M.A., Liberal Studies in Industrial Organizational Psychology

Concentration Overview

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The online Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Liberal Studies program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology prepares students with the skills and knowledge required to manage and resolve complex workplace situations and conflicts and facilitate organizational change to improve working conditions.

Industrial and organizational psychology is the study of human behavior in the workplace. This field emphasizes the application of psychological theories, principles, and research to situations that are encountered within organizations.

The need for advanced training in industrial and organizational psychology is driven by the increasing competition that is evolving as markets become more global, by the state of the current economy, and by the changing composition of the workforce.

Students who complete the program will learn to create and manage work environments that lead to satisfied, motivated, productive, and fulfilled employees and how to foster positive change that increases an organization’s competitive edge.

Credit Distribution

I. Core Course Sequence (18 Credits)

LAP-5000	Liberal Arts and Professional Life	3
SAM-5010	Sense of Community I: Art and Morality	3
SAM-5020	Sense of Community II: Faith and Reason	3
CCR-6100	Change, Conflict, and Resolution	3
SIC-5200	The Species, the Individual, and Community	3
THC-6250	Technology and the Human Community: Challenges and Responses	3

II. Concentration (12 Credits)

IOP-5100	Industrial and Organizational Psychology	3
IOP-6100	Psychological Factors in Selecting and Growing Organizational Talent	3
IOP-6200	Unearthing and Enhancing Organizational Talent through Psychology	3
IOP-7100	The Psychology of Leadership, Motivation, and Teamwork	3

III. Capstone (6 Credits)

MLS-7000	Capstone I	3
MLS-7100	Capstone II	3

Total Credit Hours: 36

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the concentration in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, students will be able to:

apply psychological theories and research to solve organizational problems;
design job-specific recruitment, selection, placement and appraisal processes;
design training and development programs to increase globalization in the workplace; and
incorporate psychological theories of leadership, teamwork, and motivation to evaluate plans to increase satisfaction and productivity in the workplace.