What is Business Psychology?

Blog by Haarlem Campus

A girl working on sustainable business models.

What is Business Psychology?

Businesses are run by people. To run a business successfully, you need to understand the people you work with, help them develop, keep them motivated, and find ways to get the most out of them.

Business Psychology picks up right here, being on the crossing between human psychology and business administration in order to improve the productivity, efficiency and culture of businesses as well as the working environment for employees.

What does a Business Psychologist do?

What is business psychology?

Business psychologists understand the relationships between psychology and economics. Therefore, they play an important role in helping companies better understand their customers and employees. Their responsibilities within an organization consist of studying and optimizing the workplace, motivating and helping employees and facilitating the day-to-day business.

Some examples of their work activities are:

  • improving the efficiency of a business and developing a well-functioning organizational structure;
  • ensuring that employees enjoy their work, resulting in better productivity, performance and motivation;
  • ensuring that the workplace is a safe and diverse place that promotes employee wellbeing;
  • assisting in building teams by participating in the hiring process of new employees.
"Great leaders do not rely on technique - they are successful because they are able to understand people, their needs, values and emotions. A degree in Business Psychology will equip you for successfully navigating the challenges of our global world."
Christine Fitzgerald,
Program director Business Psychology

What can I do with a Business Psychology degree?

There are many different career paths for professionals with a business psychology degree. Business psychologists may work in large as well as small organizations across private, public and nonprofit sectors.

Most common career directions of graduates with a business psychology degree are:

 

  • Organizational development
  • Human resources (HR) and recruitment
  • Business coaching
  • Change management

 

Graduated business psychologists often progress into the role of:

 

  • Organizational psychologist
  • Human resources manager
  • Management consultant
  • Recruitment specialist
  • Employee retention consultant
  • Professional development coach
  • Change management specialist
  • Business Coach

 

In general, large companies offer business psychologists far more opportunities than smaller ones. Especially since large companies deal with topics that are less common in smaller companies, such as: diversity management, corporate social responsibility, or change management, which often require business psychologists.

A girl working on sustainable business models.

Why study Business Psychology at Haarlem Campus?

While studying our bachelor’s (BSc) business psychology on the Haarlem campus, you will develop all the skills and knowledge needed to help a company perform using its most important asset: people.

Our four-year program will provide you with business-related competencies, as well as advanced knowledge of psychology, with topics ranging from human resource management and marketing to change management processes and the impact of digital technologies.

 

Course modules

 

The business-focused modules in our program focus on:

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Organizational Development
  • Digital Marketing
  • Strategic Management & Leadership
  • Intercultural Management
  • Innovation Management.

 

The psychology-focused modules in our program cover:

  • Organizational Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Personal Psychology
  • Research Methods.

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Our brochure contains all key information regarding our programs, our campus, living and studying in the Netherlands as well as the student accommodation on campus. Please fill in the form below.

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Our brochure contians all key information regarding our programs, our campus, living and studying in the Netherlands as well as the student accommodation on campus. Please fill in the form below.

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