Pursuing a master’s in industrial organizational psychology takes you a step closer to becoming an Industrial Organisational Psychologist. Our programme explores advanced topics, theoretical issues and practical applications that will provide you with a deeper understanding of the field and advance your problem solving, critical and analytical skills. We employ a contextual ‘scientist-practitioner’ method of inquiry.

We approach teaching and learning as interactive and student centred with the academic lecturer and the students linked into an organic relationship with constant mutual interaction.

Our programme is aligned with the Health Professions Council of South Africa’s (HPCSA) Minimum Standards for Training of Industrial Psychology. The minimum standards aim to “produce competent, ethical and professional industrial psychologists who can meet the psychological needs of the people in South Africa” (Page 1). We embrace this aim and our programme addresses, at its core, the contextual interface between social psychological processes and organisational systems and how these shape the experiences, well-being and performance of individuals and organisations.

Our core identity translates to the following foundational principles:

• Draw on relevant evidence-based knowledge and research from the global north and extend and enhance understandings of organisations and individuals contextually and through the lens of African-centred psychology.
• Advance theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding human behaviour and organisational dynamics that draw on and promote critical social scientific and African scholarship from the global south.
• Critically engage and challenge the over-emphasis on profitability and efficiency by adopting a critically reflexive approach to individual and organisational realities and its effects.
• Nurture and advance health, well-being, and effectiveness at the individual and organisational levels.
• Understand the factors and difficulties that impact the individual employee and the organisation by our continued networking with organisations to ensure that we provide contextually relevant knowledge and responsive skills and interventions that are context-driven and transformative.
• Develop scientist-practitioner translators from diverse backgrounds and perspectives who are imbued with the core values and ethical conduct, matched by academic and research competencies and skills to respond to the challenges that employees and organisations face.
• Significantly contribute to the extension of the discipline of Industrial/Organisational Psychology through meaningful and relevant research.
• Demonstrate IOP’s social, community, and environmental responsibilities towards South African society through practical training and community service.

The programme consists of two parts: coursework and a short research dissertation:

• The coursework modules of the programme consists of six compulsory modules:

• The short research dissertation is aligned with the Research Methods in Psychology module.

Industrial Organisational Psychology Staff:

• Shaida Bobat ( Masters Programme coordinator)
• Shanya Reuben
• Ruwaida Petrus
• Zandile Madlabana-Luthuli
• Anna Meyer-Weitz ( Professor Emeritus)
• Johanna Hendrina Buitendach ( Professor Emeritus)

Staff Research interests:

These appear under academic staff (navigate to profiles) in the School of Applied Human Sciences webpage.

For further information, please contact Shaida Bobat at bobats@ukzn.ac.za