Master of Arts in Psychology: Industrial-Organizational Research

Cleveland State University's Industrial-Organizational Research specialization prepares students to conduct applied research in business and organizational settings. Students acquire a solid foundation in statistics and research methods that can be applied across a wide range of environments.  Students gain a background in contemporary psychological theories and are equipped with the analytic tools necessary for effective problem solving in applied settings, as well as the development of innovative research.  Students learn how to apply psychological and research principles to develop understanding and skill in job analysis, personnel recruitment and selection, performance management, training design, employee motivation, job satisfaction, leadership, teamwork, and organizational climate.

This specialization is designed to be completed in two years and culminates with a thesis or research project. While it is expected that all students will have the opportunity to participate in the solution of actual problems under the guidance of faculty, selected students also have the opportunity for field placements in business settings.

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Department of Psychology
Phone: 216.687.2544
psychology@csuohio.edu

Admission Requirements

  • Application Form
  • Application Fee
  • Undergraduate Transcripts
  • Two Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE Test Scores for General Aptitude Test
  • Personal Statement
    • Write a brief sketch describing your main areas of interest and relevant experience related to Industrial-Organizational research. What are your career objectives, and how do you believe that the CSU program will help you attain them?

*Admission to the program is based on a combination of a candidate’s undergraduate GPA and the GRE score.  

-International students are required to have met at least one of the following English language proficiency requirements:

  • TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based): 78 & at least 17 in each section
  • TOEFL PBT (Paper-Based): 550
  • IELTS: 6.0 and at least 5.0 in each section
  • PTE (Pearson’s Test of English): 50
  • iTEP: 3.8

Admission Deadlines

All applications must be submitted and complete on the following application deadline dates:

  • Domestic Students
    • Rolling
  • International Students
    • Fall Semester – February 10th

 

Program Requirements

  • PSY 518 Personnel Psychology 
  • PSY 522 Organizational Psychology 
  • PSY 631 Job Analysis and Performance Management 
  • PSY 593 Advanced Organizational Psychology 
  • PSY 525 Social Psychology 
  • PSY 511 Univariate Statistics 
  • PSY 512 Research Methodology 
  • PSY 611 Advanced Data Analysis 
  • PSY 699 Research and Thesis or
  • PSY 596 Special Problems in Psychology
  • A committee consisting of graduate faculty must review and approve a student's thesis proposal or research project (for non-thesis students) before he or she can sign up for thesis credits or special problems. 

9 credit hours are required:

  • PSY 590 Industrial-Organizational Psychology Internship
  • PSY 573 Group Dynamics
  • PSY 593 Special Topics in Psychology: Seminars in Organizational Psychology
  • COM 533 Content Analysis Research Materials
  • COM 540 Persuasive Communication and Campaigns
  • MLR 640 Performance Appraisal, Compensation, and Benefits 
  • MKT 501 Marketing Theory and Practice

Other courses in Marketing, Operations Management and Business Statistics, Management and Labor Relations, Communication, and Psychology are possible for elective credit, subject to approval by the IOR Faculty Committee.

Did You Know?

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists have a mean annual wage of $109,030. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

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Career Outcomes

  • Potential employment opportunities are plentiful. Many graduates obtain full-time employment in settings where they completed internships or applied research projects.
  • Graduates are prepared for careers in human resources or organizational behavior, working on topics such as personnel selection, job analysis, job attitude measurement, and training design.  Graduates also are prepared to conduct program evaluation and assessment in public agencies.
  • The following is a sample of the types of organizations employing graduates of the Industrial-Organizational Research program: marketing research consulting firms., hospitals and healthcare organizations, banks and financial institutions, personnel selection consulting firms, advertising agencies, real estate firms, industrial manufacturers.
  • These are some of the local companies that are hiring CSU grads: Aldrige Group, Cleveland Clinic, L&E Research, and Cleveland Research Company.