Study programme

Semester 1

During the first semester, you follow these mandatory courses: 

• Coaching 
• Interventions in occupational health psychology 
• Methodology: Analysing, presenting, and scientific writing 

And one of the following elective courses: 

• Career management 
• Conflict and cooperation 
• HRM and psychological assessment 
• Organisational change and consultancy 

Semester 2

The Master’s track includes an internship (18 EC) and a thesis (18 EC, incl. colloquia). You can start the Master’s internship and the Master’s thesis when the entry requirements are fulfilled (i.e., in period 3 of Semester 1). The entry requirements for the Master’s internship include (among other, see Syllabus Work and Organisational Psychology Master’s Internship) having passed two specialist courses of the master’s track (i.e., Interventions in Occupational Health Psychology, Coaching and/or the elective course). The entry requirements for the Master’s thesis include having passed the methodological course (i.e., Methodology: Analysing, Presenting, and Scientific Writing) and at least two of the other courses of the track. 

Thesis

As of January, you will work on writing your Master’s thesis (18 EC). You will be asked to choose a topic from a list that you will receive in the second period of the first semester. You will be supervised by one of the teachers of the Work & Organisational Psychology team based on a step-by-step thesis planning guide. Previous topics include working with chronic illnesses, working from home or at the office: what works best, servant leadership and employee well-being, team mindfulness, spirituality at work during Covid-19, the effects of self-compassion on employee health and telepressure and its negative impact on employee well-being. 

Electives  

You have the choice of one course out of these four electives. When you want to obtain the certification in psychodiagnostics (BAPD; Basisaantekening Psychodiagnostiek) you need to take HRM and Psychological Assessment as elective. The BAPD is only available for Dutch students. 

• Organisational Change and Consultancy 
• Conflict and Cooperation 
• HRM and Psychological Assessment (required for obtaining BAPD) 
• Career Management 

Student-activating teaching methods

All courses use student-activating teaching methods. In addition to lectures and self-study, the courses comprise assignments, tutorials, and practical training in which students actively work with the course content. Developing professional skills (e.g., coaching methods, developing interventions, work & health counseling) and applying theory to practical problems are central in this track. In this way you will be trained as a scientist‐practitioner who works in a critical, evidence‐based manner in the field of coaching and vitality. 

Workload

You will have weekly lectures or other forms of literature discussion sessions for all courses, practicals or workgroup sessions for some, and a number of professional skills trainings. However, a large part of your program consists of self-study and working on assignments, that can either be focused on practical application or on theoretical elaboration. Lectures and other types of meetings are scheduled on campus on 3 to 4 days of the week. Attendance is compulsory for all courses. 

• Lectures or literature discussion sessions: approx. 6 hours per week      
• Tutorials/practicals: approx. 5 hours per week  
• Self-study: approx. 31 hours per week