Year-long module 

Unit(s) of Assessment 

Weighting towards Module Mark (%)

Multiple choice exam: 40 questions (unseen); end of module; 1 hour.  Intention is to test knowledge and understanding of main underpinning theories introduced over semester and to provide students with timely feedback on this. 

50%

Structured essay: 1,000 words; mid-module. Focus on the practical application of OB /A theories and concepts within an organisational setting.  Designed to demonstrate understanding of key concepts and allow scope for individual enquiry and research into topical business issues. 

50%

Qualifying Condition(s) 

This module concerns the study of people in organisations.  It introduces students to key issues in the fields of organisation studies and organisational behaviour and examines some of the key debates within and across these domains.  It places an emphasis on critical engagement with theory and practice via the rigorous evaluation of argument and evidence. 
It is intended to provide students with the necessary subject knowledge to underpin subsequent OB/HR modules, to enable students to appreciate the social/psychological implications of modules from other disciplines, and to appreciate the skills necessary to work effectively in an organisational setting. 

·              To enable students to appreciate the complexity of human organisation. 
·              To provide the necessary intellectual frameworks to make sense of different ways of organising. 
·              To provide a theoretical foundation for the analysis of organisational processes within different disciplinary and sectoral contexts. 
·              To enable students to appreciate the implications of their own, and others’, actions within organisational settings. 

On completion of the module, students will be able to: 
·              Demonstrate appropriate knowledge of the theory/research base underpinning the key subject disciplines. 
·              Demonstrate the ability critically and reflectively to evaluate competing ideas/evidence. 
·              Appreciate the relevance of the skills (communication, influence, awareness of others) associated with organisational life. 
·              Undertake independent inquiry-based learning. 

·              Organisation and organising: individual, collective and institutional perspectives 
·              Using literature and assessing evidence 
·              Organisation studies: from bureaucracy to post-bureaucracy and beyond 
·              Organisational behaviour: personalities, motives, attitudes and emotions 
·              Complex processes: power; culture; leadership; groups 

The module will use a combination of delivery methods to promote learning.  These will include conventional lectures, supplemented by sessions using electronic voting technology, web-enabled support, guest speakers and individual reflection.  There will be a structured programme of enquiry-based learning designed to introduce students to the practice of self-directed learning, particularly in relation to skills development. 
Assessment Strategy: 

Essential Reading 
This module will be using a custom-made textbook created by the module convenor in conjunction with Pearson Education.  This textbook contains chapters and case studies selected for their relevance to the module content, which have been sourced from several separate books. 
Recommended Reading 
Background Reading 
A range of journals and other electronically available resources will be made available via ULearn.  These will include: 
Academy of Management Journal 
Academy of Management Review 
Applied Psychology: An International Review 
British Journal of Management 
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 
Human Performance 
Human Relations 
Journal of Applied Psychology 
Journal of Managerial Psychology
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 
Journal of Organizational Behaviour 
Personnel Psychology