Advance your career and contribute to the success of your organization as you deepen your understanding of employee behavior and attitudes and discover techniques for improving individual and organizational performance with a master’s in industrial and organizational psychology.
As one of the first master’s degree programs in industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology offered online, our MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program is designed to meet the growing demand for I-O practitioners within corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and other types of organizations.*
In this online I/O psychology master’s program, you can prepare to address the challenges of the 21st-century workplace and serve as a catalyst for change and improvement in business, industry, labor, public, academic, community, and health-related organizations. Explore the latest theories and research in I/O psychology and gain the skills to select the best people for specific job roles while understanding how individual behavior affects an organization overall.
Throughout your online I/O psychology master’s program, you will examine topics including assessment, selection, performance management, motivation, work attitudes, leadership, and organizational behavior and development so you can create work environments that maximize effectiveness and increase productivity. Depending upon your goals and schedule, you may also choose to participate in hands-on learning experiences in two optional blended courses featuring an in-person component that allows for role-playing, teamwork, observed integration, and real-time feedback and coaching.
Accelerate your educational path by applying up to 40 credits toward Walden’s PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program.†
Walden’s master’s in industrial and organizational psychology is offered with courses in both a fully online and a blended format.
When you select the blended course option, you may take up to two core courses that combine both online and in-person learning experiences. These courses provide:
Graduates of this master’s in I/O psychology program will be prepared to:
Designed to reflect the professional guidelines set forth by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology is offered in both a fully online and blended course format. Learn more about the blended course option.
Note on Licensure
The MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology professional.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics, industrial and organizational psychology is projected to grow 19 percent will be the single fastest-growing occupation between 2014 and 2024.*
As a graduate of Walden’s MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program, your career options may include:†
This distance learning course in Organizational Psychology focuses on the social and psychological processes operating in organizations. Drawing on current and classic theory and research, the course enables you to understand organizations and develop ways of improving them.
Redeveloped in 2014, the course features a range of new modules including 'Understanding organizations and change', 'Employee relations and motivation', and 'Leadership and performance management'. Your study experience is enriched through online seminars and discussions and a personal tutor.
On your home computer, you can watch the same lectures as those given 'live' to postgraduate students studying on campus at the University of London, accompanied by PowerPoint slides. You are also supported by:
- tutor-led online seminars for each module.
- a personal tutor who provides general guidance throughout your studies.
- extensive, purpose-written study materials.
- an online facility for submitting essays and mock exams to your tutor.
- access to world-class online library facilities.
- optional face-to-face seminar and exam revision session in London (held in February/September respectively).
The programme is developed by academics within the Department of Organizational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London. The department is the oldest and largest of its kind in the UK and makes a major contribution to research in the field of behaviour at work. It is a major provider of academic and professional training in organizational psychology (also known as occupational psychology) and career management.
Graduates of this course go on to become trainers, motivators, careers advisers, managers and consultants within large multinational companies, government departments, or in any organization where advanced knowledge of organizational psychology may be useful.
Singapore-based Organizational Psychology graduate Janet Wong said: "The course not only covered relevant and practical modules that I'm passionate about which I can apply in my job, but also provided me with the ease of studying almost anywhere in the world."
Provided you complete the Masters or Postgraduate Diploma within five years, you can study at your own pace. As a guide, if you wish to complete in the minimum study period, you should be prepared to study 20 hours per week during the academic session. Academic sessions run from September until July in 2014-2015.
If you have any questions, please contact our Student Advice Centre.
This professionally-recognised course will provide you with the skills and commercial awareness to apply psychological principles to the challenges faced by organisations.
You’ll build your knowledge of the psychological science base while gaining an appreciation of business management, learning from expert practitioners within organizational psychology.
You’ll examine individual, group and organisational effectiveness by exploring issues such as selection and assessment, and consider the latest topics including managing innovation, change management and designing complex socio-technical systems.
The course has a practical focus and thanks to our connections with firms such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Marks and Spencer, you’ll test your professional skills in real business scenarios. During the course you’ll have the opportunity to gain certification in Occupational Test User: Ability and Personality at no additional cost, which is a valuable tool for selection and development.
This masters is an ideal qualification if you want to work as a practitioner organizational psychologist or academic researcher.
Academic excellence
You’ll learn from an influential group of organizational psychologists, introducing you to the latest thinking from our research centres, the Socio-Technical Centre (STC) and the Workplace Behaviour Research Centre. They undertake research at the cutting edge of organizational psychology and behaviour. The centres combine expertise in psychology, management, engineering, environmental science and geography to form a thriving research community.
Students also benefit from our strong corporate connections, as well as links with several leading organizational psychology consulting firms. Recent project partners have included Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Arup, the National Health Service, Network Rail and Marks and Spencer.
The course covers the full range of topics required for professional recognition by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. To read more about the benefits of undertaking an accredited programme, please see the BPS website.
Graduation from this course fulfils stage one of the requirements for Chartered Membership of BPS and full membership of the Division of Occupational Psychology. Please see the BPS website for details.
In each semester you’ll study a range of modules that develop your knowledge of key aspects of organizational psychology.
You’ll be introduced to the individual, team and organisational factors that affect workplace behaviours such as decision-making and teamwork. You’ll explore the selection and training methods use by organisations to recruit, develop and retain talent and the design of complex human-technical systems.
From there you’ll study contemporary business priorities such as organisational development and change, as well as approaches to career development and performance management. A further module will put you in real-life business situations to help you develop your commercial awareness and professional skills.
Throughout the year you’ll develop your understanding of research design and analysis in psychology and social sciences, especially behavioural research. This will develop your skills to prepare you for your dissertation – the independent research project on your choice of topic that you’ll submit by the end of the year. Read about a recent student dissertation project with Bentley.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take nine compulsory modules including your dissertation.
For more information on typical modules, read Organizational Psychology MSc Full Time in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials.
Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including exams, group projects, written assignments and essays, in-course assessment, group and individual presentations and reports.
As a graduate of this course you will be business savvy, with a broad appreciation of the financial, strategic and operational workings of contemporary organisations. Our graduates are strongly positioned to enter careers in the public or private sectors, equally adept as dedicated consulting organizational psychologists or human resource specialists.
Recent graduates have gone on to pursue successful careers in a range of organisations and consultancies around the world, including Google, Kiddy and Partners, Capp, and Human Factors International. Roles include Consulting Psychologist, Operations Analyst, Trainee Occupational Psychologist, Management Consultant, Recruitment Consultant and Crowd Management Consultant.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support as part of the course. You benefit from our professional development tutor, who will help you to develop the important professional skills that employers value. This means you will develop the academic skills to successfully progress through the course, and also the professional skills you will need to start a successful career.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Offered for full-time accelerated network (distance) learning, this highly respected Master's degree will develop your understanding of people and organizations and knowledge of occupational psychology and organizational behaviour. Network learning at Birkbeck differs from traditional distance learning, as it includes attendance at termly weekend workshops and tutor-facilitated computer conferencing, in addition to online materials.
Teaching on the course is informed by cutting-edge research in the field and you will be encouraged to engage in critical thinking and to reflect on theory and practice. You will also acquire applied research skills in preparation for an independent research project on a subject that interests you.
You will be taught by leading academics and practitioners who have a wealth of experience in supporting and encouraging students who are studying via distance learning. Ours is a friendly, welcoming community of learners who are keen to work hard, share their professional experience with classmates and network and make contacts.
Celebrating our 55th anniversary in 2017, Birkbeck's Department of Organizational Psychology was the first department of occupational psychology in the UK. We continue to play a distinctive role in British occupational psychology - and, increasingly, within organizational behaviour. We have been delivering programmes by network learning for nearly 30 years and we are established experts in using digital technologies to create and maintain an engaged and supportive learning environment for our students.
This course is also available for full-time and part-time evening study and part-time network learning over two years.
You complete eight taught modules.
You will also complete an independent applied research project, with support from one of our academics.
Network learning combines online distance-learning with face-to-face weekend workshops. You will contribute to online, tutor-supported discussion groups and attend weekend workshops, involving both lectures and group exercises.
Non-residential weekend workshops will be held at Birkbeck in Central London.
Essays or reports, written examinations and an independent applied research project (10,000 words), submitted at the end of the year.
Offered for both face-to-face evening study at Birkbeck and via network (distance) learning, this highly respected Master's degree will develop your understanding of people and organizations within the context of both occupational psychology and organizational behaviour. Network learning at Birkbeck differs from traditional distance learning, as it includes attendance at termly weekend workshops and tutor-facilitated computer conferencing, in addition to online materials.
Teaching on the course is informed by cutting-edge research in the field and you will be encouraged to engage in critical thinking and to reflect on theory and practice. You will also acquire applied research skills in preparation for an independent research project on a subject that interests you.
You will be taught by leading academics and practitioners who have a wealth of experience in supporting and encouraging students who are studying in the evening and via distance learning. Ours is a friendly, welcoming community of learners who are keen to work hard, share their professional experience with classmates and network and make contacts.
Celebrating our 55th anniversary in 2017, Birkbeck's Department of Organizational Psychology was the first department of occupational psychology in the UK. We continue to play a distinctive role in British occupational psychology - and, increasingly, within organizationalbehaviour. We have been delivering programmes by network learning for nearly 30 years and we are established experts in using digital technologies to create and maintain an engaged and supportive learning environment for our students.
This course is also available for full-time accelerated network learning over one year.
You complete eight taught modules.
You will also complete an independent applied research project, with support from one of our academics.
Lectures and group work.
You will also study via network learning which combines online distance learning with face-to-face weekend workshops. You will contribute to online, tutor-supported discussion groups and attend weekend workshops, involving both lectures and group exercises.
Essays or reports; written examinations each year; and an independent applied research project (10,000 words), normally submitted at the end of the final year. Full-time students complete the same number of assessments in one year.
A Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in I-O psychology is suitable for those seeking to develop the applied skills necessary for basic consulting projects in business and government. Graduates of the master’s program typically find jobs involving analysis of jobs and people as a basis for improving the fit between them. The faculty of psychology offers a broad array of courses, including but not limited to personnel selection, training, leadership, work motivation, work groups and teams, and several methods topics, including psychological measurement, research design, and statistics.
Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Students who complete the M.A. program will have (1) the ability to apply theory and methods to help organizations solve people-related problems, (2) knowledge of the aims, practices, and strategies of organizations, workgroups, and individual workers to achieve fit, (3) knowledge of methods suited to testing the qualities of specific HR-related practices and interventions serving organizational aims, (4) the ability to communicate with technical proficiency in terms understandable by lay professionals, and (5) standards of academic, research, and business professionalism.
The M.A. degree requires completion of 37 credit hours. Coursework meeting these requirements is designated by the Program Director. A thesis option is available but not required. Interested students are encouraged to participate in research projects under faculty supervision. Students must also complete a 200-hour internship (one credit hour), and pass a comprehensive exam consisting of written, quantitative, and oral components, covering all major aspects of I-O psychology as an applied discipline.
Earn your master’s in psychology online through one of the most affordable MS in Psychology programs available online.
Prepare to apply the latest psychological research and theory to real-world problems whether you choose to work in a community agency, in a healthcare setting, or within the educational or social services systems. Walden’s master’s degree in psychology prepares you to pursue exciting new opportunities in the field.
Walden’s Master of Science in Psychology online degree program offers 11 specializations so you can focus your learning on your interests and goals. Gain the knowledge and develop the skills you need to seek career advancement, help others, or prepare for doctoral-level studies. Open to students of all undergraduate backgrounds, this program provides a solid foundation in basic scientific methods and psychological principles. Our redesigned online master’s in psychology program now offers enriched content and streamlined coursework. Five of the specializations even allow you to accelerate your path to a PhD by applying credits earned from your master’s program.
As a student in the MS in Psychology online master’s degree program, you can learn to:
Graduates of our MS in Psychology online degree program will be prepared to:
Would you like to save time and money when you earn your PhD in Psychology? You can. If you enroll in one of the specializations listed below, you can apply credits from the MS in Psychology program toward a doctorate in psychology from Walden.
Credits you earn from all of the courses (with the exception of PSYC 6001) may be applied toward Walden’s PhD in Psychology degree program. The specialization you choose for your master’s program will determine which doctoral specialization will offer you the most transfer credits.
MS in Psychology Specialization
PhD in Psychology Specialization
Find detailed information for this program, including possible occupations, completion rate, program costs, and median student loan debt.
Note on Licensure:
The MS in Psychology is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology or counseling professional.
Walden's MS in Psychology program offers a variety of specializations to help you meet your personal and professional goals.
The MS in Psychology program can prepare you to effectively analyze psychological research and theory to directly apply your knowledge to real-world situations. Through critical and independent analysis, you can gain an understanding of how to apply scientific methods and principles of psychology in a variety of roles and settings.
As a graduate of Walden’s MS in Psychology program, your career options may include a role as a:
Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.
Possible career settings include:
The MSc in Occupational and Organizational Psychology is designed to develop the next generation of evidence-based leaders and practitioners who can make tangible contributions to the rapidly changing world of work.
Our programme covers the standards of the BPS for Occupational Psychology, and prominently reflects the core strengths and interests of the course team including:
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The MSc in Occupational and Organizational Psychology is designed to develop the next generation of evidence-based leaders and practitioners in the field of work and organisational psychology. Students learn about the foundation knowledge, research and theory in the field, alongside practical, technical and professional content designed to permit development as future practitioners.
The programme is intentionally delivered in an interdisciplinary environment, from faculty who are Work, Organizational and Occupational Psychologists, Human Resource Specialists, and world-leading experts in Organizational Behaviour.
Learning and development is facilitated through innovative, high-quality teaching incorporating (for example) case studies, team-working, skills development, guest speakers, and an applied research project, alongside class lectures and academic assignments and assessment.
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
Critical, evidence based and theoretical understanding of the core knowledge areas of occupational and organizational psychology:
Intellectual / cognitive skills
Professional practical skills
Key / transferable skills
A range of generic skills relevant to practice of occupational and organisational psychology. These include effective oral and written communication, team working, planning and organizing, problem-solving, critical reasoning, data gathering and analysis (qualitative and quantitative), and use of specialist IT (e.g. SPSS).
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
Learn more about opportunities that might be available for this particular programme by using our student exchanges search tool.
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