How to Get a Master's Degree in Organizational Psychology
The master's degree in industrial psychology, also called organizational psychology, applies psychological principles and research methods to the workplace to improve employee productivity and the quality of the work environment. Some branches of psychology directly related to organizational psychology include behavioral, cognitive, developmental, personality, and social psychology.
Graduates of master's programs in organizational psychology often work as human resource specialists and management consultants, advising for-profit and non-profit businesses and corporations in these core areas:
- Application of relevant human resources legislation
- Implementation and support of workplace diversity
- Retention of staff by providing rewarding professional opportunities
- Selection and assessment of employees from entry level to executives
- Strategic planning for the business or organization
- Training, development, and motivation of employees
- Transitions in the individual corporate and global business environments
A Guide to Graduate Degree Programs in Organizational Psychology
Depending on whether you choose to earn a master's degree online, or to pursue a campus degree, the title of your graduate organizational psychology degree program might include any of the following:
- MA or MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- MA in Organizational Behavior
- MS in Organizational Development and Analysis
- MS/MBA in Industrial Psychology
Obtaining an MA or MS in organizational psychology requires approximately two years of coursework and at least 10 to 12 months of internship or practicum experience, depending upon the program. Graduate organizational psychology programs prepare students for employment as full-time staff members or consultants for workplaces ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations.
How to Apply for an MS or MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Phase 1: Find the Right Graduate Program in Organizational Psychology
Researching and Evaluating Master's Degree Programs in Organizational Psychology
The Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Web site offers a useful checklist of criteria for choosing both campus and online graduate schools that offer organizational psychology degree programs.
On its "How to Choose a Graduate Training Program" page, SIOP suggests that master's programs in organizational psychology should offer classes in the following topics:
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How to Get a Master's Degree in Organizational Psychology
The master's degree in industrial psychology, also called organizational psychology, applies psychological principles and research methods to the workplace to improve employee productivity and the quality of the work environment. Some branches of psychology directly related to organizational psychology include behavioral, cognitive, developmental, personality, and social psychology.
Graduates of master's programs in organizational psychology often work as human resource specialists and management consultants, advising for-profit and non-profit businesses and corporations in these core areas:
- Application of relevant human resources legislation
- Implementation and support of workplace diversity
- Retention of staff by providing rewarding professional opportunities
- Selection and assessment of employees from entry level to executives
- Strategic planning for the business or organization
- Training, development, and motivation of employees
- Transitions in the individual corporate and global business environments
A Guide to Graduate Degree Programs in Organizational Psychology
Depending on whether you choose to earn a master's degree online, or to pursue a campus degree, the title of your graduate organizational psychology degree program might include any of the following:
- MA or MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- MA in Organizational Behavior
- MS in Organizational Development and Analysis
- MS/MBA in Industrial Psychology
Obtaining an MA or MS in organizational psychology requires approximately two years of coursework and at least 10 to 12 months of internship or practicum experience, depending upon the program. Graduate organizational psychology programs prepare students for employment as full-time staff members or consultants for workplaces ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations.
How to Apply for an MS or MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Phase 1: Find the Right Graduate Program in Organizational Psychology
Researching and Evaluating Master's Degree Programs in Organizational Psychology
The Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Web site offers a useful checklist of criteria for choosing both campus and online graduate schools that offer organizational psychology degree programs.
On its "How to Choose a Graduate Training Program" page, SIOP suggests that master's programs in organizational psychology should offer classes in the following topics:
- The history of systems
- Biological bases of behavior
- Learned bases of behavior
- Social bases of behavior
- Individual differences
- Data collection and analysis skills
- Core industrial-organizational psychology domains
When assessing MS and MA degrees in organizational psychology, you might want to ask the following questions:
1. What positions and starting salaries have graduates attained 0 to 5 years after completion?
2. What types of internships and externships are available to students in the master's program?
3. How experienced are faculty at real-world practice, research publication, and conference presentation?
4. For campus master's programs, how effective is the advisor system?
5. For online master's degrees, how quickly do faculty respond to student requests for help or feedback?
6. Again, for distance education, how often are discussion-centered courses and seminars conducted?
7. What is the level of interaction between graduate students with each other and with faculty?
8. Is there an associated business school where the student can take courses based on their interests?
9. What is the level of graduate student participation at conferences? Is there funding for this?
Master's program curricula should also support national and state or provincial licensing requirements. Licensure requirements differ for those holding master's degrees and PhDs. Indeed, some debate exists within the professional psychological community about whether or not industrial-organizational psychologists should actually require licensure.
You can find a list of state boards that license masters program graduates at the SIOP Web site. You can also visit the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Board for more information on licensure after completion of the graduate organizational psychology program.
Developing a List of Accredited Master's Programs in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Accrediting agencies assess and authenticate an academic program's rigor. A graduate degree program's accreditation status is important because it can affect your ability to receive financial aid and transfer credits between undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs. Institutional accreditation is conducted by accrediting agencies that can be regional, national, or international in scope.
For master's programs in industrial-organizational psychology there are several means for finding accredited online and campus degree programs, as well as internships.
Resources
The Masters in Psychology Accreditation Council (MPAC) accredits master's programs that "promote training in the scientific practice of professional psychology at the master's level" with an added goal of "enhancing services to the consumer and the public at large."
The American Psychological Association's Commission on Accreditation (CoA) is the nationally recognized accrediting body for doctoral level studies, postdoctoral residency training, and pre-doctoral internships in professional psychology.
WorldWideLearn.com maintains a database of accredited online graduate degree programs. You can search Degrees by Subject or browse a list of university partners that allow you to earn a master's degree online.
The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of accredited master's programs. You can search by state, institution, or graduate degree program.
3. Determine a Master's Degree Program Format: Online, Campus, or Hybrid
Today graduate organizational psychology programs come in several formats:
- For professionals working full-time or juggling family responsibilities, an online master's in organizational psychology may be the most feasible option.
- For potential graduate students with more flexible schedules, a campus MA or MS in industrial-organizational psychology may prove rewarding for its daily interactions with faculty and staff, as well as access to library and technology resources.
- Some graduate schools allow you to earn most of your master's degree online, but require short term residencies, such as one weekend a month and one full week per year. This is called a hybrid format.
Phase 2: Apply to Master's Programs in Organizational Psychology
When beginning the application process for graduate school, a good rule of thumb is to apply to a number of master's programs with different acceptance criteria. If your academic and professional preparation meet requirements for entry to a Top 10 school, then apply to one or several of those. Just remember that Top 10 programs receive the largest number of applicants, so the competition is fierce.
Thus, you should also apply to a second and third set of graduate schools that are less selective to increase the likelihood of acceptance at the time you are ready to begin your master's degree.
Just remember that graduate school is what you make of it. Self-motivated graduate students excel through their own curiosity and motivation to study hard, pursue internships, research, and professional opportunities about which they are passionate. When entering a graduate degree program, personal motivation matters as much as the school you attend.
1. Complete Prerequisites
A bachelor's degree is required for admission to most master's or doctoral degree programs. Students in their senior year of undergraduate study may also be eligible to apply.
The undergraduate major can be in psychology, the life sciences, or even the social sciences. However, expect admissions committees at graduate schools in organizational psychology to look for a significant amount of undergraduate coursework in psychology on your transcripts. A good rule of thumb is a minimum of 30 to 36 semester hours, which is about the equivalent of a minor in psychology.
2. Compile Application Materials
Online and campus master's degree programs in industrial and organizational psychology may have slightly different requirements for admission. In general, though, you need to submit the following materials for admission to graduate organizational psychology programs:
- Admission Application: Often, this requires application submission to both a university's graduate school and the psychology department. Only one application fee is required.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores: Some programs only require the general test, others also request psychology subject exam scores. Check individual program websites to be certain.
- Letters of Recommendation: Usually, three are required from previous professors and/or employers. Universities frequently have their own recommendation forms. Most can be submitted online.
- Sample research paper: Written in American Psychological Association (APA) format.
- Statement of purpose: Explaining why you want to pursue a graduate degree program in industrial and organizational psychology.
- Transcripts: For both undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
3. Apply for Financial Aid
Deadlines for financial aid often occur around the same time as deadlines for admission to graduate schools. So consider completing both applications at the same time.
Departmental and federal financial aid for graduate study often comes in the form of loans and teaching or research assistantships. Federal and state grants for graduate study are rare. However, scholarships and fellowships from government, school-based, and private funding sources are often more substantial and obtainable at the graduate level.
In this instance, outside fellowships and scholarships would most likely come from organizations dedicated to the research and study of industrial-organizational psychology, or the development and promotion of diverse, equitable, and safe work environments.
Resources
Visit the Financial Aid Resources page at WorldWideLearn.com or read the article "Top 25 Financial Aid Blogs," to learn more about applying for financial aid for graduate degree programs.
Phase 3: Prepare for your MA or MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Explore Organizations Dedicated to Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Attend conferences, join organizations, and read emerging research in industrial-organizational psychology and related fields. Most of the organizations listed below are specifically dedicated to I-O Psychology. Many publish academic journals.
By browsing their Web sites, you can gather information to prepare for your master's program and make connections within the field of organizational psychology.
Resources
- American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)
- Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence of Organizations
- Human Resource Planning Society (HRPS)
- International Personnel Management Association (IPMA)
- International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI)
- Organizational Development Institute (ODI)
- Organizational Development Network (ODN)
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
- Society of Psychologists in Management (SPIM)
The Road Ahead: After the Master's Degree in Organizational Psychology
Due to the dynamic nature of today's workplace, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 26 percent employment growth for industrial-organizational psychologists in its 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook. With the top half of industrial-organizational psychologists earning between $77,000 and $149,000, graduates of organizational psychology master's programs can earn lucrative wages while contributing in meaningful ways to the quality of human life and work.
Sources
- Graduate Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program, Penn State University.
- Guidelines and Principles for accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology, American Psychological Association (APA).
- Guidelines for Education and Training at the Masters (Doctoral) Level in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
- "How to Choose a Graduate Training Program," Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology Links by Subtopic, Social Psychology Network by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University.
- Information from ASPBB to Licensure Applicants and Students, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).
- Mission Statement, Master's in Psychology Accreditation Council (MPAC).
- Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011: Psychologists and Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Psychology Specialty Ratings: Industrial and Organizational Psychology, U.S. News & World Report.
- Social-Organizational Psychology Website, Teachers College, Columbia University.
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