Industrial Organization (I/O)

The master's degree program in I/O Psychology prepares students, through a combination of classroom and practical training, for human resource and organizational development positions in business, consulting, and human service organizations. Students may elect a program of study that enables them to enter the work force after graduation or pursue doctoral training.

Many graduates of the program continue their training in our behavior analysis Ph.D. program, studying with the same faculty members who advised them in the master's program. Graduates who seek employment after receiving the M.A. degree are qualified for jobs that involve personnel training and development, productivity and safety improvement, quality enhancement, work process improvement and organizational systems analysis. These jobs are usually found in human resource or process management departments. Starting salaries for individuals with a master's degree usually range from $55,000-$60,000. A Ph.D. is not usually necessary for these positions, however, for some positions with consulting firms, a doctoral degree increases a person's employment opportunities.

The program requires the completion of 36 credit hours. The conceptual basis of the program is behavior analysis. Thus, evidence-based environmental-change strategies are emphasized throughout the curriculum.

There are two options in the program: the practicum option and the thesis option. The practicum option prepares students to enter the work force when they graduate. The thesis option prepares students for doctoral training. The core program requirements are the same in both options, however, students who elect the practicum option are required to take a minimum of 6 credit hours of practicum while students who elect the thesis option conduct a 6-credit hour research study. Students admitted into one option may switch to the other option after admission, but their faculty advisor must approve that change.

Students are admitted once a year and start the program in fall. To be eligible for admission, students must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 18 credit hours in psychology, which must include 3 credit hours of statistics. An undergraduate major in psychology is preferred. Other preferred qualifications include a minimum GPA of 3.0 and minimum scores corresponding to the 50th percentile on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE. Other criteria taken into consideration include letters of reference, research activity, work experience, social and professional skills, and the extent to which the applicant's interests match the program.

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Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology