Students have several optional opportunities when pursuing this degree:

INTERNSHIPS AND PROJECTS
The 225 hour practicum experience is a very important component to the degree program. Students will have the opportunity to use the skills that they have developed in their degree program at their placement site(s). Practicum placements are made in collaboration with the Graduate Program Director and the student candidate.

Placements vary depending on student interests and aptitudes, available supervision, student demand, and programmatic factors that may be out of the immediate control of the University.

Students in our program are encouraged to cultivate practicum placements in the community provided these are approved in advance by the Graduate Program Director. Additional, program specific, practicum requirements may be obtained from the Graduate Program Director.

In the past, students have completed their practicum at organizations such as: Valero, Optech Inc., City Public Service (CPS), Professional Service Industries, Inc. (PSI), United Services Automobile Association (USAA), and many others.

THESIS OPTION
Students can select to either participate in a thesis or non-thesis option to graduate. For many students, the primary reason to pursue a thesis is to obtain an independent research and writing experience prior to entry into a doctoral program. For some, it is a means of acquiring greater depth of knowledge in a subject of interest, or preparation for employment in a specialized field.

Although reasons for writing a thesis vary, the purpose of the research is to discover new knowledge or enhance existing knowledge in the field of interest. A project that helps to solve a practical problem may also be acceptable. The thesis is a cumulative experience, which provides a record for student achievement in the program.

The technical and grammatical quality of a thesis is an index of the professional abilities of the student, the supervising professor, and committee members. Moreover, it is representative of the quality of graduate education of the University.

I/O psychologists quantify human behavior and industrial activities. Students who complete the program are prepared to do the following, but not limited to:

Develop and use tests for selection of employees
Conduct job analysis and evaluations
Identify training and development needs of organizations
Evaluate the effectiveness of organizational interventions
Facilitate organizational change and development
Maximize the effectiveness and quality of work life for individuals and work groups in organizational settings.
Many of our graduates have gone on to pursue a Ph.D. in Industrial / Organization Psychology at other universities or to work at companies such as:

USAA
Valero
Andeaver
CST Brands
Zachary Group
Operational Technologies
Booz Allen
SWRI
Zappos
Potential job titles might include: President, Vice President, Director, Manager, Principal, Staff Member or Consultant of:

Organizational Development
Organizational Effectiveness
Organizational Capability
Talent Management
Leadership Development
Selection Systems