organizational Psychology
MSc and Postgraduate Diploma
Lead College
Birkbeck was founded in 1823 as the London Mechanics' Institute. Its mandate was to bring higher education to the working classes. From its inception Birkbeck has earned a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. It is unique in its special mission to enable mature students to gain higher education qualifications via part-time study. Consequently, staff are experienced in ensuring a flexible learning environment.
Birkbeck ranks among the top 200 universities in the world, according to data published in the 2010-11 Times Higher Education World University Rankings [external link]. Ann Mroz, editor of the Times Higher Education magazine, commented: "The top 200 universities in the world represent only a tiny fraction of world higher education and any institution that makes it into this table is truly world class."
Birkbeck's Department of Organizational Psychology is the oldest and largest department of its kind in the UK and makes a major contribution to research in the field of behaviour at work. It is one of the principal providers of academic and professional training in occupational psychology within the UK.
The Department, located in the new purpose-built Clore Management Centre in Bloomsbury in London, provides exclusively part-time courses for mature students who benefit from the opportunity of combining work experience with advanced study. As well as providing established and innovative teaching programmes, members of the Department are dedicated to conducting internationally recognised research in the field. The Department enjoys good relationships with industrial research partners and has been successful in attracting UK Research Council grants for innovative research.
Academic Staff
Dr Chris Dewberry
Course Director
Also Lecturer on MSc Occupational Psychology and MSc Organizational Behaviour with special responsibility
for the module on 'Selection and assessment'.
Chris is interested in the broad field of selection and assessment. In particular he is interested in the social and psychological processes which selection and assessment involve, and the consequences of these processes for organizational practice. An example of this is his work on the processes which might lead to differences in the assessed performance of white and ethnic minority trainees.
His recent publications include:
Dewberry, C. Performance disparities between whites and ethnic minorities: Real differences or
assessment bias? Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, 74, 659-673.
Cavenagh, P., Dewberry, C. & Jones, P. (2000). Becoming professional: When and how does it
start? A comparative study of 1st year medical and law students in the UK. Medical Education,
September.
Cavanagh, P. and Dewberry, C. 'Buggin's turn or Buggin's choice?' A study of why or why not consultants
take on clinical director roles in NHS trusts. The Clinician in Management. In press.
Dewberry, C. Statistical Methods for Organizational Research: Theory and Practice. London, Taylor
and francis. To be published May 2004.
Other staff
Please refer to the Birkbeck website [external
link] for further information about other staff in the Department of Organizational Psychology.