Module Descriptions

After completing this module, you will know and understand current psychological findings about work systems and organizations. You will be able to introduce, scientifically evaluate and optimize measures of work analysis and work design in socio-technical systems. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are occupational safety, work analysis, work design, organizational development, organizational diagnostics, leadership, specific methods of work analysis and design; salutogenetic work design, age and work; entrepreneurship, virtual work; interventions to optimize (pluricultural) group work, quality diagnostics and quality management and (distributed) leadership on several levels in organizations.

In the seminar you will acquire knowledge and skills in selected topics of work and organizational psychology. In terms of content, this seminar deals with topics that complement the HPSTS-1 lecture in a practical way or expand it with further research results. After an introductory session on models of work design, selected topics such as health promotion in organizations, diversity, leadership and intercultural psychology will be covered. The seminar format requires active participation from students. It also places great emphasis on the practical application of knowledge, skills development and self-reflection.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. You can choose from 4 formats: Designing a mini-workshop on the practical application of a concept from work and organizational psychology (group work), critically reflecting on A&O research based on an article (individual presentation), conducting an interview with a self-selected practice partner outside the university and writing a blog post (group work) or writing a blog post for the interested general public on a seminar topic and giving a short presentation in the seminar (individual work).

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester. The teaching language of the module is English, the examination can be taken in either German or English.

After completing this module, you will know and understand current psychological findings on requirements analysis and professional aptitude. You will be able to introduce, scientifically evaluate and optimize validated methods of aptitude diagnostics, requirements analysis, personnel selection and expertise development in socio-technical systems. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS)

Central topics of the lecture are personnel selection, excellence, personnel development, specific methods of requirements analysis and aptitude diagnostics (e.g. multimodal interview, AC); analysis, evaluation and design of systems of personnel selection and development (e.g. succession-planning, mentoring), employee surveys, organizational socialization, promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship, international personnel deployment and exit from professional life.

In the seminar you will acquire knowledge and skills in selected topics of personnel psychology. In terms of content, this seminar deals with topics that complement the HPSTS-2 lecture in a practical way or expand it with further research results. After an introductory session, selected topics from the areas of selection, assessment (especially intelligence and creativity), development and new trends in personnel psychology will be covered. The seminar format requires active student participation. It also places great emphasis on the practical application of knowledge and skills development (e.g. in relation to job interviews, coaching methods) as well as self-reflection.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. You can choose from 4 formats: Designing a mini-workshop on the practical application of a concept from personnel psychology (group work), critically reflecting on personnel psychology research based on an article (individual presentation), conducting an interview with a self-selected practice partner outside the university and writing a blog post (group work) or writing a blog post for the interested general public on a seminar topic and giving a short presentation in the seminar (individual work).

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every summer semester. The teaching language of the module is English. The examination can be taken in either German or English.

After completing the module, you will be familiar with basic psychological findings on situational and individual conditions and effects of successful skills development in and with socio-technical systems. On the basis of this knowledge, you will be able to understand theoretical approaches, methods and findings of psychological teaching-learning research and derive and discuss consequences for the design of teaching-learning situations in and with socio-technical systems. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

The lecture deals with psychological approaches, methods and findings that examine competence and knowledge acquisition processes in terms of the active construction and communication of knowledge with modern information technologies. Central topics of the lecture are self-regulated use of information offerings, activating instruction and learning strategies, knowledge acquisition with multiple media, learning/knowledge acquisition with the help of examples, through and with explanations and with tasks, feedback ITFL model, design and evaluation of interactive feedback strategies, instructional design - learning environments, as well as education and training.

The seminar focuses on the question: What are the conditions for successful competence acquisition in and with socio-technical systems and how can they be brought about in a targeted manner? In the seminar, knowledge and findings on situational and individual conditions and effects of successful competence development in and with socio-technical systems are deepened and discussed using prototypical studies on the one hand and case studies or transfer tasks on the other. The seminar deepens the content of the lecture and goes beyond it.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. It consists of reading and discussing an introductory text and an active contribution in small groups (expert puzzle and exploration of a specific case or project example).

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

After completing the module, you will have an in-depth understanding of the most important areas of research and application in traffic psychology, you will have an overview of traffic psychology theories and specific research methods and you will be familiar with key practical intervention strategies in traffic psychology. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS). The overall format of the course differs slightly from the typical course structure. The lecture usually takes place in the first part of the semester, followed by the seminars in the form of symposia in the second part of the semester.

In the lecture, alternating lecturers from research and practice impart knowledge on traffic psychology models and theories, research methods and data sources, driver assistance and automated driving, mobility behavior, traffic psychology diagnostics in medical-psychological examinations, traffic psychology rehabilitation and risk perception.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. As part of a symposium, you will give a presentation on a current traffic psychology topic, e.g. driver distraction, road traffic and road safety worldwide, traffic pedagogy, electromobility, micromobility, acceptance of automated vehicles, behavioral changes in traffic, aggression in traffic, acceptance of rules and traffic climate.

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

After completing the module, you will understand contemporary specialist terminology and trends in the development of the overall field of interdisciplinary applied cognitive research. You will be able to apply the experimental methodology and principles of cognitive ergonomics as well as selected measurement methods in the development of human-machine interfaces and for the enhancement of human performance. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are human-machine interaction in complex work domains, socio-technical systems and complex problem solving, meaning and acquisition of expertise, multitasking and interruption, human error and safety, cognitive work analysis, human factors engineering, representation aiding, assistance systems, automation, levels of attention, perception and attention in static and dynamic environments, eye movement measurement.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. You will have the opportunity to apply methods of applied cognitive research in small groups under supervision, to present, compare and discuss the results of different methods.

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

After completing the module, you will know and understand theories, research methods and central empirical findings of social psychology, in particular with regard to social perception and social interaction and their significance for work and organization-related issues as well as those of human-machine interaction. You will be able to apply basic knowledge of social psychology to analyze and solve practical problems in the world of work.

Central topics of the lecture are group structures, judgments and decisions in small groups, group performance, social identity, stereotypes and discrimination, intergroup interaction, antropomorphisms, contagion, social media and fake news, dehumanization, objectification.

The seminar focuses on different types of complexity in the workplace and how this complexity can be successfully managed. These include ambivalence towards a question, topic or person as a common reaction to complexity, emotions as a complexity to be managed in collaborative and competitive work environments and technological progress as another complexity of modern life.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. The preliminary examination is a short presentation.

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every summer semester. The teaching and examination language of the module is English.

After completing the module, you will be familiar with important complex multivariate statistical methods with regard to their prerequisites, their approach and the interpretation of the results. You will be able to assess the possibilities of applying complex multivariate methods, including their limitations, in specific application situations. They have practical experience in data analysis for questions that require the application of the complex multivariate methods covered and the corresponding statistical software. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are general linear models, generalized linear models, models of generalized estimating equations, multilevel analyses (HLM), change measurements and longitudinal designs, linear structural equation models and an overview of further methods of multivariate statistics (ridge regression and PkQ regression).

In the seminar you will learn how to apply current statistical software (SPSS and AMOS) to the problems and questions dealt with in the lecture.

The module examination consists of a written examination lasting 90 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every summer semester.

A compulsory internship of at least 240 hours is part of the HPSTS degree program. Detailed information can be found in the internship guidelines.

The module examination consists of an ungraded internship report on the supervised internship period, in which the experiences of the internship activity are comprehensibly documented and critically evaluated. In accordance with § 14 Para. 1 of the examination regulations, a written confirmation (proof of internship) from the supervising institution regarding the completion of the internship of 240 hours must be submitted as a further requirement for passing the module examination. 12 credit points can be acquired.

The Master's Thesis Seminar will help you prepare and complete your Master's thesis. You have gained comprehensive knowledge in the field of HPSTS and on the basis of this knowledge, you will be able to plan, conduct and evaluate studies on design and evaluation issues against the background of the current state of research, as well as to present the essential aspects of study planning, implementation and evaluation both in writing and orally.

The seminar consists of 2 parts.

• In the Master's Thesis Seminar 1, you will be supported in the planning and preparation up to the drafting of the proposal for your Master's thesis. General topics include systematic database research and management, the scientific handling of sources or research data management. The seminar concept offers plenty of space for reflection on your research projects and questions (e.g. presentation of Master's thesis ideas, discussion of methodological problems, etc.). The Master Thesis Seminar 1 examination consists of your proposal, which is assessed by your supervisor.
• The Master's Thesis Seminar 2 mainly supports the writing of the Master's thesis. Topics include structuring the thesis, linking your own ideas to what others have written, formulating ideas in an appropriate style, writing a coherent draft and fine-tuning the final version. In this part you will take an examination. The examination consists of a poster presentation on your research question, your methodological approach and the results of the empirical studies carried out in the Master's thesis. The Master's Thesis Seminar 2 is designed in such a way that the discussion of content and the poster presentations are separated in time:
  • The seminar content is discussed and explored in the regular seminar dates.
  • Several separate dates are offered on which the posters can be presented in poster conferences under the motto "Master mastered". Friends and family can also be invited to the poster presentations.

Both parts of the seminar are offered in the winter semester as well as in the summer semester. The module is worth 6 credit points.

Further information on the organization of the seminars and your Master's thesis can be found in the FAQ.

After completing the module, you will have an overview of various fields of work in which psychological diagnostics are carried out, common diagnostic models and specific diagnostic strategies and procedures. You will be familiar with the different objects of psychodiagnostic consideration (e.g. "toxic" personality traits, management skills, explicit/implicit organizational structure and culture). You will be able to confidently assess the suitability of individual diagnostic procedures with regard to specific issues in organizations and formulate appropriate recommendations. In accordance with the requirements of DIN 33430, you will be able to competently plan, carry out or instruct diagnostic surveys and communicate their results appropriately and comprehensibly to recipients with different levels of previous training. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are diagnostic decisions, interviews, item response models, application of norms and reference systems, quality criteria, social desirability and behavioral observation. Optional practical exercises are offered on selected topics in which you can apply your theoretical knowledge.

The seminar focuses on the topics of ethics, power and abuse of power in organizations. You will learn about typical sources and forms of abuse of power and the factors that contribute to its perpetuation. The seminar format also places great emphasis on self-reflection. You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. The preliminary examination consists of the processing and group presentation of a case study (e.g. abuse of power and its role in the global financial crisis or in competitive sport).

The module examination consists of a written examination lasting 90 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

Up to 5 Research & Intervention (R&I) modules are offered starting each summer semester. They allow students to focus on the practical application of what they have learned in different knowledge domains.

• Work-, Organization-, and Personnel Psychology
• Learning and Instruction
• Traffic and Transportation
• Cognitive Ergonomics
• Social Cognition and Diagnostics

To enable you to make an informed choice, the lecturers of the participating Chairs will inform you at the end of the first semester about possible topics that you can cover in the R&I. Each module has a capacity of 15 places. When registering for the course, you should therefore first indicate your preferred module.

In the summer semester, you decide on a research topic and decide whether you would like to work in a group (standard case) or alone. The theoretical and practical foundations for working independently on your research topic are taught in the seminar. Guided by the supervisor, you will familiarize yourself with the literature relevant to the topic and develop and present your research approach for conducting the study. In the following winter semester, you will then use these basic principles to carry out and evaluate the research work independently and defend it in the form of a report and a presentation.

After completing the module, you will be familiar with basic theories and important approaches in occupational medicine, social medicine and clinical environmental medicine. You will also understand the procedure for evidence-based healthcare and be able to critically reflect on current aspects of relevant basic and applied research. The module consists of 2 lectures (2 SWS in the winter semester and 2 SWS in the summer semester) and a seminar (2 SWS in the winter semester).

Central topics of the lectures are basic concepts of preventive medicine, the social insurance system, occupational diseases, climate change as a latent danger, environmental medical diseases, basics of social medicine, biomonitoring in occupational and environmental medicine, vitality diagnostics, prevention, health promotion and health reporting, quality management in health care and medical risk management. The Faculty of Medicine is responsible for organizing the lectures.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. The preliminary examination is a presentation on a public health topic, e.g. health and salutogenesis; demographic development; prevalence, costs and causes of illness-related absenteeism; legal foundations and occupational safety; behavioural and situational prevention; ergonomic work design; digitalization of the working world. You will apply the knowledge you have acquired by working on a case study during the seminar.

The module examination consists of a written exam lasting 90 minutes. You can earn 9 credit points. The module is offered every year, starting in the winter semester. The written exam takes place in the summer semester.

After completing the module, you will know and understand current psychological findings from the field of Occupational Health Psychology. You will be able to apply validated methods of stress and strain diagnostics in socio-technical systems and develop various proposals for health promotion in work systems. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are occupational safety, salutogenetic work design, stress management, interventions to optimize health (behavioral and situational prevention), age-appropriate working time design, health-promoting leadership, precarious work.

You will take a preliminary examination in the seminar. This is not graded and is a prerequisite for admission to the module examination. The examination prerequisite is a presentation on an occupational health topic, e.g. health and salutogenesis; absenteeism and presenteeism; recovery and breaks at work; occupational safety; behavioral and situational prevention; health-promoting leadership.

The module examination consists of an oral examination lasting 30 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

After completing the module, you will have basic knowledge of the subject area of cognitive-affective neuroscience. You will be familiar with approaches, research methods and central empirical findings from selected areas such as cognitive neuroscience (general psychological aspects such as functional principles and neuronal correlates of cognitive, emotional and volitional processes), psychobiology (biopsychological approaches including the influences of stress and other acute and chronic stress states on cognitive functions and emotional processes), neurobiology of individual differences (differential psychological perspectives on the relationships between cognitive functions and intelligence, temperament and emotionality, including neurobiological foundations and genetic aspects), cognitive neuroscience methods (contributions of imaging methods to advances in cognitive neuroscience) or other areas of cognitive-affective neuroscience. You will be able to derive consequences for application-related problems on the basis of this basic scientific background.

There are 4 lectures to choose from, 3 of which must be selected.

Lecture "Cognitive-Affective Neuroscience": The lecture provides an overview of theories, models, methods and empirical findings in cognitive neuroscience. The focus is on the cognitive and neuronal mechanisms of decision-making, cognitive control processes and the voluntary control of action. In addition, selected philosophical topics (e.g. philosophical positions on the mind-body problem and free will), neural foundations of moral judgments and computational models of cognitive processes (e.g. artificial neural networks) are covered. In addition to imparting specialist knowledge, the lecture aims to promote the ability to critically reflect on methods, findings and theories of cognitive neuroscience and to convey an understanding of philosophical, scientific-theoretical and ethical aspects of the research field.

Lecture "Cognitive Neuroscience Methods": You will acquire basic knowledge of research methods and techniques in cognitive neuroscience. This includes knowledge of the physical and neurophysiological principles, possible applications, evaluation and statistical analysis methods as well as the limits and restrictions of functional imaging methods such as positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging. You will also have knowledge of event-related brain potentials and transcranial magnetic stimulation. You will have an in-depth insight into the evaluation of functional imaging data with corresponding software packages and will be able to interpret neuroscientifically obtained results, draw appropriate conclusions and critically evaluate specialist articles. You will also be able to plan the use of these methods in the context of studies on specific questions in cognitive neuroscience and you will be familiar with the limiting factors in the creation of appropriate experimental designs.

Lecture "Neurobiology of Individual Differences": You will gain knowledge of neurobiological factors influencing individual differences in temperament, cognition and social behavior, also against the background of their genetic modulation and with regard to their relevance for clinical psychology and psychiatry, for example. You will have an overview of current fields of research in the neurobiology of individual differences as well as basic knowledge of the collection and analysis of neurobiological parameters. Starting with a review of biopsychological personality theories, you will deal with potential sources of individual variation, such as neuromodulatory, molecular genetic or epigenetic influencing factors, in a first basic part. A second, integrating part will then deal with selected research areas of the neurobiology of individual differences, for example cognitive motivation or emotion regulation

Lecture "Psychobiology": You will gain an in-depth insight into the structure and function of the endocrine and immune systems. You will gain detailed knowledge of the central nervous control of endocrine processes, the modulation of cognitive performance by hormones and messenger substances of the immune system, with a particular focus on acute and chronic stress states. In addition, you will learn about the importance of genes and gene-environment interactions for the function of hormonal and immunological processes and gain an overview of modern measurement methods for determining hormone levels and various immune parameters, as well as current research results from psychoendocrinological and psychoimmunological studies.

The module examination consists of three written examinations, each lasting 90 minutes. The subject of each examination is one of the selectable contents of the module. 9 credit points can be earned.

After completing the module, you will know and understand basic theories, research methods and key empirical findings from the field of developmental neuropsychology and neuroscience of the lifespan. You will have knowledge of brain development and plasticity across the lifespan, the neuropsychological foundations of cognitive, motivational and emotional, as well as clinical developmental neuropsychology (e.g. ADHD, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's). On the basis of this knowledge, you will be able to derive consequences for application-related problems. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

You will take an examination in the seminar. As part of a symposium, you will give a presentation on a current topic, e.g. neuroeconomics (decision under uncertainty, neuromodulation & behavior; social decision making & social preference; marketing, consumer behavior & cognitive neuroscience) or human-machine interactions.

The module examination consists of a graded presentation and a written examination lasting 90 minutes. The module grade is calculated from the weighted average of the grades for the written examination (70%) and the presentation (30%). 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester. The teaching and examination language of the module is English.

After completing the module, you will have knowledge of the design process within product development and its nature, specific tasks, methods and objectives. You will be able to describe the process of conceptual, human-oriented, aesthetic and emotional design of technical products in industrial design and highlight the differences to technical-functional product development. You will be able to classify the design process and tools in interdisciplinary product development, define the tasks and objectives of industrial design and propose suitable methods. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a practical course (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are tasks, goals, processes and methods of design, theoretical knowledge components about technical design, industrial design and the human-technology relationship, in particular also practical parts on design action and methodical procedures in the design process, taking into account the early design phases.

As part of an interdisciplinary team of students from psychology, mechanical engineering, media informatics and economics, you will design a prototype on a subject area (e.g. innovative seating furniture from the field of urban gardening) in the practical course accompanying the lecture. You have the opportunity to take part in workshops on topics such as paper prototyping, sustainable design and computer-aided design (CAD). You will apply the knowledge you acquire about analysis, development and evaluation in your project work.

The module examination consists of a graded project and a written examination lasting 90 minutes. The module grade is calculated from the weighted average of the grades of the examinations. The written exam is weighted twice and the project work is weighted once. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

After completing the module, you will have mastered the principles and methods for the design and development of so-called post-WIMP or natural user interfaces (UI), focusing on interactive interfaces (smartphones, tablets, tabletops, display walls) and their operation via multiple operating modalities. You wukk have knowledge of the latest technologies and principles for interaction modalities such as digital pens, multi-touch gestures, freehand gestures, tangible user interfaces or gaze control and their combination. You will be familiar with basic hardware technologies, tracking methods, interaction principles, implementation options and application examples and will therefore be able to select the appropriate interaction forms and technologies for a problem. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are Gestural User Interfaces, Interactive Surfaces: Multitouch, Pen Input & Sketching, Tangible Interaction, Cross-device Interaction in Multi-Display Environments, Gaze-based Interaction 3D & Spatial Interaction and Challenges in NUI & Technologies.

The seminar provides insights into the current state of research on advanced user interfaces. In the seminar, you will read and reflect critically on scientific articles, design a scientific presentation and take part in panel discussions. The topics are based on the content of the lecture.

The module examination consists of a written examination lasting 90 minutes. 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every summer semester. The teaching and examination language of the module is English.

After completing the module, you will be familiar with modern design methods and structured development processes in the field of modern human-computer interaction with a focus on the scenario-based design method and user experience design for the development of effective, efficient and particularly user-friendly user interfaces (UI). You have knowledge of essential techniques from requirements analysis and iterative design to the evaluation of modern UIs. You will be able to design user interfaces in an engineering, structured manner and will be familiar with concepts and techniques for creative interaction design. You will be able to apply the acquired knowledge in a team-oriented manner and select suitable methods and techniques for dealing with specific problems. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are

• Basic User Interfaces: historical development, interface types, design principles and usability guidelines
• Basic tasks and components of UI engineering
• Imparting of goals, methods and concepts for the typical development phases such as analysis, design, prototypical development, testing, evaluation (user studies)
• Comparison of selected development methodologies: usability engineering, user-centered design, scenario-based design, user experience, etc.
• Integration of UI development processes into modern software development processes

In the seminar, as part of an interdisciplinary team of students from psychology, computer science and media informatics, you will design a prototype for a subject area using the scenario-based design process, which is divided into the phases of analysis, design and evaluation. All three phases are carried out, presented and discussed in small groups. Each team works on a project throughout the semester. The projects cover various topics that require consideration of specific users, tasks and contexts. The main goal is ultimately to develop an interface solution for the selected topic that includes novel, natural interaction modalities.

The module examination consists of a graded project paper and a written examination lasting 90 minutes. The module grade is calculated from the weighted average of the grades for the written examination (60%) and the project paper (40%). 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every winter semester.

After completing the module, you will have basic knowledge of techniques for the interactive visualization of abstract data (multivariate data and their relations) and the effective exploration of large amounts of information (zoomable user interfaces, detail and context techniques, multiple coordinated views). You will also have knowledge of the necessary perceptual psychology principles, the visualization pipeline, data types, visualization tasks, the spectrum of interactive information visualization techniques for abstract data and information collections as well as the evaluation of information visualization solutions. You will be familiar with the basics of visualization theory and essential techniques of interactive information visualization. You will be able to select and develop suitable visualization and interaction techniques depending on tasks and users. You will be able to systematically analyze and evaluate existing information visualization solutions and to develop your own solutions for given problems through practical project work carried out in a team. The module consists of a lecture (2 SWS) and a seminar (2 SWS).

Central topics of the lecture are perception, multivariate data visualization, visualization of time courses, data preparation, volume visualization, flow visualization

In the seminar, as part of an interdisciplinary team of students from psychology, computer science and media informatics, you will develop solutions for data visualization based on a problem.

The module examination consists of a graded project paper and a written examination lasting 90 minutes. The module grade is calculated from the weighted average of the grades for the written examination (60%) and the project paper (40%). 6 credit points can be earned. The module is offered every summer semester. The teaching and examination language of the module is English.