Master of Science (MS) in Psychology with an emphasis in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (MIOP) Program
Important to know: The Summer 2024 classes will be offered in-person on the Manhattan, KS Campus.
The application deadlines for the Summer 2024 cohort is April 1, 2024.
We review applications year round and make considerations for fall or spring start terms.
Overview
Master of Science (MS) in Psychology with an emphasis in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (MIOP) Program is a 38-hour hybrid sequence of on-campus and web-based courses.
The program is directed at working human resource professionals and aims at teaching students to apply analytical behavioral science skill and course concepts to company related issues.
The program spans 2 1/2 years and consists of eight courses in such areas as performance appraisal, training and program evaluation, job analysis and selection, organizational topics, ethical and legal issues, and applied research methods. The last semester of the program consists of students conducting a research practicum in their own organization under the supervision of faculty.
Students attend campus once a year over the summer for two-week sessions. Four courses are taught as on-campus courses, and the remaining four courses and practicum are delivered via web-based instruction.
Program Details
I. Summer Course Work (with two-week, on-campus workshops/sessions)
Students are required to bring laptop computers to the summer on-campus courses. During on-campus sessions, students learn Internet-related skills such as how to access course modules, participate in chat rooms and post messages. These sessions also provide students with the opportunity to interact with peers and faculty.
First Summer (on-campus workshops required)
PSYCH 804 - (Introductory Seminar) Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3 credits)
This is an advanced survey of theory, research and practice pertaining to human behavior in work organizations. Topics include an overview of selection, training and evaluation of employees, job analysis and evaluation, work motivation and satisfaction, organization behavior and development and working conditions.
PSYCH 808 - Applied Research Methods I (3 credits)
This laboratory-based course will teach students how to set up and analyze human resource information systems to enable them to make data-based human resource decisions. Case studies on real organizational data will be used to assess such human resource areas as discrimination, strategic planning, grievance filing, performance-based compensation systems and job evaluation.
Second Summer (on-campus workshops required)
PSYCH 968 - Ethical and Legal Issues: Seminar in Professional Problems (3 credits)
This course will look at current ethical and legal policies that affect human resource professionals. The ethical implications of consulting with and doing research in organizations will be discussed. Recent legislation and legal cases and their impact on human resource functions will also be examined.
PSYCH 809 - Applied Research Methods II (3 credits)
The second part of the research component will focus on applied research techniques in organizations and developing the skills that students will require to complete their third-year project. Students will be taught how to utilize resources to review the literature, operational research, develop a research agenda and budget, and evaluate their research.
II. Online Courses
Each spring and fall semester, one of the following four courses will be offered using distance and web-based educational resources. Also, students will be enrolled in 2 credit hours of Master's Research in Psychology each spring and fall semester. Delivery will be accomplished using the web, email and guided study. Students and faculty will communicate through message boards, email, telephone, and video conferencing. Assignments will enable students to apply the concepts and techniques learned to company-related problems.
PSYCH 878 - Personnel Selection (3 credits)
This course will focus on developing, performing and analyzing several different job procedures, which provide the basis for several human resource functions. It will also examine the theoretical and practical issues in staffing industrial organizations, including recruitment, test validation and other employment opportunity issues (test fairness, adverse impact, etc.).
PSYCH 880 - Performance Appraisal (3 credits)
The course will examine data sources, rating procedures, psychometric criteria for evaluating performance appraisal systems and models/theories of the performance evaluation process. Different compensation models and their advantages and disadvantages will also be discussed.
PSYCH 879 - Organizational Psychology (3 credits)
Examines the individual's role in organizations and the effects of organizational variables on the individual worker. Topics include organizational communication, employee socialization, cultures and psychological climates of organizations, stress in organizations, group processes and employee performance, and organizational change and development.
PSYCH 875 - Personnel Training (3 credits)
An examination of the training of personnel in an organization. Topics include: determination of an organization's training needs, selection and motivation of trainees, design and evaluation of training programs and examination of several specific strategies for accomplishing the training function.
III. Guided Study Practicum Research
Students will be enrolled each spring and fall semester in 2 credit hours of Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology.
PSYCH 860 - Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology
Fall of Year One - 2 credits
Spring of Year One - 2 credits
Fall of Year Two - 2 credits
Spring of Year Two - 2 credits
IV. Summer of Year Three
PSYCH 860 - Practicum: Final Report in I/O Psychology - 5 credits
Students do NOT come to the campus in summer three.
The third summer of the program is spent writing and finalizing a guided-study practicum based on a company-related human resource issue. Each student will work on the research and practicum with his/her major professor.
Due to the diverse backgrounds of the students entering the MIOP program, practica are expected to be as equally diverse. However, broad study areas include: development of selection instruments, job training needs assessment, development of performance evaluations and performance-based compensation models, surveys of employee attitudes and evaluation of the programs. In some cases, students will work with real world data sets and projects provided by their instructor. Each student's major professor will work with the student to determine the scope and breadth of his/her practicum.
V. Fall of Year Three
Final course is PSYCH 860 - Practicum: Final Report in I/O Psychology - 1 credit
VI. Graduation
MIOP commencement takes place in December. Final report should be completed by the end of September in order to meet the graduation deadlines. It takes time to obtain feedback and make changes to a final report.
If a student does not complete the degree by December of MIOP year three, the student will be out-of-sequence and will be required to pay an additional MIOP program per semester fee of $250, as well as the current per- credit-hour cost of the course. These will include, but will not be limited to, the cost of enrolling in an additional 1 credit hour of 860 during each semester until the student graduates.
Also, all Graduate School and departmental rules and procedures must be followed for eligibility to defer graduation, with the understanding that the student will be responsible for costs related to deferred graduation.
*Curriculum is subject to change. Please note that university tuition and fees are subject to change.
More Information
If you have any questions, please contact our MIOP Assistant via email (miopsych@ksu.edu).
You can also visit the K-State online site for more details about program costs, admission requirements, and how to apply: More information about our distance master's program.
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