Curriculum
I.O. Psychology
The Master's in Industrial and Organizational Psychology is a terminal professional degree with a curriculum that emphasizes the application of concepts and behavioral science methodologies to problems facing the human resource professional today.
The program is designed as a 2½-year, 38-credit-hour (16, 16, and 6) sequence. Each year, for two years, students are required to complete 16 credit hours: 6 credit hours, which require attendance at a 2-week summer workshop on campus; and 10 credit hours (5 cr. in the fall; 5 cr. in the spring), which are completed at a distance via the web. During the summer of the third year, students complete a 5-credit hour guided practicum. The final 1-credit hour course takes place in the fall of year three.
During each course there are assignments which enable students to apply the concepts and techniques they have learned to company-related problems.
Courses required for the program include: Introductory Seminar on Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Applied Research Methods I and II; Organizational Psychology; Professional Problems Seminar on Ethical and Legal Issues; Personnel Training; Performance Appraisal; Personnel Selection; Practicum Research in I/O Psychology (8 credit hours, 2 credit hours each fall and spring semester), the Practicum Report, a 5-credit-hour research project, and the Final Report in I/O Psychology (1 credit hour).
A new master's Program Calendar begins each July.
(NOTE: The Industrial/Organizational Psychology Master's Program through distance education is not designed for students with Ph.D. plans. The emphasis is practical, not theoretical.)
Program Objective
To provide human resource professionals with the skills and knowledge required to excel in today's rapidly changing and increasingly complex organizational environment.
"My master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology was the quintessential key in my getting this job. No one else applying for this position had this degree."
-Adair Garner, 2002 MIOP Graduate
Program Sequence
The major components of the program are on-campus summer courses and workshops (two weeks each summer for program years one and two), guided research, web courses, the practicum, and graduation. The courses will be offered in the following sequence:
I. Summer Course Work: with 2 week on-campus workshops/sessions
Students are encouraged, but not 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 credit hours) 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 credit hours) 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.
"From the minute I entered the Student Union and saw the sign, "We're Glad You're Here," my experience with the K-State MIOP Program has been one of pleasure and gratitude."
-Guy Hinton, 2004 MIOP Graduate
Second Summer (on-campus workshops required)
PSYCH 968: Ethical and Legal Issues (Seminar in Professional Problems). (3 credit hours) 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 credit hours) 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.
"One of the most unique features at K-State is the two week intensive study that takes place on campus each summer of the program. Not only do you get to interact with your fellow students and develop bonding relationships, but also it provides an on-campus atmosphere that allows the students to feel connected to the University just as if they had attended the campus for the entire two-year program."
-Christopher R. Riley, 2004 MIOP Graduate
II. WWW 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, e-mail, and guided study. Students and faculty will communicate through discussion rooms, threaded message boards, e-mail and the telephone. Assignments will enable students to apply the concepts and techniques learned to company-related problems.
The following courses are currently scheduled to be offered on a rotational basis once every two years, beginning with:
PSYCH 878: Personnel Selection. (3 credit hours) 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 credit hours) 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 credit hours) 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 credit hours) 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. (2 credit hours) Fall of Year One.
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Spring of Year One
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Fall of Year Two
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Spring of Year Two
IV. Summer of Year Three*
Final Course (Students do NOT come to the campus) – PSYCH 860: Practicum: Final Report in I/O Psychology (5 credit hours)
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 – PSYCH 860: Practicum: Final Report in I/O Psychology (1 credit hour)
*Curriculum is subject to change.
"As I near completion of the program, I remain pleased with the quality of the instruction, the quality of student colleagues, and the quality of the services and processes of the continuing education division of the University."
-William A. Nowlin, 2004 MIOP Graduate
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 one additional credit hour 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.
*Please note that university tuition and fees are subject to change.
