MASTER'S IN PSYCHOLOGY
INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATION CONCENTRATION
AT MEREDITH COLLEGE
MAKING
WORKPLACES
EVEN
STRONGER.
Our Master’s in I-O Psychology
The Master of Arts in Psychology: Industrial-Organizational Concentration (I-O) at Meredith College prepares graduates to use the methods of scientific psychology to improve both the effectiveness of organizations and the work-life quality of employees.
The I-O Psychology program at Meredith College is built on a scientist-practitioner model, and best serves students who wish to enter directly into the workforce upon degree completion.
- Graduate ready to enter the field with practical experience gained through an internship or applied thesis.
- Learn to improve both the effectiveness of organizations and the work-life quality of employees.
- Choose the only I-O psychology master’s degree in the capital city of Raleigh, recently ranked the 2nd best city to live in by Money Magazine.
- Receive hands-on career guidance, professional development and 1:1 coaching from the moment you enter the program until you walk across the stage at graduation – and beyond.
- Develop valuable mentor and peer relationships in a small, student-focused program.
- Start a successful career. We have a strong graduate employment rate at top companies including Amazon, Cisco, WakeMed, Lowes, Curi, IQVIA, PPD, and Butterball. Read more about how some of our alumni are using their degrees to improve the world of work.
What is industrial-organizational psychology?
Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology is the scientific study of behavior in organizational settings and the application of psychological science to understanding work behavior. While general psychology concerns itself with the behavior of individuals, I-O psychology focuses on understanding employee behavior in work settings.
“I often describe I-O psychologists to people as the therapist for organizations. We can understand an organization, diagnose it with data science, and then treat it with an intervention.” – Emily Buchanan, ’21, Training & Development Specialist – US LBM
- Develop tools to help companies recruit, select, and place quality employees.
- Formulate and implement employee training and coaching programs, applying principles of learning and individual differences.
- Conduct research studies of physical work environments, organizational structures, communications systems, group interactions, morale, and motivation to assess organizational functioning.
- Assess job attitudes, safety programs, and other quality of work and life programs to help companies recruit and retain a qualified workforce.
- Develop criteria and tools for measuring worker performance and organizational effectiveness.
- Study consumer reactions to new products and package designs, and to advertising efforts, using surveys and tests.
- Critical thinking skills
- Advanced data analytic skills
- Ability to develop written communication for varied audiences
- Ability to contextualize analytic solutions to help clients solve real-world problems
Why study I-O psychology at Meredith?
As a graduate student in Meredith’s graduate I-O psychology program, you’ll benefit from our outstanding reputation in the field of psychology, as well as our extensive contacts with area employers. And with a semester-long internship, you’ll graduate ready to immediately enter the field.
“In my current role, the work has been about examining processes and questioning why and how they came to be. It’s about recognizing systems that no longer serve everyone and coming up with a strategic plan to change them, putting that plan into action, and measuring the outcomes to ensure it’s working.” Michele Xiong, ’21, Director of Diversity & Inclusion – Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®
The I/O psychology program at Meredith College is a two-year master’s degree. Unlike other programs that focus on preparing students for academic careers, Meredith’s program develops students as scientist-practitioners who graduate ready to enter the job market in the industries and organizations they serve. Meredith College offers:
Graduate students benefit from the outstanding reputation of Meredith’s undergraduate psychology program, particularly in the areas of research methods preparation, the on-site autism clinic, and well-developed internship program. Local employers are familiar with Meredith’s strong track record of preparing students both for graduate study and employment by clinical research labs and other research-focused companies in the Triangle.
Students complete a full-time internship during their last semester of the program, giving them real-world experience in the field upon graduation. Though the program is full-time, classes are held in late afternoon/early evening to accommodate the demands of adult life. And students benefit from Meredith’s location in Raleigh, a top-ranked city that is both dynamic and extremely affordable.
Our psychology faculty have proven expertise in training students to become fluent in designing and implementing data-driven research through intentional, phased support. Instruction by faculty in Meredith’s AACSB-accredited School of Business provides additional rigor and guidance. And our small department and high-touch, student-focused approach allows students to develop strong mentor relationships with faculty.
Meredith’s long-standing connections with the vibrant industries represented in the Research Triangle provide rich opportunities for internships and employment for our graduates. And alumni have access to lifetime career support through our Office of Career Planning.
19%
I-O psychology’s projected growth rate over the next ten years
#1
Simple Dollar ranks I-O psychology number one among “10 Master’s Degrees that Can Actually Pay Off”
$100,000
median annual salary of master’s-level I-O practitioners
97%
of I-O psychology alumni secure I-O related jobs within 6 months of graduation
Meredith’s M.A. in Psychology | I-O Concentration prepares graduates to use data-driven solutions to improve workplaces, employee work/life balance, and more – and our program enjoys a 97% job placement rate at top organizations.
Luisa Jaramillo, ’23, chose to earn her M.A. in psychology at Meredith College because of its student-focused program and required internship. She plans to help organizations and leaders make the most of their employees’ strengths.
Strong Graduates
At Meredith, Elizabeth Anglis, ’21, M.A. in psychology, learned the importance of investing in human capital and how to practice critical thinking while keeping people at the forefront.
Cathedia Rose, ’22, M.A. in psychology, said Meredith’s program gave her the tools to improve hiring practices and performance appraisals with methods backed by a scientific practitioner approach.
Through Meredith’s I-O psychology program, Michelle Xiong, ’21, M.A. in psychology, was prepared to pursue a job that fulfills her desire to work in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Paul Jones, ’20, M.A. in psychology, learned not only how to apply evidence-based concepts to the workplace, but how those changes can impact the bottom line for organizations.
Emily Buchanan, ’21, M.A. in psychology, said Meredith gave her knowledge and tools to create meaningful change for individuals at her organization by being able to ask the right questions.
According to Arielle Smith, ’21, M.A. in Psychology, without Meredith’s program, she would have never landed her internship or her job as an HR Assessment Analyst.
Careers in I-O Psychology
Meredith’s graduate I-O psychology program prepares you for a variety of career paths within this fast-growing field.
- Whether you want to work as a consultant, as a specialist within an HR department, or hold a managerial or supervisory role, Meredith will prepare you to immediately enter the field as an I-O practitioner.
- On a national level, the field has a projected growth rate of 19% over the next ten years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. I-O psychologist was also ranked the #2 Best Science Job for 2020 by U.S. News & World Report.
- Our location in the Research Triangle gives graduates access to a range of corporations and research facilities that would hire such individuals.
- Meredith alumni work in a variety of settings in areas like talent management, recruitment & selection, organizational behavior, diversity & inclusion, and training & development. In fact, 97% of our alumni secure I-O-related work within six months of graduation.
- Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors
- Workforce Development & Diversity Specialist, WakeMed
- HR Business Partner, IQVIA
- HR Assessment Analyst, Lowe’s
- AWS Partner Sourcer, Amazon
- Senior Talent Acquisition Coordinator, PPD
- Associate Talent Optimization Consultant, Allscripts
- Manager of Organizational Development, Butterball
- Read more about how our alumni are influencing the world of work
Contact Information
108 Ledford Hall
(919) 760-8723
iopsy@meredith.edu
