PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program focuses on the application of psychological principles to organizations and emphasizes the major areas of selection and training of employees, applied theories of organizational behavior including models of motivation, job satisfaction, and productivity; test theory and construction; assessment center technology; statistics and experimental design and a variety of current topics.
The Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program is located in Seminole County at the newly created Heathrow center. This center is approximately 28 miles from the main campus. The program focuses on the application of psychological principles to organizations and emphasizes the major areas of selection and training of employees, applied theories of organizational behavior including models of motivation, job satisfaction, and productivity; test theory and construction; assessment center technology; statistics and experimental design and a variety of current topics. Industrial and Organizational Psychology graduates are involved in many issues of critical importance to society including fairness in the selection and treatment of employees, the creation of work environments that maximize the satisfaction and productivity of employees, and the study of technological influences on human performance.
CURRICULUM
The MS degree program in Industrial and Organizational Psychology is a four-semester program for full-time students. Both thesis and nonthesis options are offered and both consist of a minimum of 40 semester hours of work.The required courses are scheduled primarily in the evenings to accommodate working students.
| Total Credit Hours Required: |
| 40
Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree |
Required Courses—29 Credit Hours
Thesis Option—11 Credit Hours
Choose one course from the following electives:
SOP 5059 Advanced Social Psychology (3 credit hours)
INP 6094 Current Topics in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (3 credit hours)
INP 6945C Industrial Psychology Practicum I (3 credit hours) described above
Thesis—8 Credit Hours
Nonthesis Option—11 Credit Hours
The following courses are also required for the nonthesis option.
- SOP 5059 Advanced Social Psychology (3 credit hours)
- INP 6094 Current Topics in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (3 credit hours)
Research—2 Credit Hours
- INP 6908 Directed Independent Studies (2 credit hours)
Students electing the nonthesis option are expected to materially participate in the conduct of research under the supervision of a faculty adviser and in the preparation of a research report of sufficient quality to allow submission for publication or presentation at a national professional association conference. The research report will be evaluated jointly by the faculty adviser and the program director.
Practicum—3 Credit Hours
Practicum assignments serve to provide the student with experience in an applied setting while also aiding the organization in which the practicum occurs to meet some specific project need. Practicum possibilities generated by the I/O faculty and students may involve settings in private industry, federal, state, or local government, educational institutions, or consulting firms.
Practicum assignments involve one-semester commitments ranging from 12 to 15 hours per week on the part of the student. Depending on the nature of the assignment, this time may be distributed in a variety of ways among the organization, library, field work, etc.
Practicum placements are initiated with a behavioral agreement between the graduate student and the organization. Behavioral agreements and performance objectives are jointly decided by the supervising faculty member, the organization representative, and the student. Full-time students are typically assigned practicum projects for the fall or spring terms of their second year.
INP 6945C Industrial Psychology Practicum I (3 credit hours)
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Students electing the thesis option are expected to conduct independent research. Students electing the nonthesis option are expected to materially participate in the conduct of research under the supervision of a faculty adviser and in the preparation of a research report of sufficient quality to allow submission for publication or presentation at a national professional association conference. The research report will be evaluated jointly by the faculty adviser and the program director.
Practicum assignments serve to provide the student with experience in an applied setting while also aiding the organization in which the practicum occurs to meet some specific project need. Practicum possibilities generated by the Industrial and Organizational Psychology faculty and students may involve settings in private industry, federal, state, or local government, educational institutions, or consulting firms. Practicum assignments involve one-semester commitments ranging from 12 to 15 hours per week on the part of the student. Depending on the nature of the assignment, this time may be distributed in a variety of ways among the organization, library, field work, etc. Practicum placements are initiated with a behavioral agreement between the graduate student and the organization. Behavioral agreements and performance objectives are jointly decided by the supervising faculty member, the organization representative, and the student. Full-time students are typically assigned practicum projects for the fall or spring terms of their second year.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline(s).
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Official, competitive GRE score taken within the last five years.
- A bachelor’s degree with a major in psychology or a baccalaureate degree and completion of undergraduate psychology courses in statistics and research methods, and four additional upper-division courses (12 credit hours) in the core content areas of psychology, for a minimum of 18 upper-division hours in psychology.
- Résumé.
- Goal statement.
- Three letters of recommendation, with at least two furnished by college or university professors who are acquainted with the applicant.
Meeting minimum UCF admission criteria does not guarantee program admission. Final admission is based on evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance, recommendations, match of this program and faculty expertise to the applicant's career/academic goals, and the applicant's potential for completing the degree.
Acceptance decisions are made only in the spring semester for admission in the fall of each year.
Application Deadlines
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology MS |
Fall Priority
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Fall
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Spring
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Summer
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Domestic Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | - | - |
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International Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | - | - |
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International Transfer Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | - | - |
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FINANCIALS
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Student Finances, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see Fellowships, which includes descriptions of UCF fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.