Program Overview

Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology Program

The Industrial-Organizational Psychology program at DePaul University is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in psychological theory and essential training in methodology. As an Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology graduate student, you will collaborate with a faculty expert to develop and implement new research ideas while contributing to developments in the field.

Program Overview

• The program is a combined Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy (MA/PhD) degree.
• The MA is non-terminal, and the program admits only students intending to earn the PhD.
• Classes are offered during the day on the Lincoln Park Campus.
• The program can be completed in four years.

Course Requirements

MA Portion

• The MA degree requires a minimum of 48 quarter hours beyond the completion of a bachelor's degree, including four quarter hours of thesis research.
• Required courses include:
  • Statistics and Methodology Courses:
    • PSY 410: Advanced Statistics I
    • PSY 411: Advanced Statistics II
    • PSY 419: Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (or PSY 450: Psychological Measurement)
    • PSY 420: Quantitative Research Design
  • Psychology Core Courses:
    • Select one of the following:
      • PSY 404: Perception and Cognition
      • PSY 426: Language and Cognition
      • PSY 473: The Psychology of Judgment and Decision-Making
    • Select one of the following:
      • PSY 430: Social Psychology of the Self
      • PSY 435: Special Seminar in Psychological Science
      • PSY 556: Prejudice and Intergroup Relations
      • PSY 560: Social Cognition
  • I-O Psychology Core Courses:
    • Select five of the following:
      • PSY 440: Psychology of Work and Motivation
      • PSY 441: Psychology of Leadership
      • PSY 442: Personnel Psychology
      • PSY 444: Performance Appraisal and Performance Management
      • PSY 445: Advanced Training and Development in Organizations
      • PSY 447: Organizational Consultation
      • PSY 448: Concepts, Methods, and Ethics for Industrial-Organizational Psychology
      • PSY 449: Advanced Seminar in Work Teams and Collaboration
      • PSY 559: Seminar in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
  • Teaching Course:
    • PSY 550: Seminar in Teaching Psychology
  • Research Course:
    • PSY 597: Master's Thesis Research

PhD Portion

• The PhD portion requires the completion of six courses and a dissertation.
• I-O Psychology Core Courses:
  • Select five of the following courses which were not taken during the MA program:
    • PSY 419: Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling
    • PSY 450: Psychological Measurement
    • PSY 445: Advanced Training and Development in Organizations
    • PSY 447: Organizational Consultation
    • PSY 449: Advanced Seminar in Work Teams and Collaboration
    • PSY 559: Seminar in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
• Research Course:
  • PSY 599: Doctoral Dissertation Research
• Teaching Course:
  • PSY 550: Seminar in Teaching Psychology

Admission Requirements

• The program typically admits three students per cohort based on a combination of grades, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and faculty-student fit.
• Applications are due no later than December 15.
• The review process begins shortly after this date.
• Faculty evaluate applications with emphasis on the following criteria:
  1. Completeness of Credentials
  2. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores and Grade Point Average (GPA)
  3. Three letters of Recommendation
  4. Personal Statement
• Industrial-Organizational faculty encourage applications from students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Research Areas

• The program focuses on various research areas, including motivation, leadership, training, performance appraisal, organizational theory, and consultation.
• Students have the option to add a secondary specialization with coursework in communication, management, marketing, or women's and gender studies.

Career Opportunities

• DePaul's connections with the Chicago business community provide students with a wide variety of internship and career opportunities.
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD students have interned with prominent organizations, and many have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry.

Financial Information

• The reported median salary for Industrial-Organizational Psychology alumni was $59,040.
• Most students admitted to the program receive graduate assistantships, which carry stipends around $30,000 per academic year and full tuition waivers.

Campus Life

• The Department of Psychology is located on the northeast side of Chicago on DePaul's Lincoln Park campus.
• The campus is within walking distance to the "el", Lake Michigan, and hundreds of excellent restaurants and stores.
• Students can find information about local events and entertainment through various websites and resources.