Access to higher education in Idaho has never been better. The state’s public and private universities have campuses from border to border. Better still, these institutions have robust online campuses that allow you to get your education from your couch!
In years past, getting an online degree from an Idaho school meant fairly limited options. Today, though, you can complete undergraduate or graduate studies (or both!) without stepping foot on campus. And with in-state and out-of-state options for finishing your degree, you truly have the power to choose the exact program that works best for your needs and future goals.
We’ve compiled a list of popular IO psychology options worth your consideration. Each program is described in detail below so you can make an informed decision about your future.
Industrial Organizational Psychology Programs in Idaho
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering industrial organizational psychology programs in Idaho:
- University of Idaho
- Idaho State University
- Southern New Hampshire University
- Grand Canyon University
- Walden University
- Purdue Global
- National University
- Touro University Worldwide
University of Idaho
Bachelor of Science in Organizational Sciences
The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Sciences program at the University of Idaho is a unique option for getting training in IO psychology. It’s an interdisciplinary program with studies in areas such as IO psychology, business, educational leadership, and public administration, to name a few. In particular, you’ll learn how to be an effective leader, and, perhaps more importantly, how to help others become effective leaders, too.
The skills you gain in this program are applicable in a wide range of areas. For example, you might work for non-profit organizations, government entities, or private boards. Likewise, you could use your education to provide consulting services to any number and type of for-profit businesses. Whatever path you choose, you’ll have the know-how to improve human relations, communication, productivity, and many other factors of the organizations with which you work.
The curriculum for this program is divided into numerous categories of coursework. First on your to-do list is the general education coursework that’s required of all undergraduate students. At the University of Idaho, this means taking classes in the following broad fields:
- English Composition
- Math
- Natural Sciences
- Humanities
- Communications
- Social Sciences
The specific courses you take to fulfill these requirements largely depend on you. For example, you’re required to take Writing and Rhetoric I & II. But you can choose other English classes–like American literature or professional writing–to fulfill the remaining English requirements. As another example, you will take Oral Communication and Intercultural Communication, but additional classes in that field are up to you. So, perhaps you take a public speaking class to brush up your skills in talking in front of large groups.
The required courses for this degree begin with Introduction to Organizational Sciences. The purpose of this one-credit class is to ensure you understand the basic tenets of organizational science and that you have the appropriate college-level skills to successfully study this field.
Then, you’ll take either Budgeting for Small Organizations or Introduction to Financial Accounting. Though financial education might seem unrelated to IO psychology, having a solid grasp of how businesses and organizations function from a financial standpoint can be informative for your work with management, executives, and employees.
You also have a choice regarding leadership coursework. You can take Leading Organizations and People or Workplace Motivation and Soft Skills. In either case, you’ll learn how to lead and motivate others to be more productive and efficient, and work as a team toward common goals.
There is one more course requirement for this degree. You are required to choose one of the following classes:
- Methods and Analysis in Organizational Science
- Communication Research Methods
- Introduction to Research in the Behavioral Sciences
No matter which of the three courses you choose, you’ll get an education in conducting research, analyzing data, and making informed decisions about your research.
A significant part of this degree is the 27-credit sequence of major-area electives. The university offers a laundry list of options, giving you the ultimate flexibility in tailoring your degree to your needs and career interests. For example, let’s say you’re especially interested in conflict in the workplace. As such, you might prioritize taking classes like Persuasion, Conflict Management, and Crisis Communication.
As another example, you might prefer to focus on the financial aspects of business. Coursework in Financial Literacy and Non-Profit Fundraising are available to fit that need. Of course, with nine elective classes required, you can mix and match the subject matter to align with your goals.
The final aspect of the coursework is a Capstone Project in Organizational Sciences. You’re required to complete this project with an outside organization, such as a non-profit or a government agency. The project can be either service-based or research-based, and you must provide either a written paper or an oral presentation to share your findings at the completion of the semester.
You must meet the following criteria to apply as a first-year student:
- Complete the application for admission linked above.
- Pay a $50 application fee.
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.
Typically, you must have a 2.6 GPA or higher to apply, though there are some exceptions. You might earn provisional admission with a GPA of 2.3-2.59.
Idaho State University
Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The undergraduate program in psychology at Idaho State is available as either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. This programs offers enough flexibility in the general elective and major elective coursework that you can customize your degree to align with IO psychology.
First and foremost, you must complete at least 37 credits of general education requirements for this degree. As outlined earlier, general education requirements explore broad topics in core academic areas, like natural sciences, social sciences, and math. You’re also required to take courses in the arts, humanities, and communications.
This degree also requires you to complete 34 credits of free electives. The courses you take to fulfill this requirement can be from any undergraduate field. Since you’re interested in IO psychology, it would be helpful if you focused your electives on business-related topics. For example, you might take classes like:
- Organizational Development
- Organizational Leadership
- Organizational Management
- Human Resource Management
- Business Management
Additionally, you could take classes focusing more on psychology-related topics. A class in career counseling, for example, could prove beneficial for your development as a future IO psychologist.
A total of 35 major requirements are needed to graduate. These classes focus specifically on psychology. More specifically, your coursework in this part of the curriculum introduces you to a broad spectrum of psychology applications.
For example, you’ll take Introduction to Psychology, which provides context to the study of human behavior. You’ll learn about essential psychological theories and approaches, the history of psychology, and seminal research in this field as well.
As another example, you’ll take Careers in Psychology, which exposes you to some of the most common career pathways for psychology graduates. You’ll learn about the application of psychology in the workplace, clinical settings, and schools, to name a few.
The basic coursework for this degree also includes studies in research and statistics. In fact, you’ll take three classes relating to this theme: Statistical Reasoning, Psychology Research Methods, and either Basic Statistics or Social Statistics. The skills you learn in these classes ensure you can carry out basic research, analyze the information you collect, and act on the results of your findings as necessary.
Your studies continue with select classes in two core areas. The first core area offers the following course options, of which you must take two:
- Child Development
- Psychopathology
- Social Psychology
- Theories of Personality
For IO psychology purposes, the Social Psychology and Theories of Personality classes are likely the most pertinent. On the one hand, workplaces are social settings, so developing an understanding of how individual behavior is influenced by social factors is highly important. On the other hand, knowing essential theories of personality development can help you work with people of all different types and backgrounds while also enabling you to predict people’s behavior based on their personality traits.
The second core area offers five possible courses, of which you must take two:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Learning and Behavior
- Cognitive Processes
- History of Psychology
Again, some of these courses are more useful for IO psychology than others. Learning and Behavior, for example, would be an informative course for IO purposes because you learn how other people learn, how to teach others, and principles of behavior modification, like operant and classical conditioning. The Cognitive Process course is also a good option with IO psychology ties because you study attention, information processing, and problem-solving, each of which can be hugely important in the functioning of workers in a business or organizational setting.
Lastly, you’ll choose five psychology elective classes to earn the final 15 credits needed to graduate. Again, you can pick and choose classes to fulfill this requirement that align most closely with your goal to become an IO psychologist.
The following criteria must be met to apply as a first-year student:
- Complete the undergraduate application for admission linked above.
- Pay a $50 application fee.
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.
- Provide official SAT or ACT scores. Your test scores are not used for admissions decisions but are necessary for scholarship applications.
Touro University Worldwide
Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
The online Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Touro University Worldwide as a viable option.
This program requires 36 credits to graduate. Each class is just eight weeks long; you take fewer classes at once, yet work through each class more quickly. The result of this unique schedule is that you can complete this degree in less than two years. In fact, some students complete the degree in just one year! Moreover, you can transfer up to nine graduate credits; doing so reduces the time needed to graduate by a full semester.
The core requirements of this degree include 27 credits of advanced studies in IO psychology. For example, you’re required to take Organizational Theory and Behavior, which examines the processes of individual and group development and how those forces affect the development of organizations. Within that context, you’ll explore topics like motivation, work attitudes, and organizational structure, among others.
Another important foundational course is Facilitating Organizational Change. IO psychologists often serve as change agents; this class teaches you how to do so. As such, you’ll learn about the methods and tools available to you to help improve an organization’s functioning, stimulate innovation, and manage organizational-level changes.
A related course is Strengthening Leadership and Management. Again, as an IO psychologist, you’ll be charged with enhancing the abilities of all employees, including those in leadership and management positions. As such, learning how to be an effective leader, how to manage large groups of employees, and how to make positive changes to managerial processes is essential to your success.
Additional coursework is required in research psychology. For example, the Research Methodology course takes a look at conducting IO psychology research. In particular, you’ll learn how to improve the functionality of organizations by designing and implementing research projects, analyzing data, and making informed recommendations based on your findings. The required Statistical Methods course helps you develop additional skills for evaluating the data you collect.
Other required core courses include the following:
- Developing High-Performance Teamwork
- Performance Assessment and Program Evaluation
- Improving Customer Relations
The final required course is a three-credit capstone in which you undertake an applied project in IO psychology that demonstrates your competency in basic areas of this field.
The remaining nine credits needed to graduate come in the form of a concentration. Idaho State offers you four options: Coaching and Consulting, Human Resource Management, Occupational Health Psychology, or no concentration. Choosing the no-concentration option requires you to take nine elective credits.
Let’s assume you choose the Human Resource Management track. Doing so requires you to complete classes like Human Resource Fundamentals, Training and Development, and Developing a Competency Culture. In each case, you’ll acquire valuable skills that enable you to move an organization in a positive direction by focusing on the needs and strengths of its employees.
Before applying, ensure you meet the following requirements:
- Complete the application for admission linked above.
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
Southern New Hampshire University
Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
As one of the largest online universities in the nation, Southern New Hampshire University is a popular choice for Idaho residents who wish to get an education in this field. Its online Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology is a 12-course program that you can complete in about two years of full-time studies.
Each class in the curriculum is ten weeks long, meaning your studies are accelerated (traditionally, courses are about 14 weeks long). However, the pace isn’t as break-neck as other programs–some graduate programs have classes as short as 5-8 weeks.
During your time in this program, you’ll explore foundational topics in IO psychology as well as some specialized areas of this type of practice. For example, you’ll study training and development strategies, leadership principles, and organizational change. You’ll also examine concepts like conflict resolution, how to foster a healthy work environment, and methods you can use to enhance employees’ ability to learn and grow on the job.
More specifically, the program requires you to complete 24 credits of major courses and 12 credits of IO psychology concentration classes.
First and foremost, the major courses set you up for success with studies in areas that are central to the practice of IO psychology. These courses include the following:
- Research Methods in Psychology I & II
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Processes
- Measurement and Assessment
- Theories of Personality
You must also take Ethical Practice in Psychology to ensure you understand the legal and ethical obligations you have as a psychology professional. The final major course is a Capstone in Psychology, during which you are required to integrate what you’ve learned throughout the program and demonstrate your ability to apply your learning to a pertinent IO psychology problem or issue.
The IO psychology concentration coursework begins with a course on Motivation in the Workplace. As a future IO psychologist, you’ll need to have a deep understanding of human motivation, the factors that influence motivation, and the strategies you can employ to detect and resolve motivational problems in the workplace.
Next, you’ll take a Psychology of Leadership course, which examines current issues in leadership and explores how psychological practices are effective in facilitating positive leadership changes in businesses and organizations. This course goes hand-in-hand with studies in Organizational Consulting, which teaches you how to diagnose an organization’s problems, develop a strategy to address those problems, and carry out a strategic plan for improvement.
Lastly, you’re required to complete a Seminar in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. This three-credit class is a culmination of your studies. You’ll integrate your knowledge, demonstrate your skills, and show your proficiency in areas like consulting, motivation, leadership, and organizational change.
You can apply to Southern New Hampshire University year-round. The following requirements must be met to be considered for admission:
- Complete the application for admission linked above. There is no fee to do so.
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
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