PSY 506: Work Motivation and Occupational Health Psychology

Goal: To build student understanding of human motivation in the workplace and how organizational processes impact the health, safety, and well-being of employees.
Content: An examination of employee motivation and how concepts of direction, strength, and persistence explain motivated work behaviors. Students will compare psychological perspectives on motivation and examine how job design, work processes, goal setting, incentives, and participative decision making are important to improving motivation. Students will explore organizational processes to understand how difficult work conditions impact physiological and psychological health. Students will evaluate work policies and practices that effectively mitigate the impact of hazardous materials, demanding schedules, workforce restructuring, harassment, incivility, and other demands of the modern workplace. Students will also explore concepts of positive stress, work-life balance, and professional growth to understand how work can improve cognitive and affective well-being.
Prerequisite(s): Admission into the graduate program.
Credit: 3
Degree Level: Graduate