Business Psychology

About

This module introduces you to the key findings and theories concerning how people think, feel and behave in organisations.

It is equally relevant if you wish to gain an understanding of business psychology at the university level, as it is if you are keen on developing hands-on skills that can be applied in organisational settings.

We will focus on topics such as motivation, negotiations, group and network dynamics, social status, influence, and individual personality.

The module features interactive lectures, research exercises, and experiential activities, including individual negotiations, group problem-solving, and using data analysis to make strategic business decisions.

Week one
Personality and interpersonal processes
Intelligence and judgment in the workplace
Principles of motivation

Week two
Negotiations
Leadership and power
Social status and the science of strategic influence

Week three
Social networks in organisations
Group and team dynamics

Course leader

Dr Iwona Kubica

Course aim

This module aims to:

- Provide an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how people function in business settings, drawing on theory and research in personality and social psychology, organisational behaviour, sociology and network science.
- Link each core topic (for example, personality and cognitive assessment) with an applied organisational problem (for example, hiring).
- Highlight UCL’s rich history in business, psychology and statistics, showing how these disciplines continue to influence contemporary practice.
- Feature key figures with ties to UCL, such as Charles Spearman, who helped establish the assessment of cognitive ability in hiring, and Edwin Waterhouse, founding partner of PwC, to illustrate UCL’s role in shaping the world of business.
- Offer opportunities to gain research experience by conducting data analyses with standard statistical and network analysis software and making business recommendations based on those analyses.
- Provide experiential learning through Harvard-style one-on-one and group negotiations with your classmates.

Fee info