Program Overview
Industrial and organizational psychology examines how people behave at work and how organizations can improve the systems that affect them. TUW’s online master’s program teaches students to apply psychological research, assessment, and data analysis to employee selection, workplace performance, leadership, training, organizational development, and change.
The program is designed for California professionals and working adults nationwide who want to move into human resources leadership, organizational development, talent management, consulting, training, or workforce analysis. Fully online, eight-week courses allow students to continue working while completing the degree on a full-time or part-time schedule.
Concentrations
Touro University Worldwide’s online Master’s in Industrial & Organizational Psychology program has three specialized concentrations, allowing students to select the option that best fits their chosen career path.
- Coaching and Consulting
- Human Resource Management
- Occupational Health Psychology
To learn more about the program’s concentrations, view the MA in Industrial & Organizational Psychology curriculum.
Admission Requirements
Prospective I/O Psychology students seeking to attend Touro University Worldwide must meet one of the following criteria to be considered for admission:
- Have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5.
- Transfer student from another college/university’s graduate program in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 2.75).
Students, who meet one of the above criteria, will be required to complete the following steps in order to be admitted and enrolled:
- Submit an application.
- As a non-profit organization committed to serving the underserved, Touro University Worldwide has waived the $60 application fee for all prospective students.
- Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended. Transcripts must come directly from the issuing institutions. Students who completed college coursework outside the United States must have their transcripts translated and evaluated. (See Foreign Credit for additional information.) Students are required to complete step 3 by the end of their first term of enrollment.
As a non-profit institution committed to serving the underserved, Touro University Worldwide has waived the $60 application fee for all prospective students.
Tuition, Financial Aid & Scholarships
TUW’s tuition for the Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology is $500 per semester credit. The 36-credit program has a total tuition cost of $18,000 before financial assistance. TUW has waived the $60 application fee, and students do not need to purchase textbooks. There are also no technology, library, or student service fees. A one-time $200 degree audit and graduation fee applies.
Eligible students may use federal financial aid, TUW scholarships, and employer tuition assistance to help manage costs. Check with your human resources department to determine whether your employer offers tuition reimbursement. TUW financial aid advisors can also help you review available funding options.
Military & Veteran Benefits
Personnel selection, training design, and human performance are core military functions, so many service members already have experience that closely relates to industrial and organizational psychology.
Eligible service members, veterans, military spouses, immediate DEA dependents, and non-contractor Department of Defense employees may qualify for TUW’s reduced military tuition rate. Service members planning to use Tuition Assistance should consult their Education Services Officer (ESO) for guidance before enrolling. TUW also accepts eligible GI Bill® benefits, participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, offers military advising, and may evaluate military training and service for transfer credit.
What Can You Do With an I/O Psychology Degree
An I/O psychology degree can prepare graduates for roles focused on employee performance, talent development, workplace systems, and organizational effectiveness. Career opportunities may be found across corporations, consulting firms, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
I/O psychology salary and job outlook
Industrial-organizational psychology is a growing field for professionals who help organizations select and retain employees, improve training, and strengthen workplace performance. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of around $150,000 for industrial-organizational psychologists. Employment of psychologists overall is projected to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034.
In California, industrial-organizational psychologists have an average annual wage of approximately $140,000. California employers may apply I/O psychology expertise in corporate human resources, management consulting, healthcare, education, government, and nonprofit settings.
Note: This degree does not lead to any form of licensure or certification.
Core Requirements
27 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students explore classical and contemporary theories of organizations and how the psychology of individuals and groups, shapes the behaviors of people in organizations, including the formation of attitudes and work motivation and the impact of organizational structure, functions, and processes, on organizational performance.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students study the concepts, methods, and tools used to manage change, improve processes, and stimulate innovation, and how to apply that knowledge to improve the functioning of any organization.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn key elements of effective leadership and how to apply that knowledge in leadership and management to make a positive difference in organizations, communities, and societies.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students explore the best practices of team dynamics including team leadership, collaboration, conflict resolution, and productivity, and how to apply that knowledge to improve teamwork in organizations.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students examine the measurement of individual differences, job analysis, performance appraisal and feedback, employee selection and placement, and the design and evaluation of training and other organizational intervention programs.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students gain an understanding of the overall processes involved in building and maintaining positive customer relationships by delivering customer value and increasing customer satisfaction.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students explore methods, procedures, techniques, and tools useful in the conduct of IOP research designed to help organizations function, including various research designs and strategies, the use of criteria in determining reliability and validity, quantitative and qualitative data analyses, interpretive skills, and, an understanding of the ethical standards governing the conduct of all research involving human participants.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students will examine various statistical techniques that are used in the analysis of data generated by empirical research, including descriptive and inferential statistical methods, parametric and nonparametric analyses, sampling distributions, and the generalizations, inferences, and interpretations that can legitimately be made on the basis of statistical evidence.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students apply what they have learned throughout the program by conducting a culminating project or assignment that contributes to their workplace, career, and/or industry.
CREDITS
3
Coaching and Consulting Concentration
9 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn about the theory and practice of coaching leaders and managers at all levels of an organization and how to help them refine their skills and improve their performance.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students examine the methodologies used to collect, organize, analyze, and present organizational assessment data to clients to help them resolve problems and improve performance.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn how to be an effective facilitator who, as a catalyst, actively and effectively guides, coaches, and focuses people on achieving their objectives, whether as individuals or in teams.
CREDITS
3
Human Resource Management Concentration
9 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students gain an understanding of the effective use of human resource systems in developing competencies, recruiting, selection, training, evaluation, compensation, and employee relations.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students develop the ability to conduct training needs assessments, design training programs, facilitate training teams, and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn how to develop an organizational competency culture in which everyone is aware of the specific competencies needed to perform their jobs and are motivated to develop them to their finest.
CREDITS
3
Occupational Health Psychology Concentration
9 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an overview of Occupational Health Psychology and the role it plays in identifying and reducing the occupational safety and health problems that underlie illnesses and injuries in various types of work. It will also include discussions of accompanying research methods and practices used in the field. In addition, it will cover organizational interventions, such as work redesign and employee-assistance programs implemented to reduce occupational stress.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will review typical stressors in the workplace that undermine an individual’s wellbeing and performance. It will explore the health implications of stressful work, including physical and psychological health, as well as social and economic outcomes. In addition, it will identify risk factors in organizations for occupational stress, injury, and illness, and strategies and mechanisms for dealing with them.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will explore the field of positive mental health and underlying theories related to positive emotions and happiness, covering empirical research centered on the nature of happiness and psychological well-being, the biological basis of positive emotions, emotional intelligence, and skills that lead to healthy individual and interpersonal functioning in the workplace.
CREDITS
3
No Concentration (Please choose any courses from the concentration courses)
9 Semester Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn about the theory and practice of coaching leaders and managers at all levels of an organization and how to help them refine their skills and improve their performance.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students examine the methodologies used to collect, organize, analyze, and present organizational assessment data to clients to help them resolve problems and improve performance.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn how to be an effective facilitator who, as a catalyst, actively and effectively guides, coaches, and focuses people on achieving their objectives, whether as individuals or in teams.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students gain an understanding of the effective use of human resource systems in developing competencies, recruiting, selection, training, evaluation, compensation, and employee relations.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students develop the ability to conduct training needs assessments, design training programs, facilitate training teams, and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students learn how to develop an organizational competency culture in which everyone is aware of the specific competencies needed to perform their jobs and are motivated to develop them to their finest.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an overview of Occupational Health Psychology and the role it plays in identifying and reducing the occupational safety and health problems that underlie illnesses and injuries in various types of work. It will also include discussions of accompanying research methods and practices used in the field. In addition, it will cover organizational interventions, such as work redesign and employee-assistance programs implemented to reduce occupational stress.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will review typical stressors in the workplace that undermine an individual’s wellbeing and performance. It will explore the health implications of stressful work, including physical and psychological health, as well as social and economic outcomes. In addition, it will identify risk factors in organizations for occupational stress, injury, and illness, and strategies and mechanisms for dealing with them.
CREDITS
3
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will explore the field of positive mental health and underlying theories related to positive emotions and happiness, covering empirical research centered on the nature of happiness and psychological well-being, the biological basis of positive emotions, emotional intelligence, and skills that lead to healthy individual and interpersonal functioning in the workplace.
CREDITS
3
Credits
120 semester credits
Format
100% online, 8-week courses
Next start
August 31, 2026
Apply by
August 28, 2026
Accreditation
WSCUC and CSWE
Tuition
$400 per semester credit
Transfer credits
Up to 90 credits
Entry requirement
High school diploma or GED, or transfer in good academic standing; minimum 2.0 GPA
Students are responsible for securing an approved field site. TUW must approve the site and supervisor before students begin accumulating field hours.
Application deadlines are generally the Friday before the term begins. Confirm the date with an enrollment counselor.
Request Information
Accreditation & Employer Recognition
Touro University Worldwide is a private nonprofit university within the Touro University system and is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). This accreditation applies to the university as a whole and reflects WSCUC standards for academic quality, student learning, institutional effectiveness, and integrity.
Students in the online MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology complete the program’s curriculum, learn from TUW faculty, and earn a Master of Arts awarded by the university. The online MA is offered under the same institutional accreditation that applies across TUW. Employers set their own hiring requirements.
TUW is headquartered in Los Alamitos, California, and WSCUC is also based in California.
Why TUW: Faculty, Proof & Credibility
TUW combines a focused industrial and organizational psychology curriculum with faculty guidance and an online format designed for working professionals. Students learn from faculty associated with the program and can select coursework in coaching and consulting, human resource management, or occupational health psychology.
Faculty expertise
Gemma George, PhD
Facilitating Organizational Change
Howard Fero, PhD
Organizational Theory and Behavior
Student & alumni outcomes / testimonials
TUW Alumna and active-duty service member Krystal Matlock discusses how her newly earned Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational (IOP) degree builds upon her leadership experience—and equips her to develop, coach, and build more productive organizations and staff. Congrats to our new graduate, Krystal!!
Proud TUW Alumna Kasia Dydynska reflects on her journey through the Master Industrial and Organizational Psychology at TUW
Request Information & Apply
Not sure whether industrial and organizational psychology or human resource management better fits your career goals? A TUW enrollment counselor can help you compare the programs, review admission requirements, and plan your next steps.