Studying industrial-organizational psychology in Utah used to mean you had to attend on-campus classes at one of the state’s many private or public colleges or universities. This is no longer the case, though. Instead, online learning opens many doors for you to complete your undergraduate or graduate degree in this field without stepping foot on campus.
In fact, as a Utah student, you can get your online IO psychology degree from schools that aren’t even in Utah! While there are some online options in-state, most of the online degree programs available to you are from out-of-state schools. Below, you’ll find a list of popular options for completing your IO psychology degree in Utah and beyond.
Industrial Organizational Psychology Programs in Utah
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering industrial-organizational psychology programs in Utah:
- Utah State University
- Utah Valley University
- National University
- Capella University
- University of Phoenix
- The Chicago School
- American Public University
- Southern New Hampshire University
Utah State University
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Utah State University’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology can prepare you for additional education or entry-level work in the field of IO psychology. You can adjust this degree to focus on topics central to IO psychology.
For example, you’re required to take 20 credits of psychology courses, all of which help you develop essential psychology skills. These skills are necessary for building a career in any field of psychology, IO psychology included. Taking classes like General Psychology, Analysis of Behavior, and Orientation to Psychology as a Career and Profession give you much-needed background on the theories, practices, techniques, and career options available to you in psychology.
As another example, you’ll take a Career Preparation for Psychology Majors course that helps you clearly define your career goals and how you’ll achieve them. Neuroscience, Research Methods, and Psychological Statistics are additional required courses.
You must take three credits of diversity and inclusivity classes, too. You have the choice of Psychology of Gender and Multicultural Psychology. Either one would be a good option for your future in IO psychology, because gender and multicultural issues are prominent in most workplaces.
This degree requires you to complete 12 elective psychology credits, too. This is one area where you can tailor your studies to your interest in IO psychology. For example, you might take Social Psychology, which studies the individual human experience within societies, groups, and organizations. You’ll learn about common social problems, methods of studying social psychology, and modern theories that explain the relationship between behavior and society, too.
Another important elective you might take is Mental Health Advocacy and Awareness. Many people experience mental health issues from time to time. Those issues can affect work performance. That’s where you come in as an IO psychologist. By understanding how to support people with mental health needs, you can assist them in not only becoming a healthier person but also in becoming an improved employee.
Other possible electives worth considering include the following:
- Lifespan Development
- Psychological Disorders
- Health Psychology
- Personality Theory
This degree requires you to complete an undergraduate research core as well. You can choose between Cognitive Psychology or Analysis of Behavior. Both classes include a lab component that allows you to see critical psychological concepts in action.
You must complete a minor with this degree. Again, this is an area in which you can customize your learning to help you achieve your IO psychology goals. You might consider a minor in business, management, or human resources as a nice complement to your studies in psychology.
The last component of this program is a capstone experience. Experiential learning like this is a valuable way to learn how to apply what you’ve learned in class in real-world settings. In this case, you can choose between an Undergraduate Apprenticeship or a Capstone Seminar.
The apprenticeship requires you to work in a research setting with select faculty members and in an applied setting in the community. So, you might assist a professor with research related to improving workplace productivity and work as an apprentice at a large manufacturing company where you can see how an IO psychologist implements workplace-improvement strategies.
In all, you need 120 credits to complete this degree. Most students need four years to finish the requirements. The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or above.
- Submit official high school transcripts.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.
You may also submit ACT or SAT scores if you wish, but it is not required.
Utah Valley University
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Utah Valley University is a general degree that you can tailor to your interests in IO psychology with the proper electives. This 120-credit program takes about four years of full-time studies to complete. However, taking an extra class each semester can cut as much as a semester off the timeline to graduate.
Thirty-five of the required credits are general education requirements–lower-division courses from multiple disciplines that all students must complete. For example, you’ll take either English 1005 or 1010, along with English 2010. You must take at least one math class, such as Quantitative Reasoning, Introduction to Statistics, or College Algebra, to name a few options.
Furthermore, the general requirements include studies in the following areas:
- History or Political Science
- Philosophy, Health, or Exercise
- Biology
- Physical Science
- Fine Arts
- Humanities
The core requirements for the psychology degree include 33 credits of coursework. There are three core courses that will help you develop a better understanding of this field: Psychology as a Science and Profession, Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, and Research Methods for Psychology. In each case, you’ll develop essential skills and competencies that enable you to find success in future classes.
You’ll then complete nine credits of Psychology Foundations classes. These courses explore varied areas in psychology, such as Human Development, Abnormal Psychology, and Cognitive Psychology. Also included in this portion of the curriculum are classes on the Brain and Behavior and Social Psychology.
This program requires you to complete at least one course focusing on individual differences. You can choose from a long list of possible classes, including the following:
- Human Sexuality
- Psychology of Gender
- Motivation and Emotion
- Personality Theory
- Human Intelligence
The final aspect of the major requires you to complete 10 credits of advanced psychology classes. This is where you can customize your degree to align more closely with IO psychology goals. For example, you might take Principles of Learning to gain an understanding of how people learn and the impacts it has on their personal, social, and work lives.
Likewise, you might take Health Psychology, which explores how people’s biology plays into their behavior. This, in turn, can affect their overall lifestyle and their work life. Behavioral Neuroscience is another advanced class you might consider to prepare for working in IO psychology. This class explores the relationship between physiology and behavior, including consciousness, learning, and memory.
The remaining 52 credits you need to graduate come as electives. Of these credits, 22 must be upper-division. Other than that requirement, you have the freedom to take classes that interest you from any undergraduate program.
With an interest in IO psychology, you can use the elective requirements to focus on business-related topics. For example, you might take a Human Resource Development class to learn how HR departments in businesses and organizations help train employees and support their progress in their careers. As another example, you might take an Organizational Leadership class to better your understanding of leadership principles and how effective organizations are structured.
If this degree sounds like a good option, you can apply online. The following criteria must be met when applying as a first-year student:
- 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.
- Submit official ACT or SAT scores. These scores are not used for admissions decisions, though. Instead, they are required to determine scholarship eligibility.
- Provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or U.S. passport.
National University
Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
An online option to consider for your graduate education in IO psychology is the Master of Science offered by National University. This degree is ideal if you want to start your career or if you want to continue your education in a doctoral program. In fact, National University offers a “FastForward” option for M.S. students that allows you to move into the Ph.D. program more quickly and at a reduced cost.
This program requires you to take 10-12 courses and complete 30-36 credits to earn your degree. In most cases, these requirements can be completed in about 16 months, though you can take longer to finish the program, if you wish.
One of the first classes you’ll take is Foundations in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. This course focuses on applying psychological principles to organizational settings. You’ll get an overview of essential IO topics, such as training and development, leadership, work-life balance, and personnel selection, to name a few. This class also emphasizes the development of strong graduate-level skills, such as conducting research and writing scholarly articles following APA formatting.
Another early course you’re required to take is Organizational Development. This class discusses the specific roles of IO psychologists, such as improving productivity, enhancing leadership abilities, and managing organizational interventions. From there, you’ll take Personnel Selection and Recruitment, which dovetails nicely with the Organizational Development class. Naturally, you’ll learn how to use evidence-based practices to improve how organizations choose employees to fill vacant positions.
As is common for graduate-level work in psychology, you must also complete psychological research and statistics-related classes. Research Design focuses on qualitative and quantitative approaches to research in this field. You’ll learn how to design and implement research projects, how to ensure your work adheres to ethical standards, and how to apply what you’ve learned in real-life situations.
Furthermore, you’ll take Applied Statistics in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, which examines how to test hypotheses, how to use descriptive statistics to analyze data, and how to communicate your findings in visual form. Additionally, this class focuses on specific measures and concepts, like ANOVA, chi-squares, correlation, and regression.
Two additional research and statistics-related classes are required. The first is Tests and Measurements in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. This class dives into the essential theories and issues related to testing and assessment. You’ll also explore the various applications of psychological testing in IO psychology. The second course, Survey Methods and Organizational Behavior, informs you of how to implement surveys to measure data such as job satisfaction and attitude measurement within an organization.
Electives are an important piece of this degree as well. You must take any two of the following classes:
- Psychology of Leadership
- Work and Motivation and Employee Engagement
- Training and Evaluation
- Survey Methods and Organizational Behavior
- Small Group Theory and Team Processes
Lastly, you’re required to complete a capstone or an internship. The capstone component allows you to showcase what you’ve learned throughout the program, such as your communication skills, ability to think critically, and your understanding of appropriate ethical considerations. The capstone includes a review of relevant evidence-based practices that relate to an IO psychology issue that is of interest to you.
The internship is an experiential exercise in which you get real-world experience working as an IO psychologist. NU will work with you to find an appropriate internship location near you. In addition to your internship duties, you’re required to meet on a weekly basis with your site supervisor and your NU professor.
You can start your application for admission to NU online. The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher or a 2.75 or higher in the final 90 quarter credits of undergraduate work. You may also be admitted if you have a 2.0 to 2.49 undergraduate GPA and satisfactory scores on the GRE, Miller Analogies Test, GMAT, or another approved exam.
- Provide unofficial transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
Capella University
Master of Science in Industrial Organizational Psychology
You can complete a master’s degree in IO psychology at Capella University. This program provides a foundation in workplace psychology, teaching you to motivate employees, create effective work environments, and improve workforce functionality.
These skills, along with others, are covered over a 53-credit program. The curriculum includes four core courses, six specialization courses, and one integrative project. Most students complete these requirements in about two years.
Core coursework focuses on fundamental aspects of psychology. In Foundations of Theory and Practice for Master’s Psychology learners, you’ll be introduced to graduate-level psychology. You’ll explore resources for Capella students, learn about APA writing style, and review requirements for graduation.
Three other core courses build on this foundation. For instance, Survey of Research Methods introduces you to scientific inquiry, research methods, ethical considerations, and statistics. Quantitative Design and Analysis further builds on these skills, covering topics like logic and reasoning, statistical analysis, statistical interpretation, and computational psychology.
The final core course, Tests and Measurements, helps you understand psychological testing and how to administer and interpret tests, which will be a critical skill for IO psychologists, especially in determining employee placement.
Specialization courses take you further into IO psychology, expanding your understanding of human behavior and applied psychology in workplace settings. You’ll complete general courses, like Lifespan Development, covering human development across all stages of life, with topics in development theory, multicultural considerations, and workplace-related development issues.
In a more specialized course, Psychology of Leadership, you’ll examine what qualities make effective leaders and factors that contribute to leadership. This course includes case studies, leadership development research, and reflection on your own leadership qualities.
Other specialization courses include:
- Consultation Psychology.
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology Practices in Personnel and HR Management.
- Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology.
The program also includes an Integrative Project, where you’ll apply your knowledge in IO psychology, contribute to IO psychology research, and engage in IO psychology scholarship. This project focuses on creating a research proposal and grant application. You’ll demonstrate your skills in working with diverse groups, explaining psychological concepts in detail, and adhering to ethical standards.
Admissions requirements for the program include:
- Bachelor’s degree from a nationally or regionally accredited institution.
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.3.
- Copy of a current government-issued photo ID.
University of Phoenix
Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
The Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Phoenix is another popular graduate degree option for you as a Utah student. The courses you complete will prepare you to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation because the curriculum is aligned with the standards developed by the American Psychological Association and the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
You must complete 36 credits–12 courses–to earn this degree. Some of these courses are instructional in nature, while others examine IO psychology theories and techniques. For example, Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology gets you ready for the rigors of graduate studies. You’ll take a look at foundational concepts in this field, work on your communication skills, and learn how to manage time and stress during the program.
A theory-based class you’re required to take is Social Psychology. As you’d expect, the course examines how our environment influences our individual thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. You’ll learn about many social concepts, too, such as social conditioning, conformity, and attitude development.
Other classes help you refine more specific IO psychology skills. A good example of this is Ethics and Professional Skills in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. You’ll learn about ethical and legal issues commonly faced in this industry and gain important skills related to making appropriate decisions in an organizational setting.
Other IO-focused courses you’ll take include the following:
- Personnel Psychology
- Human Performance, Assessment, and Feedback
- Work Motivation and Job Attitudes
- Organizational Development, Leadership, and Management
- Consulting and Business Skills
You’re also required to take Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology. In addition to learning about research design and ethical issues in psychological research, this course also teaches you about qualitative and quantitative analysis and how to properly document the processes and outcomes of your research.
The coursework for this degree continues with Multicultural and Social Issues in Psychology. This is an important class to take as the workplace is increasingly diverse. As such, you’ll examine cross-cultural issues, varying perspectives of psychology, and systemic and cultural influences that impact how psychological research and practice are carried out. You’ll also explore topics such as social justice, diversity, and social dynamics.
A final course for this degree is Psychology of Learning and Cognition. As part of your studies, you’ll analyze various theories of learning, including those focusing on attention, language, and problem-solving. Other topics include reasoning, knowledge representation, and memory. You’ll learn how to apply your knowledge of these and other concepts in business settings.
You can apply to the University of Phoenix anytime you want. The process takes about 20 minutes. You must create a University of Phoenix account before you’re allowed to apply. Before you apply, ensure you meet the following criteria:
- Have a bachelor’s degree in any field.
- Have a 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide details about your work history.
- Be a U.S. citizen or possess a valid visa.
- Provide English proficiency scores if you are not a native English speaker.