Should I Get a Master’s in Industrial Organizational Psychology?

A career in psychology has never been more sought-after than today. Getting a masters in I-O psychology opens up exciting opportunities for you to make your mark in the corporate world, land a lucrative job and earn a substantial amount.

A business psychology salary is no lower than that for an in-demand software engineer working for one of the big players in the tech space. Plus, you’d get to work with corporate leadership to bring about positive change from within the organization. Your efforts directly influence employee productivity and business revenue.

According to the U.S. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the median annual business psychology salary in the U.S. is $139,280, with the top lot earning around $210,000 and the bottom 10% of professionals making around $72,490.

Not bad, right?! Psychology careers are booming, with rising demand in workplace productivity and organizational ability to improve employees’ overall physical and mental well-being, especially in remote or hybrid work environments.

Getting a master’s in I-O psychology is the hottest new space for individuals interested in coaching employees and organization leaders, helping improve the quality of employee work-life balance and workplace dynamics.

In this article, we will understand what I-O psychology offers you, some popular supporting undergraduate courses, career options, job roles to target, certifications, and more. Let’s dive in.

Social psychology explores the aspects of human personality and social interactions and the influence of interpersonal relationships and group dynamics on individual behavior.

Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology takes inspiration from social psychology and studies human behavior in organizations to improve work environments for employees and leaders and improve work productivity and peer dynamics.

I-O psychologists apply scientific principles to study and resolve various workplace challenges around job satisfaction, hiring, employee upskilling, leadership decision-making, working conditions, and organizational effectiveness.

They help devise company policies that promote employee well-being, training and development, and incentives to increase employee motivation. Overall, I-O psychologists help bridge the gap between people and workplaces.

I-O psychologists are not therapists or clinicians. They don’t consult individuals or employees to resolve mental health or social issues. 

They are business or industry oriented, and that’s why they are also known as business psychologists. They help develop employee training and development programs and practices to improve workplace efficiency and profitability.

You need to earn a master’s degree to operate as a business psychologist, I-O psychologist, or human resources psychologist, which are all the same. 

Let’s take a look at the curriculum now. 

I-O psychology students get to study a wide variety of disciplines along with practicum exercises and internships lasting 2 or more years. And the curriculum is not limited to only the subjects in psychology. You also get to study statistics, management, legal issues, and much more.

Since business psychology is deeply rooted in real-world industrial application of scientific human behavior theories, you will regularly learn and gain critical factual insights with the help of internships, group projects, case studies, and workshops with field experts and professionals.

Here’s what you will study in I-O psychology:

Organizational behavior

Different dynamics influence critical outcomes across individuals, teams, management, and organizations.

Applied social psychology

Apply scientific theories to social attributes to improve individual and group well-being in real-world scenarios.

Statistical data analysis

Use statistical data analysis to identify patterns, relationships, and trends related to human behavior and make recommendations to improve workplace practices.

Workforce training and development

Designing effective training material for employees and organizational leaders to improve work performance and competence.

Legal and ethical issues

Addressing the nuances of different human cultures and employing the ethical policies that promote diversity, inclusion, and ethnic sensitivity, among other qualities.

Research or Internships

If you’re inclined toward research-based coursework or internships, you can participate in developing training programs and publishing academic papers.

Hands-on experiences like internships and research will help you establish authority in the field and land satisfactory jobs after graduation. Job settings include management consulting firms, government agencies, non-profits, healthcare organizations, and more.

A Master in Industrial-Organizational Psychology equips you with the right skills and knowledge to promote cohesion between teams and organizational goals and facilitate internal company transition to support cultural or vision changes.

I-O psychology prepares you to enable organizations to support the needs of the new generation. Gen Z has entered the workforce, and they look forward to redefining success in the workplace. 

Gen Z values mental health, company culture, a good working environment, and career growth over salary. They prefer security over heightened growth promises. Organizations are accommodating certain new policies to allow Gen Z to enter the workforce. That’s where I-O psychologists come in.

The best part is you get work across a plethora of industries, including the following:

• Education—elementary, high school, colleges, universities
• Labor unions
• Government organizations
• Healthcare
• Technology companies
• Advertising
• Human resources management 

#NEWSFLASH:

NASA is planning for the longest manned-mission to Mars in 2030. A space mission can be disastrous if the team members can’t get along well and face internal conflicts.

This is where I-O psychologists are helping NASA select the right team and personnel training, as well as, establish the right peer dynamic for overall mission success.

Here are eight career options for you to pursue after getting a Master’s in I-O psychology:

Human Resources Manager (HRM)

HRM is a good fit for you if you’re interested in the people side of I-O psychology. You will work with HR professionals on a daily basis to recruit new hires and mediate workplace conflicts. You will also be responsible to uplift company culture across the organization’s goals and vision.

Business Development Consultant (BDC)

BDCs train and conduct workshops for employees and teams to push their workplace skills to the next level, helping them advance their career goals. 

Corporate Coach (CC)

CCs work with employees and teams at the C-suite level to guide leaders to improve workplace performance by revising strategic policies. 

Workforce Analyst (WFA)

WFAs use quantitative research to analyze employee performance, management strategies, goal completion, and workflows to improve team performance. They work with the leadership team on vital matters like compensation, resource assignment, and organizational styles. This role is more data-driven and back-end inclined than a typical HR front-facing role.

Management Consultant (MAC)

MACs offer external insights and tactics to enhance business performance. They apply scientific theories from business psychology to pinpoint inefficiencies and suggest better strategies for profitability. Management consulting is a big hit among I-O psychology professionals.

Personnel Development Manager (PDM)

PDMs use business psychology principles to push team productivity. They spend most of their time developing customized training programs, conducting performance evaluations, and designing orientation programs for new hires. They can use creative means to bring about positive change within an organization due to employee satisfaction.

Organizational Change Consultant (OCC)

OCCs are experts in facilitating efficient internal company transitions. They help identify areas for improvement, strengthen company communication, and optimize business processes. They work at leadership levels to bring about major changes within the organization. 

Behavioral Analyst (BA)

BAs observe and measure employees’ behavior and social patterns. Then, they use strategies to bring about positive change in undesirable situations in the workplace. They consider environmental factors with respect to biological components to predict changing employee behaviors in the workplace. They may also study customer behavior trends to impact clients’ decision-making processes better.

Note: If you want to narrow your options, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) can help you identify career opportunities as an aspiring I-O psychologist. 

A bachelor’s degree in psychology or industrial organizational psychology is the perfect fit to build a foundation for a master’s in I-O psychology. Bachelors in the following can also help you lay the right foundation for I-O psychology:

1. Business administration
2. Human resources
3. Business analytics
4. Education and similar fields 

Industrial-organizational psychology involves specialized knowledge and training in various areas such as human behavior, decision theory, and job analysis. People from diverse backgrounds can have unique skills applicable to industrial-organizational psychology. These can include:  

1. Social workers
2. Marketing professionals, and 
3. Career counselors

Building a strong foundation in psychology and business is essential for a successful career in industrial-organizational psychology. Although most colleges do not offer an undergraduate major in this field, some offer a bachelor’s in industrial-organizational psychology.

FYI: Here’s a guide to help you while choosing a major.

So, if you wish to strengthen your understanding of the subject, you can undertake foundational courses after your bachelor’s, particularly in:

1. Psychological principles
2. Statistics
3. Social psychology
4. Experimental methods
5. Developmental psychology, and 
6. Research methodology 

You should also seek learning opportunities from professors, business mentors, and research or internship programs. These experiences provide essential skills and knowledge that will be useful later in your career.

Graduate programs in industrial-organizational psychology may include practicum to test the skills of prospective students. These scenarios can involve common workplace issues, such as conflicts between management and employees. 

Although not all graduate programs have these in-person requirements, you should know that you might be evaluated on your ability to address pertinent issues. 

Overall, a strong foundation in psychology and diverse skills can help prepare individuals for a successful career in industrial-organizational psychology.

In the US, licensure for I-O psychologists is regulated at the state level. Most states require licensure to practice independently as a psychologist. 

I-O psychologists can also obtain certification from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), the US’s largest professional association for I-O psychologists.

And if you wish to become a board-certified I-O psychologist, you can seek certification from the American Board of Organizational and Business Consulting Psychology.

The prerequisites for getting board certified are more challenging than other certifications. You must have a doctoral degree (Ph.D., PsyD, EdD) and need to complete an oral and a written examination. And you do have to re-certify yourself every year.

Business psychologists are the need of the hour for growing organizations. With the ever-lasting C-suite hunger for productivity and hybrid work environments, there’s an increasing demand for individuals with specific skills to help companies achieve efficiency with the least resistance from employees. 

I-O psychologists are equipped with the tools to create cohesion between teams and organizations. It’s a challenging yet rewarding career choice, making it one of the most exciting roles.

I-O psychology is a promising path for aspiring business, human resource, and psychology professionals. Coupled with a high-paying business psychology salary, you can be in a rewarding career with a wide corporate impact.