M.S. in Psychology: Industrial & Organizational Psychology

$139,280
Median annual wage for industrial-organizational psychologists, as of May 2022.1

Psychology Master’s Program With IO Psychology Emphasis at GCU

The success of any organization is reliant upon the knowledge and skills of its employees. To further the long-term objectives of the company, it’s essential that employees have a blend of soft skills. These should include conflict resolution, communication and interpersonal management skills. With their advanced knowledge of human behavior and motivations, IO psychologists can improve organizational efficiency and operations.

The Master of Science in Psychology with an Emphasis in Industrial and Organizational Psychology degree program at Grand Canyon University (GCU) is preparing the next generation of IO psychology specialists. The curriculum is aligned with the standards and recommendations of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Benefits of Earning Your Master’s in Psychology With IO Psychology Emphasis

Offered by GCU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, this psychology master’s degree with IO psychology emphasis provides students with a thorough grounding in scientific principles, research methods and consulting techniques. Throughout this emphasis program, you will be taught to produce usable data and apply their findings to enhance the workplace environment and optimize productivity and efficiency.

Earn an Online Master’s in Psychology With IO Psychology Emphasis

Influence Effective Workplace Behavior With a Master of Science in Psychology With Industrial Organizational Psychology Emphasis

Learn Advanced Scientific Principles of Human Behavior in the Master’s in Psychology With IO Psychology Emphasis

All students in the psychology master’s program with an IO psychology emphasis are required to complete the Professional Capstone. During this course, you will develop original research ideas and explore occupational opportunities within the industrial and organizational psychology specialization.

Careers for Graduates With a Psychology Master's Degree With IO Psychology Emphasis

Graduates of the Master of Science in Psychology with Industrial Organizational Psychology emphasis acquire knowledge that is needed in:

    Private corporations
    
    Government agencies
    
    Universities
    
    Research facilities

IO psychology professionals are also valuable to those who recognize the importance of effective management systems and interpersonal skills for long-term profitability. Other employers who may utilize the expertise of an IO psychologist include:

    Community organizations
    
    Healthcare providers
    
    Nonprofit entities

Industrial Organizational Psychology Job Description

Some of the common responsibilities of an IO psychologist may include:

    Identifying employee training and development needs
    
    Designing and implementing training programs, and evaluating program effectiveness
    
    Providing coaching and mentoring to employees
    
    Consulting on the optimization of work-life balance and quality of work life
    
    Conducting leadership training for management personnel

Some graduates may choose to pursue additional certifications to teach or work as consultants. Pursuing a doctoral degree is another way to enhance your career qualifications in the industrial organizational psychology field.

1 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Industrial-Organizational Psychologists as of May 2021, retrieved on Feb. 9, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as industrial-organizational psychologists. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, and accept employment from, determines salary not only based on education, but also individual characteristics and skills and fit to that organization (among other categories) against a pool of candidates.

2 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Psychologists, retrieved on Feb. 9, 2023.