MSc Organisational and Social Psychology

Why do people in organisations think and behave the way they do? How can we use psychology to help organisations and employees be successful? How should organisations change and adapt for the future? Can we improve wellbeing? Get the answers on this world-leading master’s degree, taught at our campus in London.

This programme examines the psychology of organisations and investigates how employee behaviour and organisational outcomes are shaped by leadership, culture, identity, social norms, and wellbeing. Drawing upon the science of organisational and social psychology, you’ll explore how organisations can foster the processes – for instance, innovation, change, decision-making, inclusivity, and teamwork – that ensure indivudual and collective success.

Guided by experienced social and organisational psychologists, you’ll study classic and contemporary research and learn how to use different methodologies to diagnose and address organisational processes. The curriculum includes core courses on social psychology and research methods, alongside optional courses on topics such as organisational culture, organisational development, identity and social relations, and many others.

The programme is perfect if you’re looking to specialise in an area of applied psychology or if you have experience working in organisations and organisational consultancy. You’ll acquire highly transferable skills to help you influence and improve organisational culture and performance in many different settings.

Our graduates land rewarding roles in consulting, organisational development and change, behavioural insights research, HR, training government and not-for-profit organisations, and academia. Many also follow a route as entrepreneurs or return to organisations in new roles.

LSE was recently ranked first in the UK for psychology (Complete University Guide 2025). So, you’ll be studying in a top-rated education and research environment. As a graduate, you’ll join our lively, active alumni network, with more than 1000 members across five continents.

• A Furnham The Psychology of Behaviour at Work: the individual in the organization (Psychology Press, 2005)
• S A Haslam, Psychology in Organizations: the social identity approach (Sage, 2004)
• E H Schein Organizational culture and leadership (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)
• K E Weick Sensemaking in organizations (Sage, 1995)

Free-to-access publications by OSP faculty that you may wish to read:

• L Garcia-Lorenzo Framing uncertainty: narratives, change and digital technologies (Social Science Information, 2010)
• S McKenna, L Garcia-Lorenzo and T Bridgman Managing, managerial control and managerial identity in the post-bureaucratic world (Journal of Management Development, (29(2), 128-136, 2010)
• L Moskovitz & L Garcia-Lorenzo Changing the NHS a Day at a Time: the role of enactment in the mobilisation and prefiguration of change (Journal of Social and Political Psychology, (4(1), 196-219, 2016)
• I H Gleibs, A Mummendey and P Noack Predictors of change in postmerger identification during a merger process: a longitudinal study (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1095-1112, 2008)
• Noort, M., Reader, T., Shorrock, S., & Kirwan, B. (2016). The relationship between national culture and safety culture: implications for international safety culture assessments. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 89, 515-538
• Reader, T., Mearns, K., Lopes, C. (2017). Organisational support for the workforce and employee safety citizenship behaviours: a reciprocal relationship. Human Relations, 70, 362-385