Frequently Asked Questions

Two years. The program operates as a cohort model, meaning that we take a class every other year. Once a class starts the program, they go through it together. Students take two courses a semester for two years: Fall and Spring of Year 1, Summer of Year 1 (yes, there are courses in the summer), and Fall and Spring of Year 2.

Please see this description of our curriculum with course names.

First, we encourage you to read through this website carefully, as we have provided a lot of information and answers to common questions. Please do not request a meeting to simply ask questions that are answered on the website. Second, please know that meeting with current faculty and/or the Program Director will not help increase your chance of admission. However, if you continue to have questions that are not addressed on our site and would like to meet with someone, please email the Program Director.

The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to assess your knowledge of the key topics, issues, theories and practices within the field of I/O psychology, broadly defined. The field of I/O psychology is quite broad, dealing with a large number of issues relevant to organizations. The knowledge base is so large that it would not be possible to acquire deep knowledge on all topics within the field during your training. As such, we have two choices for your training: provide you with (a) a lot of knowledge about a few of the topics (fidelity) or (b) a little knowledge about most of the topics (bandwidth). We believe that MA students are best served by developing bandwidth. As such, you are required to take classes dealing with many of the topics in the field rather than specializing in a certain area. We believe that the goal of the exam should match our training strategy. So, the exam has been designed to assess your knowledge across the entire field of I/O psychology. Your performance on the exam will allow the faculty to evaluate your development as a broadly trained I/O psychologist, and, just as importantly, will provide you with diagnostic information about your own development.

We admit new cohorts in the fall of even years. New classes will be accepted for Fall 2028, Fall 2030, etc.

PLEASE NOTE: This program only accepts new students in even years, so please apply for a fall term with an even year (i.e. fall 2028). Only currently enrolled Ph.D. Organizational Science applicants may select an odd year to apply to the program. If you try to apply for admission for an odd year your application will be denied, as that application term is only for currently enrolled Ph.D. Organizational Science students.

Although we understand that situations do come up, given the cohort model that we have established for the program, missing a course (or a semester) would put you very far behind in the program. Since we will only be taking a class of students every other year, our courses will only be offered every other year. So, missing one would mean that you would have to wait two years for the course to be offered again. Therefore, you will not be able to miss any courses that are offered and still graduate in a timely manner. Please plan accordingly. We hold courses during the evenings (typically, Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 8:45 pm).

No. Our program is designed as a cohort program meaning that all students start together in the fall semester and progress through the program together as a group.

Transferring credit extremely rare but will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Our graduates typically work in human resources management, management consulting, organizational development, and related areas. Please see our Careers page for more information on careers in I/O psychology.

• First, please note that we cannot tell you anything about the likelihood of your own personal acceptance into the program, as it depends on who else applies that year and where you stand in relation to the other 100+ applicants that year.
• We examine each applicant holistically and consider the following factors: GPA, major(s), grades in statistics and research methods courses, work experience (preferably, at least two years of full-time work experience post-undergraduate degree), work experience in I-O or Human Resources (HR), responses to personal statement prompts, and letters of recommendation. We do NOT consider GRE scores.
• We do not consider research experience when evaluating applicants, as ours is an applied program. In other words, getting research experience will not help you gain admission.
• We would not automatically exclude anyone with a GPA below 3.0—however, due to University policies we would have to justify admitting anyone with a lower GPA to the University. If you have significant relevant work experience, for example, we could make that case.
• Similarly, we would not automatically exclude someone who has a “C” in an important course (e.g., Statistics, Research Methods, I-O Psychology); but it would concern us, as we would question your ability to handle graduate-level coursework in these topics. Some students retake courses to demonstrate they can handle graduate level coursework. However, we will never recommend that strategy to anyone personally, as it requires an investment and we cannot tell you whether that investment will pay off (i.e., we cannot guarantee you admission, even if you take extra courses).We recommend addressing gaps head-on, for example, asking a recommendation letter writer to comment positively on your ability to do quantitative analysis if you performed poorly in a statistics course.
• If a student has good grades and is otherwise qualified but lacks work experience, it may help improve their chances of gaining admission if they work full-time for two years in an I-O, HR or adjacent role before applying again. However, of course, we cannot guarantee admission, even with work experience.

We do not give preferential treatment to UNC Charlotte applicants; they are evaluated in the same manner as applicants from other schools.

The University sets tuition and fee rates each year. Rates for the most recent school year can be on Niner Central. When looking at the chart, it is important to remember that you will be taking 6 credits per semester (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring) and one credit in the final Summer term. It is also important to note that tuition for in-state students is much less expensive than for out-of-state students. Processes for determining residency can be found here. (https://ncresidency.charlotte.edu/). Finally, it is important to note that the I-O Psychology MA program charges a tuition increment.”

There is a real difference in the skills and qualifications of someone with an advanced degree in I/O psychology and someone with an advanced degree from a business school (i.e., the MBA). The key differentiator, as we see it, is the application of science. I/O Psychology is an applied science. We teach students to solve organizational problems through the application of science, be that consulting the research literature or actually conducting the research. As such, our students are trained in the scientific method, are taught skills in measurement theory and data analysis, and are prepared to apply knowledge and skills to the work environment. In contrast, MBA programs usually teach using the case study methodology; they analyze problems faced by companies and discuss ways of addressing or approaching those problems. While this methodology is certainly valuable, especially when it comes to application of knowledge to organizational settings, it does not teach a scientific approach. MBA students are not typically given the skills to evaluate research, conduct research, or perform data analyses (i.e., analytics). Individuals with a degree in I/O psychology have unique sets of skills that are highly valued by organizations. This value is becoming stronger as organizations rely more and more on data to understand themselves and their employees.

The faculty have good working relationships with several of the members of the Management Department, but the I/O program is not formally associated with the MBA program.

This is a very important part of your application as it is your opportunity to talk directly to the admissions committee. There are specific essay questions that we ask you to address in your personal statement. See link to personal statement instructions in our Application Process tab section of the IO program website. Those personal statement instructions (or a link to our website) should also appear in the Graduate School’s applicant portal once you have started your application. Answer those questions and upload it as your personal statement in the application portal.

In addition to the content, the quality of the writing and formatting also matter. The committee will look at writing quality as part of their evaluation. Now, you have to remember you are writing to an audience of scientists and practitioners of I/O psychology – you are not applying to an English Literature program. So, writing quality is not about how many big words you use, the length and complexity of your sentences, or the number of adjectives you can squeeze in. It is about simple, clear, and logical writing.

Please keep each essay to approximately one page, single-spaced for a statement total length of three pages, single-spaced.

Please note that faculty are adept at identifying AI-written text. Using AI-generated text will not be viewed favorably. The faculty are reading your essays to get a sense of who you are as a person and we would like to hear your own “voice” in your written responses to prompts. Further, exceeding page limits may disqualify you from consideration.

It’s really hard to say. We typically have well over 150 applications for about 12-15 spots in our cohort. Thus, admission to the program is competitive. However, we engage in holistic review of as many applications as possible; that is, we consider all of the student’s admission information in making our decisions and do not rule students out based solely on one thing. However, because of the sheer volume of applications, we often need to make an initial evaluation based on things like GPA or other factors in the application materials, and then do a more thorough evaluation of the remaining applicants.

Admission to the program is competitive. We typically have well over 150 applications for about 12-15 spots in our cohort. We consider all of the student’s admission information in making our decisions.

No, taking classes at UNC Charlotte will not enhance your chances of being admitted to the program. Your application will be viewed along with all other applicants and judged on its merit.

No, because we will not begin reviewing applications until after the February 1st deadline. Anyone who applies by the stated application deadline (February 1st) will be given full consideration. 

Our goal is to let applicants know where they stand by mid-March. We aim to have our admissions cycle completed by early May.

We do not accept applications after the deadline. Please work to submit your materials early; we recommend submitting everything by January 15. Do not wait until the deadline nears.

Unfortunately, because our program is part-time only, visa requirements do not allow us to admit international students.

Our program is designed to be accessible for working professionals. Courses will be offered in the evenings and on weekends so that individuals who work full-time can complete the program. The program is ideal for people working in an I/O-related field, such as in a Human Resources function within an organization, who are looking for a degree that will allow them to expand their career options.

The program would also be appropriate for working individuals looking to change careers and for individuals who have just completed an undergraduate degree. Work in an I/O-related career is not required for admittance into the program.

If you received a bachelor’s degree five or more years ago, we suggest that you seek out recommenders who can speak to your capabilities and potential as an I/O or HR professional (e.g., supervisors, coworkers, individuals with an advanced I/O degree). If you have recently graduated from a bachelors program, we suggest that you seek out academic recommenders who can speak to your potential for graduate studies.

While a degree in psychology or business is not required, applicants with backgrounds in these disciplines may be given preferential treatment.

Our cohorts include students who vary in several areas, including age and experience. We typically have at least a few students who are in mid- or late-career stages. They bring extremely valuable perspectives to class discussions.

We suggest that you seek out academic recommenders who can speak to your potential for graduate studies.

While a degree in psychology or business is not required, applicants with backgrounds in these disciplines may be given preferential treatment.

Not at this time. Instead, we have arranged the program as a part-time, evening program so that students can work full-time if desired to help keep their income stream going and gain valuable, often I-O relevant work experience during their time in the program. Sometimes the organization students work for helps to cover tuition for them.

It is not typical for students to get involved in research with faculty. Because ours is a part-time, evening program offered at our Center City campus, most students choose to work full-time to gain work experience and keep their income stream going during graduate school rather than to engage in research while here. Most of our students are oriented towards building their applied experience during the program rather than their research experience.

As many of our students are already working in I/O-related jobs, an internship is not a required component of the program. However, there are also students in our program who need relevant experience. These students should be actively engaged in their search, which includes, for example, speaking with faculty and alumni, regularly submitting applications, working with the career center, maintaining an active LinkedIn profile, and attending networking events.