Learning about psychology and management, then applying them at the workplace, is perhaps the way to go in managing an organisation.

THERE has been a shift from a process-led system to an employee-led system when it comes to managing an organisation.

The incorporation of psychology with management skills adds a human touch to the organisational setting, and enrolling in a programme such as business psychology, will enable one to learn the necessary skills.

Assoc Prof Dr Ke Guek Nee’s decision to pursue psychology was driven by her passion to understand how humans behave and think; and her specialisation in industrial psychology was led by her interest to see how it impacts organisational achievement.

As the Associate Head of School for Heriot-Watt University’s School of Life Sciences, Dr Ke said that those in Malaysia are inclined to take up a master’s programme in Business Administration when pursuing postgraduate studies.

While a management programme highlights the various operations and systems used to enhance organisational performance, graduates from a business psychology programme would benefit as they learn about psychological theories and the application of these theories into the work setting.

Dr Ke added that a business psychology degree is different from a general management programme as it focuses on research and knowledge in statistics.

“The subject in research methods and the master project (which is a survey or case study on organisations ) are made compulsory in this programme, while in a general management programme, these skills will not be the focus,” she said.

Heriot-Watt University’s Putrajaya campus currently offers a Master’s in Science in Business Psychology with a full-time programme spanning one year, while a part-time course will take two years.

Heriot-Watt University is one out of five recipients that was awarded research funds by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Funds will be channelled to explore the topic of Internet addiction, and the main goal of this research is to develop a manual that provides an intervention programme for secondary school children.

This research will contribute to the learning and teaching of two new undergraduate programmes – Psychology with Management and Psychology – to be launched this year and in 2016 respectively.

Dr Ke said that the Psychology with Management programme has a 75% psychology component and 25% management component.

“This undergraduate programme would be a perfect fit for someone looking to pursue our Master in Science in Business Psychology.

“In the undergraduate programme, students will study psychology and management courses as distinct and separate subjects. When they enrol for the Master’s in Science in Business Psychology, the two components are integrated.”

She added that an individual with a postgraduate in business psychology can venture into various fields.

“It all depends on how you apply the skills in the industry you are in.”

Dr Ke advised students who were keen on taking up a postgraduate degree in business psychology to have an open mind.

“They should always look to challenge the core status of current systems and practices by applying psychological theories in the work industry that they are in.”