Key information
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- September, January
- Next intake
- September
Our MSc in Business Psychology is designed for professionals and aspiring leaders in management, human resources, and consultancy. This programme equips you with the psychological expertise to drive meaningful, evidence-based change in any organisation.
You will explore how psychological science informs business practice, from leadership and motivation to wellbeing, decision-making, and organisational culture. While touching on familiar business themes, our approach is distinct: we ground every concept in contemporary psychological theory and primary research, empowering you to analyse complex human challenges and design data-driven solutions.
Unlike clinical psychology, Business Psychology focuses on people at work, understanding motivation, learning and development, leadership, culture, and behaviour to create healthier and more effective organisations.
In a world being reshaped by Al and digital transformation, understanding human behaviour is more critical than ever. This programme provides the strategic and ethical framework to leverage these technologies, helping organisations adapt, lead, and thrive.
Become a Certified Business Psychologist: Upon graduation, you are eligible to become a full member of the Association for Business Psychology (ABP) and use the Certified Business Psychologist (CBP) post-nominal, a mark of professional excellence.
January entrants
Students starting the programme in January should note that it runs full-time for 2 semesters (12 months) + dissertation (February to April, 3 months) (total 16 months), or part-time runs for 4 semesters (24 months) + dissertation (March to August, 6 months) (total 30 months).
Students enrolling for the January intake programmes are not required to be be on campus during the summer break.
Evening Classes
Our postgraduate classes are delivered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals.
Your Pathway to a lmpactful Career
We are committed to your professional success. The programme is designed to make you a highly competitive candidate in fields like HR, consultancy, talent development, and organisational development.
- Develop In-Demand Skills: Master critical thinking, data analysis, ethical leadership, and strategic communication-skills highly valued from Dubai to London and beyond.
- Career-Focused Development: Participate in dedicated employability workshops, build your professional LinkedIn profile, and practise your personal pitch.
- Direct Industry Links: Gain insights and make connections through our regular guest speaker series and networking events.
- Professional Accreditation: Graduate with a recognised qualification and activate your Certified Business Psychologist (CBP) status with the Association for Business Psychology (ABP), giving you a powerful credential from day one.
Employability
Our MSc Business Psychology is your gateway to a high-impact career shaping the future of work. We develop practitioners who can diagnose organisational challenges, design evidence-based solutions, and lead people-centric change. In a region and a world focused on human capital, digital transformation, and wellbeing, your ability to bridge psychology and business strategy will make you an invaluable asset to any forward-thinking organisation.
Where Our Graduates Make an Impact
Our graduates are equipped to excel in diverse roles across the corporate, government, and consulting sectors in the UAE, the wider GCC, and internationally. Your future career could include:
- Human Resources & Talent Management: Specialising as an HR Business Partner, Talent & Leadership Development Advisor, or Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEi) Lead.
- Management & Consultancy: Working as a Management Consultant, Business Psychology Consultant, or Organisational Development Specialist within top-tier firms or as an independent expert.
- Employee Experience & Analytics: Shaping culture and strategy as an Employee Experience Strategist, Behavioural Insights Advisor, or People Analytics Specialist.
How We Prepare You for Success
Your employability is embedded throughout the programme. Beyond the curriculum, you will benefit from:
- Career-Focused Curriculum: Courses (modules) are designed to build your professional portfolio. You'll tackle live case studies and consultancy simulations that provide tangible experience to discuss in interviews.
- Industry Connections: Regular guest lectures from industry leaders and networking events connect you with potential employers and practising business psychologists.
- Professional Profile Development: We offer dedicated workshops on personal branding, CV crafting for the GCC and international markets, and interview technique to ensure you can articulate your unique value with confidence.
- Direct Career Pathway: The programme is accredited by the Association for Business Psychology (ABP). Upon graduation, you are eligible to activate full membership and use the Certified Business Psychologist (CBP) post-nominal, a recognised mark of professional competence.
You will graduate not just with a master's degree, but with the skills, network, and professional credibility to step into a strategic role and immediately contribute to organisational success.
Your student experience
Learn Through Real-World Practice
Theory is the foundation, but application is the goal. Our curriculum is built around immersive, experiential learning that mirrors the challenges you'll face in your career.
Tackle Live Case Studies
Move beyond textbooks to analyse real organisational problems provided by our industry partners.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer: United Kingdom
Course content
September Intake - Dubai
Year 1
Mandatory September
- Introduction to Human Factors
- Social and Organisational Change
- Coaching Psychology
- Organisational Culture
Mandatory January
- Selection and Assessment: Tools and Techniques in Business Psychology
- Research Methods
- Psychology for Marketing
- Psychology of Leadership
Mandatory May
- Independent Project in Psychology
January Intake - Dubai
Year 1
Mandatory January
- Selection and Assessment: Tools and Techniques in Business Psychology
- Research Methods
- Psychology for Marketing
- Psychology of Leadership
Mandatory September
- Introduction to Human Factors
- Coaching Psychology
- Social and Organisational Change
- Organisational Culture
Mandatory Second January
- Independent Project in Psychology
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Programme Video
What is Business Psychology?
Course Structure
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | AED 107,450 | AED 53,725 |
- Tuition fees are subject to revision each year. For students starting in September 2026 or later, refer to the table below.
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | AED 111,748 | AED 55,874 |
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
For MSc entry, a good relevant Honours degree (first or second class) or equivalent overseas qualifications will be considered. Given the clear practical element of the programmes, we will also consider non-graduate candidates holding less than a good Honours degree, or its equivalent, but with compensating qualifications or experience may be admitted to the Postgraduate Diploma programme. Transfer to the MSc will be possible later on if exams and course work are at MSc level.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
English language requirements
As our degrees are taught and assessed in English, applicants must be able to prove their level of English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5 except for writing which must be at 6.0 minimum.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
As the first British university to set up a campus in Dubai in 2005, we have established ourselves as a pioneer in the higher education market in the UAE. The three consecutive five-star ratings by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a testament to our reputation for world-class teaching.
The futuristic Dubai campus is designed to offer interactive and collaborative learning experiences with innovative classroom styles fostering group work and engagement like Collaborative lecture theatres, Digitally Classrooms and Seminar rooms. The campus also has dedicated cutting-edge laboratories and workshops that span various engineering disciplines along with Psychology, IT, Photography, Design and Architecture.
Our practical, leading-edge research combined with strong links to business and industry, have made our graduates highly employable and sought after by the best organisations worldwide, with over 90% in graduate-level jobs or further study within six months of graduation. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education through our Go Global programme.
Student life
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