MA in Industrial-Organizational Psychology in Sacramento United States | California State University, Sacramento

The Industrial-Organizational Psychology program at Sacramento State was shaped significantly by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology's 2016 Education and Training Guidelines. Although we address all 24 key competency areas outlined in the SIOP Guidelines, certain topics receive greater focus—an approach that aligns with common master's program practices as described in the SIOP Guidelines.
The Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology equips students with practical career skills for applying psychological principles and research methods to workplace challenges. CSUS's I-O program draws heavily from the 2016 SIOP Guidelines, ensuring comprehensive coverage of core competencies while prioritizing specific areas. This selective emphasis reflects both industry standards and the needs of our graduates in the regional job market. Our curriculum particularly highlights human resource planning and development (including job analysis, recruitment, assessment, training, and performance management) and analytical skills (such as research methods, measurement, and data analysis), with an industrial psychology focus. While organizational psychology topics like workplace motivation, team dynamics, and occupational safety inform these HR practices, they receive comparatively less attention in our course offerings.