Personnel Psychology

Knowledge:

Upon completion of the course:

• The student knows the history, the methodological foundations and central topics in personnel psychology
• The student has knowledge about how individual characteristics (such as personality, perception, attribution and intelligence) influence learning and behavior at work
• The student has knowledge about how characteristics such as hardiness and coping expectancies influence stress management at work
• The student has knowledge about key principles and methods of recruitment of employees, including analyzing jobs, competencies and method of selection
• The students has knowledge about what is meant by the expression 'learning in organizations', and how organizations may facilitate learning and development for its organizational members
• The student has knowledge about what is meant by job insecurity and employability from both an organizational and individual perspective
• The student can discuss ethical issues and dilemmas that employees may face, including the phenomenon of "whistleblowing"
• The student has knowledge about individual reactions to, and professional caretaking of employees, after emergencies and accidents
• The student can have a discussion on competent and productive employees versus destructive and counterproductive behaviors at work
• The student can have a discussion on the socialization of employees to working life and to organizations, and how it can be influenced by individual and contextual factors
• The student has knowledge about what we understand by the expression career development, and which factors may influence the individual's career development within and between organizations
• The student can discuss how organizations in an optimal way employ and take care of older employees
• The student has knowledge about different role perspectives and how they may influence the individuals behavior in the organization
• The student can discuss the concept of diversity (e.g. ethnicity, culture and gender) and how an organization may utilize and profit from diversity within the organization
• The student can discuss the concept: job satisfaction, job engagement, job design, organizational commitment and turnover
• The student can discuss different types of reward and compensation systems in organizations, including their influences on employee motivation, performance and productivity
• The student has knowledge about the concepts of organizational commitment and psychological contract, and their precursors and consequences

Skills:

Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:

• Orally as well as in writing access and evaluate key issues within the field of personnel psychology
• Make use of academic knowledge and relevant research findings when approaching practical as well as theoretical questions
• Evaluate the key issues of personnel psychology covered in the reading list and in class
• Discuss relevant methods and tools for recruitment and selection.

General competencies:

Upon completion of the course:

• The student has the competencies and skills to plan and carry out various tasks and projects that extend over time on both an individual and a group basis, and in line with ethical requirements and guidelines
• The student has knowledge of key professional and ethical issues and problems in personnel psychology, based on relevant theories and empirical evidence
• The student has the competencies and skills, to convey, orally as well as in writing, key subject matters, such as relevant theories and proposals for interventions
• The student can exchange points of views and experiences with other professionals within the field of personnel psychology; and by this contribute to the use of theories, concepts and research findings from this academic field