Bachelor of Commerce in Industrial Psychology

Business, Commerce and Management Studies - Human Resources

Purpose and Rationale

Programme Overview

Purpose

The Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Industrial Psychology programme is designed to prepare selected students for eventual statutory registration as Registered Psychometrist and Psychologist (Industrial Psychology) with the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). It aims to provide the necessary foundation training for advanced degrees such as the Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Industrial Psychology and Master of Commerce in Industrial Psychology.

Programme Structure

The BCom Industrial Psychology programme will run concurrently with other Degree programmes that major in Industrial Psychology but are aimed at non-statutory registration with the SA Board of People Practices (SABPP).
This programme places a more robust emphasis on Psychology compared to other Degree programmes, as it incorporates both Industrial Psychology and Psychology courses.
The curriculum will focus on the holistic development of each learner, fostering social and economic growth by instilling a sense of responsibility and active citizenship in local, national, and global communities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will possess the necessary skills and knowledge to engage as responsible citizens in various communities.
The programme intends to empower students for active participation in societal development through the achievement of specific learning outcomes.

Rationale

Strategic Role of Industrial Psychology

Economic growth and development are pivotal for poverty reduction, decreasing unemployment, and enhancing human well-being.
Industrial Psychology plays a crucial role in developing managerial staff and a skilled workforce, contributing to national and international economic development.

Responsibilities of Industrial Psychologists

Industrial Psychologists strive to balance organizational success and societal well-being, recognizing the significance of work in individuals' lives.
They facilitate organizational prosperity by maximizing human potential, ultimately contributing to a better world for all through meaningful work.

Development of the BCom Industrial Psychology Programme

The Health Professions Council of South Africa endorsed a four-year Bachelor of Psychology (BPsych) Degree initially.
In response, the Department of Industrial Psychology crafted the BCom Industrial Psychology programme to align with the proposed degree structure.
Aimed at high school graduates with a keen interest in understanding and enhancing workplace behavior, the programme aims to groom future Psychologists and establish a mid-level professional category.

Target Audience

The programme targets students eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Commerce Degree, demonstrating an interest and aptitude for studying behavior in the workplace to optimize individual and organizational performance.

Outcomes

The ability to psychologically analyse and explain performance phenomena in terms of the basic psychological principles underlying the behaviour of working man.
The ability to psychologically analyse and explain the response of employees to specific conditions characterising the physical working environment in terms of the psychological principles governing human behaviour in interaction with the physical working environment.
The ability to evaluate assessment techniques in terms of their basic psychometric properties/criteria [standardisation, reliability, validity,] and the ability to evaluate and justify personnel selection procedures in terms of their validity, fairness and utility.
The ability to derive Human Resource Management interventions from psychological theory.
The ability to psychologically explain the response of consumers to market offerings and to explain the various possible marketing interventions to affect consumer behaviour in terms of the psychological theory.
The ability to derive and articulate the implications of the existing general nature of the South African work environment and labour market for human resource strategy and practices.
The ability to interpret various financial indicators of organisational performance and to propose human resource interventions through which the Human Resource Management function in the contemporary organisation can add value to its operation.
The ability to psychologically analyse and explain career behaviour and facilitate career development.
The ability to describe and recognise the symptoms of various types of individual performance pathology and to select an appropriate response in terms of the principles involved in basic supportive counselling.
The ability to formulate and motivate best practice with regard to human resource planning, recruitment, selection, remuneration and performance appraisal in the contemporary organization, given the prevailing circumstances.
The ability to psychologically analyse and explain the influence of work motivation, leadership, group dynamics, diversity utilisation and organisation structure on employee work performance and organisational effectiveness.
The ability to explain the HR implications of the Employment Equity Act, Basic conditions of Employment Act, Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, Skills Development Act, Labour Relations Act for Human Resource practices.
The ability to formulate and motivate best practice with regard to human resource training and development as an integral component of Human Resource Management.

Assessment Criteria

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Construct psychological explanations for performance phenomena when presented with specific examples of outstanding or unsatisfactory work performance.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Construct psychological explanations when presented with specific examples of worker responses to specific conditions characterizing the physical working environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Pronounce a psychometric verdict on the psychometric quality of a specific assessment technique when provided with psychometric indices.
Justify the use of a specific selection procedure when provided with appropriate statistical analyses on criterion and predictor data.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

Explicate the nature of an appropriate human resource management intervention to affect a specific change in work behavior when presented with a psychological explanation for the existing behavior.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

Construct psychological explanations when presented with specific examples of consumer responses to specific market offerings.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

Describe the general nature of the South African work environment and labor market and explain the implications for human resource management strategy and practices.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:

Interpret financial indicator values when presented with the financial results of a specific organization.
Suggest possible HR management initiatives to achieve specific desired financial improvements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:

Construct psychological explanations when presented with specific examples of career behavior and identify the career phase the employee is in.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:

Describe and recognize symptoms of individual performance pathology when presented with a case study.
Suggest and motivate an appropriate remedial response in terms of basic supportive counseling principles.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10:

Formulate/sell and justify best practice in HR planning, recruitment, selection, remuneration, and performance appraisal in the contemporary organization given prevailing circumstances.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 11:

Construct psychological explanations in terms of work motivation, leadership, group dynamics, and organization structure when presented with specific examples of employee performance.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 12:

Indicate whether a specific HR practice aligns with provisions of relevant labor acts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 13:

Formulate/sell and justify best practice for HR training and development in modern South African companies.

Integrated Assessment:

Formal assessment of knowledge and ability to apply it through assignments, tests, and examinations.
Low fidelity paper and pencil simulations as primary evaluation modes to assess competency application.

Qualification Details

Type: National First Degree
NQF Level: 07
Min. Credits: 360
SAQA Source: More Information

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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.