The employees are the key to the success of any organization. And just like all other humans, employees too experience psychological issues that need to be addressed. Organizational psychology is the branch of psychology that studies the workplace environment, the relationship of the employees with their workplace, current employee training methodologies and the end result in terms of the level of productivity, job performance measurement techniques and parameters, etc.
A trained and qualified organizational psychologist will look at how interpersonal relationships in the workplace, training methods, etc. are affecting the mind and personal life of the employee and in turn affecting his or her performance and/or productivity. Organizational psychologists will develop new learning strategies, recommend changes to the organizational policies, etc. to improve the workplace environment.
Levels of Organizational Psychology Degrees
Organizational psychology degrees are structured just like most other psychology degrees. Those aspiring to become an organizational psychologist can begin by completing their bachelor’s degree in general psychology, with courses on industrial and organizational psychology. There are bachelor degree programs in organizational psychology as well. However, a bachelor’s degree isn’t enough to get a job as an organizational psychologist. It’s just the first step towards a career in organizational psychology.
If you’re serious about a career in organizational psychology, you will need a master’s degree in this branch of psychology. As expected, there are a lot of fantastic online master’s in organizational psychology that you can enroll in. It will enable to get an entry-level job. You will have to build up a body of work and experience to become eligible for positions with greater responsibilities and salaries. If you want to jump up to a higher position right after you complete your degree, then you will have to opt for a doctoral degree after completing the master’s degree. A doctoral degree in organizational psychology, like Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), will open up employment opportunities in academia, research, consultation and more.
Ideally, you should do all three. Begin with a bachelor’s degree, follow it up with a master’s degree and finally complete a doctoral degree in organizational psychology. Bachelor’s degree programs are 4 years long, master’s degree programs are usually 2 years long and doctoral degrees can take between 4 and 7 years to complete, depending on the structure of the program.
Online Organizational Psychology Programs
Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University offers an online Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. The program teaches students organizational psychological theories, research methods to evaluate working environments, how to look at work from the perspective of psychology, etc. Students are trained to conduct performance appraisals, understand how to select the right personnel for the right job, develop training methods that best suit the job at hand, counsel employees and managers, etc. And it’s not just limited to private companies or industrial settings, organizational psychology can be applied to government departments as well. Students passing out of this program will be equipped to help organizations improve employee performance while ensuring that the employees are happy and satisfied as well.
Some of the courses taught include applied measurement in industrial/organizational psychology, foundations of applied psychology, personnel assessment and selection, leadership and organizational change and personnel psychology, among others.
This online program consists of 34 credit hours. Typically, students complete the program in 2 years. Students can either opt for a comprehensive exam plus two elective courses approved by their academic advisor at the end of the program or work on a thesis over two semesters. Students meet their academic advisor(s) virtually at least once a semester to discuss courses to pick and ensure that everything is in order. The tuition fee is $550 per credit hour.
The admission requirements include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, a minimum GPA of 2.5, GRE test scores and 3 letters of recommendations.
The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
William James College
William James College offers an online Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology. This program is available as an online-only program and as a combined online plus 8-week offline program. You will learn methods of diagnosing reasons for underperformance caused by employees and the system in place in organizations, observe and work with teams within organizations, resolve challenges faced by employees and the organization and more. The teaching methodology used in this program is evidence based, which equips students to tackle real-life issues as soon as they graduate.
The program is made up of 30 credits, of which 24 credit hours are dedicated to teaching various courses and 6 credits are reserved for a field project that spans 80 hours. This field project is essential to earning the degree. The program includes online lectures, written assignments and discussions. Full-time students can opt for an 11-month accelerated program, while part-time students complete the program in 23 months. You must have an undergraduate degree and a GPA of 3.0 or more to be eligible for this program.
A large percentage of graduates of this program currently work in human resources, talent management and organizational development. To learn more about the program, you can get in touch with the Program Director, Dr. Miranda Ralston. Write to her at miranda_ralston@williamjames.edu.
Carlos Albizu University
Carlos Albizu University offers an online Master of Science in Industrial & Organizational Psychology program. The program provides training in organizational areas such as the selection of personnel, training and development of employees, measuring employee performance, organizational development and workplace environment, among others. One of the unique aspects of this program is that the faculty members are active professionals. So, you will be able to learn from their direct experience and learn the new challenges and updates in the field of organizational psychology.
The program consists of 42 credit hours dedicated to coursework, plus 6 credits dedicated to applied research, which could be a capstone project. You will have to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or more to earn your degree.
Conclusion
Organizational psychology is an extremely specialized field. You will be dealing with human cognition and behavior from the perspective of the organization and the relation between the two. Put a lot of emphasis on research and fieldwork during the program, as it will hold you in good stead while seeking employment opportunities.