Occupational Health Psychology

Specialisation of: Psychology
Degree: Master of Science in Psychology
Mode of Study: Full-time
Duration: 1 year
Start date: September and February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 66604
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Are you interested in the new but rapidly developing area within psychology, Occupational Health Psychology (OHP)? This specialization refers to the application of psychology to protecting and promoting the safety, health, and well-being of workers. The purpose is to improving the quality of working life. OHP is designed to reflect the contemporary societal concerns for occupational health and safety.

Career

Students who complete this master’s specialisation are qualified for any position requiring a degree in psychology. This might also include general research positions and academic policy-making positions, such as can be found in the following fields:

  • Health care and social assistance
  • Psychological advice organisations
  • Consultancy
  • Education and training
  • Consultancy
  • Laboratory environments
  • Management or organisational development
  • Research

Research PhD

Completion of the MSc degree prepares you for subsequent academic degrees, including a PhD.

What our alumni say

Dolf van der Beek, MSc

“Quality of work is a complex domain with issues that are only resolved by applying know-how from various disciplines in psychology.

“What’s good about this master’s? The topic, of course, and its multidisciplinary nature. I have always been interested in the relationship between work and the safety, health and well-being of people at work. Quality of work is a complex domain with issues that are only resolved by applying know-how from various disciplines in psychology. And you learn that in Occupational health psychology.

A short time after my master’s degree, I started working for the ‘Health and Safety at Work Department’ of TNO Quality of Life in Hoofddorp. I do research and consultancy work here, investigating the causes of health and safety risks. When consulting, I work as an internal auditor, trainer or process supervisor in interventions aimed at creating a safe and healthy organisation.

Currently I’m working on a number of projects. I’m looking at how we can make unskilled workers more aware of hazards at work. I’m also conducting an observational study into team performance in the paediatric cardiac surgery department in a hospital and I’m leading a project looking at job demands in our own team.

Looking back, I know I made the right choice with the Occupational health psychology master’s! I’m a practical person, and at TNO you do applied research, so that fits well. This master’s has much the same practical approach, and to my mind that’s unique.”