Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Fall 2016
Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.
Catalog Copy
The objective of UNC Charlotte’s nationally recognized master’s degree program in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve the world of work from both an employee and organizational point of view. The program and its curriculum are built on five key foundational elements: Leadership, Organizational Change and Development, Talent, Culture/Climate, and Analytics. The program provides these foundations in the context of science-driven practice. Specifically, students are provided with a strong foundation in (a) reading, understanding and applying the science of I/O Psychology to solve organizational problems and (b) collecting, critically evaluating, and statistically examining data to support organizational decision-making. Students receive individual attention from faculty members who maintain rigorous standards of academic excellence.
Working Professionals
The program is designed to be accessible for working professionals. Courses are offered in the evenings and on weekends so that individuals who work full-time can complete the program. The program is ideal for people working in an I/O-related field, such as in a Human Resources function within an organization, who are looking for a degree that will allow them to expand their career options. The program is also appropriate for working individuals looking to change careers and for individuals who have just completed an undergraduate degree. Work in an I/O-related career is not required for admittance into the program.
Advisory Board
An Advisory Board has been established for the I/O Program. The Board, made up of leading I/O psychologists and human resource professionals working in the Charlotte Community (see the department website for a list of current Board members), provides regular reviews and evaluations of the programs’ curriculum to ensure that course content addresses current topics and issues facing I/O psychologists working in the business community. The Board also plays a key role in identifying business leaders in the community who can provide information or guidance to students.
Admission Requirements
The Graduate School requires that applicants submit scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). The I/O program will accept scores from any one of these tests.
The Graduate School also requires two letters of recommendation. Working professionals who received a bachelor’s degree more than five years ago are suggested to seek out recommenders who can speak to their capabilities and potential as an I/O or HR professional (e.g., supervisors, coworkers, individuals with an advanced I/O degree). Applicants who have recently graduated from a bachelors program should seek out academic recommenders who can speak to their potential for graduate studies.
Applications must also include a statement of purpose. Minimally, the statement should address: (a) motivation for seeking a degree in I/O psychology, (b) preparation for graduate studies in I/O Psychology, and (c) expectation of how the degree will positively impact the your career. Statements should be kept to approximately two pages.
Applicants must also have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university (the Graduate School requires that applicants upload transcripts from each institution attended). While a degree in psychology or business is not required, applicants with backgrounds in these disciplines may be given preferential treatment.
The Graduate School has additional requirements for application. Please see the Graduate School section of this Catalog and/or the website at graduateschool.uncc.edu for additional details.
Admission to the program is competitive. Applicants whose native language is other than English must offer acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (see graduateschool.uncc.edu for what constitutes an acceptable score). Applications should be submitted by February 1 of years that we accept applications (we accept applications on an every-other year basis).
Degree Requirements
The Industrial/Organizational program requires at least 31 semester hours of graduate coursework as specified and discussed in the I/O Psychology Graduate Student Handbook. Students should be able to complete the program in two calendar years. Courses will be required in the summer between the first and second year in the program. Additionally, students must pass a comprehensive examination, which is given at the end of the second year of study.
The enrollment of a student who receives two grades of C or one Unsatisfactory (U) grade during his or her graduate career is automatically terminated.
Outlined below are the requirements for the MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Additional detail on these requirements can be found in the I/O Psychology Graduate Student Handbook.
1. At least 31 hours of graduate coursework including the following core courses:
- PSYC6102 Organizational Research Methods
- PSYC6171 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- PSYC6172 Talent Acquisition
- PSYC6173 Job Attitudes
- PSYC6175 Organizational Development and Change
- PSYC6177 Talent Management
- PSYC6205 Field & Lab Based Quantitative Research Methods
- PSYC6207 Measurement in Organizations
- PSYC6630 Topics in Talent Management
- PSYC6640 Topics in Organizational Psychology
- PYSC6899 Readings and Research (1 credit if taking the comprehensive exam) OR PSYC6999 Thesis (6 credits if completing the empirical thesis)
2. Courses will be required in the summer between the first and second year in the program.
3. The enrollment of a student who receives two grades of C or one Unsatisfactory (U) grade during his or her graduate career is automatically terminated.
4. Students must complete either a comprehensive examination or orally defend a thesis project. Failure to pass the qualifying exam or the oral defense after two attempts will result in termination from the Graduate Program.
Specialization
Students will be able to pick a specialization track: a thesis research track or a practice track. These tracks allow the student to tailor, in part, their educational experience to their career objectives. The only difference between the tracks is the capstone experience; students choosing the thesis track will defend an empirical thesis (and complete 6 credits of PSYC6999 – Thesis), whereas students who choose the practice track will complete a standardized comprehensive examination in the summer of year two in the program (and register for 1 credit of PSYC6899 – Readings and Research). The examination samples content from across the I/O Psychology discipline. A complete description of the specialization tracks and requirements (including a thorough discussion of the comprehensive exam) can be found in the most recent version of the I/O Psychology Graduate Student Handbook.
Practica and Applied Experiences
Students who desire I/O-related work experiences have a wide range of opportunities for applied experiences. These can occur as part of a formal practicum experience (i.e., internships) or more informally through the UNC Charlotte Organizational Science Consulting and Research Unit. While practicum experiences are not required as part of the program, Faculty and Advisory Board members have connections within the local community to help students find relevant experiences.