Psychology San Diego State University

Overview

Key facts

The Psychology program at San Diego State University has two tracks: a) Industrial/Organizational Psychology and b) Quantitative Methods (Quantitative Methods will be replacing the ‘Program Evaluation’ track). Both tracks are based on a scientist-practitioner model. Thus, graduates from the Applied Psychology program learn how to meet the opportunities and challenges faced by researchers working in the field, by participating in the design, conduct, communication, and application of results of research while working with practitioners and lay persons in applied settings. Learn more about the faculty members in the MS program and research opportunities.  Also, please take the time and read our Applied Psychology Student Association (APSA) newsletters, which are released every semester.

One key component of training in applied psychology at San Diego State University is a supervised internship involving the application of classroom learning and acquisition of new skills in a field setting. Students collaborate directly with psychologists and others working in the field.

The Master’s program in Applied Psychology at San Diego State University provides advanced training both for recent graduates and for individuals who have been in the workforce for a number of years. The program is designed to take two to three years to complete. It is a full-time program, and therefore serious commitment to graduate training is expected. View a complete list of the MS program requirements.  Funding in the form of assistantships is typically available so that students can give their full attention to their graduate studies.   Students also have the opportunity to participate in any number of exchange programs.

Post-Graduate Employment

Graduates will be prepared to enter rewarding professional careers. Those who choose the Industrial/Organizational emphasis may work for corporations or consulting firms in positions involving the development, delivery, and evaluation of human resources interventions. Examples include personnel selection, training, motivation, job design, quality of work-life interventions, satisfaction/climate surveys or larger-scale organizational change and development efforts. Students who choose Quantitative Methods find employment in settings such as health care, education, community-based programs, mental health settings, or government agencies. They perform functions such as: needs assessment, program implementation, program monitoring, feasibility studies, survey design and administration, impact evaluations, formative evaluation and cost benefit analysis. They communicate and use evaluation findings to effect change. These jobs tend to be intellectually exciting, and the rewards include having an impact on people’s lives. Students in either emphasis may also choose to pursue doctoral-level training in related areas of psychology after completing their MS degree.  To learn more about opportunities in the field, visit the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology website (SIOP).