Core Curriculum
The core curriculum for the Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology includes the following courses (36 semester hours).
NOTE: In addition to these core courses, 9 semester hours of elective, practicum and/or thesis work is needed to complete the degree requirements.
PSY 601 I-O Discussion Forum
2 semester hours
This course/seminar program introduces students to the I-O program and develops a sense of community and support. We will introduce historical, ethical and legal issues of I-O Psychology. Discussions will include current newsworthy items pertaining to Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Program requirements, intentions and philosophy will be clarified and elaborated. Students will be expected to outline an intended program of applied research for their graduate career.
PSY 615; 616 Research Design, Methods and Statistics I and II
6 semester hours
This pair of advanced courses in applied research design, methodology, and univariate, bivariate, and multivariate data analysis must be taken as a two semester sequence. The course will cover research methods and techniques used by psychologists with an emphasis on applied settings. At the end of these courses the student will be familiar with many research designs, know the advantages and disadvantages of the designs and be able to identify flaws and confounds in research designs. The student will understand which data analysis tools apply to various designs and circumstances.
PSY 620 Job Analysis and Staffing
3 semester hours
This course will cover the various methods and techniques of job analysis on both individual and team levels. It will teach students how to identify which methods and techniques are most appropriate based upon the types of jobs being analyzed and the organizational culture.
PSY 625 Psychological Testing and Measurement
3 semester hours
This course is designed to introduce graduate students to psychological test development, evaluation, and utilization in applied organizational settings. Professional guidelines for ethical use and practice of testing will be reviewed. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the principles of validity, reliability, item development, and analysis, test construction, and biases.
PSY 635 Selection and Performance Appraisal
3 semester hours
This course will offer an advanced treatment of selection and performance appraisal in organizations. Students will build upon a foundation of measurement and test theory, validity, reliability, job analysis, research methods, and statistics. Topics will include legal and ethical issues, recruitment, selection systems and methods, criterion theory and development, and performance appraisal systems and methods. Students will learn how to develop, implement, and evaluate selection and performance appraisal systems.
PSY 640 Training and Development
3 semester hours
This course will provide a broad understanding of training in organizations. It will cover typical models of instructional design, as well as psychological theory and principles relevant to learning. The relation between learning in a training program and application of new knowledge at work will be discussed. Program evaluation will be emphasized. It is also designed to prepare the student to apply these concepts in a business setting.
PSY 550 Organizational Psychology
3 semester hours
This course will introduce the student to the field of organizational psychology. Topics including commitment, involvement, satisfaction, motivation, leadership, power, quality of work-life, and groups/teams will be covered through class discussion, reaction papers, and a project.
PSY 660 Organizational Change and Development
3 semester hours
This course will build upon the basics learned in Organizational Psychology. It will focus on change processes, specifically situational assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating various O.D. interventions. We will discuss organizational structure, values, culture, leadership, and interactions with the external environment. These topics will be viewed from the perspective of a consultant.
PSY 570 Work Environments
3 semester hours
This is a survey course introducing students to human factors psychology, ergonomics; occupational health and safety issues. We will examine how physical (e.g. noise, temperature and crowding) and psychological (e.g. stress, climate and affect) factors influence people in the workplace.
PSY 580 Cognition in the Workplace
3 semester hours
This course will cover judgment and decision-making, heuristics, biases, persuasion, prejudice and diversity in the workplace. Special attention will be placed on values and attitude measurement.
PSY 685 Applied Research Study - Capstone
4 semester hours
This course/seminar is the final step in completion of the master's program. It involves the organization and completion of each student's applied research portfolio. Work includes updating, revising and improving the various research projects completed throughout the I-O Master's program and conducting any added research in order to tie together or fill-in the gaps between individual projects.