The business landscape changes rapidly, and you'll be well-prepared to work within this dynamic area with a Master of Science (MS) in Psychology with a concentration in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. This masters-level degree readies you to assist organizations as they seek to hire, retain and develop the best employees. Day in and day out, industrial-organizational psychologists make valuable contributions to the business world and are one of the most important subfields of psychology. They can impact every part of an organization, from back-office administration to the factory floor and all the way up to the C-suite.

With a master's in I-O psychology, you'll get to tackle a wide range of workplace challenges and enhance your overall quality of life by:

- Identifying and fulfilling training and development needs

- Recognizing and addressing an organization's internal issues

- Enhancing productivity by improving employee satisfaction

- Conducting market research and assessing the results

While the organizational psychology degree does not lead to licensure or certification, it aligns with Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology standards to provide skills that apply to a variety of positions. It also expands your employment options to fields like market research and advertising, where industrial-organizational psychologists (IOPs) help fulfill client needs.

Learn how to:

- Manage and motivate individuals and teams

- Set the tone for a healthy work environment

- Resolve issues using strategic HR management

- Use strategies and techniques to drive organizational change

- Apply research findings to enhance organizational performance

- Promote and nurture growth in others to achieve common goals

Starting with a foundation in psychology, you'll learn to apply psychological research to real-world organizational contexts. As you complete the industrial-organizational psychology graduate programs core coursework, you'll:

- Dive deep into methods of gathering and analyzing data

- Explore cognitive psychology, including the nuances of decision-making

- Learn how to apply psychometric techniques to measure research findings

- Study how theories of personality apply to culturally diverse populations

- Learn the principles of ethical practice within the field of psychology

When you choose to pursue a concentration in industrial-organizational psychology, you'll use your 12 major elective credits to learn hyper-specific I-O psychology information and skills.

Our master's in industrial-organizational psychology concentration is made up of these 4 courses:

- Motivation in the Workplace: Examine the psychological theories of motivation and their relevance to the workplace, as well as the wider field of industrial-organizational psychology. Explore motivating factors and strategies to identify motivation problems and psychological techniques to address them. Learn how to apply motivational theories to affect change for diverse populations.

- Psychology of Leadership: Combine theory and practice to address contemporary issues in the field of organizational leadership. Review research, case studies, and real-world situations to learn how psychological practices can be used to assess and improve leadership. Lay a foundation for your own personal leadership style.

- Organizational Consulting: Explore the relevant skills needed for a successful organizational consultation by an I-O psychologist. Examine the process for diagnosing an organization using psychological methods (measurement), developing a strategy to address issues (assessment), and carrying out a plan (application). Learn the need for ethical standards and the importance of professional responsibility in consulting.

- Seminar in Industrial & Organizational Psychology: A culmination of your work in industrial-organizational psychology, this course brings together all the skills learned in previous courses. You'll need to demonstrate proficiency in the areas of motivation, organizational leadership, and consulting. In doing so, you'll develop a more sophisticated and integrated approach to industrial-organizational issues and problems. Your online masters in I-O psychology classes are taught by highly regarded, accomplished faculty with years of real-world, hands-on experience.

"Our online faculty reflect the advanced academic qualifications and practical experience of a top-ranked, accredited university. Employers today are faced with many unique challenges," said Dr. Cindy Alexander, an industrial-organizational psychology instructor at SNHU.

"Our masters in industrial-organizational psychology prepare students to help employers navigate those challenges and find solutions to maximize performance, "said Dr. Thomas MacCarty, associate dean of psychology at SNHU, who credits the program's broad curriculum with the versatility graduates bring to the discipline of I-O psychology.

"The successful graduate student has shown they have insight and knowledge in a wide variety of topics, "said MacCarty. He points to developmental psychology, sociology, behavioral research, ethics and legal issues, and human behavior as just a few examples.

Do you feel drawn to the psychology of the workplace? Do you feel a tug to help build healthier work environments? Move your career and the business world forward with a master's in organizational psychology.

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms. You can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials. To apply, simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options. Your counselor can also walk you through the application process, which involves completing a graduate application and providing undergraduate transcripts.

If you don't have a background in psychology or a related field, you may need to take up to 3 foundation courses. For those who do not meet the minimum requirements, the following courses may be required:

- Foundations of Psychology

- Foundations in Statistics

- Foundations in Research Methods

Note: This program does not prepare you for state licensure.

$150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)