Psychology

Frequently Asked Questions

What GRE and GPA scores must an applicant have to gain admission?

The average GRE over the past six years has been 980. The average GPA over the same time frame has been 3.4. However, the range of scores varies around that, and also depends on how many applications we receive.

Is your program accredited?

Unlike the fields of clinical and school psychology, there is no accrediting organization for programs in industrial / organizational psychology. Thus, no program is accredited and if you selected five I/O programs at random, you might find that they are all surprisingly different from one another.

What jobs do your graduates attain?

A complete listing of these can be found on the Alumni and News page.

How many M.S. students do you admit per year?

Our typical incoming class size is eight. In past years our classes sizes have been smaller. Our new goal (2005) is to admit 8 to 12 students per year.

How many applications do you get?

This varies considerably from year to year. Last year we received 45 applications.

Do you admit new students in the spring semester?

No. The program is designed to be a two-year sequence. If we admitted someone in the spring semester, they would still have to take two full years after that semester because they would not be able to take statistics I, which is only offered in the fall.

What are the sizes of your classes?

Most of our classes include only the first year or second year I/O M.S. students, and, thus, have 8 to 11 students, with the occasional student from another program taking the course as an elective. The statistics courses and program evaluation include some clinical and school M.S. students and will be about twice as large. The social psychology course (summer) will include I/O, school, and clinical students and, thus, will be the largest.

Are assistantships available?

Assistantships are generally available. However, because the number of students who want an assistantship is sometimes larger than the number available, we cannot guarantee assistantships. That said, most of our students have assistantships and in most semesters all of our students have assistantships. In addition to Psychology Department assistantships, our students have frequently held assistantships in the following offices.

Workforce Education
Human Resources
Equal Opportunity Office
Institutional Effectiveness
Institutional Research
HR – Wellness Office
Training Resource Center
Business and Technology Center

Thus, when possible, we try to find assistantships that will offer experience that looks good on a resume. Additionally, some of our students have been able to find local part time jobs that are related to the program and their coursework.

What other applied experiences do you offer?

In addition to the second year practicum class sequence, many of our courses require projects with real clients. For example, next semester our first year students (in PSY 872) will develop job analyses, employment interviews and scoring keys, and performance appraisal measures for a company in the region. Our second year students (in PSY 875) will develop training courses for another company in the region.

Will I be required to complete a thesis?

The thesis is optional. Most students who complete a thesis do so in case they decide to apply to a PhD program in the future. If you complete a thesis, you typically would take a 3-hour independent study in the fall (second year) and 3 thesis hours in the spring. These credits would replace two elective courses. Students who do not complete a thesis generally take one of their elective courses in the fall and one in the spring.

Must I take an undergraduate course in I/O in order to be admitted?

No. Plenty of students have done fine in the program without having taken an I/O course prior to arrival.

What is the PHR? Is it required?

PHR (Professional in Human Resources) is a certification offered by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). One must pass SHRM’s exam in order to become certified. We do not require it. However, for students who are interested, we offer assistance in preparing for the exam. We began this because many of the jobs our alums apply for either require or prefer PHR or SPHR (Senior PHR) certification.

More questions and answers forthcoming! Stay tuned.

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Frequently Asked Questions What GRE and GPA scores must an applicant have to gain admission? The average GRE over the past six years has been 980. The average GPA over the same time frame has been 3.4. However, the range of scores varies around that, and also depends on how many applications we receive. Is your program accredited? Unlike the fields of clinical and school psychology, there is no accrediting organization for programs in industrial / organizational psychology. Thus, no program is accredited and if you selected five I/O programs at random, you might find that they are all surprisingly different from one another. What jobs do your graduates attain? A complete listing of these can be found on the Alumni and News page. How many M.S. students do you admit per year? Our typical incoming class size is eight. In past years our classes sizes have been smaller. Our new goal (2005) is to admit 8 to 12 students per year. How many applications do you get? This varies considerably from year to year. Last year we received 45 applications. Do you admit new students in the spring semester? No. The program is designed to be a two-year sequence. If we admitted someone in the spring semester, they would still have to take two full years after that semester because they would not be able to take statistics I, which is only offered in the fall. What are the sizes of your classes? Most of our classes include only the first year or second year I/O M.S. students, and, thus, have 8 to 11 students, with the occasional student from another program taking the course as an elective. The statistics courses and program evaluation include some clinical and school M.S. students and will be about twice as large. The social psychology course (summer) will include I/O, school, and clinical students and, thus, will be the largest. Are assistantships available? Assistantships are generally available. However, because the number of students who want an assistantship is sometimes larger than the number available, we cannot guarantee assistantships. That said, most of our students have assistantships and in most semesters all of our students have assistantships. In addition to Psychology Department assistantships, our students have frequently held assistantships in the following offices. Workforce Education Human Resources Equal Opportunity Office Institutional Effectiveness Institutional Research HR – Wellness Office Training Resource Center Business and Technology Center Thus, when possible, we try to find assistantships that will offer experience that looks good on a resume. Additionally, some of our students have been able to find local part time jobs that are related to the program and their coursework. What other applied experiences do you offer? In addition to the second year practicum class sequence, many of our courses require projects with real clients. For example, next semester our first year students (in PSY 872) will develop job analyses, employment interviews and scoring keys, and performance appraisal measures for a company in the region. Our second year students (in PSY 875) will develop training courses for another company in the region. Will I be required to complete a thesis? The thesis is optional. Most students who complete a thesis do so in case they decide to apply to a PhD program in the future. If you complete a thesis, you typically would take a 3-hour independent study in the fall (second year) and 3 thesis hours in the spring. These credits would replace two elective courses. Students who do not complete a thesis generally take one of their elective courses in the fall and one in the spring. Must I take an undergraduate course in I/O in order to be admitted? No. Plenty of students have done fine in the program without having taken an I/O course prior to arrival. What is the PHR? Is it required? PHR (Professional in Human Resources) is a certification offered by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). One must pass SHRM’s exam in order to become certified. We do not require it. However, for students who are interested, we offer assistance in preparing for the exam. We began this because many of the jobs our alums apply for either require or prefer PHR or SPHR (Senior PHR) certification. More questions and answers forthcoming! Stay tuned.			Mission & Objectivess Alumni News Faculty Apply Online & Admission Requirements Curriculum Tuition & Financial Aid Practical Experience PHR / SPHR Certification FAQ Directions Home