This program was updated effective Spring 2027. The new program requirements are reflected below. Students admitted Fall 2026 and prior will follow the prior degree requirements outlined in 2026 Industrial and Organizational Psychology MA Degree Program page.
The M.A. program in Industrial & Organizational Psychology is a competency-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, behavior, and capabilities necessary to function as a master’s level I-O practitioner or to pursue admission to doctoral programs. These competency areas will be covered through a combination of formal course work, student-initiated research (optional Master's thesis), and supervised experience (e.g., field research, internships, practicum). All students are strongly encouraged to take the practicum to gain applied experience. All students are required to satisfactorily complete a written comprehensive examination covering the field of I-O Psychology. The exam will cover topics and issues that are of substantive relevance to all I-O psychologists, irrespective of their individual interests.
Program of Study (36 credits minimum)
1. Core Content Courses (12 credits, required):
- APsy 503 Applied Statistics and Research Methods for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (3)
- APsy 750 Foundations of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (3)
- APsy 753 Psychometric Theory and Research (3)
- APsy 762 Employee Recruitment, Assessment, and Selection (3)
- If students receive less than a B- in a course in this category, they are required to retake the course.
2. Approved Psychology Seminars (12 credit hours required): Of the four seminars, one must be an Organizational Psychology seminar and one must be a Personnel Psychology seminar.
- Organizational Psychology Seminars:
- APsy 668 Group Dynamics (3)
- APsy 751 Work Motivation (3)
- APsy 759 Occupational Health Psychology (3)
- APsy 760 Workplace Diversity and Discrimination (3)
- Personnel Psychology Seminars:
- APsy 754 Training, Evaluation and Development in Organizations (3)
- APsy 757 Performance Appraisal and Management (3)
- Other I-O Psychology seminars (APsy 780) approved by the I-O Psychology Program director.
3. Six (6) credits of APsy 756 Practicum in Organizational Research or three (3) credits of APsy 756 and three (3) credits of APsy 699 Master's Thesis.
4. Six (6) credits in one of the following elective areas:
- Non-Profits and Government Agencies:
- RPad 502 Valuing People in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3)
- RPad 506 Foundations of Public Management (3)
- RPad 532 Government Contracting and Performance Management Fundamentals (3)
- RPad 539 (RInt 533) Global Non-profit Management (3)
- RPad 541 Managing Diversity and Inclusion in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3)
- RPad 610 Managing Behavior in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3)
- Artificial Intelligence in Organizations:
- BFor 515 Tools for AI and Data Analytics (3)
- BFor 516 Advanced Data Analytics for Cyber Security (3)
- Another relevant AI class approved by the I-O Psychology program director.
- Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management:
- RPad 545 (CYbr/CEhc 545) Principles and Practices of Cyber Security (3)
- RPad 550 Strategic Management of Information Technology (3)
- CYbr 554 Human Aspects of Cyber-security (3)
- Another cybersecurity or information technology management class approved by the I-O Psychology program director.
- Advanced Statistics and Database Management:
- APsy 613 Multivariate Analysis (3)
- EPsy 724 (ECpy 724) Regression Analysis (3)
- EPsy 736 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (3)
- ASoc 524 (AGog 505/APln 554) Social Science Data Analysis and Visualization with R (3)
- ASoc 525 Data Management (3)
- ASoc 622 Selected Topics in Multivariate Analysis (3)
- Another relevant class approved by the I-O Psychology program director.
- Student-designed:
- Students can create their own elective area as long as it is relevant to I-O Psychology and they obtain approval from the I-O Psychology program director.
5. Satisfactory completion of a written comprehensive examination.
Please note: This program offers an internship, field experience, study abroad component, or clinical experience in the course listing as an option to fulfill course requirements. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions. If you have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s Office of your intended academic program.