One of the top reasons why people choose to major in psychology is that it’s a widely available undergraduate major and graduate program. What’s more, you can use your degree to pursue jobs in many different fields, from education to research to government work.
In Wisconsin, you can complete your undergraduate or graduate studies online in a format that allows you much greater flexibility than traditional degree programs. Online industrial-organizational programs are available from both in-state and out-of-state schools. You can also find online I/O programs further afield from schools across the U.S.
This guide offers insights into some of the popular I/O programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Get to know each one below so you can make an informed decision about your academic future!
Industrial Organizational Psychology Programs in Wisconsin
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering industrial-organizational psychology programs in Wisconsin:
- Marian University Wisconsin
- Purdue University Global
- Walden University
- Rider University
- Baker College
- National University
- American Public University
- Southern New Hampshire University
Marian University Wisconsin
Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
At Marian University Wisconsin, you can pursue a Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology without stepping foot on campus. But this isn’t the only aspect of this program that’s flexible. On the one hand, the program takes just 16 months to complete, which allows you to get your degree and quickly move on to your desired career. On the other hand, each course is just seven weeks long. That means you take fewer classes at once, but proceed through each course more quickly.
On top of that, the classes in this degree program are non-sequential. Because you can take courses in whatever order you wish, you can tailor your learning experience to your specific needs. Take more difficult classes during times of the year when you have more time to dedicate to your studies and take less difficult classes during points of the year when you have less time to dedicate to coursework.
This program requires you to complete 38 credits to graduate. Of those, 28 credits are required and 10 credits are elective courses. You can complete these requirements within one of two concentrations: traditional or government. The requirements for both tracks are the same except for a final two-course sequence.
If you choose the traditional track, you’ll take I/O Analytics with R:I and Workforce Analytics. But if you opt for the government track, you’ll take Public Service Communication and Public Safety Collaboration and Culture instead.
The required coursework exposes you to essential topics in I/O psychology. For example, you’ll take Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Ethical Issues so you have a good idea of what it means to work ethically and professionally. This course usually involves a discussion of current ethical and professional concerns in the field and evaluates past issues in a case study format.
Many of your classes focus on your role in the employee experience. For example, you’ll take classes such as:
- Job Analysis and Recruiting
- Selection and Assessment with Psychometrics
- Training and Development
- Performance Evaluation
- Program Evaluation
But many of your classes focus on research, too. For example, you’ll take Research and Statistics I and II, which is a two-course sequence that familiarizes you with the basic tenets of conducting psychological research. You’ll examine topics like research design, validity, and reliability, as well as common statistical procedures that enable you to analyze enormous amounts of data.
Some of your classes focus a little more on the business side of industrial-organizational psychology. A good example of this is Organizational Planning and Consulting. In this class, you’ll analyze how to devise a growth plan for an organization to achieve its goals. This might include defining the organization’s short-term and long-term goals and its purpose, as well as outlining the primary operational areas for the organization.
As a result of these studies, you’ll master many different crucial competencies in I/O psychology. This includes the following:
- Demonstrate knowledge of psychology as a science, including its history, theoretical foundations, and essential constructs.
- Be able to apply your learning to both scientific and applied aspects of the field.
- Have knowledge of ethical and professional practice of I/O psychology.
- Be an effective and professional communicator.
You must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Your undergraduate work must include the following:
- General Psychology, Human Development, and Social Psychology
- Statistics (or something similar)
- Research methods (or something similar)
- If you haven’t taken the above classes as an undergraduate, you can complete them if admitted to the program.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide a current resume showing at least one year of employment at the time you apply to the program.
- Submit a personal statement in which you explain your career goals.
Purdue University Global
Online Master of Science – Industrial Organizational Psychology
Another option for pursuing a graduate degree in I/O psychology is the online Master of Science program from Purdue Global. This master’s program is fully online and offers an accelerated format, with an average completion time of just one year.
Purdue’s graduate program includes a concentration in I/O psychology, preparing you to apply psychological principles in organizational settings. In this program, you’ll study theories, techniques, methods, and practices related to I/O psychology, as well as topics such as workplace attitudes, leadership, human resource management, and employee evaluation.
Many of the required courses focus on general psychology topics relevant to various applications of psychological principles. For example, in the course Foundations of Professional Psychology, you’ll learn the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to be an effective psychologist. The Ethics and Standards for Professional Psychology class will build on this foundation, helping you develop a strong professional identity and a commitment to ethical conduct.
Some courses are research-oriented, such as:
- Advanced Research Methods
- Applied Statistics for Psychology
- Testing, Measurement, and Assessment
These courses will teach you how to use psychological principles to gather and analyze data, and how to apply your findings to improve organizational function and employee performance.
Another required course, Life Span Development, focuses on human development across various stages of life. You’ll learn about key milestones in each life stage and explore human development through different models, including those based on culture, context, and growth.
The program also includes a five-course concentration sequence in I/O psychology. These courses are designed to enhance your training and provide the skills needed to practice effectively in organizational settings.
One important course in this sequence is Industrial/Organizational Theory and Development. In this course, you’ll gain an overview of I/O psychology and key methods of practice. You’ll also explore the history of this field, along with topics such as ethical considerations, sociocultural influences, and organizational behavior.
The Organizational Management and Behavior course examines how organizations operate, with a focus on change management, conflict resolution, and developing effective communication strategies within organizations.
Additional required courses in the concentration include:
- Workplace Motivation and Attitudes
- Organizational Leadership–Management, Training, and Evaluation
- Human Resources Management
You may also choose to complete an I/O psychology practicum, which is a five-credit field placement. This practicum provides real-life experience in an I/O setting, allowing you to apply what you have learned in the classroom while gaining practical insights from experienced professionals in the field.
As part of the program, you’ll have the option to complete either a thesis or a capstone project. Both require research, but the thesis is more theoretical and research-intensive. The capstone focuses on developing a research proposal that includes a literature review, a unique hypothesis, and methods for testing your hypothesis.
To apply, you must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts confirming your bachelor’s degree.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Submit an Enrollment Agreement.
- Complete the Identity and Document Verification process by providing a copy of a valid government-issued photo I.D.
- Arrange financing for the program.
- Provide proof of English proficiency if English is not your native language.
The application process is available online, and Purdue Global is ready to assist you as you move forward with your academic and professional goals in psychology.
Walden University
Master of Science – Industrial and Organizational Psychology
The Industrial and Organizational Psychology program at Walden University culminates in a Master of Science. With a graduate-level degree, you might qualify for any number of I/O-related careers in psychological research, business and industry, government, or consulting, to name a few.
The program requires 48 quarter credits to graduate. The coursework focuses on general practice issues in I/O psychology, so you’ll complete foundational, core, research, specialization, and capstone courses.
The foundation course is Foundations of Graduate Study in Psychology. Essentially, this is a “welcome to graduate school” class that helps you get familiar with the online learning platform, the skills you need to be successful, and the support systems Walden has in place to help you move along in the program.
As for the core coursework, you’ll take three classes focusing on the basic components of I/O Psychology. These classes include the following:
- Themes and Theories of I/O Psychology
- Psychology of Organizational Behavior
- Consulting for Organizational Change
Next, you’ll complete a two-course sequence of research courses. The first is Research Theory, Design, and Methods. This class covers the essential knowledge and skills needed to conduct graduate psychology research. You’ll learn about quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry, data collection, and research ethics, too.
The second research course is Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis. As you’d expect, its function is to help you understand what quantitative reasoning is and how to use it to conduct quantitative research. You’ll examine classic research designs, pore over popular statistical methods, and learn how to use statistical software to interpret data and present the results of your analyses to stakeholders.
The specialization sequence includes 15-17 credits of coursework in one of the following areas:
- Consulting Psychology
- Evidence-Based Coaching
- General Practice
- Human Resource Management
- International Business
You can also choose to design your own specialization with approval from the department.
The final aspect of this program is a capstone experience. As is common for capstones, this one is intended to be a reflective exercise in which you consider everything you’ve learned in the program and how to apply it in real-world industrial-organizational psychology settings. To do so, you’ll design a project that aims to promote positive social change.
The capstone takes the form of an integrative paper. The topic of the paper is of your choosing, but it must be directly related to the specialization you choose. Additionally, the paper must showcase your understanding of practical and theoretical knowledge and highlight your ability to conduct scientific research.
It should be noted that you can complete this program in a traditional course-based format or a Tempo Learning format. The course-based format requires you to enroll and participate in online classes, just like a traditional program. The Tempo Learning option, though, allows you to progress toward your degree by proving your competency in key areas. If you pass competency assessments for a particular component of this program, you’’ earn credit toward your degree.
The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide personal, academic, and employment information as requested.
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae if required.
Rider University
Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology
Rider University may not have roots in Wisconsin. However, it offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology that provides you with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills that enable you to pursue entry-level work in this field. It’s a degree completion program, meaning you are required to already have some college credits under your belt. You must also be at least 25 years of age to enroll.
This program offers as much flexibility as you’ll find in an online degree. There is no minimum GPA requirement to apply, so if your first college experience didn’t go as planned, that’s okay! Likewise, each course is 100 percent online and comes with many different support features to help you along in your studies.
Ideally, you’ll already have an associate’s degree when you apply to this program. If you do, you can transfer up to 72 credits to apply toward the 120 credits needed to graduate. Of the major requirements, there are eight courses you must take. Some of these are very basic, such as Introduction to Psychology, which gives you an overview of this field and its many different specializations and applications.
Another introductory course that’s part of the basic requirements for this degree is Introduction to Human Resource Management. You’ll learn how to manage human resources, how to develop practices and procedures for different types of organizations, and develop competencies regarding employee rights, compensation, and discipline as well.
Research is a central component of the required courses, too. You’ll take an Introduction to Research in Psychology class with a research lab that examines topics such as:
- Experimental methods
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Data presentation
Additionally, you have your choice of expanding your learning in research by taking Research Methods in Organizational Psychology or Research Methods in Social Psychology.
As an extension of your education in psychological research, you’re required to take a statistics class. You can choose between Business Statistics or Statistics and Research Design. In either case, you’ll learn the fundamentals of using statistical processes to analyze and interpret data to make informed decisions.
This degree requires that you take one course in communications and two courses in employee matters. You have several choices to fulfill these requirements, too. For example, the communications requirement can be completed by taking Organizational Communication, Professional and Strategic Speech, or Team and Group Communication. Meanwhile, the employee matters requirement can be completed by taking two of the following:
- Employee Selection and Training
- Employee Compensation Systems
- Employee Engagement
- Managing Workforce Diversity
- Independent Research and Study
Additionally, you must choose two psychology-specific classes. Again, Rider University gives you many different choices for fulfilling this requirement. This includes classes like Personality, Psychological Tests, Learning Theory, or Senior Seminar. You can also take Independent Study in Research and Creative Expression to fulfill part of this requirement.
The online application to Rider University is open year-round. Use the following checklist to ensure you have what you need to apply:
- Complete the online application linked above.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Be at least 25 years old.
Baker College
Dual Degree in Psychology and Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Another option for completing your degree in IO psychology is available at Baker College. This online program is a dual degree in Psychology and Industrial-Organizational Psychology. You’ll earn a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology in just five years. In that time, you’ll earn 156 credits.
This accelerated program focuses on strong skills development and an advanced knowledge of psychological principles. You’ll gain these skills and knowledge in a comprehensive curriculum focusing on psychology, business, marketing, management, and other key areas.
For example, the undergraduate portion of the program includes major-area coursework in key fields like Cognitive Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Personality Psychology. You’ll also take General Psychology, Cross-Cultural Psychology, and Social Psychology.
Some of the required courses focus on research. For example, you’ll take a Quantitative Research Methods class that explores everything from common research designs to quantitative data analysis to ethical considerations when conducting research. You’ll also take a Qualitative Research Methods Class that examines methods for collecting information such as interviews, document analysis, and focus groups.
Other undergraduate-level psychology courses you’ll take include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Psychology as a Science and Profession
- Biological/Physiological Psychology I and II
- Motivation and Emotion
- Learning and Memory
- Senior Seminar in Psychology
You must take 45 credits of electives for the undergraduate portion of the degree as well. Fifteen of those credits must be in psychology, with the remaining 30 credits from any discipline.
Furthermore, 15 of the credits you take during your senior year of undergraduate studies count toward the Master of Science degree. Once you complete these classes and the other requirements for the bachelor’s program, you’ll start the MS program in earnest.
Your studies in the graduate portion of this program focus on I/O psychology. For example, you’ll take core organizational courses like the Psychology of Leadership, which examines the personality traits of effective leaders. You’ll also seek to answer why some people are good leaders, and others are not.
Another graduate-level course you’re required to take is Psychology of Performance and Motivation. This class examines what compels people to do well in a workplace environment. You’ll also address the issue of on-the-job performance and explore methods you can employ to help motivate workers to improve their productivity on the job.
Organizational Development is another key graduate course in this program. As an I/O psychologist, you must understand how organizations are born, how they evolve, and what they need to thrive in order to help them move forward. This course examines many different aspects of the organizational lifespan, from strengths and weaknesses to leadership to organizational structure, and beyond.
The basic requirements to apply are as follows:
- Register for a Baker College account.
- Complete the online application.
- Submit official high school transcripts.
- Submit transcripts from every college or university from which you’ve earned credit.
- Complete other admissions requirements as outlined by Baker College and/or the I/O program.
Contact Us
Privacy Policy