M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Return to: Programs of Study

Chicago - Los Angeles - Irvine - Washington DC - Online - Dallas - San Diego

Program Overview

The 40 credit hour M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology (I/O) program trains students in the essential diagnostic and consultative skills to help organizations and the individuals within them solve problems and leverage strengths to perform effectively and efficiently. Students not only learn how to design and implement I/O assessments and solutions, but they also benefit by participating in these very same practices to identify their own strengths and to improve developmental areas.

The program is comprised of two tracks: Internship/Thesis and Applied Research Project (ARP).  The ARP Track is designed for students with a minimum of three years relevant post baccalaureate work experience.

The Internship/Thesis Track is offered in Chicago, Los Angeles, Irvine, and Washington D.C.

The Human Resources Concentration is offered in Chicago only.

The Applied Research Project Track is offered Online only.

Program Philosophy

The M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology program has adopted the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychologists’ (SIOP) recommended areas of study as the basis for its curriculum. It provides students with a broad knowledge of the scientific literature and theoretical principles of organizational and industrial psychology and the application of these principles to the variety of work settings in which I/O psychologists are employed. Students develop an understanding of the way organizations operate, gain the essential assessment, intervention, and consultation skills to help organizations and the individuals within them solve problems, enhance performance, and manage the complexities of today’s work environment. The emphasis is on training students to assume professional responsibilities in human resources, consulting, management positions, and organizational-development.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program students will be able to:

Professional Practice

• Develop assessment, intervention, and evaluation strategies and convey these I/O principles in language appropriate for the audience.
• Demonstrate the ability to form effective professional relationships based on attitudes and communication skills that foster respect, trust, open dialogue, and collaboration, regardless of differences in background, education, points of view or position in the organization.
• Demonstrate oral and written communication that is grammatically correct, logical, succinct, consumer-oriented and of professional quality. Students will demonstrate non-defensive, learning-oriented, responses to constructive feedback.

Diversity

• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of individual differences in the workplace and the ability to establish and benefit from collaborative professional relationships with others, regardless of differences in background, work roles, and points of view.

Professional Behavior

• Demonstrate personal integrity and ethical behavior in their professional practice.

Scholarship

• Demonstrate their knowledge of I/O theories, their ability to apply these theories and their appreciation for scientific knowledge.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically review the work of others, including probing for more information, searching for logic flaws, and the creation of alternative solutions to problems.
• Demonstrate ability to comprehend of data and information presented in research articles and apply to organizational problems.
• Demonstrate their knowledge of test development, descriptive statistics, data management, basic statistical procedures, and program evaluation principles.

Admission Requirements

For information on where The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is currently authorized, licensed, registered, exempt or not subject to approval, please visit https://www.thechicagoschool.edu/why-us/accreditation/

Application to the M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the admission essay, and letters of recommendation from academic professors or professional or volunteer experience supervisors. Generally, an undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. Applicants must submit official transcripts from all schools where a degree was earned. It is recommended that transcripts are submitted from all schools where credit was received to support their applications. Students must choose their track (Internship/Thesis or Applied Research Project) upon admission.

There are separate applications for the campus-based and online format tracks of the MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.  Those interested in the online Applied Research Project (ARP) tracks should refer to the ARP tracks admissions section below and must apply directly at http://www.thechicagoschool.edu/apply/

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for our M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology program; however, we encourage students to submit their scores to enhance their application. Please note that you must have your official scores sent to The Chicago School (School Code 1119). Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, deadlines, and letters of recommendation.

Additional Thesis/Internship Track Admission Requirements

Aside from general admission requirements, the Thesis/Internship Track requires an applicant to have successfully completed (with a grade earned of “C” or better) two (2) specific undergraduate courses:

1. one course in psychology, and
2. one course in statistics or quantitative psychology.

Applicants in the Thesis/Internship Track who have not previously successfully completed an undergraduate statistics or quantitative psychology course with the Chicago School will be enrolled according to the policies outlined in the Student at Large section of this Catalog prior to be admitted to the program. Applicants in the Thesis/Internship Track who have not previously successfully completed an undergraduate course in psychology must complete the course in accordance with the policies outlined in the Thesis/Internship Track Progression Requirements section below.   

Additional ARP Track and Certificate Admission Requirements

Aside from general admission requirements, the ARP track requires an applicant to have successfully completed (with a grade earned of “C” or better) three (3) specific undergraduate courses:

• one course in psychology,
• one course in statistics or quantitative psychology; and
• one course in research methods or experimental psychology.

Applicants in the ARP Track who have not previously successfully completed an undergraduate course in psychology, statistics or quantitative psychology, and in research methods or experimental psychology must complete any remaining required courses in accordance with the policies outlined in the ARP Track Progression Requirements section below.   

In addition to the admission criteria currently in place, applicants to this track should also have three or more years of full-time, related, post-baccalaureate relevant work experience or five (5) years or more of full-time unrelated work experience. Because the coursework for this track is offered via distance learning format, students within this track or certificate must have access to a computer that is less than three years old, a broadband internet connection, and the Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, and Outlook and, at minimum, the following computing skills:

• A basic level of comfort with Internet technology
• The ability to open and attach files from and to email
• The ability to send and receive email
• The ability to save documents

Thesis/Internship Track Progression Requirements

This program requires applicants to have successfully completed (with a grade earned of ‘C’ or better) at least one (1) undergraduate course in psychology by the end of their first semester (second term for online students) of study.  Students must successfully meet this progression requirement through one of the following options:

• A grade of “C” or higher in TCS 380 - Introduction to Psychology
• A grade of “C” or higher in a comparable course at The Chicago School
• A grade of “C” or higher in a comparable course at another regionally accredited institution

Applicants accepted with no previous undergraduate psychology coursework will be required to register for TCS 380 in their first ground semester or online term. All students must then meet this progression requirement by the end of their first semester (second term for online students) of study. Students who do not successfully fulfill this requirement will not be allowed to register in any future coursework in the program of study until this requirement is met. Extensions can be granted by the Program Chair or designee when extenuating circumstances prevent completion of the requirement in the specified timeframe.  Requests for an extension must be submitted in writing to the Program Chair for consideration.

Applied Research Project (ARP) Track Progression Requirements

The ARP and Certificate tracks require applicants to have successfully completed (with a grade earned of ‘C’ or better) at least one (1) undergraduate course in psychology, one (1) course in statistics or quantitative psychology, and one (1) course in research methods or experimental psychology by the end of their first semester (two terms) of study.  Students must successfully meet this progression requirement through one of the following options:

• A grade of “C” or higher in TCS 380 - Introduction to Psychology, TCS 385 - Introduction to Research Methods, and TCS 390 - Introduction to Statistics;
• A grade of “C” or higher in a comparable course(s) at the Chicago School; or
• A grade of “C” or higher in a comparable course(s) at another regionally accredited institution

Applicants accepted who are missing one or more of these three (3) required undergraduate courses will be required to register for the applicable TCS course(s) in their first ground semester or online term. All students must meet this progression requirement by the end of their first semester (second online term) of study. Students who do not successfully fulfill this requirement will not be allowed to register in any future coursework in the program of study until this requirement is met. Extensions can be granted by the Program Chair or designee when extenuating circumstances prevent completion of the requirement in the specified timeframe.  Requests for an extension must be submitted in writing to the Program Chair for consideration.

An ARP Track student who has sufficient relevant work experience may apply for waiver of one or more these progression requirements.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission and in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $250 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

Policies

The following policies are located under Academic Policies and Procedures : Academic Calendar, Admissions Requirements, Attendance, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Service Learning, and Transfer Credit/Course Waiver. Click the link above for detailed information.

Degree Completion Requirements

• Successful completion of 40 credits hours of coursework OR successful completion of 46 credit hours of coursework (Chicago campus students completing HR Concentration)
• Successful completion of 600 hour internship pre-approved by the faculty internship supervisor (Internship Track Students Only)
• Successful completion of Thesis (Thesis Track Students Only)
• Successful completion of Applied Research Project (Applied Research Project Track Students Only)

Dual Degree Option

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology has also established a Dual Degree program option with the Colleges of Law whereby students can earn a Dual Degree: M.A. Industrial/Organizational Psychology: Internship Track and Master of Legal Studies. Students must meet the admission requirements for both programs. Specific coursework requirements are outlined in these documents: ARP Track Course List  Internship Track Course List   

Earning an I/O Generalist Certificate

A student in the MA Industrial/Organizational Psychology program may earn an Industrial and Organizational Psychology Generalist Certificate  following the successful completion of required coursework and specific program requirements. At the beginning of the semester in which a student expects to be eligible for the certificate, they may submit the Petition for Degree Conferral to the Office of the Registrar. The petition is a request to conduct an audit to determine eligibility for the certificate and, is required for conferral. Eligibility guidelines for the certificate are contained in the catalog under which the student was admitted.

The Specific requirements are as follows:

• Financial/Financial Aid Good Standing.
• Academic Good Standing at the time the requirements for the certificate were completed.
• Cumulative GPA for the coursework required for the certificate must meet the graduation requirements of the certificate.
• Successful completion of IO 510 - Organizational Behavior (3 credit hours)
• Successful completion of any two additional three credit hours courses from the M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology program, with the exception of ARP, Thesis, or courses with unfulfilled prerequisites.
• The Petition for Degree Conferral must be submitted within 1 year from the date the final certificate requirement was completed.
• All SAC referrals for behavioral misconduct or issues of professional comportment must be deemed as fully remediated by the SAC committee before the certificate can be conferred.

Track Requirement

Students must choose their track (internship/thesis or applied research project) upon admission.

Internship/Thesis Track (On-Ground)

Internship Option

Students who choose the internship option complete two 300 hour internships (for a total of 600 hours of internship experience). The internship should involve the student in learning specific, transferable, I/O-relevant or HR-relevant professional skills. All internship must be pre-approved by the faculty internship supervisor. Students registered in the Internship Track incur a one-time $195 Experiential Learning Technology Fee.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

Thesis Option

Students may choose to complete a thesis instead of completing the internship requirements. The thesis option is comprised of two courses, Thesis I and Thesis II. The student must get approval from the Business Psychology Department Chair to enroll in these courses. The student must also select a faculty member to serve as thesis advisor. This faculty member will supervise the thesis.

Note: Students pursuing this option do not have an option for a general elective but will take a diversity elective.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

Applied Research Project Track (Online Only)

Students with sufficient work experience in the field may qualify to enroll in the Applied Research Project (ARP) Track. Students in the ARP track complete classwork over the course of their studies that guide them through the process of writing the Applied Research Project. A faculty member will approve and supervise the project through these courses.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

Ethical Guidelines

Students are expected to develop a working knowledge of the ethical and legal issues pertaining to work in the domain of I/O psychology including, but not limited to, APA’s current Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct for Psychologists; relevant federal, state, and local laws, statutes, regulations, and legal precedents (e.g., the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, 1978) as well as the professional norms, standards, and guidelines relevant to the profession (e.g., Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of Services by Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, 1981; Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures, 1987; and Standards for Educational and Psychological Tests, 1985, see www.siop.org).

Human Resources Concentration Option (Chicago Campus only, Internship Track Only, Total Program Credits with HR Concentration: 46 Credit)

On the Chicago campus only (and only for students in the Internship Track), students may choose to declare a concentration in Human Resources. The M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology with an HR Concentration has been endorsed by the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM).   An analysis of the M.A. Industrial and Organization Psychology curriculum was conducted to determine the degree of overlap between program competencies and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) content areas and competencies. Consequently, students who obtain the M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology with a concentration in Human Resources will be prepared to sit for the Society Human Resource Management - Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) assuming any experiential requirements have been met for the examination.  Aligning ourselves with an organization like SHRM enhances our ability to prepare our students to be successful human resources professionals.

The concentration in Human Resources will offer our students additional training and education to become successful human resources professionals. The IO training will provide students will the skills to develop, create, and implement assessments, interventions, and process to improve organizational effectiveness, while the Human Resources training will provide them with a solid foundation in the management of human resources.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

Industrial/Organizational Psychology Generalist Certificate Options (Online Only)

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology also offers a three-course certificate. The certificate consists of three graduate level courses (IO 510 and two courses of the student’s choice) and can be completed in approximately five months. Participants will earn nine graduate-level credits and a certificate of completion. Standard program admission requirements apply. Credits are transferable to the degree program.