Learn the application of psychological science to enhance the performance and well-being of people in organizations.

Think about all the ways you can improve the workplace. Based on your observations, you know that effective communication can drive collaboration and that data has the potential to refine hiring efforts and better define performance metrics. At the same time, organizational culture remains in a continuous state of upheaval, whether for embracing technological progress or motivating teams. Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists are integral to this process, including in human resources, training and development or as an organizational behavior consultant.

Missouri University of Science and Technology’s (Missouri S&T) online master of science in industrial-organizational psychology gives you this edge. For those looking to apply their psychology knowledge or individuals interested in transforming workplace culture, recruitment, training and performance management through social science, this program examines the interplay between human behavior and the work environment through research, statistics, data analysis and psychological theories. You’ll understand how psychological principles can encourage workers to meet key objectives and create a more welcoming, supportive culture for all.

Missouri S&T's master of science in industrial-organizational psychology was ranked a best online psychology master's degree by Forbes Advisor.

Why earn a master’s degree in I-O psychology?

I-O psychology is both a rapidly rising career path and psychology subfield for one prominent reason. Organizations strive to make more innovative decisions, remain more competitive, attract the right talent and shape attitudes to meet specific benchmarks. Resources, on the other hand, are limited, leaving minimal room for experimentation.

I-O psychologists ultimately architect a smarter, more streamlined workplace from the top down and across multiple departments and divisions. Their involvement helps establish and track more targeted measurements, make science-backed decisions and create more engaged, inclusive teams. Focused on technology-centered workplaces, Missouri S&T’s online master’s in industrial-organizational psychology trains you to tackle these challenges and direct these initiatives:

• • Learn to more effectively manage human resources, hiring, training and retention efforts in a STEM organization.
  • Understand the role of human factors in attracting, motivating, training and retaining employees and implementing technology in the workplace.
  • See how research and the scientific method can influence organizational decision-making, from who to hire to adapting workflows to developing a long-term growth strategy. 
  • Translate your psychology knowledge to optimize an organization’s performance, from management, hiring and engagement to changing company culture.
  • Get a stronger grasp on the intersection between humans, the workplace and their communities and how these relationships can shape management, hiring, training and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies. 
  • Prepare to help organizations address high turnover, conflicts, safety concerns, culture and stagnant or declining productivity. 

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• Undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.0
• GRE V+Q ≥ 300
• International requirement: TOEFL ≥ 88,  or IELTS ≥ 6.5, or satisfactory completion of an approved English language Institute program.

This program is 100% online: no campus visits required.

Courses are semester-based. Students typically take one or two classes per semester and finish the program in one year.

Courses are offered asynchronously, meaning they do not have regular meetings. They may consist of various media and content — such as online discussions, videos, quizzes and recordings — that students review and complete at the time of their choice.

Missouri S&T’s online master’s in industrial-organizational psychology involves 37 credit hours over three course segments: a core (21 credit hours), methods courses (10 credit hours) and six credit hours for a thesis or electives.

Students choose from thesis and non-thesis tracks. Developing a thesis is ideal if you see yourself in a research-heavy career or eventually applying to a doctoral program. Individuals starting in a graduate certificate program will be enrolled in the non-thesis track.

Students build their program course work in consultation with their advisor. The flowing are the courses offered in the program. Courses are 3 credit hours each, unless stated otherwise. The University reserves the right to change or cancel courses as needed. Refer to the S&T Grad Catalog to explore course descriptions.

PSYCH 5020 Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology

PSYCH 5601 Small Group Dynamics

PSYCH 5700 Job Analysis and Performance Management

PSYCH 6610 Leadership, Motivation, and Culture

PSYCH 6702 Personnel Selection

PSYCH 6602 Organizational Development & Employee Perspectives

PSYCH 6700 Training and Development

PSYCH 5201 Psychometrics

PSYCH 5210 Advanced Research Methods

PSYCH 5012 Ethics and Professional Responsibilities

PSYCH 5202 Applied Psychological Data Analysis

PSYCH 5710 Advanced Human Factors

PSYCH 5600 Advanced Social Psychology

PSYCH 5740 Occupational Health and Safety

PSYCH 5001 Special Topics

Students completing a thesis would need to complete the following in place of electives:
PSYCH 6099 Research