Colorado has long been known for its wide open spaces, soaring mountain peaks, and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. But Coloradoans don’t just love the outdoors – it’s a state focused on education.
More than 90 percent of Colorado residents are high school graduates. Nearly 42 percent are college graduates. With 328 colleges, universities, trade schools, professional programs and many popular psychology schools in the state, it’s no wonder that so many Coloradoans have completed college.
If you want to join the ranks of college graduates in the state and want to do so in industrial organizational (I-O) psychology, several options can help you achieve that goal.
Industrial Organizational Psychology Programs and Schools in Colorado
Below is a list of some of the popular schools offering industrial organizational psychology programs in Colorado:
- Colorado State University
- Colorado Technical University
- Grand Canyon University
- Colorado College
- Capella University
- University of Denver
- Purdue University
Colorado State University
School Information
Colorado State University is one of the top public research universities in the nation. With nearly $400 million in research expenditures and $1.6 billion in recent campus improvements, CSU is positioned well to help you advance your education.
CSU’s location in Fort Collins is worth noting as well. The city is a vibrant, diverse community nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Abundant recreational opportunities are nearby, including hiking, skiing, and fishing, just to name a few.
The CSU campus is known for its commitment to inclusion and diversity. In fact, CSU’s Principles of Community focus on inclusion, integrity, respect, service, and social justice for all people. As a student at CSU, you’ll find that your unique perspective is respected by fellow students and faculty.
Program Information
The Master of Applied Industrial/Organizational Psychology degree from Colorado State prepares you to enter the world of work with a robust set of skills. This program is founded on the principles of quantitative analysis coursework, meaning you’ll develop research skills that can help you drive important changes in businesses and organizations.
This degree is earned entirely online, though you will learn from the same world-class faculty as on-campus students. In fact, the I-O psychology professors at CSU each have an average of 15 years of experience in the field and are experts in different areas of I-O research.
This is a full-time or a part-time program that lasts from two to four years, depending on your type of enrollment. It is a year-round program with courses in the fall, spring, and summer terms. Primary courses include:
- Workforce Training and Development
- Applied Industrial Psychology
- Applied Measurement Theory
- Succession Planning and Leadership Development
A total of 38 credits are needed to graduate. Tuition is currently $770 per credit.
Colorado Technical University
School Information
Colorado Technical University got its start in an old roller rink as a technical school. Today, it’s grown into a career-focused college with campuses all over Colorado.
Though its beginnings were humble, CTU is now a leader in education. US News and World Report ranks CTU’s online programs among the best in the country (and has for eight years running). Many specific programs rank among the best nationally as well, including its graduate programs in nursing, engineering, and criminal justice.
CTU was founded by an Air Force veteran, Lt Colonel Robert (Bob) Turkisher. As such, CTU is a military-friendly institution that offers many scholarships for active-duty military members and veterans of the armed forces.
Program Information
The online Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Organizational Behavior from Colorado Technical University is a 182-credit program that takes about four years to complete. Since the focus is on organizational behavior, this degree is excellent preparation for advanced studies in I-O psychology in a graduate program.
Courses focus on psychology and business topics, such as:
- Managerial Psychology
- Organizational Psychology
- Theories of Personality
- Stress Management
- Diversity
This program also features a capstone project during which you must demonstrate a thorough integration of knowledge in the psychology and organizational behavior realms.
Coursework is flexible and can adapt to your schedule and specific needs. You can also use CTU’s Fast Track program to test out of certain courses.
Colorado College
School Information
Founded in 1874, Colorado College is a small, private liberal arts school with many accolades for its academic programs. US News and World Report ranks Colorado College second in the nation for innovation, 27th among best value schools, and 27th among national liberal arts colleges.
Studying at Colorado College is unique in that traditional semesters aren’t used. Instead, you take courses one at a time in eight blocks, each of which is 3 ½ weeks long. While shortened courses are intense, the block calendar allows you to focus on a single course at a time. This often helps reduce stress and improve academic performance.
Nearly all professors at Colorado College have a terminal degree, so you can rest assured that your education is in very capable hands!
Program Information
If you want to become an industrial organizational psychologist but haven’t yet completed a bachelor’s degree, Colorado College’s bachelor’s degree in psychology is a good place to begin.
Most of the coursework for this degree is broad-based to give you a solid foundation of crucial psychological principles. However, you can also take specialty courses that prepare you for further study in graduate school. For example, you can take an upper-division industrial organizational psychology class that introduces the field of IO psychology, including:
- Personnel selection
- Professional mentoring
- Leadership
- Motivation
- Performance appraisal
You’ll also learn about psychological research and data analysis as they pertain to applying psychology in a workplace setting.
This program requires four years of full-time study to complete, though that timeline can be extended for part-time studies. Tuition is about $65,000 per academic year.
I-O Psychology Work Opportunities in Colorado
With a degree in industrial organizational psychology, the possibilities are endless in a state as diverse as Colorado. Whether you want to live and work in a large metropolitan area like Denver or build a life in one of Colorado’s many small, rural communities, working as an industrial organizational psychologist is a distinct possibility.
Cities like Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction likely offer the greatest opportunities to work as an I-O psychologist in a business or organization setting. For example, you might pursue employment as an I-O psychologist at one of Denver’s hospitals or medical centers.
Likewise, with some experience under your belt, you might qualify for an academic position teaching I-O psychology at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
In rural areas, most businesses and organizations don’t need a full-time industrial organizational psychologist on staff. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pursue a career in less-populated areas.
For example, you might start a private practice in I-O psychology and offer consultation services to small and medium-sized businesses throughout the state. This approach requires a fair amount of travel, but Colorado is an intensely beautiful place, so your travels will at least offer nice views!
Of course, you can also work remotely as an industrial organizational psychologist. Perhaps your home base is a small town like Gunnison, but you can offer your services to businesses and organizations throughout the state and the world online. With technologies like Zoom, you can meet clients and help them improve worker satisfaction, productivity, and other business outputs without ever leaving your home.
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