Masters of Arts in Psychology - Industrial/Organizational or Social Psychology

Students who pursue the master's degree in Industrial/Organizational-Social Psychology may select either an emphasis in Industrial-Organizational Psychology or Social Psychology. The emphasis in I/O Psychology is designed to prepare students as scientist-practitioners who are involved in the development and application of psychological theory and methodology to the problems of business and government organizations, and the problems of individuals and groups in these organizational settings. The students have a strong commitment to thorough preparation in basic scientific methods and the principles of psychological science. Emphasis is placed on psychology as a science and applying this science in real-world organizational settings. The services delivered by individuals trained in I/O Psychology include, but are not limited to personnel selection, performance appraisal, training and development, motivation, design of jobs, job satisfaction, leadership, test construction and interpretation, statistical reasoning, organizational theory, program evaluation, and research methodology. The emphasis in Social Psychology focuses on the theory and methods of social psychological research. Topics to be studied include both basic processes such as social cognition, attitudes, social influence, and cross-cultural issues, as well as topics of a more applied nature such as sexual harassment and HIV/AIDS prevention. Both the I/O and Social psychology focus are designed to meet the educational needs of two types of students. For students who plan to enter doctoral programs, the fundamentals of psychological science and research methodology are emphasized in classroom discussions and as criteria for thesis approval. For those seeking employment at the master's level, classes are structured to include experiential and practical exercises demonstrating the application of basic skills. Moreover, thesis research can be of an applied nature, combining fundamental research skills with practical skill development.