Kansas State University Curriculum

I. Summer Course Work: with 2 week on-campus workshops/sessions

Students are encouraged, but not required, to bring laptop computers to the summer on-campus courses.
During on-campus sessions students learn internet-related skills such as how to access course modules,
participate in chat rooms, and post messages. These sessions also provide students with the opportunity
to interact with peers and faculty.
First Summer (on-campus workshops required)
PSYCH 804:(Introductory Seminar) Industrial/Organizational Psychology. (3 credit hours) This is an
advanced survey of theory, research, and practice pertaining to human behavior in work organizations.
Topics include an overview of selection, training, and evaluation of employees, job analysis and
evaluation, work motivation and satisfaction, organization behavior and development, and working
conditions.
PSYCH 808: Applied Research Methods I. (3 credit hours) This laboratory-based course will teach
students how to set up and analyze human resource information systems to enable them to make databased human resource decisions. Case studies on real organizational data will be used to assess such
human resource areas as discrimination, strategic planning, grievance filing, performance-based
compensation systems, and job evaluation.
Second Summer (on-campus workshops required)
PSYCH 968: Ethical and Legal Issues (Seminar in Professional Problems). (3 credit hours) This
course will look at current ethical and legal policies that affect human resource professionals. The ethical
implications of consulting with and doing research in organizations will be discussed. Recent legislation
and legal cases and their impact on human resource functions will also be examined.
PSYCH 809: Applied Research Methods II. (3 credit hours) The second part of the research component
will focus on applied research techniques in organizations and developing the skills that students will
require to complete their third year project. Students will be taught how to utilize resources to review the
literature, operational research, develop a research agenda and budget, and evaluate their research.

II. WWW Courses:

Each spring and fall semester one of the following four courses will be offered using distance and webbased educational resources. Also, students will be enrolled in 2 credit hours of Masters Research in
Psychology each spring and fall semester. Delivery will be accomplished using the web, e-mail, and
guided study. Students and faculty will communicate through discussion rooms, threaded message
boards, e-mail and the telephone. Assignments will enable students to apply the concepts and techniques
learned to company-related problems.
The following courses are currently scheduled to be offered on a rotational basis once every two years,
beginning with:
PSYCH 878: Personnel Selection. (3 credit hours) This course will focus on developing, performing, and
analyzing several different job procedures which provide the basis for several human resource functions.

It will also examine the theoretical and practical issues in staffing industrial organizations, including
recruitment, test validation, and other employment opportunity issues (test fairness, adverse impact, etc).
PSYCH 880: Performance Appraisal. (3 credit hours) The course will examine data sources, rating
procedures, psychometric criteria for evaluating performance appraisal systems, and models/theories of
the performance evaluation process. Different compensation models and their advantages and
disadvantages will also be discussed.
PSYCH 879: Organizational Psychology. (3 credit hours) Examines the individuals role in
organizations and the effects of organizational variables on the individual worker. Topics include
organizational communication, employee socialization, cultures and psychological climates of
organizations, stress in organizations, group processes and employee performance, and organizational
change and development.
PSYCH 875: Personnel Training. (3 credit hours) An examination of the training of personnel in an
organization. Topics include: determination of an organizations training needs, selection and motivation
of trainees, design and evaluation of training programs, and examination of several specific strategies for
accomplishing the training function.

III. GUIDED STUDY Practicum Research:

Students will be enrolled each spring and fall semester in 2 credit hours of Practicum: Research in I/O
Psychology.
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Fall of Year One.
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Spring of Year One
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Fall of Year Two
PSYCH 860: Practicum: Research in I/O Psychology. (2 credit hours) Spring of Year Two

IV. Summer of Year Three*

Final Course (Students do NOT come to the campus) PSYCH 860: Practicum: Final Report in I/O
Psychology (5 credit hours)
The third summer of the program is spent writing and finalizing a guided-study practicum based on a
company-related human resource issue. Each student will work on the research and practicum with
his/her major professor.
Due to the diverse backgrounds of the students entering the MIOP program, practica are expected to be
as equally diverse. However, broad study areas include: development of selection instruments, job
training needs assessment, development of performance evaluations and performance-based
compensation models, surveys of employee attitudes, and evaluation of the programs. In some cases
students will work with real world data sets and projects provided by their instructor. Each students major
professor will work with the student to determine the scope and breadth of his/her practicum.

V. Fall of Year Three

Final Course PSYCH 860: Practicum: Final Report in I/O Psychology (1 credit hour)
*Curriculum is subject to change.

VI. Graduation
MIOP Commencement takes place in December. Final report should be completed by the end of
September in order to meet the graduation deadlines. It takes time to obtain feedback and make changes
to a final report.
If a student does not complete the degree by December of MIOP year three, the student will be out-ofsequence and will be required to pay an additional MIOP program per semester fee of $250, as well as
the current per credit hour cost of the course. These will include, but will not be limited to, the cost of
enrolling in one additional credit hour during each semester until the student graduates. Also, all
Graduate School and departmental rules and procedures must be followed for eligibility to defer
graduation, with the understanding that the student will be responsible for costs related to deferred
graduation.
*Please note that university tuition and fees are subject to change.

Website: http://www.dce.k-state.edu/artsci/industrialpsych/curriculum