Department of Psychological Sciences
I-O Psychology, M.S.

Shape the Future of Work with Auburn’s Online Master’s in I/O Psychology

Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology explores how people think, feel and behave in workplace and organizational settings. By studying I/O Psychology, you’ll learn how to improve employee well-being, strengthen team performance, and solve real-world challenges faced by individuals, groups and organizations.

Auburn’s Master of Science in I/O Psychology is built for students who want to become skilled practitioners in applied settings. Delivered 100% online and asynchronous, this program offers the flexibility you need to balance graduate study with your personal and professional life.

Developed in partnership between the Department of Psychological Sciences and Auburn Online, the program combines high-quality course content with meaningful opportunities for engagement—ensuring you gain both the knowledge and practical skills to make an impact in today’s evolving workplace.

CURRICULUM

The MS degree is comprised of 30 credit hours and does not require a thesis. The estimated completion time is 2 years (5-6 semesters). The typical student course load for each year in the program is:

• Fall 2 courses - 3 credit hours each for total of 6 credits

• Spring 2 courses - 3 credit hours each for total of 6 credits

• Summer 1 course - 3 credits

Note: Students may seek the program's permission to take a non-standard course load, such as one course in a full Fall or Spring 15-week semester or two courses in a shortened Summer 10-week semester. Students must complete all program requirements within 5 years. Students should maintain continuous enrollment. Failure to enroll in at least two consecutive semesters in an academic year without a formal leave of absence may lead to disenrollment. The MS I/O Psychology program requires 6 core I/O Psychology courses (18 credits), 9 credits of graduate elective courses, and a practicum course (3 credits) for a total of 30 hours.

• PSYC 6690: Advanced Analytics for Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)

• PSYC 7700: Foundations in I/O Psychology (3 credits)

• PSYC 7710: Training and Development in Organizations (3 credits)

• PSYC 7720: Personnel Selection (3 credits)

• PSYC 7730: Research Methods (3 credits)

• PSYC 7750: Ethics and Professional Issues (3 credits)

• Graduate Electives (9 credits)

• PSYC 7910: Practicum in Applied Psychology (3 credits)

Below is a list of the current electives offered by the online MSIOP Program.   

• PSYC 7760: Occupational Health Psychology (3 credits)

• PSYC 7780 Work Motivation (3 credits)

• PSYC 7790: Workforce Management (3 credits)

• PSYC 7800 Leadership (3 credits)

• PSYC 8770: Organizational Change (3 credits)

• PSYC 8970: Special Topics

  • Coaching in Organizations (3 credits)

  • Occupational Stress and Management (3 credits)

TRANSFER CREDIT

Graduate credit taken at an international institution or at a regionally accredited U.S. institution may be transferred when recommended by the student’s program and when also approved by the dean of the Graduate School. Such transfer credit must fall within the time limits of the degree. Students seeking transfer credit must provide documentary evidence showing that the course is comparable to similar graduate courses at Auburn University and relevant to the student’s plan of study. Students must also provide an official transcript showing credit earned for the course. No prior commitment is made concerning whether transfer credit will be accepted. A program that requires 30 hours of credit will be limited to 6 semester hours of transfer credit. Transfer credit will not be accepted for PSYC 7910 Practicum in Applied Psychology

NOTE ON CREDENTIALING

The online Master of Science in I/O Psychology program adheres to the Society of Industrial/Organization Psychology (SIOP) education and training guidelines for graduate education. It is not designed to prepare students to become a licensed psychology professional. However, it is intended to prepare master’s level practitioners to work in the field of I/O Psychology.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA

• Personal Statement

• Two Letters of Recommendation

(Note: The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required.)

ONLINE COURSE TUITION

Current tuition cost is $850 per credit hour for both in-state or out-of-state students. The total estimated cost of the program based on the 30 required credit hours and not including application and graduation fees is $25,500.

Students in the online I/O Psychology Master's degree program are not provided graduate assistantships or tuition waivers by the Department of Psychological Sciences. The department does not waive tuition or fees for students in this program who are employed at Auburn University. Employees can use their defined tuition benefit and should check with human resources regarding its use.

For the online program, enrollment in at least six credit hours (two 3-credit courses) per semester of core and elective coursework, including a practicum, constitutes a full-time course load for financial aid and veteran’s benefits purposes

Please contact Student Financial Services (334-844-4367) regarding eligibility for student financial aid or the Veteran’s Resource Center (334-844-8167) for using veteran’s benefits.

CONTACT US

For more information, please contact, Dr. John K. Schmidt, online MSIOP Program Director.

ONLINE MS I/O PSYCHOLOGY FACULTY