Apply: MS Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Required Materials

• $50 non-refundable application fee 

• Official transcript from all institutions attended with a minimum final grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale in your bachelor's degree 

  • Pre-requisite coursework, including:

    • One introductory psychology course
    • One statistics and one methods research course(s) may be combined
    • Four-six psychology, behavioral science, or management courses

  • If you attended an institution outside of the United States, a transcript evaluation from one of our approved agencies is required. 

  • If your undergraduate final grade point average falls below the minimum stated, please contact Graduate Admissions.

• Two references 

• Statement of purpose, see details below 

• English Proficiency, if applicable for international applicants 

Statement of Purpose

The following questions ask about your interests, training, experience, and overall preparedness for Master of Science level study in IO psychology.  

Please answer each question as fully as you can. Asking the same questions of all applicants helps us ensure a level playing field as we don’t want to miss any important information about your qualifications.  

Evaluating your candidacy: We are a quantitative discipline so fluency with math and science is expected in our classes from the get-go. If you have not been able to work on research presentations in your undergrad (see question 5) then it is not an automatic rejection. However, having prior research experience is a plus as it informs us of your demonstrated interest in scientific pursuits. 

In assessing your candidacy, we review your application holistically. This means that in addition to your responses to these structured questions, we carefully read (a) your transcripts to see how you have done on quantitative courses including statistics and research methods, (b) letters of recommendation (these are best procured from individuals who can speak to your skills and knowledge to undertake graduate level work), (c) work experience, and (d) resume. 

Statement of Purpose Questions 

Note: each response should be between 150-250 words in length. Please include the question and your response; list each as a separate bullet. 

1) Why do you wish to pursue a Master of Science degree in IO psychology? Which areas of IO psychology or strategic HR appeal to you? Please also share your long-term goals for a career in IO psychology. 

2) Describe your training and experience with statistics and research methods that will help you take on the rigors of a Master of Science IO program. Please note: we are looking for your self-assessment on what you have learned in these classes and/or how you have used this knowledge in your classes/jobs. We can see your grades in your transcripts, so this question is asking you to provide commentary beyond just your grades. 

3) Describe any applied experiences (work, internships, volunteering, etc.) you have had that have helped prepare you for graduate study in a Master of Science IO program. 

4) Please tell us about any experiences you have that show your scientific bent of mind. For example, you can include your senior/honors thesis (completed or ongoing), research presentations, or evidence-based initiatives and/or other projects you may have worked on at your workplace. For each, please describe how you contributed to the outcomes. 

5) Optional: What else do you think the faculty should know about you? Tell us about any special circumstances (e.g., in life, education, and/or work) you would like us to be aware of when considering your application. 

Deadlines

• Applications accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed once complete. View final deadlines on our “Graduate Application and Deadlines” page. 

The master of science in industrial/organizational psychology program does support international students in F or J status (accurate for the 2025-2026 academic year). Please contact the Center for International Education with any questions.