SEMESTER COURSES

3 credits
45 hours

Organizational Development & Management of Change

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni & Jeevan Deep Sehgal

Organization Development (OD) focuses on planned change in a total system. That system can range from a work unit through a company division up to an entire organization. Starting with an initial historical perspective of the field, the course explores the core organizational model of entry/contracting, diagnosis, feedback, implementation and evaluation. Working from this core model, students examine the range of OD interventions used in the past and present. Organization Development is both a science and an art. Effective OD is achieved through a system focus and approach. Yet both the choice and the success of OD implementations are also strongly influenced by organizational needs, organizational politics, market forces and fad. Thus, in examining and discussing OD interventions, students will learns to maintain a focus on the business problem/issue that is the target of the implementation.

3 credits
45 hours

Organizational Behaviour & Business Psychology

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni & Dr. Tithi Bhatnagar

Organisation Behaviour is an important aspect of management since it facilitates the understanding of how human beings deal with and within organizations, large or small, working in teams and so forth. It concerns itself with the complicated patterns of individual and group working. Thus, one of the major purposes of imparting Organisational Behavior course is to provide the students with an insight into the complexities of human behavior in general and in the organizational context in particular so as to enable them to deal this delicate issue with maturity and pragmatism. This course provides students with an opportunity to develop a way of thinking about individual, group, and competitive factors that influence the functioning of any business (or other) organization. This course will also allow you the opportunity to understand how co-workers behave which in turn will allow you the skills to deal with them in a professional manner. Problems in actual organizational life seldom occur in a way that can be captured in one topic, or explained by simple linear causation. Therefore the course work weaves together a number of threads in organizational life, addressing themes or topics in combinations as they come into focus in the major segments of the course. In general terms, the overall goal of this course is to facilitate improvements in managerial and organizational effectiveness through an understanding and appreciation of the field of organizational behavior.

1.5 credits
22.5 hours

Competency Mapping

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

A recent study suggests that more than 65% of the Fortune 500 companies and (since the beginning of the last decade) many Indian companies including several MNCs in India have designed or re-designed their HR practices based on competency modeling. Competency Mapping is a process of identifying key competences in an organization, and then using it for job evaluation, recruitment, training and development, performance and talent management, succession planning etc. There is a need for Human Resources and other professionals to understand the distinct approach and the detailed methodologies involved in building Competency Model, Competency Mapping and Measurement tools to be used during the process so that they effectively integrate and implement the contemporary HR policies and practices in their organizations. This course is intended to make professionals understand design, plan and implement the assessment and development centers. The major objective of this course is to obtain knowledge about various psychometric testing and other management techniques and tools, particularly observational skills. It also helps to understand the organizational interventions on the basis of the assessment results to optimize the growth process.

3 credits
45 hours

Strategic Compensation Management and Design

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni & Jeevan Deep Sehgal

Strategic Compensation Management and Design is an important human resource (HR) tools that organizations use to manage their employee. For an organization to receive its money’s worth and motivate & retain skilled employees, it needs to ensure that its compensation system is not an island by itself. Therefore, one of the most important purposes of imparting this course is that it is most significant for an organization to link compensation to its overall goals and strategies. Strategic Compensation Management and Design helps in establishing an internally equitable and externally competitive philosophy and practice for paying employees. Smart, successful organizations do regular planning and evaluating of their compensation and performance appraisal systems. Because compensation is visible and important to employees, it is critical to consistently communicate a clear message regarding how pay decisions are made. In short, a solid compensation strategy requires that employee pay matches the organizational requirements.

1.5 credits
22.5 hours

Psychological Assessment at Workplace

Dr. Mohita Junnarkar

Psychological assessment is the science of measuring mental capacities and process. The course will focus on the theory and techniques of psychological measurement. The course shall focus on the data collection methods in social sciences, data coding, data entry, data cleaning, and data processing and data analysis techniques. These processes are devoted to testing, measurement, assessment and related activities. The objective of the course is to enable the students to understand the steps of construction and validation of assessment instruments such as questionnaires, tests, rater’s judgements and personality tests. The course will also highlight item response theory, intraclass correlation etc. The statistical computation of reliability (inter-item correlation and alpha coefficient) and validity (construct validity, face validity, predictive validity, discriminant validity and convergent validity) will be taught through the use of SPSS and AMOS/ LISREL. The course will be aimed towards construction of questionnaire or psychological scales and standardization process.

1.5 credits
22.5 hours

Business Communication and Etiquettes

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

The way we communicate in a business setting have changed dramatically in the past several years and are constantly evolving. Today, we communicate faster, more often and across several different channels, each moment of every day. It is therefore imperative that management of incoming/outgoing information and responses receive undivided attention, in order to maintain optimal efficiency and effectiveness. The course Business Communication and Etiquettes’ aims to train students by transferring practical and theoretical knowledge to imbibe good business etiquettes, that will help them to advance their career and give them hands- on training in professional skills. It covers, but is not limited to ‘etiquettes and skills’ used in various settings: restaurants, fine dining, diners, pubs and cafes. It also includes etiquettes required for formal and informal correspondence, personal appearance, manners at home, mealtime manners, electronic etiquettes, and conversational skills. The course stresses on the importance of proper body language, tone, words, and introducing yourself and others in business and informal occasions. Broadly, the course primarily focus on how a business interacts with both external and internal stakeholders. Being aware of this is now becoming an essential skill for a business employee and this course introduces business expectations that are to be expected in the modern business environment. Business etiquette, when practiced in an appropriate manner, can open communication channels, which can lead to building successful relationships, as well as your own personal success.

3 credits
45 hours

Humour as a Tool for Business Success

Dr. Tithi Bhatnagar

Humor is a powerful tool that facilitates a successful career. It has a different connotation as compared to that of comedy. It includes an element of wit, which comes from common sense and wisdom. It can aid in motivating and building relationships among individuals by providing a light and yet substantial touch to otherwise difficult situations thus reducing stress, increasing group cohesiveness, and creating a positive organizational culture. Humor can provide a winning edge in today’s volatile and complex world that is undergoing a rapid transformation. The only requirement to study humor as a business tool is the zeal to develop on newer and creative skills that can provide students with an edge in the competitive environment. The purpose of this course is to help students with the understanding of the concept of humor: how to make your point using humor, types of humor, techniques for effective delivery, handling hostile questions with humor, using humor without words; and learn its practical application in conflict management, motivating people, dealing with complicated situations, influencing corporate culture, and improving productivity

3 credits
45 hours

Conflict Management in Organizations

Dr. Iryna Soroka

In modern world the need for conflict management skills is becoming increasingly important. Social, economic and psychological factors make conflict inevitable during the working process in organizations. The ability to manage conflict situations is one of the most important components of professional competence of the individual. “Conflict Management in Organizations” course is designed to enable students to recognize the sources, reasons, types of conflicts arising in modern organizations and is centred on introducing the ways of conflict resolution and prevention. Students will get familiar with the conflict resolution model comprised of cognitive, emotional and behavioural components. The cognitive component – is the knowledge of theory, understanding and adequate perception of organizational conflicts. The emotional component refers to emotions that prevail in the company interaction (positive or negative), and the ability to control them. The behavioural component involves a high level of conflict resistance and collaboration as a style of behaviour in a conflict.

3 credits
45 hours

Behavioural Economics

Dr. Sarni Jain

Behavioural Economics is the study of the effect of psychological factors on the economic decision-making process of individuals. In the class, we will attempt to reunite the disciplines of Psychology and Economics which began drifting apart a century ago. Psychology studies how an individual behaves whereas Economics studies how an individual should behave. In particular, we will consider how predictions of economic models can be replaced with psychological realistic assumptions based on empirical observations from the lab and from the fields. This will help us get a clear picture of the effect of modified assumption on markets, public policy and our day to day life in general. The subject develops on the work of Nobel laureates Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler who engraved a new lens in the field of research to look from a slightly different perspective for developing a deeper and clearer understanding of human behaviour in the economic settings. The course will discuss the departures from neoclassical preferences to rational expectations. The topics intended to cover will help to develop a basic understanding of the subject i.e. behavioural economics, introducing new trends on combining judgement and decision making and finally highlighting the practical implications of the subject.

4 credits
60 hours

Family and Domestic Violence

Dr. Mohammad Hadi Ghasemi Nejad

Domestic violence (verbal, physical, and psychological) or abuse, has become widespread in societies and does not affect only one group or gender but all demographics. To eliminate the abuse, we must not only protect the victims, but also find the root/s of the issue and what prompts the perpetrator to act violently so we as a society can protect the future generations. This course offers the architecture and salient, yet fundamental, knowledge and competency to familiarize students with proper approach and course of actions to assist those victimized by domestic violence. It also equips students with the knowledge as how to campaign for the victims and raise public involvement and awareness. This introductory course which will provide an overview of appropriate methods of counselling and promotes sets of skills to assist the victims of domestic abuse. It will also empower students to methodically investigate victims’ issues and present all possibilities through a secure and compassionate setting so the clients pursue proper resolutions.

4 credits
60 hours

Penology and its Victimology Discourse

Vipin Vijay Nair

This course will provide an experiential and insightful understanding of the theoretical approaches to juvenile and victim behaviours. The course provides a contextual understanding of concepts such as personality, motivation, attachment and their role in the formation of behaviours. Students will gather knowledge about moral reasoning, developmental milestones, and risk factors associated with behaviour: – self-victimization, prosocial, violence, aggression, criminal and bystander behaviours. The student will gather knowledge about factors associated with development such as context, familial support, emotional, social background, personality, individual and behavioural attributes and their lasting emotional, societal and interactional effects on the individual and their surroundings.

4 credits
60 hours

Juvenile Delinquency & Victim Psychology

Dr. Manjushree Palit

This course will provide an experiential and insightful understanding of the theoretical approaches to juvenile and victim behaviours. The course provides a contextual understanding of concepts such as personality, motivation, attachment and their role in the formation of behaviours. Students will gather knowledge about moral reasoning, developmental milestones, and risk factors associated with behaviour: – self-victimization, prosocial, violence, aggression, criminal and bystander behaviours. The student will gather knowledge about factors associated with development such as context, familial support, emotional, social background, personality, individual and behavioural attributes and their lasting emotional, societal and interactional effects on the individual and their surroundings.

4 credits
60 hours

Criminal Psychology

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni & Dr. Mohita Junnarkar

Psychology, as we all know is the scientific study of human behavior. For the community at large, it is important to recognize that criminal science is larger than criminal law. As a one semester elective course, this module focuses on understanding the criminal behavior and what causes such behavior from a psychological perspective. Starting with an introduction to basic theoretical concepts in psychology, the course moves on exploring various mental and psychological conditions and their relationship with the propensity to commit crime. We critically examine ideas and theories and build an inclusive understanding towards the complex nature of criminal behavior. This course also looks at psychology in the courtroom, police psychology, and in prevention and rehabilitation. This course imparts an understanding of what makes an individual a ‘criminal’ and the methods used to identify offenders through psychological profiling, detection of deceit and eye witness testimony. More contemporary topics like white collar crime, technology and crime, terrorism and others are also discussed. The idea is to look derive at certain indicators for crime causation, and recommendations for the protection of witnesses and victims and rehabilitation of offenders through discussions, debates and directed thinking.

4 credits
60 hours

Principles of Criminology

Akshaya K.

Over the past few decades, crime has become an increasingly prevalent phenomena in our society, with every year the number of crimes committed rising steadily. As the society evolved, so did the methods and manner in which crimes are committed. This indicates the need to study crime and criminal behaviour, its causes, preventive measures, the impact it creates and how the society responds to it. Criminology is a discipline that studies these aspects by drawing from various other related disciplines such as psychology, sociology, law, history, philosophy, science etc. This course, The Principles of Criminology, aims to familiarize the students with how explanations of criminal behaviour has evolved from primitive (spiritual and demonological) to more scientific understanding through, various biological, psychological and social factors and their relation to criminal behaviour. Through the course, we will also introduce the students to the philosophical and methodological debates and criticisms about various theories of crime causation and prevention. There will be special emphasis on the evolution and impact of various criminological theories and how they have impacted policy making and the criminal justice system. It will also explore how various movements such as Positivism, Marxism, Feminism, Globalization etc. contributed towards the understanding of offending behaviour. The course, in a nutshell, will look at crime and criminal behaviour in the backdrop of a changing and evolving society.

4 credits
60 hours

Financial Criminology

Vipin Vijay Nair

Psychology, as we all know is the scientific study of human behavior. For the community at large, it is important to recognize that criminal science is larger than criminal law. As a one semester elective course, this module focuses on understanding the criminal behavior and what causes such behavior from a psychological perspective. Starting with an introduction to basic theoretical concepts in psychology, the course moves on exploring various mental and psychological conditions and their relationship with the propensity to commit crime. We critically examine ideas and theories and build an inclusive understanding towards the complex nature of criminal behavior. This course also looks at psychology in the courtroom, police psychology, and in prevention and rehabilitation. This course imparts an understanding of what makes an individual a ‘criminal’ and the methods used to identify offenders through psychological profiling, detection of deceit and eye witness testimony. More contemporary topics like white collar crime, technology and crime, terrorism and others are also discussed. The idea is to look derive at certain indicators for crime causation, and recommendations for the protection of witnesses and victims and rehabilitation of offenders through discussions, debates and directed thinking.

2 credits
30 hours

Introduction to Cyber Criminology

Rukhshana Siddhiqua

This course) will provide an introduction to Cyber Criminology. Cyber Criminology is ʺthe study of causation of crimes that occur in the cyberspace and its impact in the physical space”. As an academic discipline, cyber criminology encompasses multidisciplinary field of inquiry - criminology, sociology, psychology, victimology, information technology and computer / internet sciences. “At its core, cyber criminology involves the examination of criminal behavior and victimization in cyber space from a criminological or behavioral theoretical perspective”. Now, the discipline of cyber criminology is more than ten years old and it has successfully entered the portals of academia in the form of courses starting from minor courses (University of Alabama, Regis University, and Purdue University, USA offer a minor in Cyber Criminology) to Associates in Arts (A.A) Degree (at Arizona Western College, USA). The course will introduce the participants to history of cyber-crime and cyber criminology, forms of cybercrime (Machine and Human Oriented), theories of cyber criminology and cyber laws. This will be a theoretical course and can be understood without deep technical knowledge of computers.

4 credits
60 hours

Forensic Sciences (Basics & Advanced courses)

Poulomi Bhadra

The course is intended to familiarize students with the close and necessary relationship between forensic sciences and criminal litigation. With the constant evolution of forensic fciences, the handling of evidence in court proceedings has also changed in the recent years. The course is designed to teach the students about various branches of forensic sciences such as DNA testing, fingerprinting, ballistics, crime scene investigation, forensic pathology etc. and to give them an understanding of the subject in a manner which will further assist them in fully grasping the importance and implication of the forensic evidence and enable them to challenge such evidence. Students who take this course can expect to emerge with a sound theoretical knowledge of scientific examination and functional knowledge of expert testimony and its scrutiny. This would enable them to examine the effect of scientific evidence on judgment and help in achieving fair and just results. Students will also find that they can draw upon the knowledge obtained in this elective in any of the other aspects of law – criminal, civil, art and cultural heritage, sports etc.

4 credits
60 hours

Forensic Psychology

Dr. Mohammad Hadi Ghasemi Nejad

An introductory course in Forensic Psychology would provide students with the salient, essential, and fundamental knowledge in this field so that they can understand the relevant concepts of forensic behavioural, emotional, and cognitive science relevant to psychology and law. The study of forensic psychology encompasses the intersection of psychology, the criminal justice system, and the law. This course will comprehensively examine the role of the forensic psychologist in the criminal justice system in North America, and to a certain degree in India. It will focus on the interaction between the psychology and law, with an emphasis on North American (and Indian) applications. This course explores the differing, yet varied facets of the field of forensic psychology including landmark legal cases relevant to psychology, potential careers in forensic psychology, police psychology, expert testimony, eyewitness and expert testimony, jury selection, repressed memories, profiling, victimless crime, the insanity defense, lie detection, forensic psychological assessment, psychopathy, homeland security, ethics, correctional psychology, and issues in working in the juvenile justice system.

3 credits
45 hours

Health, Sport & Society

Shivjot Gill

The course introduces students to the fundamentals of Health and Sports psychology and its role in holistic development of individuals in social system. The course examines the fascinating ways in which Health and Sports influence our daily life. The objective of the course is to address the pitfalls and challenges faced by the individuals in their everyday life to understand and adapt physical activity and healthy lifestyle. Additionally, concepts such as drug abuse, self-esteem, wellness, self-control, goal setting and social adjustment, the relevance of sports, importance of mental health and mental hygiene will be addressed in the course through a psychological lens. The overarching theme of the course is to understand the complex, interlink between sports, health and its importance in the society. The course module will be delivered using a variety of methods such as assigned readings, lectures, individual and group papers and presentations, experiential exercises, quizzes and special assignments. A combination of instructional and interactive activities during class will help students to develop a well-informed perspective of all the topics. The course can is designed for students across various disciplines. Students just need to have an interest to better understand how psychological theory can be used to make sense of contemporary issues related to health, sports and society. Furthermore, the course is highly recommended for those students who plan their career in the field of psychology and allied domains in the near future.

3 credits
45 hours

Art of Listening, Attachment & Intimacy in Relationships

Dr. Manjushree Palit

This course provides an understanding about the art of listening, attachment and intimacy in relationships. The students will be introduced to the existing theoretical concepts, empirical research, and experiential learning exercises. This course will elaborate on the following concepts that impact relationships: listening and its types, attachments and its types, expectations and different love languages, intimacy and its types and their impact on relationships. The course provides a platform for students to discuss the influencers, myths, expectation, love languages, identifying conflicts and their resolution in relationships for the self and others. This course aims to foster introspection, identification, analysis, and discussion of the concepts and their application to real life experiences. And how the above are shaped by constructs of power, gender and social media. This course encourages introspection and reflection. It attempts to spread awareness and knowledge about concepts that have been associated with quality of relationships.

4 credits
60 hours

Psychology for Better Understanding the Society and the Self

Dr. Tamara Hovorun

Psychology can assist a judge, prosecutor, investigator, lawyer and others in navigating the complexity of their duties, help apply the knowledge to the process of professional communication with victims, suspects, witnesses, and experts. This course focuses on how personality, human behaviour and self-being is influenced by culture and society and vice versa. Concepts covered in class include analysing collective/individualistic and feminine/masculine cultures, gender as the conditions and potential for different individual socialization, different structure of values as well as mass and personality consciousness. The main psychological personality theories: psychoanalytic, learning (cognitive -behavioural), humanistic-existential, traits and socio-cultural determination are being analysed as the background of integrative humanitarian knowledge about subjective wellbeing. Basic social needs as belonging, trusting, understanding, controlling and self-enhancing demonstrate possibility of social environment for any individual to function successfully through the possibility to realize Maslow’s hierarchy pyramid of vital and self-realizing potential. Professional self- identification and actualization, internal and external job satisfaction, emotional burning, types of self-presentation discover problems which are very actual for the young adulthood. Crime analysis on the cognitive, affectionate and behavioral levels are always being analysed during any court proceeding. Knowledge of most typical abnormal psychological phenomena are tightly connected with a lawyer’s professional skills, when it is necessary to discover individual motivation of anti-social actions rooted in the psycho-biography. Special attention will be payed to the development of so called “strong “personalities, which have high level of subjective well-being, though they are handicapped from the birth. Altruistic and egoistic behavior, stand by effects, cultural differences in helpfulness standards and volunteering, gender orientations, the motives of mercenary, revenge, insidiousness, cruelty, greed, love and jealousy will be discussed in the context of Philip Zimbardo project “Heroic evagination”. The interpersonal attraction, close and intimate relationship as well as proximity, internal/ external factors influencing are discussed as our own responsibility for personal choice.

4 credits
60 hours

Male & Female Psychology: Nature or Nurture

Dr. Tamara Hovorun

This course is about similarities and differences in emotions, cognitions and behavior of two cis demographic groups - males and females. What is the historical origin of the two sexes opposition? Do men have to dominate and women to subordinate because of acquired roles in phylogenic evolution and national tradition? What are the positive and negative sides of human being functioning in traditional and egalitarian society? Why did gender equality start to be the symbol of democracy? Are there differences among subjective well–being in societies with gender gap and gender equality? Does bipolar division of gender differences in social roles have any scientific background? What does it mean to be masculine, feminine and androgynous? What are the main domains of UNO Gender Equality Index? Are differences between female’s and male’s psychology large or small? What is the evidence of sexism and gender stereotypes influence on our family and social life? Is it necessary for students and teachers to be gender neutral? Why there are a lot of gender differences in neurological disorders and none in psychotic? What are the contemporary psychological challengers before the family as the main institution of happiness? Does the syndrome “Thanks the God, at last-Monday!” have its negative influence on men’s psychology and heart diseases? Are contemporary women more striving for presents or for equality? Will the 21-st century be belonged to women? Will the future lawyers deal with gender issues including different gender law expertise in their professional activities? What are the more vulnerable and actual gender problems in Indian society?

3 credits
45 hours

Human Cognitive Processes

Dr. Mohita Junnarkar

There is more general interest than ever in understanding the mysteries of the human brain and the mind. Cognitive psychology is concerned with the processes that allow us to make sense of the world around us and to make reasonably sensible decisions about how to cope with everyday life. The cognitive encompasses processes such as perception, attention, memory, problem solving, decision making, language etc. the recent developments in the field have permeated most of the rest of psychology – developmental psychology, social psychology, and abnormal psychology. The understanding of these processes has led to transformation of emotion, cognition, motivation and decision making research arena.

3 credits
45 hours

Application of Psychology to Enhance Human Potential

Dr. Pulkit Khanna

While many of us excel at certain areas of life, we could do with some help in others. Ever come across people who are great at work but struggle with relationships; or vice versa? People who are academic achievers but still unhappy and dissatisfied? Or others who are very intelligent and yet make poor decisions? This course is designed to explore many such questions and delve into potential solutions by focusing on the principles of Psychology to better understand and enhance the human potential. This course is conceptualized as a balanced mix of theory and interactive, experiential learning. Learners will be exposed to different aspects of human life wherein Psychology may be applied towards attainment of greater good and enhancement of potential. The course will be divided into three modules (Personality, Emotional Intelligence, and Well-being); each module would include exposure to the following components - a theoretical overview of the concept, tools to assess the concept, and strategies to foster/enhance the chosen concept. Following is a brief description of the course modules: Personality: Learners will obtain a theoretical understanding of this rich concept – a stable yet dynamic pattern of thinking and behaving. The role of nature and nurture in shaping human personality shall be discussed, along with focus on different theoretical perspectives (Freud, Cattell, Eysenck, Big-5 among others) to conceptualize personality. Thereafter, some prominent tools and approaches of personality assessment will be introduced. Finally, concepts such as self-regulation, self-enhancement, and creativity would be discussed. Emotional Intelligence (EI): Recognizing the importance of EI as an essential competence for success in various intrapersonal and interpersonal domains of life, this module will focus on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making as the building blocks of EI. Learners will be familiarized with the widely acknowledged work of Daniel Goleman, Mayer and Salovey, as well as bodies such as CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). Subsequently, the application of skills and strategies to cultivate greater EI will be explored. Well-being: Well-being per se is a multi-dimensional construct and has been defined in diverse ways in psychological literature. In this course, learners shall be introduced to some key theoretical perspectives of well-being (including Keyes’ emotional, social, and psychological well-being, Seligman’s PERMA model, and Diener’s subjective well-being). Further, learners would be familiarized with some prominent assessment tools for these concepts. In the last segment, empirical evidence based strategies to enhance well-being (Positive Psychology Interventions) will be introduced.

3 credits
45 hours

Introduction to Positive Psychology

Dr. Pulkit Khanna

There is a difference between struggling to face the world every morning and enthusiastically kick starting the day, between ‘existing’ and ‘living’. Most of us have wished to be happier and better versions of ourselves at some point or the other. If you have ever wanted to explore what is good about you and how to make it better, there is reason to rejoice. There is a field of science dedicated to human strengths and virtues, with the fundamental goal of nurturing well-being in people. Positive Psychology is the scientific study of what enables people to live ‘full’ lives. This course is centered on the science of thriving, addressing questions such as what it means to be ‘happy’. This course is designed to enable students to recognize the positive aspects of human life and understand psychological health and happiness beyond the mere absence of disease or infirmity. Students will be introduced to a brief historical background of the emergence and growth of the field of Positive Psychology as we know it today. Further, the goals of this field towards establishment of flourishing individuals, communities and institutions will be explored. The course will also facilitate an understanding of this field in relation to other branches of Psychology. The focus will be on exposing learners to a theoretical understanding as well as practical applications of fundamental concepts such as positive emotions, happiness, well-being, and character strengths. Contemporary trends from research and practice in this rapidly growing field will be included in classroom discussions. The underlying aim of this course shall be to familiarize learners with an appreciation of the science of happiness and flourishing, as also to acquire basic skills to boost individual and collective well-being.

3 credits
45 hours

The Psychology of Subjective Well-Being

Dr. Tithi Bhatnagar

The Psychology of Subjective Well-Being focuses on the strengths and virtues, which enable individuals and communities to live fulfilling lives. On the individual level the focus is on subjective well-being (SWB), which is generally referred to as happiness. The term subjective well-being (SWB) refers to people's evaluations of their lives including cognitive judgments such as life satisfaction and affective evaluations (moods and emotions) such as positive and negative emotional feelings. People are said to have high SWB if they are satisfied with their life and experience frequent positive emotions and infrequent negative emotions. In this age of rapid transformation, Societies are changing and there is chaos. A person otherwise very efficient and capable can suffer a breakdown in the absence of handling himself or herself psychologically. It is about individual well-being. The understanding of this concept can be very beneficial for leading a rewarding life in every sphere of an individual's life both internal as well as external. This knowledge equips an individual about his/her well-being levels and helps them identify what is important for them to lead a good and meaningful life. It helps them realize their inner potential and the strength of their psychological treasure to mitigate life circumstances – how to develop the right approach to face and deal with adverse conditions. The course aims at equipping students with strategies to optimize their SWB. The course will be majorly taught using discussions, anecdotes, power points, books, articles, and practical exercises.

3 credits
45 hours

Happiness at Workplace

Dr. Tithi Bhatnagar

In today’s business, the understanding of happiness can be a key differentiator towards leading a rewarding life in every sphere of an individual's life. This understanding is what differentiates an average professional from an exceptional one. It can provide employees with a greater opportunity to use skills and vary work duties. Research in the field shows that employees who are happy, enjoy multiple advantages in comparison to their less happy peers, and that those who have high levels of happiness are more likely to secure job interviews, to be evaluated more positively by supervisors once they obtain a job, to show superior performance and productivity, and to handle managerial jobs better. They are also less likely to show counter-productive workplace behavior and job burnout. It is important for managers to not only introduce this concept in the workplace, but also more importantly, to apply it in a more positive way to ensure that employees become more optimistic to new concepts or management practices. The purpose of this course is to help them in becoming aware of their happiness, and sense of purpose. This understanding will help them develop a vision that is powerful, self-congruent and meaningful, thereby leading to professional excellence.

4 credits
60 hours

Foundations of Qualitative Research Methods

Dr. Tithi Bhatnagar

Research methods help us understand the world around us and make sense of why people behave the way they do or how phenomena or behaviour is embedded in our social reality. It is easy for us to understand the manifestation of the process through measurement, but what about when we are interested in how the process actually happens and culminates in the overall impact of a phenomenon under investigation - this is where the role of Qualitative Research becomes extremely critical and significant. The course has been designed in a manner to introduce students to the nature and scope of qualitative research methods so that they can understand the science of qualitative enquiry. They will also be learning the various methods of qualitative data collection like interviews, observation, ethnography along with techniques of data analysis like the content analysis, grounded theory approach, discourse analysis, and the like. Qualitative Research is a powerful approach to see how scientific enquiry and rigor brings to life something present in the field and very abstract - to something which is concrete, objective, and comprehensible.

3 credits
45 hours

Blood Antiquities & Archaeopolitics

Poulomi Bhadra & Dr. Chris Hales, JSLH

Looting, art crimes and the black-market trade in antiquities recently sat behind only oil as a source of funding for extremist organisations such as Da’esh (Islamic State). The FBI and INTERPOL have estimated that the global annual turnover of these illegal activities is in the billions of US dollars. Illegal looting (on both small and industrial scales) is virtually ubiquitous across the world – destroying archaeological contexts and robbing countries of their cultural heritage. The illicit trade of antiquities and the mechanics behind their clandestine movement thus represents one of the most damaging and prevalent illegal activities today. Furthermore, archaeological and historical narratives are often manipulated by different groups to forge specific national and/or religious identities in contested space – such as in Israel and The Palestinian Territories; in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan; in Greece and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and even here in India, just to name a few contemporary examples. These pressures all have severe impacts on cultural heritage management practices, the selective destruction and preservation of the archaeological record, the visibility of minority communities and their heritage, issues of repatriation, on research activity, and on public narratives about “national” histories. Historically, they have even been used to justify significant conflict. Blood Antiquities and Archaeopolitics aims to investigate the dynamics behind these various activities, contextualize their importance, and explore potential solutions. We will identify looting mechanisms, detail the black-market trade in antiquities and art, and be exposed to current efforts to curtail these damaging practices. In addition, we will explore the ways in which archaeology and historical narratives can be manipulated. In different contexts, we will discuss questions such as “who owns the past?”, “which cultural heritage is worth preserving?”, and “what makes antiquities and art so valuable?”.

4 credits
60 hours

Cultural Laws & Policies in the Art Market

Poulomi Bhadra

This course will examine and investigate the relationship in the contemporary art market and arts’ social, cultural, historical, political and commercial value. Divided into three modules, this course will attempt to familiarize the student with the various facets of the art world, and particularly the art market – firstly, how the value of art is determined in different context, the business and law of buying and selling art, the use of legal and moral censorship to change and control the value of art. The first module deals comprehensively with exploring the different kinds of values placed on artworks and the factors that govern their definition. We talk about the changing value of art with time, and what implications can ‘owning’ art have, beyond a financial asset. In the second module, we also look into legal aesthetics that govern any creation of and business in items of art. In this relation, we attempt to gain an understanding of the opaque and ‘grey’ art market to study and examine the key structures and relationships in primary and secondary transactions of art. For a better understanding, we will also talk about different kinds of art crimes and their repercussions on the value of the art and artist. By comparing international and national art laws, we underline the essence of some key legal issues relating to the ownership and trading of art through auction and private sales, scope of provenance research as part of the due diligence, agency and relationships, taxation, copyright and other intellectual property issues, artists’ agreements, art management and conservation etc. In the third module, we draw upon the social influence of art in order to address some of the contemporary and ongoing issues and debates in the art world that can and have affected the representation, censorship of art, cultural preservation and management, which in turn have affected the commercial value of the art. One of the key discussions in this area will draw from the lectures in authenticity and provenance from the previous module, and try to answer the bigger question of repatriation and return of looted art. Through these discussions, we understand how art lends to the political and social narratives of the times and how its value can be extended to manage and influence social and political consciousness. By the end of the course, students will gain a variety of critical and practical knowledge through which to understand the art business and critique current approaches to artist rights and economic practices in the market.

4 credits
60 hours

Psychology of the Courtroom

Dr. Mohita Junnarkar

This course will provide an insight into understanding the psychological perspective of crime scene. When an individual commits an illegal activity she/ he is subsequently charged with the crime. In any illegal activity there are often three individuals involved: perpetrator, victim and eyewitness. Once illegal offence is registered the justice system gets involved which comprises of police, advocates and judges in Indian context. This course shall focus on (i) the psychological research of witness and (ii) psychological research on the justice system. The course would cover the different factors categorised in the psychological research such as estimator variables, system variables and post-diction variables and how they affect accuracy of witness, confidence of witness and judgement of justice system. Broad introduction to psychological theories and research concerned with accuracy of witness memory and making sense of the eyewitness memory process of acquisition (exposure duration to event), retention and retrieval of information will be discussed in relation to the factors. Further the course would dwell into eyewitness decision making process and relevant theories, psychological research on line-up presentation and identification accuracy of perpetrator. Students shall learn about the different factors that affect the accuracy of eyewitness and how eyewitness confidence affects judge’s decision making.

3 credits
45 hours

Cross-cultural business behaviour

Dr. Iryna Soroka

Globalization has influenced the way of doing business immensely. People have to understand and learn how to overcome challenges of working across cultures. Whether we are receiving clients from abroad, visiting potential overseas suppliers, working in international virtual teams, presenting, negotiating or socializing, we need to be able to do the following things to communicate effectively: research and analyze national and corporate cultures of the business people we deal with; we need to be flexible, adapting to a particular situation; be aware of possible conflicts arising from misunderstanding and learn how to manage them. This course helps to develop these skills.

3 credits
45 hours

Psychological Aspects of Doing Business

Dr. Iryna Soroka

This course combines the science of human behaviour with experience of the world of work to attain effective and sustainable performance for both individuals and organizations. It embraces both theory and practice. The behaviour and actions of people at work and activities of an organization are directed towards the attainment of certain aims. Setting SMART goals is one of the practical tasks of this course. The way an organization manages its people impacts on its activity which is why understanding the relationship between job satisfaction and work performance, motivation and rewards is important. Globalization has tremendously influenced the ways of doing business, therefore this course also pays attention to cross-cultural management. The rapidly changing world of the XXI century demands from employees to possess certain soft and hard skills which are both introduced as well as practiced (e.g. critical thinking, creativity) within the frame of this course. Individual diversity, leadership, work/life balance, time, stress and conflict management, business protocol and many other themes are presented in the course “Psychological aspects of doing business”.

1.5 credits
22.5 hours

HR MIS Reports and Dashboard

Jeevan Deep Sehgal

MIS reports and dashboard are very important in managing human resources. These tools are considered to be part of reporting and used for the informed decision making. In today’s corporate world any professional is required to work on data and create the reports and dashboards. This course introduces the concept of HR MIS reports and dashboards and train the students on the skills required to create these reports and dashboards. The course will also train students on skills like Excel and Power Point presentation with the usage of real-life data sets and scenarios. This course will prepare the students for the corporate world and provide them hands-on learning.

1.5 credits
22.5 hours

Consumer Psychology

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni & Mansi Sharma

Consumer psychology is important to understand the behaviour of buyer and enable organizations to make innovative products and create effective communication. Consumer psychology draws on the fields of psychology, marketing, and communications. Consumer psychologists explore how people respond to information and experiences related to certain products and services. This course will prepare students for career building in both disciplines, either a successful career in marketing or a more general applied psychological theory to the world of business.

3 credits
45 hours

Counselling Psychology

Dr. Manjushree Palit

Counselling Psychology course provides students with an understanding of counselling principles and skills for working with individuals, couples, and families. This course will enable students to explore the nature of counselling, the various theories of counselling and their influence on the therapist’s roles, therapy process, techniques and intervention designed; and counselling processes such as rapport building, confidentiality, and ethics and forms of counselling (individual, family and group counselling). This course provides a multicultural and diverse perspective into the helping profession and the process of assisting clients in making developmentally relevant and informed choices about their concerns and well-being.

3 credits
45 hours

Forensic Fingerprinting

Ulhas Gondhali

This course helps in understanding the basic fingerprint pattern types and their interpretation. It also identifies and explains the significance of complex fingerprint patterns. The curriculum design equips the students with the basic knowledge in different impressions and its application in the field of forensic science. It also reflects upon the evidentiary value of fingerprints in the court of law with various challenges.

3 credits
45 hours

Environmental Psychology

Dr. Neha Khetrapal

Global warming and climatic changes are unarguably the biggest challenges of our times. Over the past 60 years, researchers and policy makers have come together to establish ‘environmental psychology’ as a viable study domain. The subject has attracted tremendous attention in response to the degradation of the natural environment paired with a simultaneous need to design buildings that cater to the needs of the inhabitants. Like most areas of psychology, environmental psychology has a theoretical side as well as an applied side. Consistently, environmental psychologists and others from the human sciences can help play an integral part by explaining factors that motivate pro- environmental or sustainable behaviours. Over the long run, subject matter experts in environmental psychology aim to utilize the knowledge generated by their research to influence built and natural environments in positive and constructive manners. Efforts, orchestrated under the framework of environmental psychology, will also be immensely useful in helping societies make the transition towards a sustainable future and to counteract the existing environmental threats. As such, the objective of the current course is to help students develop a richer understanding of the complex interrelations between people and their natural or built environment. More minutely, emphasis will be placed on drawing bridges across cognitive psychology and environmental science. Students can expect to deepen their understanding about why people litter? How do buildings or architectural designs influence our thought patterns, mental health and emotional wellbeing? Why do people consume scarce environmental resources? How to implement techniques to mitigate the increased energy consumption? The list is not exhaustive in nature. The basic thrust will be on developing students’ broader understanding about how people influence the environment and are, in turn, are influenced by the environment.

3 credits
45 hours

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Dr. Neha Khetrapal

The vast majority of our world's population describes itself as either spiritual or religious or both. While religiosity is specific to a more formal commitment to particular religious traditions and practices, spirituality is an informal adherence to transcendent meanings that may or may not arise from involvement with a religious community. Why should people be willing to follow a religion or become spiritually inclined in the absence of psychological benefits that they may reap from religious identification or spirituality? What does cognitive psychology tell us about belief in god? Is belief in God essential for morality? Can non-religious components promote mental health and general well being for adults and even children? To answer such burning questions, the proposed course aims to familiarize students with research on antecedents, correlates and consequences of religion and spirituality from a psychological perspective. In addition, students will also be introduced to latest research on the psychology of prejudice, science of morality and the psychology of atheism. The broader aim is to encourage students to make as many personal applications of course content as possible.

3 credits
45 hours

Positive Psychology: The Science of Flourishing

Dr. Pulkit Khanna

There is a difference between struggling to face the world every morning and enthusiastically kick starting the day, between ‘existing’ and ‘living’. Most of us have wished to be happier and better versions of ourselves at some point or the other. If you have ever wanted to explore what is good about you and how to make it better, there is reason to rejoice. Positive psychology is the scientific study of what enables people to live ‘full’ lives. This course is centered on the science of thriving, addressing questions such as what it means to be ‘happy’. This course is designed to enable students to recognize the positive aspects of human life and understand psychological health and happiness beyond the mere absence of disease or infirmity. Students will be introduced to a brief historical background of the emergence and growth of positive psychology and its main goals, as we understand them today. The focus will be on exposing learners to a theoretical understanding as well as practical applications of fundamental concepts such as positive emotions, happiness, well-being, and character strengths. Contemporary trends from research and practice in this rapidly growing field will be included in classroom discussions. The underlying aim of this course shall be to familiarize learners with an appreciation of the science of happiness and flourishing, as also to acquire basic skills to boost individual and collective well-being.

3 credits
45 hours

The ‘Online Brain’: Internet and Cognition

Dr. Divya Bhatia

Humans, being the most advanced species, have a remarkable ability to adapt and flourish across a wide range of living conditions. Central to such behaviour is a highly specialized set of mental operations, collectively known as “cognition”, which enables us to process environmental information and produce adaptive behaviours. Our cognitive capacities are further extended by technological advancements, which include any tool, software, method or skill designed to facilitate our daily functions. Barely thirty years ago, the Internet surfaced as the latest technological invention of all times. It first served as an information exchange network between scientists and academics around the globe, but later on was officially released for public use. Since then, the Internet had been an integral part of our lives. From highly efficient search engines providing immediate access to any information we require, to social networking and entertainment platform, the internet has been evolving ever since its inception. The advent of portable and multifunctional smart devices which allows us to stay connected at all times and access to any information at our fingertips makes our generation “online”. This unprecedented integration of Internet has profoundly transformed our thoughts, actions and behaviours. Such vast pool of available information and our limited cognitive capacities allow us to think and investigate deeper the potential effects of Internet on our cognitive structures. This course is designed to provide an understanding of the impacts of Internet on our cognitive systems i.e. the information processing systems. Recent research has suggested that the intensive use of Internet has enabled a ‘shallow’ mode of information processing characterized by rapid shifts in attention i.e. increasing distractibility and poor executive control. Moreover, recent studies have also shown a link between Internet-related cognitive impact and structural changes in the brain. In this course, we learn about how the Internet has altered the cognitive behaviours and brain structures involved in information processing, executive control and reward processing will be discussed.