Occupational Psychology Professional Doctorate
3 Years Part-Time | September Start

The Doctorate in Occupational Psychology (DOccPsych) is a research rich, experientially focused advanced qualification, with an emphasis on developing your experience and employability through research training.

You will gain a foundational knowledge in research methodology, design concepts and theory, ethics, and research design principles by means of the 30-credit taught core module (Level 7). You will learn within tutor-led lecture sessions that are devoted to specific topics on a week-by-week basis, and in seminar-style discussions that will enable you to work effectively in groups, in order to discuss and evaluate questions and debates drawn from contemporary issues facing both occupational psychology and the workplace in general. Taught and workshop sessions can be delivered in face-to-face teaching environments and/or via online provision through platforms such as Panopto and Blackboard Collaborate to facilitate synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning provision. 

By the end of the taught element, you will be required to produce a critical appraisal and a research proposal. This is the equivalent of the PhD Project Approval and meets the same criteria. Once successfully completed, you will further develop and progress your research during the independent research phase of the DOccPsych (supported by your supervisor).

You will be assessed on a Pass/Fail basis for the taught Professional Practice Occupational Psychology Research module and your thesis will be reviewed as part of the Annual Review process within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and will be formally assessed in a viva voce examination.

The teaching team on this course consists of qualified educators and occupational and organisational psychology practitioners with extensive experience, research and knowledge in a variety of contexts across the field of occupational and organisational psychology, in the public and private sectors. Each will bring their practitioner and researcher expertise to the classroom to enhance your learning experience.

With many years’ experience supporting occupational psychology students through Masters level, practitioner qualifications (such as the BPS Stage Two Qualification in Occupational Psychology) and Doctorate level supervision, our expert team will be there as a support through every step of the programme, ensuring students leave with confidence and professional knowledge on applying research and evidence to practice in the field of occupational and organisational psychology.

You will be supported pastorally most immediately through your allocation of a Principal Supervisor based in the Department of Psychology, who will also be your personal tutor. You will additionally have a second supervision (and on occasion a third supervisor) as well as the support of the Postgraduate Research Lead (Faculty and Departmental) and Northumbria’s Graduate School.

Dr Vicki Elsey, Associate Professor is the programme leader for the Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology.

In addition to the programme leader, further supervision and support will come from the Applied Work Psychology Research Group and where appropriate the wider psychology department, depending on expertise required.

This course is based at Northumbria City Campus that is located within Newcastle city centre.

Our Department of Psychology features specialist and flexible teaching labs for teaching sessions, project work or private study. You’ll have access to advanced statistical and analysis packages plus research tools for survey development and online research.

To support your research, you can tap into our collection of psychological testing material including current editions of most of the widely used assessment, occupational and vocational tests. You can also take advantage of our student hub, supported by our library and equipment to help you to prepare for presentations.

The use of technology is integral to the course, and you’ll be able to access information and material from all modules at any time from any location, via our eLearning portal Blackboard.

Throughout the duration of your programme, you will have access to state-of-the-art facilities such as our University library – which is ranked in the top three in the UK – and well equipped working space, The Hub, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The programme is designed to support you to develop knowledge and skills sequentially, providing theoretically grounded research philosophies, policies and methods of enquiry. Almost three quarters of Northumbria University’s psychology research is judged to have outstanding reach and significance, placing us top 20 in the UK.

This DOccPsych is delivered by expert practitioners and leading researchers who will share their experience of contemporary research and practice techniques to ensure your learning is at the cutting edge of the discipline.

The programme will support you in becoming a researching professional by studying a professional doctorate, rather than an academic researcher by studying a PhD. In this way, the DOccPsych assists practitioners looking to develop their experience and employability through research training, which will substantially benefit you if you wish to pursue an academic career in the field of occupational and organisational psychology or wish to apply a stronger evidence base to your own practice. The DOccPsych will develop both conceptual and practice-led research outputs and projects.

Their research areas include applying principles and methods from social and occupational psychology to the workplace; workplace bullying and its multi-level impact; the use of employee selection approaches; human factors in healthcare; employee selection, career development and employability. 

Our staff will continually nurture your academic curiosity to undertake your research and develop your ability to synthesise and critically evaluate the evidence base in Occupational Psychology.

The DOccPsych provides an advanced qualification for experienced practitioners who are looking to enhance their applied research knowledge and skills to their work. This can support Occupational Psychologists to make a real impact in your field.

This course provides both practical and theoretical content that reflects the professional requirements of your field, designed for those wishing to enhance their practical and research skills.

You will combine academic studies with work-based development of specialist skills and reflection including personal practices and behaviours. You will graduate with the skills and knowledge to help drive service improvements and become a trailblazer within your career, fully equipped for an influential role within an organisation, or in pursuing (or continuing) self-employment. You will have developed skills that reflect many of the component features of employability, making you a desirable practitioner and leader with an ability to address relevant issues, developments, emerging practices in the field of occupational psychology.

To further enhance your future opportunities, we offer ongoing career development support in the form of career guidance, CV advice, portfolio building and interview preparation.