Master of Science in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology

On this page:

• Why Choose the Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program?
• Academics and Curriculum
• Admission

Why Choose the Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program?

If you want to explore how to improve group performance and systems through psychology, pursue a Master of Science degree in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Wright State.

We offer both, a thesis-based and a non thesis-based option.

Gain a greater understanding of human perception and cognition, individual, group, and organizational behavior, and how to design more effective organizations. You can take advantage of research opportunities with local entities like the Human Effectiveness Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Crew Station Evaluation Facility at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Our learning facilities include laboratories, audio-visual equipment, observation rooms, and 20,000 square feet in Fawcett Hall dedicated exclusively to psychology research. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Wright State also have several agreements in place for the sharing of equipment, facilities, and personnel.

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Academics and Curriculum

View Master of Science in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Thesis track) and Master of Science in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Human Performance and Effectiveness (Non-thesis track) program information, degree requirements, and graduation planning strategy in the Academic Catalog.

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Admission (Thesis and non-thesis track)

Criteria

1. GPA Minimum undergraduate GPA is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Average undergraduate GPA of accepted students is 3.64.
2. GRE - only required for the MS with thesis. Minimum GRE is 300 across verbal and quantitative scores. Average GRE across verbal and quantitative scores of accepted students is 315.
3. Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a major in psychology or at least 16 semester credit hours of psychology.
4. Completed courses in cognition or human learning, sensation and perception, social or organizational psychology, personality or test and measures or abnormal, experimental design/statistics, and experimental methods.
5. Ideally, prospective students should also have completed a year of physical or biological science, courses in mathematics, and computer science.
6. Admitted students who are missing one or more prerequisite courses will be expected to complete appropriate remedial course work at the onset of the program, in addition to degree requirements.

Procedures

December 15 is the date when we will begin to review application materials for admission for the following Fall semester. If you are interested in applying to the Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology graduate program at Wright State, here are the necessary application steps:

1. Visit the Graduate School website. Visit the Apply page where you can create an online account to apply. From the Graduate School website, you can also download paper copies of the application materials and mail them directly to Wright State. (Online submission is preferred)
2. Once you have created an account, you may begin the application for admission to the Graduate School.  Our program is listed under the College of Science and Mathematics, with a concentration in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology.  If you choose the course-based option without the thesis, select the option that includes Human Performance and Effectiveness concentration.  If you choose the thesis-based option, select the MS in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology.  Make sure to select your interest in either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree program.
3. As part of the application, you will be required to submit a packet of materials, review what you need to submit under the Materials tab.
4. Upon completion of the online application, you will be required to pay a $40 application fee which can be submitted online.
5. Any supplemental materials (letters of recommendation, transcripts, GRE scores) should be sent to:

WSUgrad@wright.edu
or
Wright State University
Graduate School
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.
Dayton, OH 45435-0001

The admissions process is competitive. Applications will be reviewed to assess the likelihood of success in the program and potential for a career in Human Factors or Industrial/Organizational psychology.  Evaluation criteria will include: cumulative grade point average, verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination scores, performance in relevant coursework, letters of recommendation, previous research experience, relevant job experience, and other information about writing, speaking, and quantitative skills.

Materials

Here is a list of materials needed to apply to the Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology graduate program. We only accept new applicants for the fall semester. We will begin reviewing applications on December 15 for master's thesis students. We will begin reviewing applications on January 15 for master's concentration students. Applications will continue to be reviewed after those dates.

1. A completed application to the School of Graduate Studies (submitted online).
2. An essay outlining your professional goals and research interests. This should be a brief essay telling us what you hope to learn here and what type of career (academic, applied, or research) you want to pursue. This is also an appropriate place to describe which research areas you would like to explore and if there are any particular faculty you want to work with.
3. Three (3) letters of recommendation; preferably from academic sources that can speak to your capacity for graduate study. A letter from a professional source that can provide information on your abilities and characteristics outside of an academic setting would also be appropriate. Each source must mail their letters directly to the School of Graduate Studies in individually signed and sealed envelopes, or you may email them to wsugrad@wright.edu.
4. One (1) official transcript sent from each institution attended (except Wright State University) is required. If courses from one university/college appear on another university’s/college’s transcript, you are still required to submit an official transcript from the college where you originally completed the course work.
5. The GRE is required for the MS (Thesis).  The GRE is not required for the MS with a concentration in Human Performance and Effectiveness.

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for additional information.

Contact the Graduate Program Director Dr. Scott Watamanuik (scott.watamaniuk@wright.edu) for more information.