About the M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology)
The M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology) will immerse you in the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the workplace. You’ll learn how to utilize psychology to solve workplace issues and maximize productivity and employee satisfaction.
The M.S. in I/O Psychology prepares you to succeed in a variety of areas, including business, industry, labor, public (including non-profit), academic, community and health organizations. The program draws on expertise and subject matter from NLU’s School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the School of Business and Management. Coursework from the M.A. in Psychology and M.S. in Human Resource Management and Development is incorporated into the curriculum.
Program Highlights
Online Classes
Fit your degree around your busy schedule with our 100% online format that adheres to the Quality Matters standards. Earn your degree on your time--in only 20 months.
Professional Focus
Prepare yourself for the job market with a curriculum that’s aligned to meet both the current needs of employers and the Guidelines for Education published by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. After graduation, you’ll join a professional community of psychology graduates, which will offer enhanced opportunities for ongoing career development.
Learning Community
Enjoy small class sizes and a cohort of peers that will follow you throughout the program, helping you engage with class material and build connections that will last beyond graduation.
Expert Faculty
Learn from faculty who are active researchers and practitioners in the field. Their real-world expertise shapes their courses and prepares you to hit the ground running after graduation.
Financial Advantages
NLU's Accelerated MHA program offers you a graduate degree in 12 months for $16,500. Get ahead in your career without breaking your bank.
What You Will Learn
Human Resources
Employee performance analysis and management; Reward systems; Selecting a performance measurement approach; Employee goal-setting and development; Talent Acquisition; Drafting job descriptions; Forecasting staffing needs; Sourcing, recruitment, and applicant tracking.
Organizational and Leadership Theories
Trait, behavior, and contingency theories; Leader-member exchange theory; Implicit, transactional, and transformational leadership; Aligning activities with an organization’s mission and vision; Systems theory; Organization development consultation process; Intervention strategies for leading change.
Research Design
Psychology research design and methods; Interpreting published research; Qualitative and quantitative research design; Ethical issues in research; Designing an experimental research project; Writing a research proposal.
Statistics and Analysis
Interpreting data; Using software for quantitative statistical analysis; Principles of qualitative research; Application of statistical concepts to psychology; Selecting and conducting appropriate analyses.
Workplace Psychology
Theories of motivation; Work design and job crafting; Job attitudes and satisfaction; Organizational commitment; Individual differences and its effect on workplace performance; Personality, cognitive ability, and creativity; Measurement of employee differences and job success.
Career Outlook
With an M.S. in I/O Psychology, you can expect to enter a growing job market with well-paid positions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for professionals with a background in I/O Psychology is expected to grow 18 percent nationally from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.*
As corporations continue to recognize that their most valuable assets are their employees and they will be willing to invest in more psychologists to ensure that their employees are motivated, productive and satisfied with their work. This is part of the reason why the pay for I/O psychologists is strong, with the median salary being $92,880 in 2019.**
An M.S. in I/O Psychology will also set you up for these fast-growing careers:
- HR Manager
- Business Development Consultant
- Executive Coach
- Management Consultant
- Strategy Development Professional
- Staffing and Recruiting Manager
- Behavioral Analyst
- Policy Officer
*https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/industrial-psychologist
**https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193032.htm
