Dr. J. Kevin Ford
Co-director, Professor
I am a professor of Psychology at Michigan State University. My major focus is on workplace learning and development and organizational change. In addition, I concentrate on understanding how to build continuous learning and improvement orientations within organizations. My consulting work includes working with various private and public sectors on training, leadership, strategic planning and organizational development issues. I have been an investigator on several funded projects from the National Institute of Health, The National Science Foundation, The National Institute for Justice, The State of Michigan, the Naval Training Systems Center and the Air Force Resources Directorate. As a researcher, I have published over 100 articles and chapters and six books including my recent textbook on “Learning in Organization: An Evidence-Based Approach”. My contribution to the field has been recognized by my election as Fellow of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and I recently received the Scientist-Practitioner Award from SIOP. My BS in psychology is from the University of Maryland and my MA and Ph.D. in psychology is from The Ohio State University.
Dr. Daisy Chang
Co-Director, Professor
In my research, I strive to improve employee health, well-being, and safety by enhancing our understanding of the socio-cognitive and motivational processes that influence behaviors in organizational settings. I am particularly interested in identifying psychological processes that not only account for behavioral criteria that have been the traditional focus of industrial and organizational psychology (e.g., job performance), but also criteria related to occupational health and safety (e.g., accidents and injury, psychosocial well-being). I have worked on multiple funded research projects that involve interdisciplinary research teams, and collaborated with researchers from engineering, ergonomics, geography, industrial hygiene, media and information studies, medicine, nursing, and physical therapy. I have mentored students from a variety of background, including industrial hygiene, nursing, occupational health medicine, occupational safety, psychology, and public health. My work has been published in Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Psychological Bulletin, and Work & Stress. I have served as an associated editor at Applied Psychology: An International Review, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Journal of Applied Psychology.
Program Overview
Welcome to the Work and Organizational Psychology master’s program. In a world that is rapidly evolving and leaving traditional industrial practices behind, we believe it is crucial to embrace the transformational nature of work – hence we have intentionally chosen “work” over “industrial” in the naming of our program. Our program recognizes this shift to equip students with the practical knowledge and skills needed to navigate the ever-changing landscape of work as an Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychologist.
The program is geared to working professionals who are looking to enhance their skill set for career development and advancement. Embedded into every aspect of our program are the values of collaboration, integrity, and diversity. The focus of the program is to nurture your intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and creativity. By embracing innovation and industry trends, we will prepare you for the challenges of today and tomorrow.Our program is unique for 3 key reasons:
- You will learn from top experts in the field.
Our program instructors include leading experts in the field of work and organizational psychology who have been recognized for their work by numerous awards from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Instructors consist of highly respected faculty members from Michigan State University’s top-ranked doctoral program in organizational psychology. Alumni of the doctoral program, who are actively engaged in the field of work and organizational psychology, also serve as instructors. Thus, students will be informed by the rigorous scientific findings and evidence-based best practices. - You will receive cutting-edge training critical for your success
We conducted interviews with leading experts working in the areas of people analytics, talent management, and organizational and team effectiveness to identify critical competencies for a successful specialist in work and organizational psychology. Our curriculum is designed to build and strengthen your competencies in these areas. - We provide hands-on learning for real-world readiness
Our master's program offers a unique advantage to you in the job market by providing practical, hands-on experience that develops skills relevant to solving real-world problems. Our program emphasizes building valued quantitative and data analytic skills. Through practical coursework and projects, you will apply these skills to real-world scenarios, gaining invaluable experience that sets you apart from other job candidates. By creating a professional portfolio of your work throughout the program, you will demonstrate a readiness to tackle complex workplace challenges.
Program Outcomes
In our Work and Organizational Psychology master’s program, our educational goals are clear. One objective is to ensure you have a deep understanding of people issues at work, strategies for problem solving, and industry best practices. This knowledge is essential for anyone looking to excel in the dynamic field of organizational psychology.
Our second objective is to prepare you for success in a range of master's-level positions across various professional settings. Our program is about skill-building for real-world readiness and the ability to thrive in diverse work environments.
We achieve these two goals through coursework and the completion of four capstone skill-building projects. The project's focus on talent assessment and validation, employee learning and development, benchmarking organizational practices, and survey design, implementation and analysis. These projects are directly relevant to duties performed as an Industrial and Organizational Psychologist and provide you with a portfolio to demonstrate your expertise in these key areas.
Career Impact
Based on the most recent employment and salary survey of the Society of Industrial-Organizational Psychology, the median salary for individuals with a master's level degree and work experience in the field was $100,000. For those who are new to the field, the median salary is $65,000, which increases significantly as one accumulates work experience (e.g., $87,500 for those 2-4 years after degree completion, and $99,174 for those 5-9 years after degree completion). This data highlight that those with a master's degree in Work and Organizational Psychology have skillsets that are highly desirable in the labor market.
Job titles for recent graduates may include specialist, consultant, and senior consultant. As individuals accumulate experience in this field, they may move into positions with titles such as Human Resources Manager, Director, Vice President in Human Resources, and Senior Vice President in Human Resources.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 63rd among Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2025
- #8 Best Online Master's in Business Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2025
- #3 Best Online Master's in Educational Administration and Supervision - U.S. News & World Report, 2025
Key Dates
Fall Semester
Application Deadline
June 15th
This program uses a cohort model. We admit a cohort at the beginning of each Fall semester.
The online Master's for Work and Organizational Psychology is no longer accepting applications for Fall 2026 as we have reached our capacity. The next admissions cycle will be for Fall 2027.
Tuition & Fees per credit
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$1,000
$1,000
Cost of Attendance
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found on the "Estimate Your Cost of Attendance" page.