What is Industrial and Organisational IO Psychology The

What is Industrial and Organisational (I/O) Psychology? • The “science of people at work” • Industrial and Organisational Psychology is a specialist area that applies psychological knowledge and skills to the workplace, with the aim of improving organisational effectiveness and the quality of work life.

I/O Psychologists have knowledge and skills in areas such as: • Selection and assessment • Job analysis • Training and development • Career development and coaching • Organisational development and change management • Attitude surveys and research on workplace issues • Performance development and review • Wellbeing, conflict, stress and work adjustment • Occupational health and safety • Program evaluation • Consumer behaviour and marketing • Advisory and advocacy regarding workplace issues

I/O Psychology Career Destinations • Human Resources/Organisational Development – E. g. Department of Treasury and Finance, RAC, WA Police Service, BHPBilliton, Rio Tinto, Coca-Cola • General Management – E. g. Department of Health, Wesfarmers • Consulting – E. g. Chandler & Mac. Leod, Deloitte, Price. Waterhouse. Coopers, SHL • Academia

Salary expectations • Depends very much on which area you enter • In a recent Australian survey (n=231) – Median 2006 salary for current full time employees was $88, 465 (range $22, 000 $400, 000, mean=$106, 530) – Median 2006 graduate salary for those starting work in the last 2 years was $51, 000 (range $10, 000 -$122, 000)

Degree Offerings in I/O Psychology at UWA • Master of Science (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) • Master of Psychology (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) • Combined MPsych/Ph. D (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) • Ph. D

Master of Psychology (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) • Intake of around 15 a year • Acceptance rate varies – Generally 10%-30% acceptance depending on the quality of applications • Coursework • Placements in Industry • Thesis

Coursework units • • Selection and Assessment Psychology of Training Organisational Development & Work Design Occupational Health, Safety and Well-being Professional Issues in I/O Psychology Statistics for Field Research Methods in Applied Settings 2 Elective units (UWA Business School) e. g. Organisational Behaviour, Accounting, Advanced Human Resource Management, Marketing Principles

Placements • 125 days (1000 hours) in total divided into 3 separate placements of 42 days each • Individualised placements depending on career stage and interests • Individual and group meetings within a peer coaching framework

Example Placement Projects • Development of internal communication strategy for a government agency • Analysis of training needs and development of training options for a diversified corporate • Selection and assessment for mining staff • Organisational culture survey development, administration, analysis and report for various organisations • Development of induction process for lateral hires for a top 4 accounting firm • Development and evaluation of induction program for overseas recruits in a state utility and for mining clients • Analysis of exit interview data for a large retail client

Example Placement Organisations • • • BHPBilliton Chandler & Mac. Leod Chevron. Texaco Coles Department of Consumer & Employment Protection • Department of Environment and Conservation • Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor • Department of Treasury and Finance • IKEA • People Solutions • Perth Transit Authority • Price. Waterhouse Coopers • Prime Psychology • RAC • Talent 2 • Woolworths • Wesfarmers Energy • Western Power

Research Thesis • Example topics – Employee burnout – Flexible work arrangements – Ethical codes – Work stress – Coaching – Turnover intention – Personality and intelligence – Employee engagement • Example participant organisations include – Chevron. Texaco – Department of Environment and Conservation – Main Roads WA – Office of Public Sector Standards – OSA Group – Wesfarmers – Western Australian Institute of Sport – Woolworths

More information about I/O Psychology at UWA? • Browse the School’s I/O Psychology web resources – http: //www. psychology. uwa. edu. au/courses/postgraduate/ industrial – http: //www. psychology. uwa. edu. au/research/industrial • Visit the College of Organisational Psychologists WA (COPWA): – http: //www. groups. psychology. org. au/cop/committee/wa/ • Call or email Maria Puerta Francos in the School of Psychology – 6488 3247 – Maria. Puerta@uwa. edu. au