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.
Director
Dr. Jennifer Bowler, PhD
Program Director
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Department of Psychology
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
252-328-6474
bowlerj@ecu.edu
I/O Psychology at ECU
The Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology concentration in the Master of Arts (MA) program at East Carolina University prepares students for competitive roles in I/O psychology and HR-related fields. Our program has enjoyed a long history and has an impressive record of training students for career success in business, industry, and government. Completion of our MA program will equip you with a solid foundational knowledge base that will prepare you to work in industrial and organizational settings and to apply scientific solutions to the workplace. You can find information about our program faculty below.
Our program curriculum is specifically aligned with the educational guidelines for master’s level training established by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), and students complete a minimum of 48 semester hours of face-to-face instruction on their way to our master’s degree.
Our program offers a variety of opportunities to apply the skills and competencies you are developing to practical, real-world situations. As part of our program requirements, you may elect to complete either an internship or a thesis, although students may opt to complete both an internship and a thesis if they so wish. The flexibility among these options provides you with the latitude to make curricular selections that align with your overarching career goals.
The internship option is a notable opportunity that provides our students with valuable hand-on experience in organizational settings. The internship typically occurs during the summer between your first and second years of the program.
An additional opportunity to apply your knowledge 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.
Our students additionally enjoy full access to ECU’s Career Services, allowing them to hone their career skills through career coaching, interview preparation, resume and cover letter reviews, networking events and opportunities, and more!
Graduate 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 certificate 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 QMSBS certificate offers an additional benefit as it is recognized with a STEM designation.
The Business Analytics certificate requires students to take additional courses in the Management Information Systems Department. This certificate 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 certificate may be especially useful if you wish to pursue a career in modern organizational settings (e.g., Human Resources, Consulting).
The Workplace Training and Development certificate requires students to complete courses in the Adult Education department. This certificate may be particularly relevant to you if you wish to pursue a career in employee training and development.
Careers in I/O Psychology
Earning a degree in I/O Psychology allows you to pursue numerous career paths in the areas of Human Resource Management (HRM) and applied I/O research. Evidence indicates that both of these lucrative career fields are in high demand. A few examples of potential careers in these fields are listed below:
- Business Analytics Consultant
- Change Management Consultant
- HR Business Partner
- HR Coordinator
- HR Specialist
- HR Analytics Specialist
- Leadership Director
- People Analytics
- Personnel Director
- Talent Management Specialist
- Training and Development Specialist
For current employment-related statistics, 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 for additional information about careers in applied I/O psychology you may visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employee Statistics and O*NET Online Industrial/Occupational Psychologists.
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.
- Albemarle Corporation
- Amazon
- American Institutes for Research
- Angi
- Argo Group
- Arnold & Porter
- ASMO
- Bandwidth, Inc.
- Belimed
- Belk
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Capital One
- Citrix
- CMI Plastics, Inc.
- Corning Inc.
- CPS Human Resource Services
- Deloitte
- Donnoe & Associates, Inc.
- DRI Consulting
- DSM
- FedEx Freight
- Fors Marsh
- Freeport-McMoRan
- Gartner
- GEICO
- Grady-White Boats
- Hogan Assessment Systems
- Honeywell
- Human Performance Systems, Inc.
- IBM Enterprise
- JetBlue
- LabCorp
- Mercer
- Mercer Human Resource Consulting
- NACCO Materials Handling Group
- NIDA
- PepsiCo
- Polaris Assessment Systems
- Prestera FX, Inc.
- Red Hat
- RTI International
- Spectrum
- SWA Consulting
- Talent Plus, Inc.
- The Community Solution Education System
- The Hammock Source
- TIAA
- S. Department of Defense
- S. Army, Fort Bragg
- UTC Aerospace
- Verizon
- VF Corporation
- Viatris
- Wayfair
- Wells Fargo
In addition to successful employment following graduation, many of our students have chosen to pursue a doctoral degree. Here is a sampling of some of the institutions at which our students have been accepted:
- Clemson University
- East Carolina University
- Florida International University
- George Washington University
- Hofstra University
- North Carolina State University
- Old Dominion University
- Penn State
- University of Akron
- University of Georgia
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of Oklahoma
I/O Psychology Program Faculty
Please click on our individual webpages to learn more about our expertise and whether we’ll be accepting new students.
Courtney Baker
Assistant Professor
Jennifer Bowler
Associate Professor
Director, Industrial / Organizational Psychology
Alexander M. Schoemann
Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Campus Life at ECU
East Carolina University is nestled just over an hour east of Raleigh. Students at ECU enjoy a lively campus atmosphere, a fanatical Pirate Nation football following, a bustling restaurant scene, and a wide range of community and cultural events. For those who enjoy the outdoors, we are located about an hour from the coast, with a variety of beaches just an easy drive away!
Greenville, NC offers something for everyone, and in 2025 Livability identified us as one of the best places to live in the U.S. You can visit Business View Magazine and Visit Greenville for more information about living in Greenville. 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?
Our students typically complete the master’s program in 2 academic years (i.e., 4 semesters), with an internship and/or thesis work completed during the summer between academic years.
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.
When should I apply?
Our priority deadline for applications is February 1st, and we recommend applying as early as possible. We will continue to consider applicants after this date as space permits. Additional application information and instructions can be located here.
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
Is the GRE required for admission?
No, the GRE is not required for admission to our program.
What other characteristics do I need in order to succeed in the program?
All students must possess basic computer literacy and technological proficiency, as these skills are integral to successful student performance. In addition, we expect our graduate students to be collaborative members of the program, and having a strong work ethic is a plus!
How many incoming students are enrolled each fall semester?
Our incoming cohort size typically ranges from 10 to 15 students.
Are students required to complete a thesis?
No. Although students have the option to complete a master’s thesis, it is not a requirement. Students may choose to complete an internship in place of (or in addition to) a thesis.
Are students required to complete an internship?
Although the internship is not required, it is strongly encouraged, as it offers our students a prime opportunity to apply the principles they have learned in a real-world setting. The majority of our students choose to complete an internship 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 may 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 our required I/O courses are offered face-to-face, several of the courses required for the graduate 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, and we appreciate the unique benefits that students with varied academic backgrounds bring to our graduate student community. If you are interested in earning a master’s in I/O Psychology, we welcome you to apply!
What is the general course sequence?
Your course sequence will depend on whether you start the program in an even year or an odd year.
