Work and Organizational Psychology

2026-2027

General Information

Course Code P_BARORPS
Credits 9 EC
Period P2+3
Course Level 200
Language of Tuition Dutch / English
Faculty Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sc.
Course Coordinator dr. S. Feenstra
Examiner dr. S. Feenstra
Teaching Staff dr. S. Feenstra
dr. K.W. Wawoe
Part of programme(s)

Practical Information

You need to register for this course yourself. The (de)registration deadlines can be found on VU.nl

Late placement is not possible for this course.

Teaching Methods Study Group, Lecture

Course Objective

This course consists of an introduction into the main themes, research methods, and practical applications of Work and Organizational Psychology.

Course Content

We discuss the following themes during the course: Studying behavior in organizations / Individual differences and staffing decisions / Performance management / Training and development / Motivation to work / Emotions at work / Stress and worker well-being / Justice and diversity / Leadership / Teams in organizations.

By the end of this course students:

  1. Can define the work field of Work and Organizational Psychology.
  2. Reproduce the basic theories of Work and Organizational Psychology and discuss the merits of these theories based on scientific evidence.
  3. Describe fundamental processes at the individual, group, and organizational level that shape people’s experiences at work.
  4. Apply these theories and processes to a case study and develop and present practical suggestions.
  5. Describe basic research methods within Work and Organizational Psychology and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
  6. Reflected on their own experiences on topics central to Work and Organizational Psychology.

Additional Information Teaching Methods

On-campus and video lectures (20 lectures in total; 30 hours)
Tutorials
(10 tutorials in total; 15 hours; mandatory attendance)
Exam
(3 hours)
Self-study
(approximately 200 hours)

Method of Assessment

  • Multiple choice exams (at the end of the course; count for 80% of the final grade).
  • Groups assignment (counts for 20% of the final grade).
  • Attendance requirement for the tutor groups.

In case of a fail for the exam, there will be a re-exam in which the full content of the course will be assessed.

Literature

  • Conte, J. M. (2024). Work in the 21st century: An introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Supplementary research articles.