PY1PIW: Psychology in the Workplace

Module code: PY1PIW

Module provider: Psychology; School of Psych and Clin Lang Sci

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Marat Zagidullin, email: m.zagidullin@reading.edu.my

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the role of psychology in the workplace. Students will examine the theoretical background of topics such as leadership, team building, stress at work, and motivation, whilst gaining essential practical skills, including facilitation of small group activities and discussions. Students will have an opportunity to observe and apply their knowledge and skills in interactive lecture sessions and outside of the classroom. The module also provides students with an opportunity to critically reflect on their own skills and performance. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Critically reflect on and evaluate psychological theories and research in relation to the workplace 
2. Demonstrate understanding of the techniques required for successful facilitation 
3. Understand how knowledge of psychology can be used to influence specific behaviours and overall performance within the workplace 
4. Discuss and reflect on their experiences. Students will translate their psychological skills and knowledge to practical applications. 

Module content

Topics that will be covered in this module include facilitation of meetings, training and development, team building, psychological safety, selection and assessment, leadership, stress at work, workplace bias, and motivation. 

This module will consider the global context of the research and its approaches, with an aim to improve students’ understanding of how workplace psychology can be context-bound. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module comprises 10 1-hour lectures, 10 1-hour seminars, 2 2-hour practicums, and 1 2-hour revision session.

The learning methods will include:

• Interactive lectures and skills practice sessions
• Reading from recommended texts and journal articles
• Completion of an in-class facilitation tasks
• Completion of a reflective report on personal skills and experiences

In addition to the hours listed below, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 28 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students will have the opportunity to discuss their reflective report plan with the module convenor.  

Reassessment

Additional costs