Psychology
Picture of two people shaking hands across a desk

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Science for a Smarter Workplace

Welcome to the Industrial Organizational (I/O) Psychology graduate programs at Montclair State University! I/O psychology is the scientific study of the workplace. Rigor and methods of psychology are applied to issues of critical relevance to business, including talent management, leadership coaching, assessment, team dynamics, selection, training, organizational development, job design, performance, and work-life balance. The I/O program offers a comprehensive curriculum, small class sizes, and close mentoring from faculty members. The program aims to develop aspiring human capital consultants, people scientists, and human resource leaders who are able to solve strategic human problems in complex organizational systems. Through coursework, research, and experiential projects, the program prepares students for careers in applied settings, academics, and research.

We take pride in providing a rigorous training and culture conducive to professional growth and development. A recent 2018 study by SIOP ranked Montclair as one of the top I/O programs in the country in terms of program resources, including funding opportunities, breadth of curriculum, internship availability, and quality of instructions. We work hard to offer students an exceptional opportunity to participate in a variety of research and applied activities.

Key to the program’s success is commitment to training exceptional scientist-practitioners in a personal and collegial environment, emphasizing the guided development of research skills and statistics, knowledge of I/O theory and techniques, and applied experiences. Through extensive course work, students receive breadth and depth of training on industrial psychology, organizational psychology, and scientific methods. Further, we are among one of the few programs to offer data science courses where students can learn Python, R, and specialized courses in computational modeling, machine learning, natural language processing, and database architecture. Montclair offers both M.A. and Ph.D. level training. Both programs train well-rounded I/O psychologists who have flexibility in their career paths and skills to make a difference in society.

Programs Offered

The M.A. program is a two-year terminal degree that prepares professionals to work within the broad talent management, human capital consulting, and human resource function in organizations. The M.A. features a blend of rigorous coursework in the broad I/O content areas, as well as opportunities to work on applied projects. This culminates in a year-long capstone project either in a supervised internship or as an original thesis. Students may also use the M.A. as a basis to refine analytic skills, pursue further professional development, or improve their qualifications for entrance into a Ph.D. program.

Montclair’s doctoral degree provides training and research opportunities in the complex issues associated with the management of human capital and the operation of organizations. The Ph.D. program is research-oriented with a number of required methods and quantitative courses plus the option to specialize in psychological or data science. Each I/O faculty member supervises a productive research team and students are encouraged to join a lab that aligns with their interests. All doctoral students are required to complete a research-based thesis and prospective doctoral exam before advancing to doctoral candidacy. The last milestone is a doctoral dissertation. Beyond coursework and research, our program offers a number of opportunities for students to get involved and gain experience through our local consultancy group, required summer-long internship, New York Metropolitan Association of Applied Psychology (METRO), IPAC Chapter of Northeasterners (ICON), student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and student-run mentoring program.

Questions

For more information on the I/O Psychology program, please reach out: