attendance at least 80%
All mandatory activities must be passed in order to pass the exam.
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Exam paper: Reflections on 6-8 papers within work and organizational psychology with a length of 2500 to 3000 words in total.?
Examination support material
All exam support materials are allowed during this exam. Generating all or part of the exam answer using AI tools such as Chat GPT or similar is not allowed.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you can submit your exam in English, Norwegian or another Scandinavian language.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
If you are an exchange student, please note that you will receive a pass or fail for this course and this cannot be converted into an A-F grading scale.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.