Best Online Master’s in Organizational Psychology Programs

Convenient learning has been integral to Golden Gate University ever since its first night classes when it was opened in 1901. More than 115 years later, GGU is still offering students the flexible study options, including the online MA in industrial-organizational psychology. This asynchronous online program allows students to complete the required 42 credits without ever taking a class on campus.

Students in the online master's in industrial organizational psychology learn advanced leadership skills in the areas of management, group diversity, and executive coaching. There are opportunities to personalize the degree depending on students’ career goals. The school offers electives in human resources, conflict management, and advanced training classes.

While all classes are held online, some final exams may require in-person attendance at one of the GGU locations. All online students at GGU have access to extensive online resources, including academic services, career assistance, and several different online libraries and academic databases. For admission into the program, applicants must possess a bachelor's degree with a high academic performance and a satisfactory mathematical foundation.

Founded in 1899, Azusa Pacific University has experienced substantial growth. Today, the school maintains several locations in Southern California and more than 40 online programs, including the MA in psychology with an emphasis in industrial and organizational psychology.

The 36-unit organizational psychology master's online consists of 12 classes. Courses build off undergraduate psychology and business foundations. Students learn how to apply modern theories in employee motivation, effective performance interventions, and value-based leadership approaches to a variety of management positions. The asynchronous online delivery at Azusa Pacific University provides students with scheduling flexibility.

The Graduate and Professional Center offers a writing center, career support, and spiritual and counseling services to online students. Students applying to the online MA in psychology should hold a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA.

As the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland, the University of Maryland College Park offers research-based degrees to both on-campus and online students. The online MPS in industrial and organizational psychology blends synchronous elements, face-to-face learning, and asynchronous delivery.

Students in the 30-credit online master's in organizational psychology explore how to lead effectively in a global world. In addition to leadership skills, students learn how to analyze and apply statistical methods and large datasets in a business setting. Online graduate students can take a minimum of one course every semester to maintain enrollment or complete the entire degree in as few as 15 months with a heavier course load. Online students also have access to resources, including the library and academic assistance.

Carlos Albizu is the first school to focus on psychology graduate studies in North America and the Caribbean. The Miami campus was established in the 1980s and provides academic support on-campus and online. The university offers psychology-specific tutoring in an elearning format.

The master of science in industrial and organizational psychology at Carlos Albizu is offered online and on-campus. The online program can be completed entirely online and is designed for working adults. Distance learners in the program will learn to select, train, and measure the performance of employees, and also foster a healthy workplace environment. Graduates of the program are prepared to pursue degrees in multiple fields, such as human resources, education, government, and more. Students must complete 42 credit hours, maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, and finish six research or capstone credit hours.

Providing education for more than 130 years, National Louis University is one of the oldest higher learning institutions in Illinois. The online MS in industrial and organizational psychology combines coursework in human resources, psychology, management, and organizational behavior. Consequently, students learn how to better understand human behavior within the workplace through an interdisciplinary lens.

The professionally-oriented curriculum meets guidelines set by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Notable classes include job attitudes, measurement of individual differences, and talent acquisition and retention. Distance learners can finish the asynchronous accelerated program in less than 20 months. NLU is one of the few schools that have actually reduced tuition rates in recent years. All students pay a tuition flat rate per semester. NLU allows students to transfer up to nine credits.

Colorado State offers a number of online graduate degrees in fields such as agriculture, business, engineering, and human resources and organizational development.

Colorado State's practitioner-focused master of applied industrial/organizational psychology provides students with the practical skills necessary for research in their respective fields. The degree prepares students for a variety of industrial/organizational psychology jobs in fields like human resources, training, organizational development, and academia. The degree can be earned in 38 credit hours, or two-years of study. The curriculum prioritizes active-learning and includes courses such as applied cross-cultural industrial/organizational psychology. While some online classes are recorded lectures and can be viewed at any time, others are synchronous classes that require real-time participation. Applicants should have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, at least a B grade in an undergraduate psychology class, and scores for the GRE general and psychology subject tests.

Missouri University is located in Rolla, Missouri, and offers nearly 20 online master's degree programs and over 50 graduate certificate programs. The university's master of science in industrial-organizational psychology has a strong focus on how psychology can improve the wellbeing of individuals.

Missouri's psychology program includes non-thesis tracks in leadership in technical organizations, psychometrics, and human factors. Students can choose a thesis option, which is appropriate for research-focused careers. Classes are delivered as a live streamed video, but are also archived. This organizational psychology master's online program includes courses in leadership, motivation, and culture, which examine how leadership contributes to a positive workplace. The program recommends a specific list of prerequisite courses, such as cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and a research methods class. Applicants who don't meet these requirements are still eligible for admission, but must complete extra coursework to graduate.

Sacred Heart is located in Fairfield, Connecticut, and offers distance degrees in all states except Maryland, Minnesota, and North Carolina. Online courses are asynchronous and available 24/7. In addition to their online master's in organizational psychology, the university offers online degrees in nursing and social work.

Sacred Heart's master of science in applied psychology has three distinct tracks, including the business-focused industrial-organizational psychology concentration and the community psychology concentration, which prepares students to work in nonprofit organizations. The third concentration is an applied psychology degree that employs elements of both tracks. Students complete one course during 8-week sessions, and the program can generally be completed in 2 years. As part of their capstone project, students can choose to complete 100 hours of supervised field work. Applicants to the program should have at least a 3.0 GPA and have completed 12 undergraduate psychology credits.

Located in Manhattan, Kansas, KSU is consistently recognized by The Princeton Review as one of America's best colleges. The campus is a leader in distance learning and offers more than 70 online programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level, including the organizational psychology master's online. This 38-credit hour program can be completed in about three-years.

Kansas State's master of science in industrial and organizational psychology covers basic behavioral science principles and teaches students to use information technology to manage organizations and diverse populations. Students are required to visit campus during the summers to complete workshops. Topics covered during these workshops include ethics, legal issues, applied research methods, and more. Online classes mostly use an asynchronous format relying on archived material. Applicants should have a 3.0 GPA during their final two undergraduate years, and should have experience in a specific set of bachelor's classes, including psychology and management.

Since 1966, Bellevue University has provided career-focused educational programs. To respond to the growth in industrial organizational psychology jobs nationwide, Bellevue University developed an online MS in industrial and organizational psychology. Combining theory and practice in the areas of human resource development, talent management, and personnel selection, this 36-credit master's degree prepares leaders to thrive during times of organizational change and growth.

Students in this program gain skills in various analytical tools and statistical models. Bellevue University offers several start dates, so students can enroll whenever is most convenient for them. Once enrolled, online students join an accelerated cohort. The program culminates in a practicum and final capstone project. Interested applicants should have a bachelor's degree with a 2.5 GPA. Transfer students should have a 3.0 GPA. Online students may access online tutoring services, the writing center, an online library, and the career services center.

Franklin is a pioneer in online education. It's located in Columbus, Ohio, and all of the university's degree programs are offered entirely online. A variety of evening classes are available. The school offers classes at satellite locations in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Franklin's online master's in organizational psychology program is a master of science in business psychology. The program emphasizes studying the human side to marketing, finance, economics, and more. Classes are specialized, focusing on topics like behavioral economics and neurofinance, the psychology of creativity, and more. Students can earn their degree in 14 months, and students can transfer eight-hours for credit. Applicants enjoy a flexible admission policy: there are no prerequisite classes, and applicants only need to provide GMAT/GRE scores if their GPA is below 2.75. Graduates are prepared for careers in business consulting, management, human resources, teaching, and more.

Southern New Hampshire is renowned as a leader in online education. The school has a residential campus in Manchester and offers over 200 distance learning degrees to more than 75,000 online students.

In Southern New Hampshire's online industrial organizational psychology degree, students learn to apply concepts of empathy, collaboration, and communication to a practical work setting. Students generally take two classes per ten week term, and can finish their degree in 15 months. Students complete class work asynchronously. Classes include Theories of Personality, which covers historical and contemporary psychological perspectives of personality. Applicants aren't required to provide GRE or GMAT scores, but they should have some experience in undergraduate psychology courses. Southern New Hampshire is committed to supporting transfer students by allowing as much as 90 transfer credits for previous class work. The program follows the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology standards.

The online MS in industrial-organizational psychology at Eastern Kentucky University provides organizational leaders with the skills to develop strategies to improve employee performance and productivity. Students learn how to conduct consulting services and professional development events. The 36-credit degree follows the training guidelines as set out by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

EKU provides substantial benefits for online learners in general, but psychology students gain access to additional resources such as field experience and training opportunities through the Center for Applied Psychology and Workforce Development. The Department of Psychology operates its own student services, including tutoring and career resources. Classes run in eight-week terms. For entrance into the program, applicants should have a bachelor's degree and a 3.0 GPA.

UH is located in West Hartford, Connecticut. About a third of the university's student population is an international student or a minority. Hartford has graduate programs in nearly 40 subjects, including seven distance learning programs.

Hartford's master of science in organizational psychology utilizes asynchronous coursework. The program generally lasts two-years, and emphasizes working with organizations in a global environment. Students complete courses in the departments of psychology and communication, and in the school of business. Distance learners can take innovative and unique courses, such as experimental design, that are not offered in other organizational psychology master's online programs. Applicants with an undergraduate degree in a related field and a GPA of at least 2.5 are preferred, although students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than psychology are eligible for admission. Credits from two-classes taken at other institutions can be transferred.

Austin Peay, located in Clarksville, Tennessee, is one of the state's fastest growing universities. The university hosts a number of online programs, and even offers a new reduced rate for out-of-state students taking all online classes.

Austin Peay State's master of science in industrial organizational psychology can be completed with about 34 credit hours (or about two years) of study. Graduate students need to be a resident of a SARA state in order to complete the program online. Most professors plan classes with some synchronous requirements, including live online discussions. Students will develop competencies in a variety of fields, including small group theory, work motivation, consumer behavior, and more. Applicants to the program must have completed 12 credit hours in psychology, an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5, and GRE verbal and quantitative scores of 143 and 138.