Industrial/Organizational Psychology Student Resources

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MA/PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology Overview

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 graduate programs offer a comprehensive curriculum, small class sizes, and close mentoring from faculty members. The programs aim to develop aspiring educators, 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 programs prepare students for careers in applied settings, academics, and research.

We take pride in combining rigorous training with a professional yet supportive culture conducive to professional growth and development. 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 I/O Psychology 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.

Our I/O Psychology 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 business, data science, psychological science, or research. Each I/O faculty member supervises a productive research team and students are selected to join a lab that aligns with their interests. Through this lab, students have the opportunity to present at professional conferences and publish in peer reviewed journals. All doctoral students are required to complete a research-based thesis and prospective preliminary 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 various student led committees, a student-run mentoring program, course based consulting opportunities, New York Metropolitan Association of Applied Psychology (METRO), the student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Questions

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

psycgrad@montclair.edu
Dr. Mark Rose, MA Program Director: psycgrad@montclair.edu
Dr. Valerie Sessa, Doctoral Program Director: psycgrad@montclair.edu

What Sets Us Apart

It is important to consider multiple factors in determining your choice for graduate training. We are glad to assist you in your decision-making process and can point to a number of features supporting our program’s success.

Rigorous and Balanced Curriculum

The I/O curriculum features a balance of method, industrial, and organizational topics covering the full range of the SIOP (2017) competency guidelines. Program expectations are high, with most courses requiring integrative projects blending evidence-based thinking and practical considerations in presentations and consultation. We combine theory and application to ensure you have the scientific skills to succeed in applied research and the practical skills to succeed in the job market.

Student Success

Our graduates are well regarded in the region, securing a variety of challenging and meaningful roles both during and after school in Fortune 500 companies, consulting firms, and government agencies. In the past few years, over 95% have secured full-time employment in jobs ranging from HR generalists and talent management specialists to consultants in leadership development, change management, compensation, test validation, diversity and inclusion, and employee engagement. Examples of recent employers include Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, National Football League, KPMG, Korn Ferry, Johnson & Johnson, Foot Locker, Avid Budget Group, Panasonic, United Nations, and Port Authority.

Logos of organizations which students work or intern at

Flexible and Affordable

Graduate classes are held at night (usually 2 nights per week) and late afternoon making attending school and working a real possibility. Tuition cost are relatively low compared to other institutions and most students complete the M.A. degree in two years taking nine credits per semester.

Montclair also offers generous albeit competitive research and teaching assistantship packages which provide full tuition remission and annual stipend. All admitted doctoral students and a portion of M.A. students typically qualify for either a research assistantship supporting faculty in lab management and study execution or as a teaching assistantship supporting faculty in course work.

Data Science

Our program equips students with a strong foundation in both classical statistics and modern data science techniques. Students develop fluency in R and Python while learning skills that are increasingly in demand across industries. M.A. students have the option to earn an Advanced Quantitative Methods Certificate by completing additional quantitative coursework, enhancing their marketability in analytics-driven roles. Ph.D. students may pursue a formal concentration in Data Science, complementing their rigorous training in research methods and statistics. These offerings reflect our commitment to preparing graduates who can navigate and lead in data-rich organizational environments.

Incredible Location

We are located in one of the largest and most diverse business centers in the world. Students have many prospects for internships and job opportunities. Travel into New York City is facilitated by a train stop right on the university campus into Penn Station, New York so commuting and working in New York City is a definite possibility.

Diverse Expertise and Committed Faculty

Our core and affiliated faculty members hold top credentials in their fields, publish frequently in top-tier outlets, teach all I/O courses, and are active consultants, board members, and editors for books and journals. With eight core and supporting full-time faculty members, our I/O program is one of the largest in the country thus providing students a range of opportunities to collaborate on numerous applied projects, conference presentations, and publications.