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 The growing field of industrial-organizational psychology focuses on applying psychological principles and research to the workplace in areas ranging from management and personnel to sales and marketing. Companies hire industrial-organizational psychologists to maximize efficiency and productivity, help them comply with government requirements and improve the quality of their employees' working lives. Even college graduates without a doctorate can expect good job prospects in a multitude of careers in industrial psychology. If you hold a master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology, you can qualify for work in management consulting, organizational development, scientific and technical data analysis, employee training or marketing research, to name just a handful of subfields.  Structure of the Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology Accredited industrial-organizational psychology graduate programs generally adhere to the Guidelines for Education and Training suggested by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. A master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology typically requires the equivalent of two or more years of full-time graduate coursework. It also usually includes applied practical experience such as an internship, and a thesis or capstone project based on original research. Students earning a master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology are expected to acquire knowledge from a broad selection of core subject areas, though individual programs may place special emphasis on different areas. Any psychology degree curriculum should include the history, systems and fields of psychology as well as research and statistical methods, consumer behavior and economics. Some of the subject areas specific to industrial-organizational psychology include: - job and task analysis
- performance appraisal and feedback
- work motivation
- small group theory and process
- organizational development
- industrial and labor relations
If you pursue a master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology, you may decide to select a curriculum that emphasizes applied practice in some of the specific content areas just described, so that you can be prepared to enter the job market upon graduation. Alternatively, you might be interested in a program that provides predoctoral training, focusing on the research skills and curriculum necessary for applying to a doctorate industrial psychology degree program such as a PhD or a PsyD. It is possible to earn a master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology either online or in person. Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology Sample Programs The Chicago School of Professional Psychology The Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers an in-person MA in Industrial & Organizational Psychology as well as an online MA in Applied Industrial & Organizational Psychology. The graduate degree programs usually take between 20 months and three years to complete. Fast Fact: Students are assisted in finding two supervised internships as part of the master's-level curriculum, with opportunities for real-world experience in organizations ranging from large-scale marketing research firms to smaller consulting companies and nonprofit agencies. Walden University Walden University offers two industrial psychology degree programs: an MS in Organizational Psychology and Development, which consists of 56 to 58 quarter credit hours, and an MS in Organizational Psychology and Nonprofit Management, which consists of 56 to 63 quarter credit hours and takes about a year and a half to complete. Fast Fact: MS students may choose either a thesis or a capstone project, which allows them to explore a topic of interest in more depth and research it through critical literature review, empirical study, or field experience. Usually a major written paper is also required as part of the thesis or capstone project.  Find a Psychology School Today—Getting Your Psychology Degree is One Step Away! |
