The world of business and the demands of business leaders are changing at unprecedented speeds. Moving away from more traditional, top-down management models, the most forward-thinking workplaces are increasingly embracing a new breed of influential leaders who can effect change across the business.

In line with this shift in organisational culture, the skills future leaders need to possess are also changing. Besides having critical thinking, business savvy and stakeholder management skills, they must also excel in the interpersonal and interaction aspects. The ideal leader of tomorrow must be an inspiring coach as well as a charismatic communicator with an intuitive understanding of how a business operates on an international level.

In line with this development, the Singapore campus of James Cook University (JCU) recently launched a new Master of Psychological Science (Majoring in Business Psychology) to offer relevant training to psychology students interested in applying the knowledge of psychology to improve business outcomes.

Professor Abhishek Bhati, Campus Dean and Head of Learning, Teaching and Student Engagement, shares three reasons why a postgraduate course in psychological science is a prerequisite for effective business leaders of tomorrow.

1. To better understand the human aspects of a business

It is widely believed that a business is as good as its people. Thus, it is most important for an effective leader to be able to understand the dynamics in workflows and the relationships between colleagues, and to appreciate alternate perspectives offered by external collaborators, partners and customers.

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To that end, Prof Abhishek notes that an effective leader would benefit from harnessing the scientific knowledge in psychology to build people who will, in turn, build businesses. The study of organisational and business psychology is instrumental in improving organisational culture, developing efficient workflows and creating effective teams to deliver effective outcomes.

The Master of Psychological Science (Majoring in Business Psychology), an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 9 Masters by Coursework degree, fits the bill by equipping learners to understand the human dimension of the challenges they will face as current or future business leaders.

Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to perform effectively across a range of business functions, particularly as leaders and managers. "The programme will prepare graduates to become better communicators, have a better appreciation of workflow and people dynamics, appreciate the range of perspectives of internal and external stakeholders and, most importantly, apply a science-based approach to achieving organisational outcomes," Prof Abhishek says.

"Graduates will be able to use interdisciplinary knowledge from human psychology in any business setting, resulting in a motivated workforce and satisfied customers as well as partners."

2. To gain practical experience in applying psychological principles to solve problems in core business activities

In a fast-paced, dynamic world, students need to pick a postgraduate programme that provides more than just academic value. It must also be geared towards equipping candidates with current and future skills that have real-world applications, so that they can hit the ground running at work.

The Master of Psychological Science (Majoring in Business Psychology) programme core has a strong focus on the application of psychological principles to solve problems and achieve desired outcomes across a variety of organisational and professional settings, while the business psychology major applies psychological theory and research practice to core business activities such as management, human capital, and marketing.

The programme adopts an experiential learning approach, providing students with the opportunity to not only learn the key foundational theories but to also understand and contextualise them as they would be applied and practised in everyday settings.

"This programme allows students to learn, try and apply, reflect, apply again and master. The focus on active (and interactive) learning in a technology-enabled environment will prepare graduates for a diverse range of career pathways and professional opportunities," notes Prof Abhishek.

3. To respond to emerging issues that cross disciplinary boundaries in today's fast-changing world

Prof Abhishek observes that employers see great value in fresh graduates or employees with broad perspectives and the ability to work across disciplines today. "A successful professional can distil multidisciplinary knowledge into organisational outcomes," he adds.

Among the psychology programmes currently available in Singapore, JCU's new Master of Psychological Science (Majoring in Business Psychology) fills the gap in the much-needed multidisciplinary study by combining principles of psychology discipline with the human aspects of a business, thus creating interdisciplinary knowledge.

The programme has been designed to meet the changing needs of the profession and the communities in which students live and work. It also responds to emerging issues such as current or new legislation that changes the scope of work, research and practice in psychology as well as the changes in methods of practice arising from new knowledge or technology and matters that cross disciplinary boundaries.

"The design of the course also respects the changing world in which we live and the dynamic nature of the research, which enables evidence-based practice," says Prof Abhishek.

Click here to learn more about the course and other JCU programmes that can enhance the way you work.

A unique offering from JCU

With its renowned domestic and regional reputation for psychology education and training in Singapore, JCU offers a comprehensive pathway from diploma to PhD in psychology via its programmes such as Bachelor of Psychological Science, Master of Psychology (Clinical), and Doctor of Philosophy (Health). The university also offers a Master's in Clinical Psychology to meet Singapore's healthcare sector requirements for mental health.

Its newly launched Master of Psychological Science (Majoring in Business Psychology) is also unique among universities in Singapore as it provides a crucial multidisciplinary study in psychological science as well as psychology training for business leaders and managers.

The programme is available on a one-year, full-time or two-year, part-time basis. For time-poor students, the part-time mode is especially ideal as it affords them more flexibility to balance their work, family commitments and study load. The content, learning activities and assessment for both are the same. Students can also choose to move between modes during the programme.