Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology – Elevation

January 9, 2024

Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology – Elevation

(This program elevation was approved by the CSULB Academic Senate on October 19, 2023, approved by the CSULB President on October, 23, 2023, and the CSU Chancellor’s Office on January 8, 2024)

The Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (MSIO) is a rigorous, 36-unit program designed to prepare students to enhance organizational performance and human well-being in professional settings. Students learn and develop skills through seminars, practicum experience, engagement in research, and development of a professional portfolio or a research thesis.

The MSIO program offers students a choice between two tracks: 1) applied/portfolio and 2) research/thesis. Students must declare their choice of track by the beginning of the second year in the program. While the coursework for the two tracks is largely the same, the tracks are differentiated primarily by the culminating experience. Students planning on a career as a practitioner of Industrial/Organizational psychology are encouraged to choose the applied/portfolio track. In this track, a student will assist a faculty member in a supervised research project and will develop a portfolio of his or her applied projects. Students planning on pursuing a doctorate in Industrial/Organizational psychology may consider the research/thesis track, which requires students to conduct an entire thesis. Steps in thesis development include choosing a research topic, creation of a thesis proposal, data collection and analysis, and writing a discussion of study findings.

• A bachelor’s degree in Psychology from a four-year accredited college or university, or a bachelor’s in another area and the equivalent of four lower division and eight upper division CSULB courses
  • (Please see Non-Psychology Bachelor’s Degree)
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5
• Prerequisite coursework must include the following CSULB courses (or equivalents, to be determined by the Psychology Department at time of application):
  • PSY 220 Research Methods
  • PSY 310 Intermediate Statistics (requires Introductory Statistics)
  • PSY 314 Psychological Assessment*
  • PSY 332 Cognition or PSY 333 Psychology of Learning
  • PSY 351 Social Psychology or PSY 381 Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology or PSY 453/553 Principles of Group Dynamics*
• *PSY 314 & PSY 351 or PSY 381 or PSY 453/553 are prerequisites for first semester MSIO program courses and must be taken prior to MSIO program entry.

Degree Requirements (36 units):

Core (21 units)

• PSY 581 Organizational Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 585 Personnel Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 515 Test Construction (3 units)
• PSY 582 Research in Industrial Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 683 Issues in Organizational Development (3 units)
• PSY 686 Issues in Training (3 units)
• PSY 688 Practicum in Industrial Organizational (3 units)

Applied/Portfolio Track Electives (15 units)

Two (2) of the following advanced statistical courses (must include 511 or 512):

• PSY 511 Statistical Design and Analysis of Experiments (3 units)
• PSY 512 Multivariate Analysis (3 units)
• PSY 513 Social Network Analysis (3 units)
• PSY 523 Qualitative Methods in Psychology (3 units) Two (2) of the following courses:
• PSY 501 History of Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 518 Computer Applications in Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 527 Human Factors (3 units)
• PSY 533 Research Cognition and Learning (3 units)
• PSY 544 Cognitive Neuroscience (3 units)
• PSY 553 Principles of Group Dynamics (3 units)
• PSY 575 Clinical Interviewing (3 units)
• PSY 634 Seminar in Cognition (3 units)
• PSY 651 Seminar in Social Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 656 Seminar in Personality (3 units)
• HRM 445 Compensation Administration (3 units)
• PSY 699 Directed Research and Portfolio (3 units) Research/Thesis Track Electives (15 units)

Two (2) of the following advanced statistical courses (must include 511 or 512):

• PSY 511 Statistical Design and Analysis of Experiments (3 units)
• PSY 512 Multivariate Analysis (3 units)
• PSY 513 Social Network Analysis (3 units)
• PSY 523 Qualitative Methods in Psychology (3 units) One (1) of the following courses:
• PSY 501 History of Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 518 Computer Applications in Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 527 Human Factors (3 units)
• PSY 533 Research Cognition and Learning (3 units)
• PSY 544 Cognitive Neuroscience (3 units)
• PSY 553 Principles of Group Dynamics (3 units)
• PSY 575 Clinical Interviewing (3 units)
• PSY 634 Seminar in Cognition (3 units)
• PSY 651 Seminar in Social Psychology (3 units)
• PSY 656 Seminar in Personality (3 units)
• HRM 445 Compensation Administration (3 units)
• PSY 698 Thesis (6 units)

PSY 699 Directed Research and Portfolio (3 units)

Capstone for the MSIO Applied/Portfolio track. Intensive study of theoretical and/or experimental problems in psychology under the guidance of a faculty member. Portfolio development.