Work and organizational psychology 2, 7.5 credits

Passed results from semester 1-3 of the Psychology programme consisting 90 credits and at least 15 credits from semester 4.

Students who fail their field work (VIL) as a result of demonstrating such a serious lack of understanding, skills or attitude that the organization or the organization's confidence in KI is at risk, will only be qualified for a new VIL opportunity after completion of an individual action plan.

On completion of the course, the student should be able to

Knowledge and understanding

• be able to account for the current state of knowledge in prevention and intervention research within the field of work and organizational psychology
• demonstrate knowledge of established scientific methods for interventions and prevention with a focus on working life
• demonstrate knowledge of how organizational behavioral analysis is carried out and used in planning and implementation of interventions and organizational development
• demonstrate an understanding of the limitations and potentials of workplace-based interventions and intervention research.

Skills and abilities

• demonstrate the ability to plan and implement an intervention in practice to solve a problem within an organization
• demonstrate skills in using organizational behavioral analysis in the implementation of an intervention in an organizational context
• demonstrate the ability to write and orally present a scientific report related to the specific organizational context in which the intervention was conducted
• demonstrate the ability to balance compliance with the scientific evidence of intervention research and adaptations to the organization's needs, in order to achieve the intervention's goals.

 Judgment ability and approach                                                                                      

• demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate, reflect on and apply a professional and ethical approach to interventions in the field of work and organizational psychology
• demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and reflect on the trade-offs that interventions and intervention research often require in terms of scientific evidence in relation to the practical organizational context and its needs
• demonstrate the ability to reflect critically on the professional ethical dilemmas that may arise in relation to the consulting role, and the psychologist's responsibility for the quality and consequences of his/her work as well as his/her role as a representative for the profession.

In this course, the knowledge acquired during the course Work and Organizational Psychology 1 is advanced and applied through a fieldwork where the students carry out an intervention in an organization. Under supervision, students get to practice practical skills in pinpointing, analyzing and implementing an intervention linked to a problem or development need in a workplace, based on organizational behavioral analysis. The course also includes lectures and seminars on primary, secondary and tertiary interventions. The focus is on application and evidence-based practice, and the course is characterized by a scientist/ practitioner perspective where the importance of the work environment for individuals' health and quality at work is fundamental.
 
After completion of the course, the students should be able to plan and implement evidence/ theory-based interventions adapted to different organizational contexts and problems. This includes being able to identify and reflect on both limitations and possibilities with workplace-based interventions and intervention research, as well as being able to apply a professional and ethical approach in relation to the consulting role in the field of work and organizational psychology.

The course mainly consists of an independent field work that is carried out in groups. Supervision is given on scheduled occasions during the course. The course also includes lectures and seminars. The field work is reported partly by submitting a written report, and partly by oral presentations to the relevant organization and the class.

Field work, supervision occasions, lectures, seminars and presentations are compulsory according to schedule, see heading "Examination".

The course is examined in the following way:

• compulsory field work
• written report from the field work, is graded U or G
• oral presentation of field work to the relevant organization and to the class, is graded U or G
• active participation at compulsory supervision occasions, lectures/ seminars and presentations according to schedule.

The entire course is graded U or G. The grade G on entire course requires G on all examination assignments, as well as fulfillment of compulsory course elements.

Absence from or unfulfillment of compulsory course elements
The examiner decides whether, and if so how, absence from or unfulfillment of compulsory course elements can be made up for. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in or fulfilled compulsory course elements, or compensated for any absence/ failure to fulfill in accordance with instructions from the examiner. Absence from or unfulfillment of a compulsory course element may imply that the student can not retake the element until the next time the course is offered.

Limitation of the number of VIL opportunities
Regarding the field work, which is a so called VIL opportunity, the number of times a student has the right to do the field work is limited to two (2) times.

Guidelines in case of failure of VIL
The examiner may, with immediate effect, interrupt a student's filed work (VIL) if the student demonstrates such a serious lack of understanding, skills or attitude that the organization or the organization's confidence in KI is at risk. If a VIL opportunity is interrupted in this way, this counts as one failed VIL opportunity. In such cases, an individual action plan should be established, where it is made explicit what activities and examinations are required before the student is qualified for a second VIL-opportunity on the course.
 
Possibility of exception from the course syllabus' regulations on examination
If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus' regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes may not be changed, removed or reduced.

If the course is cancelled or goes through substantial changes, information about interim regulations will be stated here.

Course evaluation takes place according to KI's local guidelines. Students are informed of the results and any measures taken on the course website.