Industrial/Organizational Psychology

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The Work of I/O Psychology

Industrial and Organizational (I/O) psychologists contribute to organizational success by enhancing the performance and well-being of its people. A master’s degree in I/O Psychology allows you to play a meaningful role in the following aspects of organizations:

• Recruiting, hiring, and retaining the most qualified employees;
• Developing fair, legal, and efficient hiring practices;
• Designing and implementing new training programs;
• Increasing the diversity of the workforce;
• Developing performance management systems:
• Minimizing absenteeism:
• Eliminating harassment and discrimination; and
• Enhancing motivation and work-life balance.

I/O Psychology at ECU

The Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology concentration in the Psychology Master of Arts (MA) program at East Carolina University has enjoyed a long history and has an impressive record of training students for career success. Completion of our 45-semester hour face-to-face concentration within the MA program provides a solid foundational knowledge base that prepares you to work in industrial and organizational settings and trains you to apply scientific solutions to the workplace. You can find information about our program faculty here.

In the course of completing the program you may seek opportunities to apply the skills and competencies you are developing to practical, real-world situations. One notable opportunity is an optional internship that typically occurs during the summer between your first and second years of the program. This internship, which may require temporary relocation, can provide you with valuable hands-on experience in organizational settings.

An additional opportunity to apply what you are learning is through the completion of a master’s thesis. The master’s thesis is a professional research paper that showcases your research skills and your ability to write an organized research report. Students who elect to complete a thesis will present their research study and subsequent findings during an oral examination conducted by their thesis mentor and committee members.

As part of the master’s program requirements, you may elect to complete either an internship or a thesis, or you may choose to complete both an internship and a thesis. The flexibility among these options provides you with the latitude to make curricular selections that align with your career goals.

Certificates

While earning your master’s degree, you may also choose to complete a specialized graduate certificate. Although some representative examples are provided below, several other potential certificates are offered with permission from the program director (e.g., Instructional Design in Adult Education, Public Management and Leadership). Additionally, it is possible to add more than one certificate to your degree.

The Quantitative Methods for the Social and Behavioral Sciences (QMSBS) certificate requires the completion of additional coursework in statistics. This certification may be especially beneficial if you wish to pursue a PhD or if you plan to pursue a career in research or people analytics.

The Business Analytics certificate requires students to take additional courses in the Management Information Systems Department. This certification may be especially relevant if you plan to pursue an applied career (i.e., Human Resources, Business/Data Analytics).

The Leadership in Organizations certificate requires students to complete additional courses in the Management Department. This certification may be especially useful if you wish to pursue a career in modern organizational settings (e.g., Human Resources, Consulting).

Careers I/O Psychology

Earning a degree in I/O Psychology allows you to pursue numerous career paths such as Human Resource Management (HRM) and applied I/O research. Evidence indicates that both of these lucrative career fields are in high demand. You may visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Human Resource Management site and O*NET Online Human Resource Management for current employment-related statistics, and you may visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employee Statistics and O*NET Online Industrial/Occupational Psychologists for additional information about careers in applied I/O Psychology.

Graduate School in I/O Psychology

Employment of Our Graduates

Students in our I/O program are trained via a scientist-practitioner model to help ensure their success in the field, and our program has received national recognition from the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP) for the quality of training it provides. The employability of our graduates is one of the notable strengths of our program, and the three-month post-graduation employment rate of our students is nearly 100%. Below is a list of some of the organizations in which our graduates have been or are currently employed.

In addition to successful employment following graduation, many of our students have chosen to pursue a doctoral degree. Here is a list of some of the institutions they have attended:

Living at ECU and in Greenville

East Carolina University is just over an hour east of Raleigh and one short hour from the beach. View Visit Greenville and Business View Magazine for more information about living in Greenville, North Carolina. Additionally, although there is no exclusive graduate housing on campus, to help you find a place to live, our current graduate students can provide housing information to those who accept our offer of admission into the program.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has ECU’s I/O Psychology program been around?
Our program was developed in the mid-1970s, and it has a long history of success!

How long will it take to complete the program?
Most of our students complete the program in 2 academic years (i.e., 4 semesters).

Is it possible to be admitted as a part time student?
Currently, the program is open to full-time students only.

Can I apply for admission in the spring semester?
No; our program follows the traditional academic year, and our graduate coursework begins in August each year.

What are the admission requirements?
In order to apply to our program, you will need to include the following:

• Background information
• Statement of purpose
• 2 letters of reference
• Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
• $75 application fee

The deadline for applications is March 1st, and additional application information and instructions can be located here.

Is the GRE required for admission?
No, the GRE is not required for admission.

How many incoming students are enrolled each fall semester?
Our incoming cohort sizes typically range from 10 to 15 students.

Are students required to complete a thesis?
No. Although there is an option to complete a master’s thesis, it is not a requirement. Students may choose to complete an internship rather than a thesis.

Are students required to complete an internship?
Although the internship is not required, it is highly encouraged, and most of our students choose to complete one during the summer after their first year in the program.

Are there opportunities for students to receive funding?
Many of our students apply for and receive graduate assistantship positions, which typically range from 10 to 20 hours of work per week.

When are classes held?
All of the classes in the I/O program are held Monday-Friday during the day. Students are not required to attend night or weekend classes as part of completing the Master’s degree. (There may be slight variations in the offerings for certificate coursework, although those courses are primarily also offered during the traditional work week.)

Does ECU offer online classes?
Although the required I/O courses are offered face-to-face, several of the courses required for the certificates are offered online.

Do I have to be an undergraduate Psychology major to apply?
No, you do not have to be an undergraduate Psychology major to apply to the I/O program. We consider applicants from all areas of study for admission to the program.