Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The application of psychological principles and methods to the study of human performance at work. A systems approach will be taken to study the interactions among the individual worker, his/her task, groups of workers, and the management structure of the organization.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course will be run in a blended style. One to 2 hours of asynchronous online lecture, reading and activities is required per week before the 2-hr session on Fridays from 8:30-10:20 in person. The 2-hour in-person session will be used to expand on issues and questions, provide more lecture material as well as to provide opportunities to apply knowledge in case studies and to integrate knowledge through integrative activities.

Week/Module	Pre-learning online (Complete before Friday's in-person session)	In Class
Week 1 –  Jan 6  Introduction	Introduction to "Healthy Work"	History
Week 2 –  Jan 13   Research  Organizations and Socialization	Research in Ergonomics and Organizational Psychology	Organizations and Socialization
Week 3 –  Jan 20  Individuals at Work	Individuals at Work	Individuals at Work  Quiz 1 –Weeks  1-2
Week 4 –  Jan 27  Psychosocial Stress	Introduction to Psychosocial Stress at Work	Psychosocial Stress at Work
Week 5 –  Feb 3  Job Satisfaction	Job Satisfaction	Job Analysis  Quiz 2 - Weeks 3-5
Week 6 –  Feb 10  Motivation	Introduction to Motivation at work	Motivation at work continued
Week 7- Feb 17 READING BREAK	No Classes
Week 8-  Feb 24  Midterm Exam	Review for midterm exam	Midterm exam
Week 9 – Mar 3  Training and Job Analysis	Training	Job Analysis
Week 10 –  Mar 10  Work Design + Personnel Selection	Introduction to Work Design	Personnel Selection   Quiz 3 - Weeks 6-8
Week 11 –  Mar17  Shift Work	Shift work	Shift work
Week 12 –  Mar 24  Participatory Design Models and Unions	Participatory Design Models	Unions
Week 13 –  Mar 31  Teams	Teams	Physical Design  Accidents and Human Error  Review  Quiz 4 Weeks 9-12
Week 14 – Apr 7  Physical Design  Accidents and Human Error	Physical Design  Accidents and Human Error

*Schedule subject to change 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

1. Construct an evidence-based argument to support the role of work in creating healthy individuals, organizations and societies. 
2. Apply and critique organizational psychology theory, research methods and metrics as they apply to understanding healthy workplaces.  
3. Examine the major trends in personnel demographics in today’s workplaces and interpret the challenges and benefits for individuals, organizations and society. 
4. Demonstrate job analysis techniques appropriate for assessing how personnel selection, training, scheduling, motivation and rewards, teamwork, and physical design influence psychological health in the workplace. 
5. Describe the mechanisms which relate psychosocial stress to physical and mental illness, injury, accidents and antisocial behavior in the workplace and construct evidence based solutions to hazardous workplace design. 
6. Interpret legislation as it relates to discrimination and drug and alcohol use in the workplace. 
7. Communicate evidence-based knowledge about a topic of interest relevant to course material in either an oral or written format. 
8. Develop an appreciation for the prevalence of unhealthy work practices and their impacts and develop agency for addressing issues in future careers. 

 

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: