Degree Requirements

MA/PhD Degree Requirements

The Industrial-Organizational (I-O) MA/PhD is a combined degree. The MA is non-terminal and, therefore, only students intending to confer the PhD are admitted.

MA Course Requirements

The MA portion of the combined degree requires a minimum of 72 quarter hours beyond the completion of a bachelor’s degree, including four quarter hours of thesis research.

Statistics and Methodology Courses

Psychology Core Courses

I-O Psychology Core Courses

Research Course

Electives

Additional coursework of at least 16 quarter hours are required to attain the minimum of 72 quarter hours. These courses may include the I-O Psychology Core courses listed above or any graduate-level course. The courses must be taken with the consent of the student’s faculty advisor.

Master’s Thesis Research

Complete a thesis on a topic approved by the department.

Master’s Thesis Examination

Either written or oral, the examination may be, but is not necessarily limited to, a defense of the student’s thesis.

PhD Course Requirements

The PhD portion of the combined degree requires a minimum of 24 quarter hours beyond the completion of the master’s degree, including four quarter hours of dissertation research. The following requirements must be completed in order to confer the PhD.

Statistics Course

I-O Psychology Core Courses

Electives

The electives can be any graduate-level psychology course, or any graduate-level non-psychology course, with permission from the faculty advisor or program director. A total of 16 elective credit hours is required for the entire I-O MA/PhD program. ​​

Research Course

​Doctoral Candidacy Examination (Comprehensive Examinations)

Designed to assess the student’s knowledge of psychology and the student’s area of specialization. The examination is given in two sections. The first section consists of a written examination related to I-O psychology. The second section is an oral examination in the area of I-O psychology.

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

Formally given to the student with satisfactory coursework performance who has successfully completed the master’s thesis and passed the Doctoral Candidacy Examination; the candidate has no more than five years from the date of admission to doctoral candidacy to complete the PhD requirements or dismissal from the program will ensue.

Students denied candidacy will be required to withdraw from the program or withdraw after completion of the MA.

Dissertation

Departmental committee approval and acceptance of topic and outline of dissertation given only after admission to candidacy. Dissertation research should be completed during the student's fourth year in the program.

Oral Examination

Student to defend his or her dissertation and to show competence in the general field of psychology and in the area of specialization.

Time Limitation

• No more than four years between admission to the MA/PhD program and admission to doctoral candidacy.
• No less than eight months and no more than five years between admission to doctoral candidacy and the final doctoral oral examination; or dismissal from the program will ensue.

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